1. Call to Order: Jennifer Dunnam
Jennifer Dunnam, BANA chair, called the meeting to order.
The following board members were in attendance:
Jennifer Dunnam, National Federation of the Blind (NFB), Chair
Ruth Rozen, Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Secretary
Jackie Sheridan, National Braille Press (NBP), Treasurer
Frances Mary (FM) D'Andrea, American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), Immediate Past Chair
Dawn Gross, Alternate Text Production Center (ATPC)
Cathy Senft-Graves, American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Mary Nelle McLennan, Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)
Jessica (Jessi) Rivera, Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ASB)
Tracy Gaines, California Transcribers and Educators for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CTEBVI)
Saul Garza, Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Darleen Bogart, CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind)
Maryann Bartkowski, Horizons For The Blind
Diane Spence, National Braille Association (NBA)
Tamara Rorie, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress (NLS)
Kim Charlson, Perkins
Jen Goulden for associate member Crawford Technologies
Susan (Sue) Reilly participated in her role as administrative assistant.
Not attending:
Sandra Ruconich, American Council of the Blind (ACB), Vice Chair
2. Welcome and introduction of new Board representatives
Jennifer Dunnam announced that, with COSB's recent change to associate member status in BANA, their new BANA representative will be Collette Bauman.
Jennifer then welcomed Tamara Rorie to the board as the new representative of NLS.
Tamara introduced herself: She has worked at NLS for two and one half years the with job title "braille development officer" in the materials development department. She gives the Director of NLS, Karen Keninger, credit for strengthening the braille development department. Tamara's first project was the implementation of UEB, which has been going successfully. Tamara also mentioned that she is a lawyer by former profession and training.
3. Agenda Review
Jennifer Dunnam presented the agenda. Tracy Gaines requested inserting information about the Spring 2017 meeting in "Other business."
4. ICEB 2016 General Assembly review and ICEB updates
Jennifer Dunnam and others commented on the recent ICEB General Assembly (Baltimore, May, 2016), jointly hosted by BANA and the National Federation of the Blind. She recommended reading some of the papers, which are available on the ICEB website, especially to see how other countries are resonating with what is going on in the U.S.
FM D'Andrea reported that the code maintenance committee (CMC) met twice during the ICEB meeting and is looking at a number of tasks that need to be done. Board members may consider becoming observers on the ICEB CMC listserv. Observers can participate in listserv discussions. Jennifer can facilitate the process of being added to the listserv.
A sub-list of the CMC is concerned with updating the Guidelines for Technical Materials. Bill Jolley of the Australian Braille Authority will take the lead to expand those guidelines and provide additional examples. Again, Jennifer can facilitate if board members would like to be added to that listserv.
5. Transition Forum update
Jennifer Dunnam reported for Sandy Ruconich. A letter and a survey are being sent to those who are going to participate in the forum. It will go online soon. The survey results will be due September 9; the results will be collated and prepared for the forum, which will take place Thursday Oct. 6. If anyone on the Board has ideas for the forum, directions to pursue, etc., the committee would appreciate hearing them.
6. Arrangements/planning for Fall meeting
FM D'Andrea provided information about the upcoming Fall meeting, which will be hosted by AFB in Atlanta GA, Nov. 3 and 4, full days, and Nov. 5 half day. Additional information will be forthcoming on the listserv.
Jennifer Dunnam mentioned that at this meeting, more time will be available than usual, so if a board member has an idea for inserting additional activities, topics, ideas, or sub-meetings, let Jennifer know.
A brief discussion about the benefits of including strategic planning at this meeting ensued. Mary Nelle McLennan will resend the most recent summary of BANA's previous strategic planning, and she will take the leadership in developing this potential activity. Jackie Sheridan volunteered to help with planning.
It was also suggested that time could be allowed for BANA committees to meet face to face.
7. Outreach committee update (open forum/teleconference)
Jennifer Reported for Sandy Ruconich. Previously, the Outreach committee was charged with exploring the best way to communicate with its constituents, including holding teleconferences instead of open forums. Sandy would welcome any suggestions for teleconferencing, for example, managing the calls, and/or doing regional calls. A number of board members have ideas and suggestions for various types of conference services, including international, which they will forward to Sandy.
