MAPOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA
MAPOR SPOTLIGHT of the MONTH: Our MAPOR Spotlight of the Month goes out to Curtiss for all of his
hard work to begin the revamp of the Student Paper Competition.
MAPOR Mission Statement
We provide high-quality educational and conference programs to encourage scholarly exchanges across
disciplines and geographies, broaden member access to mentors and resources, and bolster
opportunities for leadership and innovations. We join forces with AAPOR, academic institutions, and
government and industry employers to develop a thriving community that supports all MAPOR
members, including students, scholars, and professionals in every stage of their career.
MAPOR Vision Statement
MAPOR is a leading voice in public opinion, survey, and social science scholarship, methods, and practice
among regional professional associations. We are an inclusive and supportive community that enables
our diverse members to achieve their educational, professional development, and networking goals.
Agenda:
Attendees: Semilla, Carlye, Leah, Beth, Curtiss, Evgenia, Jenny, Caroline, David, Yorkow, Paul, Jerry
, Patrick, Erin, Rebecca, Ben
I. Approve January Minutes: 01.12.24 MAPOR Minutes.docx
The January meeting minutes were approved.
II. 2024 Conference (Jenny)
a. Conference support committee
b. Inviting Tristanne Staudt (AAPOR’s Executive Director) (Jerry)
Lydia Saad confirmed to do the keynote, Trent Buskirk confirmed to do the pedagogy hour. Still need to
figure out a short course – Jen Dykema and Nora Cate Schaffer might be able to do course on
questionnaire design. Council members supportive of the idea (good for early career folks and students),
going to reach out to them again to make sure they are still up for it. Next up is figuring out a theme –
leaning towards staying generic to encourage submissions. Goal is to have a short course locked down by
the next meeting.
Jerry had the idea to extend an invitation to Tristanne Staudt (AAPOR executive director) to attend the
conference. She could do the AAPOR pitch during the award banquet. She has expressed interest in
connecting with members more. Send an email to her, perhaps comp attendance (might not be
necessary, AAPOR has budgeted for her to do some travel). Jenny likes the idea and her will reach out to
her.
Conference support committee – Patrick offered to connect Jenny with local folks to help coordinate
things. Jenny agrees that having someone local to help with logistics would be helpful and that the
conference chair should be responsible, but bring in help and support to divvy up responsibility. Support
Committee should be current, prior, associate conference chair, and then having someone local to go
along with the experience to drive interest in running. Mentioned NORC junior staff member had interest.
Patrick sending Jenny contact info and said for ad-hoc members to reach out.
III. Secretary Treasurer’s Report (Lindsey)
a. Financial updates
i. Checkings = $22,236.19
ii. Savings = $42,217.61
b. Membership list updates
i. 324 general members + 64 students = 388 total members
ii. 2024 Membership is up on the google drive
Federal and State taxes are done
On to do list for February = starting the IL tax exemption application
IV. Communications/Website (Benjamin)
a. Engagement plan/strategy
b. Spring newsletter
c. Updates with new members
d. 50th graphics update – will meet with the graphics person AAPOR used
Ben sent Leah a draft of the newsletter. Leah meeting with AAPOR graphics designer about pricing and
to make sure ideas align next week and will send Beth an invitation. Newsletter going out next week. As
soon as he has the SPC updates they can get up on the website.
V. BOSR 60th Anniversary (Lindsey)
a. Any Updates?
b. Have we made enough progress to add this to a February newsletter?
BOSR already have some stuff planned themselves, not ready (not interested?) in planning something
larger to link up with MAPOR. So start planning other ideas here – obvious choice is Chicago, expand and
have something in MI or WI?
VI. Awards, Grants, and Support Committee
a. Update goals for 2024
b. Tentative tasks for 2024
i. Review Conference Feedback
ii. Evaluate Student Fellowship Program
iii. Evaluate Student Grants Program
Curtiss has been going through feedback of past student competitions and looking for idea for
edits/changes/new ideas (below).
External
- Expanding eligibility for students having multiple professors on a paper. Would require that
professors submit letter affirming that the student wrote the paper submitted.
a. Jerry raised concern that big lab paper would be submitted as student paper – professor
letter addresses this. - Highlight that current MAPOR fellow will reach out to all students after the abstract submission
deadline to provide deadline for final paper submission.
a. This was already practice, but putting it explicitly into procedures . - Codify that no awards may be given if number of submissions is low OR if no submitted paper
meets the criteria level.
a. Do we want to have a minimum number of papers? Consensus is no because often do
not have many submissions and if there is just 1 paper but it is steller, they should
recieve an award.
