By Carolyn Chin
Voices
A number of topics were addressed during the Advisory Board meeting Saturday morning, including convention, personnel and program issues.
* The Seaport Hotel was originally booked for 2,015 rooms, but AAJA renegotiated the required number in its contract to 1,536 rooms. The contract also stated that if rooms were booked, they still must be paid for even if they went unoccupied. And the Westin Boston Waterfront, AAJA’s overflow hotel, was booked at 400 rooms but “was lucky to have 50,” AAJA accountant Glenn Sugihara said.
* AAJA hopes to secure a permanent executive director by Nov. 30. AAJA national president Sharon Chan said that the search will go on until the right candidate is chosen. The search committee is recruiting and seeding through candidates. Once the search committee finds three candidates, the candidates will then interview with the executive officers. If the executive officers approve of a candidate’s skills and fit for the job, the candidate will then visit the national office.
* Advisory board members brought up complaints about the process lacking transparency. They also were concerned about the lack of transparency shown when former executive director Ellen Endo left AAJA and interim executive director Maya Blackmun replaced her. Chan said all advisory board members were notified of the events before the release was sent out on July 17, but members said they didn’t receive notice until hours before the actual release was sent.
* Deputy Executive Director Janice Lee’s last day was Saturday. She has been on half-time since June 30. Lee plans to work as the development and communications director for Urban Solutions in San Francisco.
* AAJA’s total assets as of June 30 equal $1.8 million. In 1982, AAJA’s total assets equaled $15,000. If AAJA continues to operate as is, it will last for two years.
