Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Chair: Jim Steadman, University of Nebraska Local Arrangements: Caitilyn Allen, University of Wisconsin Secretary: Terry Niblack, Ohio State University Administrative Advisor: Steve Slack, Ohio State University Wednesday 1/30/2013 Dinner and discussion 6:30-9pm Marriott Downtown, Chicago Thursday 1/31/2013 Called to order 8:30am Marriott Downtown, Chicago Agenda attached Remarks from Steve Slack Thanks to organizers for reaching out beyond the region Attendees need to talk to Expt Station Directors to be designated official representatives Minutes must be submitted after meeting Need to have conversation about next years meeting, site, time, officers, etc. Previewed agenda J Steadman thanked Dr. Slack for revitalizing the group (meeting last held 2 yrs ago). L Datnoff asked how active groups are. Slack replied that it varies by region. recounted previous meetings at UC-Davis and Puerto Rico. Slack replied that a reasonable rationale for meeting site will be acceptable. Discussion about chairs/heads meetings at APS and the possibility of having a standing committee through APS. This has not been proposed; previous recent meetings were ad hoc, organized by John Sherwood. Committee should not be proposed for the purpose of having a committee; needs to have a mission. J Steadman suggested that Sandy Pierson reach out to chairs/heads who do not have an NCAC-type organization for upcoming meeting in Austin to continue conversation about interaction among chairs/heads and possible formal role in APS. Lawrence asked for a document summarizing pros and cons of formalizing for distribution at Austin, with suggestions of what kinds of input would be wanted from the group. S Pierson will produce this document. Presentation by Marty Draper, National Program Leader (Kitty Cardwell off with assignment to World Bank) 1) Associates in Martys office: AAAS Fellow, Rachel Melnik, Liz Ley, Program specialist , works with NPDN, Michael Fitzner, Director, Plant Protection Division 2) Sonny Ramaswamy is changing the culture of the organization 3) Institute of Food Production and Sustainability has been formed Powerpoint presentation on current state of the federal budget. Will share presentation with attendees. Discussion of grant post-award issues (audits, administrative time) and percentage time commitment for employees. Loss of Hatch funds would create problems. Presentation by Rick Bennett, APS update 1) Annual meeting board -program development underway 2) Joint meeting with MSA in Austin  working with leaders to have integrated meeting Accommodate separate activities (plenary sessions, student competitions, etc) 3) 24 special sessions, 9 are MSA 4) Future joint meetings: 2014 Minneapolis with Canadian Phytopathological Society ICPP 2018 Boston 5) Comments on professionalism of staff in Minnesota in dealing with complex issues surrounding large, joint society meeting 6) Public Policy Board going to DC in March Discussion of purpose of meetings in DC Preview of issues to be included this year, including graduate education, culture collections, NPDN; one-page white papers written at 8th grade level; focus on how to support efforts without additional resources. Organization of meetings with staffers, congressmen and senators by Kellye Eversole. 7) Focus on what APS can do to support others broad priorities rather than what they can do for plant pathology. 8) APS is constantly looking at ways to streamline governance 9) Working on a guiding principles document for interactions with other professional societies. Comments from APS Treasurer, Steve Slack 80% of APS income is from publishing. There is an opportunity to generate more income via annual meeting and with electronic media (income to provide more member services). Time to stop thinking of annual meeting as revenue-neutral enterprise. Powerpoint presentation by Scott Gold, APS Education Office 1) Excellent progress in defining goals of the office 2) Presentation and strategic plan to be forwarded by Caitilyn Discussion of curricula in Plant Pathology (spreadsheet summary prepared by Margaret Denning and J Steadman) 1) University of Illinois MS 20 hours graded courses, no specific courses required; up to supervisory committee PhD, prelim exam, 20 additional graded courses, hours 2) University of Georgia Suggested core + seminar 3) University of Florida Pathogen courses condensing from full to half semester to allow time for field research; curriculum in flux, moving toward fewer requirements, more compact curriculum. Doctor of Plant Medicine progam now administered by Entomology, graduates 5 students per year, total about 30 students. 4) Considerable discussion of graduate programs in Plant Pathology. All struggle with filling classes. 5) Several models for training plant pathologists outside traditional plant pathology departments; e.g. U Missouri Plant Stress Biology Program 6) Transition of curriculum to online delivery but with target audience Discussion of graduate student recruiting tactics 1) R Bennett, Arkansas  visits to other universities in the state, personal relationships with biology professors 2) L Datnoff, LSU built up grad program from 8 to 29 by pursuing international students, MOUs with Brazil 3) Discussion of problem with recruiting dependent on lack of recognition of plant pathology, traceable to lack of recognition of plant sciences 4) C Allen, Wisconsin -- Success of summer research experience, internship programs for recruiting students  see University of Wisconsin web site and search IBP-SRP program, 80 students in all, for an example 5) Discussion of student stipends, models of funding graduate students. 6) Some departments suffering under-enrollment, others have more than they can accommodate. 7) S Gold: What is the importance of achieving balance between domestic and international students? General agreement that such balance is desirable. 