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CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY TO ISAST
AND NOT TO BE SHARED OR DISCUSSED
OUTSIDE LEONARDO/ISAST BOARD
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEONARDO/ISAST
June 27, 2004
Present: Marty Anderson, Vice Chair, presiding; Greg Niemeyer, Sonya Rapoport, Darlene Tong, Steve Wilson.
Guests: Meredith Tromble, SFAI; Melinda Klayman, staff.
1. Welcome Board. Welcome guests.
2. Approval of minutes of March 7, 2004 meeting. As there was not a quorum at this meeting, this action was deferred to the next Board meeting.
3. Approval/Modifications of Agenda. No modifications.
4. General news – Marty Anderson. The meeting was being held in Leonardo/ISAST’s new office. Leonardo has taken a 1-year lease on the space, which accommodates the staff needs very well. There is a possibility for alliance with SFAI next year, which could include office space. Meredith Tromble will present her plan at this meeting.
5. Committee Reports:
a. Nominations – Sonya Rapoport– there are 3 vacancies currently on the board, probably more in near future. Top priority is diversity of interest. Currently we have 6 artists, 1 scientist, 1 librarian, 1 administrator, 2 entrepreneurs, 1 financial advisor. Also want ethnic diversity. What direction to take in order to fill the board with people who will help us accomplish mission? Because we are unsure of our direction, Sonya recommends that we only add one person to the board at this time.
i. Secretary. Greg Niemeyer has agreed to put forth his name for Secretary. Melinda will distribute an email ballot to confirm his post.
ii. Chair of Nominating Committee. Sonya would like to be replaced as Chair.
iii. Nominees
1. David Chavez – Melinda Klayman. Chavez is unable to accept nomination at this time.
2. Larry Larson – Michael Grey. Grey was not present at this meeting, so no presentation was made.
3. Christian Simm – Greg Niemeyer. Simm is PhD in Physics from Switzerland. Designed particle accelerators then became Science Ambassador of Switzerland to the US. Can tie Leonardo to international scientific community. Swissnix, his organization, is for both science and culture. Also has connections in business, insurance, etc. Sonya would encourage representation by a scientist (Simm) on the board.
4. Meredith Tromble – Greg Niemeyer. Question about Meredith Tromble nomination – is she a package deal with the SFAI potential alliance? What if the proposed collaboration with SFAI doesn’t work out? Politically sounds questionable at this time, potential for split allegiance on her part. Though she would be a good facilitator to the scientific perspective.
b. Journals Report – Pam Grant-Ryan not present, so Steve Wilson presented.
i. Experimental Publishing Committee. Pam Grant-Ryan wrote up a proposal (attached) to move into preprint approach. This somewhat follows the model of the scientific preprint server, but gives authors the option to publish abstract in print Leonardo while unedited full-length text on line immediately on LEA. Discussion should ensue before next board meeting by staff regarding time management and reality of implementation of this plan. The board expressed general enthusiasm about this proposal. What about other Experimental ideas, such as DVD, collaboration with ISEA 2006, etc?
c. Advisory Board report – Beverly Reiser
i. Kurtz/Critical Art Ensemble letter of support. Attached.
d. Finance & Compensation Committee Report – Marty Anderson
i. Benefits – Health insurance increase. Reviewed and approved to increase monthly health insurance benefit to $200 retroactive to 1/1/04.
ii. 2004 Budget. Will be discussed in August.
e. Fundraising and Marketing
i. Status. Melinda gave a general overview of the current fundraising picture. Leonardo has not received any new grants recently. However, the recent membership drive was successful, acquiring nearly 20 new individual members. Personal donations have increased.
ii. Corporate membership. Leonardo’s new corporate membership program offers companies basic membership benefits, plus a full-color back cover advertisement on Leonardo for a very affordable $1000. The first corporate member is Intel (thanks to Greg Niemeyer for connecting them). The Board was implored to help identify and encourage further corporate members.
f. Web – Steve Wilson. Cross-site navigation banner designed by Ellen Cross at MIT. What should be the organizing headers? This navigation met with great approval. Add subscribe/join/donate. Next step will be unified portal of some sort.
g. Leonardo Book Series – Joel Slayton not present. Steve mentioned that his proposal from 2 years ago hasn’t moved at all through the process. Concerned that there is a problem, if even a proven author is ignored for 2 years. Joel has talked to Doug Sery about this, who is legitimately overloaded, but still unacceptable backlog. Marty suggests we email Joel before next meeting to inquire how & when this process will improve (including looking for a new publisher) because it is not satisfactory.
6. New Business/Other
a. SFAI Art-Science Program Collaboration – Meredith Tromble from SFAI joined the meeting to present a proposal for partnership between SFAI and Leonardo. Involves, eventually, offices for Leonardo housed at SFAI and SFAI interns at Leonardo. Center for Art & Science at SFAI is a new program spearheaded by Tromble as part of several new interdisciplinary Centers that focus the curriculum. Not separate buildings, but infused within the activities of SFAI. Specific points that might outline partnership: identifiable Leonardo space as part of SFAI’s facilities, content for school and journal, curriculum crossover such as 3-4 internships and using Leonardo content in classes, kind of agreement (such as with SVA for Digital Salon) that makes color possible. Content flow both ways. Compatible in terms of priorities, goals, size of organizations. Interchange of content, people, space. How will SFAI provide science education to its art students? Partnerships with Exploratorium and others, bringing in guest lecturers from science fields. Opportunity that is both practical and ideological; one shouldn’t get in the way of the other.
b. Art History Conference – Board expressed dissatisfaction with title Cut/Past(e)/Refresh. Intel’s possible support of the conference was announced.
c. Board members news.
i. Greg: UC Berkeley Center for New Media is now officially in existence.
