Maureen Burns and Jodie Walz, Co-Chairs
Education Committee (EdComm)
10 July 2006
Mid-Year Report

Current Charge
To engage in research, build accessible resources, and share information about educational and professional development opportunities for the VRA membership by remaining in contact with appropriate members of related professional organizations and educational institutions. To regularly solicit information from the VRA membership about interests and educational concerns in order to develop supportive programming at the annual conference and as other opportunities arise.

Accomplishments
A productive committee meeting took place in Baltimore, including discussions of: changes in the committee leadership and composition, a work timeline, the ARLIS/NA-VRA Summer Educational Institute (Trudy Jacoby joined the meeting to report on SEI progress), connecting with affiliated and like-minded professional organizations and monitoring/forwarding information from listservs (no Membership Committee member could join us but Maureen Burns attended their meeting), the strategic plan and distance learning, internships (Henry Pisciotta joined the meeting to provide information about ARLIS/NA's intern scholarship), the EdComm Web site, workshop ideas for EdComm to sponsor in Kansas City, encouraging chapter officers to take advantage of free workshop stipends, and the role of EdComm chapter liaisons.

The stipend program for 2006 conference workshops was promoted and implemented by EdComm with the assistance of the VRA Treasurer, Ann Woodward. Maureen Burns attended the Membership Committee meeting in Baltimore to share information 2006 stipend recipients and the workshops they attended are listed below in alphabetical order by chapter.

Nicole Finzer led EdComm's research effort to learn more about existing internship programs for visual resources professionals. She reviewed many academic sites and queried the ARLIS and VRA listservs to obtain information about established programs. This information has been compiled and is being shared on the EdComm Web site at http://vraeducation.ucdavis.edu/VR%20Internship%202006.pdf.

After contacting several potential speakers and discussing ideas on the EdComm listserv, the following three workshop proposals are being sponsored by the EdComm for Kansas City 2007: Educating the Educators: Teaching Faculty to Teach with Digital Images organized by Jenni Rodda; Religions of Asia: Toward an Asian Authority by Wendy Holden; and, an Image Metadata Crash Course by Elisa Lanzi.

To strengthen ties with related organizations and to improve ongoing communication about educational opportunities, Maureen Burns is acting as the ARLIS/NA liaison to the Museum Computer Network. In this way, it is hoped channels of communication between all three organizations will be facilitated.

Leah Theis continues to efficiently manage and develop the EdComm Web site, and is making quarterly contact with VRA members, via the listserve, to initiate feedback on EdComm issues. We are very appreciative that Leah continues to fill this important role for EdComm, and by extension, for our organization.

Jeanette Mills, although no longer on EdComm, continues to support the EdComm listserv and we are grateful for this service.

Jodie Walz has agreed to co-chair EdComm with Maureen Burns in the coming year. Jenni Rodda and Ann Woodward stepped down from EdComm due to other professional obligations; EdComm is very grateful for their past efforts. The EdComm is happy to welcome two new members who have joined: Merriann Bidgood and Susan Hoyt.

Goals
Continue to discuss and implement educational recommendations from the VRA Board and membership.

Work with the timeline and annual calendar for EdComm tasks and continue to hone it over the year to standardize when certain events, discussions, and reporting should take place.

Update chapter liaisons and listserv monitoring to adjust to committee composition changes and include new EdComm members.

Continue to communicate with the ARLIS/NA-VRA Summer Educational Institute Implementation Team regarding EdComm issues and concerns. Consider ways to collaborate on future planning.

Continue to forward the subsidized workshop stipends to regional chapter officers by providing more announcements and lead time for registration. Send clear directions to recipients about the paperwork required for reimbursement since this year many were slow to claim funds. Continue to encourage workshop attendees to share the information acquired with all the members of the region at chapter meetings.

Continue a quarterly dialogue between chapter liaisons and regional chapters, which will include discussions of the educational needs of regional chapters and chapter members.

Further discuss and consider the issue of distance learning opportunities for our membership and see if specific questions related to this might be added to the next membership survey, if appropriate.

Further discuss and consider the issue of EdComm sponsoring internships in the manner that ARLIS/NA does and look into potential partnerships with ARLIS/NA and other associated organizations.

Discuss ways to call attention to the EdComm Web site and consider information enhancement and dynamic links.

Continue to follow up with related organizations like SAA, MCN, EDUCAUSE, ARLIS/NA, and CAA regarding potential shared educational opportunities. Continue to communicate with the Membership Committee about these organizations and their contacts, as well as to share priorities. Invite representatives of these organizations to the EdComm committee meeting in Kansas City.

Board Action Requested
Continue the existing process for providing subsidized workshops to regional chapter leaders at annual VRA conferences.

Budget Request
None at this time.

Description Amount

List of Committee Members (cite names and Institutions)
Merriann Bidgood
University of Houston

Maureen Burns
University of California, Irvine
Co-Chair

Nicole Finzer
Bryn Mawr

Wendy Holden
Independent Consultant

Susan Hoyt
University of Oregon, Eugene

Carolyn Lucarelli
The Pensylvania State University

Madelyn Millen
University of California, Riverside

Joy Robinson
Winthrop University

Susan Sanders
University of Memphis

Leah Theis
University of California, Davis

Karin Whalen
Reed College

Jodie Walz
University of Minnesota
Co-Chair

Betha Whitlow
Washington University
Liaison to the VRA Board

Respectfully submitted,
Maureen Burns,
Co-Chair
and
Jodie Walz,
Co-Chair

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