8) Should Scott follow up with clearinghouse for internships? Should contain more up-to-date information on internships, locations, projects, pay rates. 9) Other issues on recruiting: diversity among domestic students. Univ Illinois works with historically Hispanic institutions; Carolee Bull works with Cal State System. 10) Related issue of gender diversity; there is a large body of literature on why females fall out the pool of faculty position candidates. Discussion of slow pace of change in gender balance, given that grad students have been more than 50% female since 1988. Discussion of governance for the NCAC-14 Committee 1) J Steadman and C Allen were co-chairs for this year. T Niblack had volunteered to serve as secretary for this year. Will be chair for next year. 2) R Loria will do local arrangements for next year. Nearby invasive species problem in citrus. Last week of Jan-first week of Feb 2014; will be decided later. 3) Members agreed to participate in a survey of skills for intro plant path students. 4) P Goldsbrough volunteered to be secretary next year. Friday Called to order 8:30am 2/1/2013 Reviews of two projects 1. Multi-State Research Coordinating Committee 207, asking for renewal a. Previously reviewed by NCAC-1 b. Biochemistry and Genetics of Plant-Fungal Interactions c. Comments by J Leslie 1. Many failings of the current proposal, for example: 2. Objectives, content, other items same as last proposal 3. No lit cited 4. Only one annual report 5. No collaborations identified 6. Governance section inappropriate 7. Other comments indicating need to rewrite project d. R Hammerschmidt (member of the NCAC14 review committee) stated that the project should be abandoned and the group should start over with a focus e. G Bollero (administrative advisor of the committee) stated that the review by NCAC-1 echoed many of the same comments f. Recommendation to revise and resubmit 2. Multistate Research Coordinating Committee NC-1183, midterm assessment Biosecurity, Food Safety and Biofuels Byproducts a. R Hammerschmidt 1. Committee has been productive 2. Specific objectives for the project show deliverables 3. 14 states represented, 12 attended last meeting in person 4. Impact statements show progress is being made 5. Cross-fertilization unclear; could do a better job of documenting interactions 6. Need to document leveraged funding b. General agreement that the group is on course and should be continued. Discussion on five-year reviews for departments. Mandate for external reviews varies by institution. Marty Draper: USDA hasnt stopped doing reviews, but has stopped requiring reviews. For those they do, the funding model has changed -- now 50% cost shared with institution. Request comes from Dean or Experiment Station Director. If USDA does the review, they provide the leadership. Not limited to departments; can be done for other units (e.g., IPM program at NC State). Discussion of combining, realignment of departments. 1. P Goldsbrough reported on whats going on at Purdue. After many discussions, theyve decided to concentrate plant biology in Botany and Plant Pathology for new hires. There is a possibility to move current people around, but the process has not been finalized. (Focus on how plants grow, rather than how to grow plants.) Biggest realignment problem is with Horticulture, who have had a strong stress biology group that is aging. Biology, in School of Science, has 3 plant biologists, with no prospect of new plant hires, perhaps may move to B&PP. Dean nixed possibility of new Department or mega-department including all plant sciences. Peter sees the prospective changes as potentially very beneficial to plant pathology. 2. C Allen mentioned Wisconsin Dean making noises about optimal department size that has not been discussed in detail. Three departments have fused administrative services, with total of 70 faculty. No disciplinary commonality, but all with needs for pre- and post-award management, payroll management, HR, purchasing, etc. 1 person does pre-award (all grant submissions) and 4 people do post-award. Feels that the administrative fusion will protect Entomology and Plant Pathology (as small departments) in the long run. 3. R Loria: Florida has 3 people doing pre- and post-award for ~60 faculty. Different model for splitting up functions. 4. J Steadman described fusion of administrative functions at Nebraska among 4 departments into a business center. Plant Pathology retained administrative assistant and some other specific functions. HR and finance personnel in business center are a big plus and submit grants for faculty. 5. R Hammerschmidt reported on situation at MSU. Went through series of efforts in the College, mostly wasted except for production of useful white papers by faculty. Several recommendations for restructuring; including a. Plant Pathology (smallest in College) merge with Crop & Soil Sciences because of significant common programming and other factors. b. New department will be Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences c. Avoided reduction in total office staff; now business office d. Total 45 faculty, 40 FTEs including joint appointments, out of total of 150 plant scientists on campus e. Generated plan for cluster hire in soil microbial ecology f. Degree programs will remain as they are g. Details will be included in circulated state report h. Official change took place in July 2012, well accepted so far State reports 1. Illinois, Crop Sciences 2. Iowa, Plant Pathology and Microbiology 3. Michigan State, new department 4. Georgia, Plant Pathology 5. Purdue, Botany and Plant Pathology 6. Arkansas, Plant Pathology 7. LSU, Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology 8. Kansas State, Plant Pathology 9. Nebraska, Plant Pathology 10. Wisconsin, Plant Pathology 11. Florida, Plant Pathology 12. Ohio State, Plant Pathology 13. Missouri, Plant Stress Biology Meeting adjourned 11:30 am.