7. Date of next Board meeting will be determined soon, to be in August.
8. Adjourn
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEONARDO/ISAST
June 27, 2004
Present: Marty Anderson, Vice Chair, presiding; Greg Niemeyer, Sonya Rapoport, Darlene Tong, Steve Wilson.
Guests: Meredith Tromble, SFAI; Melinda Klayman, staff.
1. Welcome Board. Welcome guests.
2. Approval of minutes of March 7, 2004 meeting. As there was not a quorum at this meeting, this action was deferred to the next Board meeting.
3. Approval/Modifications of Agenda. No modifications.
4. General news – Marty Anderson. The meeting was being held in Leonardo/ISAST’s new office. Leonardo has taken a 1-year lease on the space, which accommodates the staff needs very well. There is a possibility for alliance with SFAI next year, which could include office space. Meredith Tromble will present her plan at this meeting.
5. Committee Reports:
a. Nominations – Sonya Rapoport– there are 3 vacancies currently on the board, probably more in near future. Top priority is diversity of interest. Currently we have 6 artists, 1 scientist, 1 librarian, 1 administrator, 2 entrepreneurs, 1 financial advisor. Also want ethnic diversity. What direction to take in order to fill the board with people who will help us accomplish mission? Because we are unsure of our direction, Sonya recommends that we only add one person to the board at this time.
i. Secretary. Greg Niemeyer has agreed to put forth his name for Secretary. Melinda will distribute an email ballot to confirm his post.
ii. Chair of Nominating Committee. Sonya would like to be replaced as Chair.
iii. Nominees
1. David Chavez – Melinda Klayman. Chavez is unable to accept nomination at this time.
2. Larry Larson – Michael Grey. Grey was not present at this meeting, so no presentation was made.
3. Christian Simm – Greg Niemeyer. Simm is PhD in Physics from Switzerland. Designed particle accelerators then became Science Ambassador of Switzerland to the US. Can tie Leonardo to international scientific community. Swissnix, his organization, is for both science and culture. Also has connections in business, insurance, etc. Sonya would encourage representation by a scientist (Simm) on the board.
4. Meredith Tromble – Greg Niemeyer. Question about Meredith Tromble nomination – is she a package deal with the SFAI potential alliance? What if the proposed collaboration with SFAI doesn’t work out? Politically sounds questionable at this time, potential for split allegiance on her part. Though she would be a good facilitator to the scientific perspective.
b. Journals Report – Pam Grant-Ryan not present, so Steve Wilson presented.
i. Experimental Publishing Committee. Pam Grant-Ryan wrote up a proposal (attached) to move into preprint approach. This somewhat follows the model of the scientific preprint server, but gives authors the option to publish abstract in print Leonardo while unedited full-length text on line immediately on LEA. Discussion should ensue before next board meeting by staff regarding time management and reality of implementation of this plan. The board expressed general enthusiasm about this proposal. What about other Experimental ideas, such as DVD, collaboration with ISEA 2006, etc?
c. Advisory Board report – Beverly Reiser
i. Kurtz/Critical Art Ensemble letter of support. Attached.
d. Finance & Compensation Committee Report – Marty Anderson
i. Benefits – Health insurance increase. Reviewed and approved to increase monthly health insurance benefit to $200 retroactive to 1/1/04.
ii. 2004 Budget. Will be discussed in August.
e. Fundraising and Marketing
i. Status. Melinda gave a general overview of the current fundraising picture. Leonardo has not received any new grants recently. However, the recent membership drive was successful, acquiring nearly 20 new individual members. Personal donations have increased.
ii. Corporate membership. Leonardo’s new corporate membership program offers companies basic membership benefits, plus a full-color back cover advertisement on Leonardo for a very affordable $1000. The first corporate member is Intel (thanks to Greg Niemeyer for connecting them). The Board was implored to help identify and encourage further corporate members.
f. Web – Steve Wilson. Cross-site navigation banner designed by Ellen Cross at MIT. What should be the organizing headers? This navigation met with great approval. Add subscribe/join/donate. Next step will be unified portal of some sort.
g. Leonardo Book Series – Joel Slayton not present. Steve mentioned that his proposal from 2 years ago hasn’t moved at all through the process. Concerned that there is a problem, if even a proven author is ignored for 2 years. Joel has talked to Doug Sery about this, who is legitimately overloaded, but still unacceptable backlog. Marty suggests we email Joel before next meeting to inquire how & when this process will improve (including looking for a new publisher) because it is not satisfactory.
6. New Business/Other
a. SFAI Art-Science Program Collaboration – Meredith Tromble from SFAI joined the meeting to present a proposal for partnership between SFAI and Leonardo. Involves, eventually, offices for Leonardo housed at SFAI and SFAI interns at Leonardo. Center for Art & Science at SFAI is a new program spearheaded by Tromble as part of several new interdisciplinary Centers that focus the curriculum. Not separate buildings, but infused within the activities of SFAI. Specific points that might outline partnership: identifiable Leonardo space as part of SFAI’s facilities, content for school and journal, curriculum crossover such as 3-4 internships and using Leonardo content in classes, kind of agreement (such as with SVA for Digital Salon) that makes color possible. Content flow both ways. Compatible in terms of priorities, goals, size of organizations. Interchange of content, people, space. How will SFAI provide science education to its art students? Partnerships with Exploratorium and others, bringing in guest lecturers from science fields. Opportunity that is both practical and ideological; one shouldn’t get in the way of the other.
b. Art History Conference – Board expressed dissatisfaction with title Cut/Past(e)/Refresh. Intel’s possible support of the conference was announced.
c. Board members news.
i. Greg: UC Berkeley Center for New Media is now officially in existence.
7. Date of next Board meeting will be determined soon, to be in August.
8. Adjourn