Mary Nelle McLennan reported that the BANA Fact Sheets area of the website has been updated (brailleauthority.org/position-statements.html).
8. Committee liaison appointment: Chemistry
With Stuart Wittenstein's departure from the BANA board, BANA needs a new liaison to the Ad Hoc Committee on Chemistry.
MSC Kim Charlson moved and Cathy Senft-Graves seconded the motion that FM D'Andrea be appointed liaison to the ad hoc committee on chemistry. Voting Yes: AFB (FM D'Andrea), ATPC (Dawn Gross), APH (Cathy Senft-Graves), ASB (Jessi Rivera), AER (Mary Nelle McLennan), CTEBVI (Tracy Gaines), Clovernook (Saul Garza), Hadley (Ruth Rozen), Horizons (Maryann Bartkowski), NBA (Diane Spence), NBP (Jackie Sheridan), NFB (Jennifer Dunnam), NLS (Tamara Rorie), Perkins (Kim Charlson) Not voting: ACB (Sandy Ruconich) Abstaining: CNIB (Darleen Bogart). The motion carried.
9. Documents-in-process updates
A. Provisional Chemistry guidelines
Regarding the motion that was not seconded regarding the "Guidance for Transcription Using the Chemistry Code within UEB Context," Jennifer Dunnam suggests that the document be sent out again, giving ample time for board members to study it and resolve any remaining questions; then wait until the Fall meeting to approve it.
B. Foreign Language Guidelines
Jennifer Dunnam reported that more of the members of the task force for the updated foreign language guidelines have been able to commit to work on the project, and they will be working toward having a document for the board to review at the fall meeting.
FM D'Andrea reported that a question arose on the BANA website about UEB and foreign language. At this time the foreign language committee is not constituted, so Jennifer Dunnam will help deal with the question after this meeting.
A discussion ensued about what type of committee Foreign Language is to be: a task force or a technical committee. Jennifer will check the minutes and confirm what should happen.
C. Standardized Test Guidelines
Mary Nelle McLennan reported that these guidelines are in process. After Labor Day they will be ready to go out for review.
D. Other Updates
Dawn Gross reported that the Mathematics Committee is still working on the "Graphing Calculator Guidelines."
10. Brief discussion about Music Braille Code hard copies
Cathy Senft-Graves mentioned that APH needs to get a number for a first run of hard copies, print and braille. A discussion ensued about how many copies should be produced, based on some queries Cathy sent out to people in the braille music field in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. FM D'Andrea suggested also asking Maria Stevens of the New Zealand Braille Authority. APH will make a decision about the size of a first run based on all of the input.
11. Publications updates
Jennifer Dunnam announced that Shodor has taken down the 1997 version of Braille Formats on www.brl.org. Now they have the 2011 version of Braille Formats on their site, and they understand a new version is coming.
Mary Nelle McLennan reported that new elements and items are continually being posted on the BANA website. She also reported on the progress of Formats 2016. The first round of copyedits were submitted to the Publications Committee on July 31. These changes and edits will be incorporated by Sept. 1, after which it will be sent back to the copy editor for a second round. The index will then be produced.
After BANA's Publications Committee completes the preparation of the manuscript, they will work with APH and its graphics vendor to produce the HTML and PDF versions of Braille Formats, 2016.
Mary Nelle McLennan will ask Cindi Laurent (chair, Formats Committee) about the plan for producing the BRF of Formats 2016.
Regarding the publication of the "Guidelines and Standards for the Production of Standardized Tests in Braille," see Item #9 C above.
12. Discussion of "around the table" in minutes — how much detail?
It was agreed that when "around the table" takes place in future BANA meetings, the minutes will not include the details of the organizations' updates.
13. Other business
Tracy Gaines said that CTEBVI is beginning to plan for the BANA Spring 2017 meeting. They need a count of hotel rooms. The BANA meeting is currently scheduled for March 12, 13, and 14, which are the days immediately following the CTEBVI 2017 conference. Board members were asked to send their hotel room requirements to Tracy right after this teleconference.
14. Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
Respectfully submitted,
Ruth Rozen, Secretary