MAPOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA
MAPOR SPOTLIGHT of the MONTH: Our MAPOR Spotlight of the Month goes out toPatrick for all of his
work representing MAPOR as part of the AAPOR all-chapter party planning!
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, Benjamin, Beth, Caroline, David, Lean, Curtiss, Erin, Evgenia, Patrick, Jenny,
Lindsey, Yorkow, Rebecca, Jerry,
I. Approve April Minutes: 04.12.24 MAPOR MINUTES.docx
- Approved
II. 2024 Conference (Jenny)
a. Adding list of past student fellows and student paper competition winners to
conference program (Leah) - we already do this for fellows so that works well and does not take up a lot of
space. - Next step is putting out a call for abstracts. Call with CVENT is scheduled (date?) and hoping
that the call can go out that same day. Jenny has a draft already that she will circulate for
feedback before the CVENT meeting. - Sometimes the call for abstracts has details about the conference, so may need to decide on a
few things (e.g., President’s reception cash vs free bar) in the next few months. - Patrick says the conference details in dictated by what is finalized e.g., details about the
hotel or agenda or speakers. Bare minimum is a theme. - High level agenda can go on the website at the same time – Jenny can put together.
- RE: Happy Hour. When the Happy Hour has been at same time at hotel happy hour, we
have done a cash bar. If it is not at that time then we have an open bar/ticketed bar.
Open bar with base beer/wine package. Ends up being cheaper to have a free bar. - A general agenda can go live on the website at the same time as the call for abstracts.
Jenny offered to help put together.
III. Secretary Treasurer’s Report (Lindsey)
a. Financial updates
- Checking: $21,915.87
- Savings: $42,218.63
- Not much has changed – not a lot of expenses this year.
- One upcoming expense – new CVENT invoice for this year. $1400 for 200
registrants. Some years we have needed extra for the online learning
community, but fine to keep at 200.
b. Membership list updates
- Has not been updated (oopsy), but will do it in the next week or two.
- Usually see a jump in May after the AAPOR conference, but that is about it.
IV. Communications/Website (Benjamin)
a. Spring newsletter
- Working on sending around a few versions of the newsletter for folks to look at.
- Hopefully newsletter is going out next week. If it goes out later than that, we
might update a few things since it will be close to the calls for abstracts.
V. Awards, Grants, and Support Committee
- Reviewed all the applicants to the student fellowship program (7 applicants + 2
deferrals). After reviewing these proposals, around 7 to 8 would be ideal for the
program. There are also a wide variety of applicants this year – not just in MAPOR area
but in places like OK, Europe (!). Looking for some follow up with some proposals but
overall very impressed. - After the conference, Curtiss going to start reaching out to fellows to see if they want to
take on mentoring over the summer. - Working on draft for call for student papers with Kristen, so will coordinate with Jenny to
put out that call after the AAPOR conference. Kristen wanted the calls for student paper
to go out earlier / before the end of the semester. - Jenny: When is the right timing for academics (and students) for a call for submissions?
- Grad students? Undergrad students?
- Lots to consider with timing and different school schedules – no happy medium
- Maybe in future years we send something out in March “this is coming up, start
working on it or thinking about it” with the formal call to come later. - Can start getting ready for grants for early career travel and student travel.
VI. Sponsorship (Justine)
VII. Online Learning Committee (Rebecca)
a. October Webinar Idea on AI
- Excitement right now is about generative AI and survey research. Took a look at
other groups (e.g., NYAPOR did a webinar about AI and some presentations
about AI at the AAPOR conference). - Idea for next “semester’s” webinar – Generative AI and the survey process 101.
An introduction to how to use AI with surveys. Defining it, differentiating it, and
walking through each stage of the survey process and talk about ideas and
current research being done about how you can use it with surveys. Have a
couple people that we can ask to speak on this (all MAPOR folks). - Questions we have: 1) Is this the right level? 2) Is there going to be interest?
- Jenny – Trevor (MAPOR pedagogy hour) is going to be speaking about AI
so just want to make sure that there is not too much overlap there.
Could actually work well with the introduction/hook in the webinar in
October and then the pedagogy hour/extention at the conference in
November.
VIII. Other business
a. Mixers in 2024 (single date mixer across multiple cities?)
i. Lincoln
ii. Ann Arbor
iii. Chicago
iv. Madison
b. List of organizations and universities for additional outreach
c. 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
- Leah – hopefully conduct and budget policies ready in June
- What do we need to do for AAPOR welcome reception? Kevin used to do it all so want to
make sure we are ready. - AAPOR used to give us a budget to get prizes – Leah has the budget ($250) so
priority number 1 should be to get those ready. Last year we got cheese,
popcorn, fudge, etc. from midwestern states. Ice cream, chili as potential
additions. Instead of having them on hand we had sheets of papers printed out
to mail / coordinate the prizes to the winners. People put email information on
post it notes for the actual raffle. Make sure these things are easy to ship. Going
to go with this theme again. Leah is going send around some ideas/help
coordinate. Lindsey also going to help. - Other priorities: bag of swag, 1 or 2 people floating around the table to help
take information down. - For the table – print outs of the prizes, post it notes (Lindsey is bringing), MAPOR
swag (Patrick is going to stop by storage unit once we figures out the
information), information/blurbs about conference (Jenny)
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