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COUNCIL OF STATE HISTORICAL RECORDS COORDINATORS Meeting began at 1:30 p.m. 1. New members on Steering Committee Peter Gottlieb, Wisconsin, will represent Region III, Hank Holmes, Mississippi, Region IV, and Jim Henderson, Maine, Region VI. 2. State Coordinators' leadership 1999 - 2000 Guy Rocha will chair the Steering Committee. 3. Report from NHPRC Executive Director Ann Newhall reported that Revised Guidelines will shortly be published in the Federal Register and also posted to the COSHRC listserv. The Guidelines will be more user friendly. Comments on these and other issues are requested. Improvements are being made to the NHPRC website which will be up within a month. The budget for FY2000, not yet enacted, includes $6 million for grants. The FY99 budget contained a $4 million directed grant to the Center for Jewish History for program development. This has been deferred, with $199,900 going toward a planning phase to include hiring a project manager/administrator and producing documentation on the partnership collaboration. No decision has yet been made concerning the remaining $3.8 million. Another directed grant of $250,000 to restore a North Dakota fort is included in the FY2000 budget. Directed grants should be watched as a potential precedent. The NHPRC grant program is up for re-authorization in FY2001. The Commissioners have formed a subcommittee that may work to increase the grants cap to $10 million. Members' support would be encouraged. For FY2001, NHPRC has asked John Carlin, Archivist of the U.S., to increase funds for State Boards, especially for re-grant projects, and to increase to $1 million each electronic records projects and "traditional paper projects". Commission staff are looking for strategies to encourage inactive and semi-active Boards and for local records programs. No decision on FY2001 funding has yet been made by the Archivist. Developing other sources of income may be a new direction pursued by NHPRC. NHPRC can by law accept contributions, although it will not actively fundraise because of NARA's activities for Archives 1. A proposal will go before the Commission in November. Staffing now stands at 12 FTE, down from 17. One person has recently left, with possibly another to follow. Mark Conrad has joined the staff for electronic records proposals. Ann noted the strategic plan's three top and equal funding priorities, but stressed the need for good proposals. Applicants should avail themselves of NHPRC staff input on proposed grant applications. Also emphasized is the NHPRC's long term involvement and interest in funding education programs. The National Forum on Archival Continuing Education (NFACE) is a beginning for future initiatives. Members are exhorted to become involved and to fully support the effort. Richard Cameron endorsed many of Ann's points, particularly seeking the time and advise of Commission staff on proposals. Thanks were given to outgoing Steering Committee members: Ken Winn, Ed Weldon, Gwenn Stearn, and to Guy Rocha for chairing the January 1999 COSHRC meeting. 4. National Forum on Archival Continuing Education Kathleen Roe, program chair, distributed the Tentative Agenda/Time Table and outlined the general parameters of NFACE. A full copy of the grant application is posted on the new COSHRC website. Thanks were extended to Vicki Walch, project consultant, Ed Weldon, local arrangements, and Dick Cameron. An information gathering component and its uses were explained. The program committee requested state constituents' input through focus groups and surveys. 125 people will be invited to NFACE which will include a plenary session; suggested speakers are sought. There will be incubator sessions for developing new directions and an action agenda will be produced and presented to COSHRC. The last program committee meeting will be held in February 2000 at which time the program will be finalized. Jenifer Burlis-Freilich, research coordinator for NFACE, expanded upon the states' public forums component. Materials will be supplied including a survey to gather information about present educational opportunities. Coordinators/SHRABs should hold forums for 10 - 15 constituents in October - November. December 15 is the deadline for return of information and surveys. Kathleen conducted a 30 minute work session to solicit information and comments from Coordinators. [Questions on back of meeting agenda.] Dick asked those present to act as ambassadors to Coordinators who could not attend this meeting. Thanks were extended to Kathleen and to Vicki (who before the meeting had demonstrated the new COSHRC/NFACE website) for clarifying the scope and potential of the Forum. Once again Ann stressed the importance of the NFACE initiative. Guy emphasized that the prep work by Vicki, Kathleen, and Jennifer would minimize the Coordinators' burden. He noted that approximately 25 Coordinators or their representatives were present and requested that they follow through with their SHRABs. The 2000 COSHRC annual meeting will be held in conjunction with NFACE on Thursday and Friday, April 27 - 28; NFACE through Sunday April 30. Meeting adjourned at 2:55 p.m. Gwenn Stearn |
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Questions or concerns?
Contact CoSA at info@statearchivists.org.
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