Interal
- Giving MAPOR fellows the option to opt out (for a year, in general).
a. How can we reach out to fellows to judge willingness to help out? Qualtrics survey? Ask
them to respond to an email with feedback on participation?
b. Jerry had idea to ask them to give us another reviewer if they opt out (and will help
address point 2 below) - Expand list of reviewers
- Create standing SPC committee of the 2 most recent MAPOR fellows and EC Awards committee
(chair is current MAPOR fellow). Help with communication, etc.
a. Agreement that this is good idea
b. Bylaws allow this committee creation as EC members are on it - Need to update scoring rubric – currently all it has is “How worthy is this paper of being awarded
an award?
a. Curtiss is reaching out to Jerry about AAPOR, other chapter rubrics. - Create a new Google Drive folder for SPC that MAPOR fellows have access to, rather than
depending on email to pass along information. - Website updates needed
a. New section under conference tab for SPC related information – rules, eligibility, past
winners, submission page, thank yous to fellows/reviewers
b. Consider nominations? (Discussion below)
c. Webmaster is in charge of updating this on a regular basis
Discussion on nominations – Evgenia worried that nominations would make students less likely to submit
if they did not get nominated. Curtiss said that would be mitigated by keeping it anonymous, could come
from anyone, not included in criteria. Leah raised the point that we need to make it very clear that there
are different avenues and anyone can and should submit, regardless of nominations. Compromise of
having professors send out generic emails encouraging students to submit? Rebecca (and Jerry) had idea
to send out general email or target departments rather than professors to avoid term of “nominations”/
favoritism. Targeting departments rather than professors was consensus. Who do we reach out to –
administrative staff, professors who have attended MAPOR? Ongoing outreach?
Paul has been working on developing templates for outreach to universities/departments – similar to
membership drive. Could be a few contacts in the next couple months? Evgenia also has a list of contacts
that can be expanded upon. Minnesota
VII. Sponsorship (Justine)
VIII. Online Learning Committee (Rebecca)
a. Update goals for 2024
b. Webinars
c. Other events?
i. Resume review?
ii. Speed networking?
Student perspective on the committee is great. Changing away from webinars and moving towards
interactive workshops, etc. Nothing currently planned for Spring – take time to carefully plan the
update/change rather than rush into things? April is tough for students also.
Resume reviews (in breakout rooms) – Summer or Fall? We did this last Fall and did not get a ton of
response, colleges also have resume reviews, so perhaps not the best use of time.
Target would be something new and different for Fall.
IX. Other business
a. AAPOR all chapter party planning representative
Leah cannot attend – can anyone take her place? Patrick is taking over.
Last year every chapter put money in the pool to try to pay for it – suggested donation is
$1500 and MAPOR has historically done $2000. Deadline is next meeting. Leah is
reaching out to Lindsey to figure this out, and will connect with Angel (?).
b. Mixers in 2024 (single date mixer across multiple cities?)
i. Lincoln
ii. Ann Arbor
iii. Chicago
iv. Madison
Hash out these details next meeting?
c. List of organizations and universities for additional outreach
d. Updates to MAPOR Roles and Policies (Leah)
i. Updating roles of President, Conference Chair, and Associate Conference Chair
to reflect how the rules currently function
ii. Conduct policy (to reflect AAPOR’s conduct policy)
iii. Budget Approval Policy
Still working on updating rules and policies – will bring when they are ready
Council members
President – Leah Dean
Vice President / President Elect – Patrick Hsieh
Past President – Justine Bulgar-Medina
Conference Chair – Jenny Marlar
Associate Conference Chair – Beth Fisher
Secretary-Treasurer – Lindsey Witt-Swanson
Associate Secretary-Treasurer – Semilla Stripp
Sponsorship Coordinator –Justine Bulgar-Medina
Student Liaison – Curtiss Engstrom
Communications & Website Chair – Benjamin Schapiro
Members at Large – Erin Heiden, Rebecca Powell, Jerry Timbrook, Paul DiPerna, Carlye Arcas, Yorkow
Oppon-Acquah, Caroline Smith
Proposed Committees
Conference Committee – Jenny, Beth, Justine
Online Learning Committee – Rebecca Powell (Chair), Erin Heiden, Jerry Timbrook, Yorkow
Oppon-Acquah
Awards, Grants, and Support Committee – Paul DiPerna, Curtiss Engstrom, Carlye Arcas
Secretary Treasurer Support – Lindsey Witt-Swanson, Semilla Stripp
Communications Support – Benjamin Schapiro, Evgenia Kapousouz, Leah Dean,
50th Anniversary Committee – Leah (chair), Beth, additional fellows, Caroline Smith, David
Sterrett