The
meeting was called to order by President Feiszli on August 20, 2007
Present:
Albinder, Brett, Feiszli, Ekberg, Copeland, Coult, Tropp, Shasberger, Pribble
Also
in attendance: Knowles, Simon
Silent
observer: Bullen
This
meeting was focused on website issues, and it was agreed to waive approval of
the last meetingÕs Minutes until the next formal Board meeting
1)
Is the website to be the central focus and face of ChoralNet? This issue
includes such secondary thoughts as:
a) How shall list activity be interfaced and blended with website content?
b) What is the purpose of the website - particularly the front page? What
face is ChoralNet to present to the choral world?
There
was some initial discussion round this, but it was quickly established that
Moved:
Coult / Seconded: Albinder - The ChoralNet website shall henceforth be the central focus
of effort and activity for ChoralNet, Inc. Passed,
without dissent
That
our banner ads appear in rotation and include the following:
1.
Partners and Patrons, if they desire to be included, provided they provide
appropriate graphics.
2. Retail business with which we
have an affiliate agreement may be included in the rotation, provided they
provide the appropriate graphics.
Additionally, that we include
graphics and/or links to each of our Partners on every page, as deemed
appropriate by the webmaster
That
we consider other alternatives for promoting our affiliates.
That we revisit this discussion if an increasing number of Banner Ads begins to diminish the perceived effectiveness of this policy. Passed, without dissent
2)
Based on the answers to the above questions, what KIND of communication do
we want to encourage and how should we do so? Below is a sample listing
of some communications that we do in varying degrees.
a) List/forum activity and content
b) Global Choral News (announcements, reports, podcasts)
c) Choral Sounding Boards (blogs)
d) Consumer services (composer downloads, ads, resource links)
This
question is crucial because it will assist the website taskforce in its
design recommendations.
There
was extensive discussion around what constituted news vs. blogs, but the
consensus was that all these items were important in some degree. The website committee went into correspondence
outside the meeting and, by agreement, has decided to take the discussions and
opinions from this Board and work together to make positive changes
to the website.
3)
The current status of the website makes any attempt at foreign languages
laughable because at least 95% of all content is in English and about the U.S.
(even to the point of ignoring Canada). Shall ChoralNet officially eschew
any attempt to be an international presence and focus on U.S. issues and
language?
Again, there
was discussion around this topic. The consensus was
a)
to try to include international content in the main
website
b)
to ask the translators to generate (by writing
themselves or by requesting others to write) items for the language-specific
pages
Adjournment. Motion to adjourn
– moved: Ekberg; seconded: Tropp. Hearing no dissention, Feiszli closed
the meeting on 26 August, 2007. The next meeting date was revised to commence September
24, 2007