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NLPES Site Map

About NLPES

NLPES Executive Committee
Meeting Minutes

Minutes, Executive Committee Meeting

NCSL National Legislative Program Evaluation Society (NLPES)

ATTENDING: Mary Noble (Chair), Kirk Jonas (Secretary), Jane Thesing, Heather Moritz, James Barber, Gary Brown, Joel Alter, Antonio Jones, Craig Kinton, Gerry Hoppmann, Gary VanLandingham.

ALSO: Bob Boerner, NCSL staff; Max Arinder, NCSL Executive Committee member.

Mary called the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m. on Monday, July 20, 1998. She briefly reviewed the agenda.

The minutes from the April 4, 1998 meeting were distributed and approved. Committee reports were then received.

Jane Thesing presented the report of the Membership and Nominations Committee regarding the 1998 NLPES executive committee elections. Jane emphasized that nomination statements needed to be submitted on a more timely basis.

Mary announced that Art Heikkila (from the Arizona Auditors Office) had resigned from the executive committee as a result of a job change. He will be replaced by Joe Fiala of Kentucky, who was the next leading vote getter in the May election.

On a different subject, Jane presented the finished NLPES brochure to the executive committee. Jane and James Barber prepared the brochure.

Gary VanLandingham demonstrated the NLPES web site, which is still under development. The site is richer in terms of content and will include extensive lists of other research-related sites.

It was moved, seconded, and approved that the developmental site replace the existing NLPES site link on NCSL's web site as soon as possible.

Craig Kinton announced that Mark Bucherl is unable to continue to serve on the executive committee, but is willing to continue to edit the NLPES Newsletter. Craig encouraged members to submit materials to Mark for publication. Craig is working on getting more of NLPES's Works in Progress (WIPs) and completed works onto the NCSL database.

Craig noted that everyone needs to check the NCSL Legisnet database to determine if their reports are currently included. Craig will continue to work with NCSL and Bob Boerner to help facilitate getting NLPES reports on the web in a searchable format.

With regards to access, Gary said that if one uses the NLPES web site, no password is now necessary. Apparently, no password is currently necessary for access to the NCSL web site either. The executive committee determined without objection that listserve and other NLPES data and information materials be fully and publicly accessible through the web site.

Mary reminded everyone of the NLPES agenda and events for the week. Awards will be announced on Tuesday at the staff luncheon. The NLPES luncheon and business meeting is at Wednesday at Noon in Room N231 and N233. Awards will be presented at that time. The web site, the annual training meeting (to be held in California starting September 30), and other topics of general interest will be discussed. On Thursday, from 4:00 to 5:00 (Room N214), the executive committee will meet again and elect officers for the next year.

Joel reported that the training survey had been submitted. Mary discussed training topics for the fall training meeting in Sacramento. The theme for the meeting will be "Keeping Government on Track."

Gary announced the recipients of awards. Virginia and California received the "Excellence Award." Arizona received the methodology award. Twelve states received impact awards. NLPES award notations are on pages 9 and 10 of the "1998 Legislative Staff Achievement Awards".

Gary reported on an initiative to form a committee to develop an award recognizing individual contributions to the field of legislative program evaluation. The NLPES chair and vice chair, along with three others would serve on the committee. Gary will develop a motion implementing the initiative at the Thursday meeting. Gary will put out a listserve requesting the feasibility of input on awards issues, particularly on the feasibility of developing a procedure for recognizing some of the states with smaller evaluation units.

Joel reported that organizational liaisons had been sent a statement that outlined the duties of liaisons. There remain three organizations for which NLPES needs to recruit new liaisons - American Society for Public Administration, the General Accounting Office, and the Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation.

American Evaluation Association (AEA)

Kirk reported that the "New Directions" project was on schedule and was due to be published in the Spring of 1999.

Antonio Jones said that West Virginia would be hosting the 1999 fall training conference in Charleston, West Virginia. He was encouraged to work with James Barber and Mary Noble regarding the recent experiences of Mississippi and California in hosting the event.

The next full executive meeting will be held from 12:00 - 4:00 on September 30 in Sacramento, California.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Kirk Jonas

Secretary