Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

W5185 Business Meeting

• Tuesday April 14, 2026
• 2-4pm
• Skyline B (12^th Floor Centennial)
• Update from Administrative Advisor
• Next meeting October 2026
• Upcoming meetings (Colorado 2027 and Hawaii 2028)
• Any new business? 
• Comments 

Meeting Minutes:

Updates from NIMSS

• NIMSS continues to modify the interface in an effort to continue to improve the system. For example, Search bars on the home screen
• If you have questions, recommendations or need help, please contact Jenn Horton, horton@unr.edu  
• Participation roll-over- when a project terminates we will automatically roll the current appendix e for all research based participants to the new 5 year project. AES directors will still need to approve participation.
• I am retired from University of Idaho but will remain serving as AA until a replacement is found (there are many vacant Western Region AA positions they are working to fill) I may need to call on Bret Hess or Jennifer Horton for help.
• Please encourage your directors to identify and nominate persons as my successor. 

Renewal

This project terminates in Sep. 2027, so it’s time to work on the next proposal. Timeline suggestion from NIMSS.  

• Fall 2026- begin work on a renewal project
• 1/15/27- deadline for proposal and list of peers (AA can assist with this)
• 1/15 – 2/28- Peers will have time to review the project
• March- Review committee (MRC) will review the proposal and the peer reviews
• April- feedback to committee on any updates or changes that need to be made
• June- MRC will meet to approve any updates or changes.
• August- appendix e roll-over after project is approved
• New projects will begin 10/1/2027
• The AA is responsible for facilitating communication, making arrangements for peer reviews of proposals, applying the appropriate national and regional policies.
• The charge to reviewers includes this:
• “Collaboration and interdependence is an expectation that is required of multistate research committees. Is there a plan for how the research findings will be tied together in a collaborative manner on a regional basis?”

Meeting updates

• Dates: 13-15 October 2026
• Location: Inn at the Tides in Bodega Bay, California
• Registration Cost:
  • Undetermined at this time – if we get a minimum of 35 attendees registration cost will be around $350-$375
  • All registrations will be online via UCR’s events organization department
    • Sliding scale for registration fee: early bird, normal, last minute/on site registration
  • Meeting Structure:
    • 13 October: Arrivals and confirmation of registration. Dinner on your own
    • 14 October: Meeting breakfast, talks, lunch on your own in town, talks, meeting dinner
    • 15 October: Meeting breakfast, talks, meeting ends around lunch time