International Reading Association

International Reading Association
Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel
Paradise Valley Room
Phoenix, Arizona
President Barbara Walker called the meeting to order on Wednesday, February 18, at 1:04 p.m. and
declared a quorum present.
Motion that the Board approve the agenda as presented.
Motion‐Carl Braun *
Motion that the Board approve the Official Minutes of the October 31‐November 1, 2008, meeting of
the Board of Directors.
Motion‐Carl Braun
Motion that the Board approve the following ten consent items as recommended by the
Executive Committee.
Motion‐Kathy Au
1. Motion that the Board approve the use of PNC Bank for IRA’s future convention
banking, starting with the 2009 Phoenix and Minneapolis conventions.
It is further moved that two signatures be required for each disbursement, and the
designated signers for the convention bank account be the Executive Director, the
Director of Conferences, the Director of Finance & Administration, the Controller, the
Financial and Special Projects Accountant, and the Shipping Supervisor.
2. Motion to approve US$5,500 for a planning meeting for the 6 th Pan African Reading for
All Conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with the funds available from the
International Development Fund.
All motions in these minutes were duly moved and seconded and passed unanimously unless otherwise indicated.

Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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3. Motion that the Board approve the following 2009 awards and grants as recommended by the
selection committees:
A. Classroom Teacher Awards & Professional Development Grants:
Eleanor M. Johnson: Steve Peterson, Iowa. (US$1,000)
Gertrude Whipple: Lauren B. Lunsford, Tennessee, “Motivating Readers of All
Ages and Levels with Read‐Alouds” (with amended budget use
requirements). The committee recommends that the grant be reduced to
US$2,500 with all of those funds to be used for the purchase of reading
materials/books for the proposed library. No funds should be used to
purchase technology and related equipment. (US$2,500 from Gertrude
Whipple Fund)
B. IRA Children’s and Young Adult’s Book Awards:
(US$1,000 each from Nila Banton Smith Endowment Fund)
Fiction (Primary): Allison L. Randall, “The Wheat Doll” (Peachtree)
Fiction (Intermediate): K.A. Nuzum, “The Leanin’ Dog” (HarperCollins)
Fiction (Young Adult): Heidi Ayarbe, “Freeze Frame” (HarperTeen)
Nonfiction (Primary): Jennifer Berne, “Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau”
(Chronicle Books)
Nonfiction (Intermediate): Carlyn Beccia, “The Raucous Royals” (Houghton
Mifflin)
Nonfiction (Young Adult): Moying Li, “Snow Falling in Spring: Coming of Age
in China During the Cultural Revolution” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
C. IRA John Chorlton Manning Public School Service Award:
IRA John Chorlton Manning Public School Service Award: Denise Johnson,
Virginia. (US$10,000)
D. Local Council Community Service:
1 st ) Rockingham County Council, North Carolina: 2008 Rockingham County
Community Reading Conference
2 nd ) Mid‐Columbia Council, Oregon: Hungry for Books
3 rd ) Robeson Council, North Carolina: Healing Hearts with Books

Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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E. Outstanding Dissertation Award:
Jennifer M. Graff, University of Florida, Florida: Dissertation Title “The
Literary Lives of Marginalized Readers: Preadolescent Girls’ Rationales for
Book Choice and Experiences With Self‐Selected Books” Monograph Title
“Girls as ‘Marginalized Readers:’ Navigating the Sociocultural and
Sociopolitical Terrains of Books and Reading” (Monograph #6) (US$1,000)
F. Poetry & Prose:
Paul A. Witty Short Story Award: Ann Parr, “Gordon Parks: Bigger Than Life”
Cricket Magazine, Feb. 2008 (US$1,000), Honorable Mention: Heather Dixon,
“Rotterdam Christmas” (Highlights for Children, Dec. 2008)
G. Research Publication Awards:
Albert J. Harris Award: Aukerman, M. (2007), “When reading it wrong is
getting it right: Shared evaluation pedagogy among struggling fifth grade
readers” Research in the Teaching of English, 42(1), 56‐103 (US$1,000)
Dina Feitelson Award: Compton‐Lilly, C. (2007), “The complexities of reading
capital in two Puerto Rican families” Reading Research Quarterly, 42(1), 72‐
98 (US$500 Elva Knight Research Fund)
H. Special Service Award:
Special Service Award to Rita M. Bean, Pennsylvania
IRA Maryann Manning Outstanding Volunteer Service Award: Julie Agard
(Nebraska), Judith Casey (Colorado), Shirley Choo (Canada), Mary Ellen
Skidmore (North Carolina), Nea Stewart‐Dore (Australia)
I. Teacher Educator Awards:
IRA Jerry Johns Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading Award: R. Timothy
Rush, Wyoming (US$1,000)
Arbuthnot Award: Barbara A. Lehman, Ohio (US$1,000 from Nila Banton
Smith Endowment Fund)

Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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J. Technology, Communication, & Literacy:
IRA Award for Technology and Reading:
Grand Prize Winner: Kelly Killorn (Plains)
Regional Winners:
Tiffany‐Amber Dorris (East)
Tracy Tarasiuk (Great Lakes)
Abagail Yellman (Plains)
Kate Kniss/ Andrea Hayden (Rocky Mountain)
Cullen Weeden (South East)
Steve Guadarrama (West)
K. William S. Gray Citation of Merit to Lesley M. Morrow, New Jersey
5. Motion to approve Maureen Begley as Local Arrangements Chair for the 55 th Annual
Convention in Los Angeles, California.
6. Motion that the Board express its appreciation to Marta Eugenia Sánchez González and Enriqueta
Zúñiga Chaves along with the Costa Rican Reading Association/Asociación Costarricense Consejo de
Lectura de Costa Rica for their outstanding efforts contributing to the success of the 22 nd World
Congress on Reading held in San José, Costa Rica.
7. Motion that the Board express its appreciation to Terrell Young and the Washington Organization
for Reading Development for their outstanding efforts contributing to the success of the 19 th West
Regional Conference.
8. Motion that the Board express its appreciation to Patricia Anders, chair, and the Local Committee as
well as the Arizona Reading Association, for their outstanding efforts contributing to the success of
the IRA 54 th Annual Convention West.
9. Motion to approve the 2009‐2010 Committee appointments as proposed by President‐elect
Kathy Au.
10. Motion that the next Board of Directors meeting of the International Reading Association
be confirmed for April 30‐May 1, 2009, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
President Barbara Walker called executive session, approved by the Board, with Board and
Parliamentarian Harry Rosenthal present. The executive session ended and the regular Board
meeting resumed at 2:46 pm.
Kathy Au and Mark Mullen gave a presentation on the final report on the Monitor Strategic
Planning Project.

Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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Motion to accept the recommendations contained in the Monitor report as a basis for the IRA
strategic plan.
Motion‐Janice Almasi
Mark Mullen continued with a presentation of the proposal Monitor submitted for support
during the implementation of the strategic plan.
Motion that IRA continue working with the Monitor team to implement the following: Core
Support, Financial Model Development, and Foundational Marketing Mode at US$150,000 plus
expenses not to exceed 20 percent.
Motion‐Janice Almasi
Motion to approve the following application for Grants for National Affiliate Conferences in
Countries with Developing Economies during 2009‐2010:
Asociación Peruana de Lectura (APELEC), July 30‐August 1, 2009, Lima, Peru.
Theme: “Primer Congreso Nacional de Lectura y Escritura.” (US$5,000 from Fund for
Countries with Developing Economies)
Motion‐Maryann Manning
Motion that the US$25,000 grant from the Los Angeles Convention Center be designated in
support of conference registration scholarships and that staff directors work with the Executive
Committee and report back to the Board with details as to how these scholarships will be
distributed.
Motion‐Ray Reutzel
At 4:30 p.m. the President called for executive session, approved by the Board, and staff and
the parliamentarian were excused for the day.
Executive session was held on Thursday morning, beginning at 9:00 a.m., with only the Board
and Mark Mullen present. Parliamentarian Rosenthal was asked to join the executive session at
9:20 a.m. The regular Board meeting resumed at 9:47 a.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2009.
Motion that the following statement be entered into the minutes of the February 18‐19, 2009,
meeting of the IRA Board of Directors: The contract of IRA’s former Executive Director, Alan
Farstrup, has been terminated. Mark Mullen has been appointed as Acting Executive Director
of the International Reading Association during the interim period until the search for a newly
appointed Executive Director is completed. Mark is familiar with the operations of IRA, having
served as Deputy Executive Director for 6 years.
Motion‐Ray Reutzel
Motion that the Board of Directors wishes to recognize Mark Mullen for accepting the position
of Acting Executive Director and for responding promptly on the recommendations of the
Board of Directors.

Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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Motion‐Ray Reutzel
Budget Discussion
Greg Rumsey, Director of Finance and Administration, explained the budget forecasts for FY 08‐
09 and the proposed budget for FY 09‐10, detailing steps being taken to address the projected
deficits. There was discussion about the need for an overall spending rule for the contingency
fund.
Motion to authorize the Executive Committee to work with Staff on cutting the Board’s budget
at least as much as the average cut sustained by other IRA Departments.
Motion‐Kathy Au
Motion that a Strategic Budgetary Planning Committee be formed to make budget
recommendations for the 2009‐2010 annual budget in line with recommendations of the recent
strategic plan. Moreover it is proposed that this committee be comprised of the Board
members on the current budget committee, Mark Mullen, Greg Rumsey, Kathy Au, as Chair of
the Strategic Planning Committee, and one additional member of the Headquarters staff as
determined by the Acting Executive Director. The committee is directed to meet in a timely
way to support and guide budget revisions to be shared with the rest of the Board in the spring
conference call.
Motion‐Don Leu
Board Committee Reports
Audit Committee (Kathy Au, Chair)
The following motions were made in response to the Agreed Upon Procedures Audit of June 30,
2009:
Motion to request the Acting Executive Director and Director of Finance to prepare, for the
Board, a formal policy and procedures document to address concerns raised in the Agreed
Upon Procedures Audit of June 30, 2008.
Motion‐Kathy Au
Motion to request that the Acting Executive Director establish a schedule for obtaining signed
Conflict of Interest statements on an annual basis (e.g. at the beginning of the fiscal year) from
all members of the Board of Directors, all Staff Directors, and all employees in a position to
direct business to particular vendors. Provisions should be made to obtain signed statements
from new Board members and new employees upon election, appointment, or hiring.
Motion‐Kathy Au

