Business Meeting

Midwest Philosophy of Education Society (MPES)/

Society for the Philosophical Study of Education (SPSE)

November 10, 2006, 4:30 p.m., National Louis University, Chicago, Illinois

In attendance: Richard Pipan, President; Jason Helfer, Vice-President; Marge Oliker, Treasurer; Alex Makedon, Webmaster; Allan Johnston, Secretary; Guillemettte Johnston, member, and Phil Smith, member of the Board of Directors.

Meeting called to order shortly after 4:30. Richard Pipan suggested strategies for the meeting. Minutes from the previous meeting (Nov. 11, 2005, last year's MPES conference) were moved and seconded, and unanimously approved.

1) Treasurer's report: Marge Oliker presented a statement of the financial status of MPES. She mentioned funds collected through conference registration and book royalties for MPES Proceedings. It was mentioned that some checks that had not been cashed would need to be reissued. The Society deposited $474.00 in royalties from book sales. Marge also mentioned conference attendance, which generates funds for the society via registration fees. By the time of the meeting on November 10, there were 39 paid regular registrations for attending the conference, as well as 13 attendees paying the student rate. Checks had been paid to last year's student award winners. It was moved and seconded that the Treasurer's report be accepted. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

2) The treasurer suggested that MPES move its account to another, more conveniently located bank. Alex Makedon moved that this be permitted, and Jason Helfer seconded. To do this, however, the constitution of MPES would have to be amended to give the Treasurer the authority to transfer account. This amendment was moved, seconded, and approved. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

3) The Michael Oliker award and the award process were discussed. The question was raised whether the award should be given to one presenter, on the possibility (raised by Phil) that offering only one Michael Oliker award would discourage participation by graduate students who do not feel that their material shows as much promise as material offered by other students. It was decided to give the award to one student for one paper. Each award would include a $100.00 honorarium. Splitting of the award at the last conference occurred because two students had co-written the award-winning paper. It was agreed to keep the current number of awards (3; the Michael Oliker award and two others). Jason suggested that awards be issued within three weeks after the conference to avoid problems with locating the winners as occurred with Jeffrey Ryan Thibert, 2005 winner of the Michael Oliker award with whom the society had lost contact.

4) It was pointed out that undergraduate students had given presentations at this year's meeting, and means to develop the communal aspect of the society were discussed. Continuing undergraduate participation was encouraged, as participation gives these students experience.

5) Vice President's and proceedings editor's report. Jason Helfer commented on the quality of this year's program. Over thirty paper proposals were submitted, and a revised program for the conference would soon be emailed. It was recommended that the Secretary of the Society send a letter of acknowledgement to the Dean of Education at National-Louis University for letting the society use the facilities, but it was decided that this task would be better done by the current President, Richard Pipan. Richard agreed to draft the letter.

6) Proceedings: Jason informed the committee that the Proceedings for the 2004 and 2005 conferences are headed to press and should be at the publisher's and perhaps even published by December 2006. It was agreed that Jason and Charlie Blatz would edit the next issue of the conference proceedings.

7) Next year's conference: Jason suggested that an earlier paper call be put out for next year's conference. He suggested that the conference call be put out by or in May 2007. It was decided to try to hold the conference at NLU again next year; Jason agreed to communicate with Patrick about this. It was hoped to get an earlier commitment. Charlie Blatz, offered the University of Toledo as a site for the conference, and it was agreed to hold this offer open for future meetings. The question whether to try to hold the 2007 conference at NLU again was called, seconded, and voted on. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

8) Webmaster's Report: Alex Makedon discussed his efforts to improve the website by updating the existing resources link. Phil Smith acknowledged the importance and the significance of the website, which helps to hold the society together.

9) Election of officers for 2006: Ron Swartz nominated through a write-in vote Jason Helfer as President. The nomination was closed, seconded and passed unanimously. Alex Makedon nominated Guillemette Johnston as Vice President to replace Jason. The nomination was seconded and passed unanimously. Marge Oliker, Alex Makedon, and Allan Johnston were re-elected as Treasurer, WebMaster, and Secretary respectively. The new slate of officers was approved. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

10) New material: Jason Helfer proposed that the Society start a new, peer-reviewed, rolling e-journal, of which he would be the editor. He suggested as a timeline that a review board and web board for the journal be created by next June. The journal would offer scholarly papers, commentaries by senior writers, and undergraduate presentations. It would include undergraduate officers among its reviewers and follow the format of rolling acceptances, with e-mails sent to subscribers with each new submission. The steps to forming the journal would include creating an editorship and electing someone to serve as chief editor. Alex Makedon moved to have a new office added to the MPES officers board: editor of journal. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. He further moved that Jason Helfer serve as editor of the journal. Motion seconded and passed unanimously. Alex suggested a name for the journal, "JOURNAL FOR THE PHILOSOPHICAL STUDY OF EDUCATION." MPES will now publish both this journal and the Proceedings from the conference. The journal would be made available in PDF format. It was moved to adopt the aforementioned name for the new journal. Motion seconded and passed unanimously. It was agreed that the term of editor would last two years and that Jason Helfer would be the first editor. Seconded and approved. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

11) New Name for the Society: It was suggested that the Midwest Philosophy of Education Society be renamed. Alex proposed the name "SOCIETY FOR THE PHILOSOPHICAL STUDY OF EDUCATION (SPSE)." MPES was described as having a "local" connotation that might discourage broader participation. Also, MPES suggested a false affiliation with PES (the Philosophy of Education Society), with which MPES was once affiliated but is no more. Richard pointed out that the new name would be less regional and more inclusive of the sorts of writing that might be encouraged. The new name would make clear the society's affiliation with the new e-journal. It would open possibilities by suggesting that papers could be "philosophical" (i.e., showing thoughtful assessment) rather than dealing with "philosophy" as such. It would ask for a perspective that includes an articulation of a disciplined philosophical study as a matter of heart and soul rather than hard philosophy. The name change was moved, seconded. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

12) Affiliation with APA: Alex pointed out that SPSE might be able to become an affiliate of the American Philosophical Association- Central Division, which generally holds a conference in Chicago in the Spring. Alex distributed communication he has had with APA-Central Division to learn what was involved in gaining affiliation. It was moved and seconded that this goal was worth pursuing. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:30 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Allan Johnston, SPSE Secretary