At the all-day meeting on Friday of the NCTE fall conference, all SCOA members except for Karen Kurzman were present, along with Millie Davis. The following people attended the meeting periodically during the day: Kyoko Sato, Pat Graff, Gerry Kuroghlian, and Randy Bomer.

At Millie Davis' request the SCOA immediately set up the following assignments for next year's awards and conference:

The criteria for Journal and Newsletter award were discussed. Some felt that the present rubric is not very helpful. Crag Hill had taken that information to the last Leadership Conference, and he shared his ideas and received many others from the meeting's attendees about newsletters. All representatives agreed that anyone who submits wants feedback. The following criteria were established:

Content-40 points
Writing-20 points
Published at least 3 times a year
Consistency and Timeliness-10 points
Purposeful publication (goals)-10 points

Easy to read- 10 points

Professional Graphics- 10 points
100 points total

Affiliate's intelligence is the most importance, graphics are less important. The group decided not to include Assemblies in these competitions.

The Task Force on Affiliates had established a rule that four of the eight regions meet for an Affiliate Leadership Conference in one year, designating the 2nd weekend in August for that meeting time. This model has produced even better feedback among affiliate leaders than the previous structure. With this new arrangement, affiliate members are not with just the same people in their region for a day and a half, and since they get to meet with more people, they get more information and more varied information.

For the next Leadership Conference, July 9, 10, and 11 are the new dates for the 2004 Leadership Conference-rather than the usual August dates. According to Millie Davis, the charge for the SCOA is as follows:

1) As the link between affiliates and NCTE, SCOA representatives take ideas and get them where they need to go. They must get help from those most talented in their region.

2) Awards, two concurrent sessions at the NCTE conference, and one workshop allow for recognition of affiliates and affiliate leaders and for exchange of information between the SCOA and NCTE members and other affiliate people.

3) Being advocates for affiliates and other affiliate leaders is an important element for SCOA representatives.

The SCOA representatives with help from Kyoko Sato, Randy Bomer, and Pat Graff brainstormed these charges as well as others integral to the Committee for the entire day.

The Committee adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

Olivia M. Pass, Chair