Bylaws and Policy Review Committee (Ray Reutzel, Chair)
The committee is in the process of reviewing the Policy Manual revisions.
Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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Ray Reutzel, chair of the Bylaws and Policy Review Board Committee, announced the results of
the recent balloting. The revised bylaws were approved by the membership. In order for a
bylaws vote to pass, ballots must be returned by at least 25% of the membership, and twothirds
of those voting must approve the revision. Of 78,341 eligible members, 23,241 returned
ballots, and 22,877 of those voted in favor of the bylaws and re‐incorporation.
The incorporation in Delaware, however, did not pass since 50% of the membership plus 1 must
vote in favor.
Motion to make the following editorial correction in the bylaws: Throughout the revised
bylaws, change “Delaware law” to “Pennsylvania law.”
Motion‐Ray Reutzel
Motion to approve the following as Board policy:
1. The President shall appoint the senior member of the Board Budget Committee as
Treasurer of the Association and the senior member of the Board Headquarters
Committee to serve as Secretary of the Association.
2. An annual membership meeting shall be held at the annual convention.
Motion‐Ray Reutzel
Working Committee on Lectura y Vida (Adelina Arellano‐Osuna, Chair)
Adelina Arellano‐Osuna requested time during the May 1 Board meeting to work on a new
model for international journals in alignment with the new strategic plan. Kathy Au will work
with Sakil Malik, Director of International Development, and will submit materials to the
Executive Committee. At the October 2008 Board meeting, President Walker appointed a
committee (Kathy Au, Don Leu, Sakil Malik, and Dan Mangan) to work on how IRA can facilitate
regional international efforts to start journals.
Management Reports
Each Staff Director entertained questions from the Board in reference to their report.
Committee Reports
Adolescent Literacy Committee: Proposal for the 20/20 Adolescent Literacy Summit. Taffy
Raphael, who is the Board liaison to this committee, will respond to the committee chair that
the mantle of IRA is there to support them with infrastructure—such as conference calls for
planning. She will suggest that they explore ways to develop a set of goals for adolescent
literacy 20/20 other than in a summit. Raphael will coordinate a meeting during the Phoenix
convention that includes all available representatives from the Adolescent Literacy Committee
and Barbara Teter, Director of Development, to discuss alternative formats and goals that can
be more obviously aligned with the new strategic plan as outlined by the Monitor Group report.

Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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Committee Reports (Cont.)
IDC Europe: T. Raphael, Board liaison for this committee, will respond to the chair that the
resolutions are on a rotation basis , and that the Board takes their request seriously and the
International Development Division will follow up with Kathy Au.
Technology, Communication and Literacy: Don Leu, Board Liaison, will communicate with the
committee chair, and thank the committee for making a good start at the revision of the IRA
Position Statement on Literacy and Technology, and ask that they push forward in the new
literacy’s dimension to reframe the statement with a focus on professional development.
Board Education
Greg Rumsey gave a presentation on financial controls for Board Education using the booklet,
Financial Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards by Lang, Andrew S., 2003 BoardSource.
There being no further business presented, the meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
Maryann Manning
Secretary
International Reading Association
Prepared by: Barbara Miriello, Board Administrator
Appendix A. Attendance List
Board approved: May 1, 2009

Appendix A:
Attendance List, IRA Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
Officers Feb 18 Feb 19
Barbara Walker, President X X
Kathryn Au, President‐Elect X X
Patricia Edwards, Vice President X X
Mark Mullen, Acting Executive Director X X
Directors
Janice Almasi X X
Adelina Arellano‐Osuna X X
Carl Braun X X
Don Leu X X
Marsha Lewis X X
Maryann Manning X X
Taffy Raphael X X
Ray Reutzel X X
Alfred Tatum (by conference call for a portion of February 18) X X
Staff Members
Heidi Barnett, Director of Marketing X X
Richard Long, Director of Government Relations
X
Sakil Malik, Acting Director of International Development X X
Dan Mangan, Director of Publications X X
Cathy Roller, Director of Research and Policy X X
Greg Rumsey, Director of Finance and Administration X X
Brenda Townsend, Director of Council and Affiliate Services X X
Barbara Teter, Director of Development X X
Barbara Miriello, Administrative Assistant X X
Parliamentarian
Harry S. Rosenthal, Esq., PRP X X
Board of Directors Meeting
February 18‐19, 2009
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