Actions of the Board of Directors at its January 30-31, 1997 meeting were as follows:

ITEMS RELATED TO MEMBERS

• reviewed the membership statistics and took note of the continued decline in good-standing members.
• approved as part of Operation Outreach a weekend workshop for the membership vice presidents from 53 targeted chapters that plan to implement undergraduate student and/or student teacher membership opportunities with funding in the amount of $25,000 to be provided from the Contingency Fund.
• approved the concept of the Kappan Kore project involving former Kappan leaders to serve as resource personnel for PDK programs and projects.
• denied the requests of the North Coast Ohio Chapter for waivers of the 20-year requirement for placement in emeritus status.
• directed the Board Policy Committee to examine the emeritus waiver policy and bring a recommendation to the summer board meeting.
• reviewed a graduation medallion proposal and asked staff to investigate the cost of the medallion and other graduation accessories for possible addition to the PDK stores inventory.

ITEMS RELATED TO CHAPTERS

• took note of the chapters not represented in the 1996 district conferences.
• took note of the progress of the Chapter Assistance Committee in working with at-risk chapters.
• took note of the report on the chapter vital signs proposal and suggested that staff proceed with its implementation.
• accepted voluntary charter surrenders from the Niagara Ontario Chapter and the Greater Phoenix-Northwest Chapter.
• approved requests from the West Georgia College Chapter that its name be changed to West Georgia Chapter and from the East Texas State University Chapter that its name be changed to Texas A&M University-Commerce Chapter.

ITEMS RELATED TO AREAS AND DISTRICTS

• accepted the financial reports from all of the 1996 district conferences except District I and VII which will be considered at the summer board meeting.
• accepted the full summary report on the 1996 district conferences.
• approved the transportation allowance for the officer leadership conferences in those areas where the staff recommendation is 100%.
• approved the transportation allowances for the officer leadership conferences in Area 2I at 73%; Areas 5D and 5J at 93%; Area 6G at 56%; Areas 6M and 6I at 97%; and Area 8B at 88%.
• approved the transportation allowances in those areas where an OLC site has not yet been reported to be fixed by the staff as sites are provided.
• approved the transportation allowances for the summer 1997 DR/AC meetings in Districts II, V, VI, and VII at 100% pending final calculations.
• approved the transportation allowances in those districts where a DR/AC site has not yet been reported to be fixed by the staff as sites are provided.
• approved the transportation allowances for the 1998 District Conferences in Districts II, III, IV, V, and VIII at 100%; and that the transportation allowances in Districts I, VI, VII, and IX be determined at the summer board meeting.
• approved, effective July 1, 1997, the restructuring proposal recommended by the 1996 District IV Conference to realign the chapters within the existing coordinator areas.
• approved, effective July 1, 1997, the recommendation of the 1996 District VII Conference to move the Lake Charles Louisiana Chapter from Area 7G to Area 7B.
• approved the appointment of the Area 7H Coordinator.

ITEMS RELATED TO PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

• received the report on the leadership skill institute series and approved a moratorium on leadership skill institutes after the fall 1997 series with the understanding that staff will investigate other leadership skill development options for future consideration.
• approved the request from the Northern Virginia Battlefield Area Chapter for additional funding for their LSI in the amount of $500.
• approved the continuation of the PDK/Gallup Poll on the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools for 1997 with Lowell Rose as the poll director.
• took note of the progress being made on the League of Values-Driven Schools project and other activities under the direction of Senior Fellow Jack Frymier.
• received a status report on the Future Educators of America program and the national conference that is being held in Washington, DC on February 14-16.
• approved the continuation of the public schools advocacy and forums initiatives as major program priorities, and asked that staff examine ways to expand the forums and develop other activities to assist Phi Delta Kappa in its advocacy role.
• approved the continuation of the public school forums project utilizing the established planning committee and leadership.
• reviewed the Empowering Students for Success and Excellence in Student Teaching programs and decided to discontinue these after the 1996-97 year.
• approved using an outside evaluator to conduct program evaluations for Phi Delta Kappa with $10,000 provided from the unallocated professional program line and adding the following programs to the list being considered for evaluation: Future Educators of America, PDK Bulletin Board, Newsletter Editor's Kit, and Technology.
• gave approval for CEDR to sponsor a one-day meeting of the Big City Directors of Research and Evaluation to be held preceding the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association.
• gave approval for CEDR to seek outside funding to implement the Outstanding Teacher Researcher of the Year award program.
• authorized the staff to examine the establishment of a Cyberspace Chapter for Phi Delta Kappa.

ITEMS RELATED TO ORGANIZATIONALLY FOCUSED ITEMS

• gave approval that board and staff travel to the 1997 OLCs be reinstated and that the other cost cutting measures enacted in the January 1996 meeting for the 1996-97 year remain in effect.
• gave approval that the board investment/finance committee be authorized to ease spending restrictions as imposed and/or take such steps as may be necessary to balance income and expenditures in 1996-97.
• gave approval that Phi Delta Kappa International record annual depreciation as a non-spending authority item.
• referred for consideration by the Coordinator Legislative Committee a 1997-98 budget with a spending authority of $4,626,800 with the added recommendations that dues remain at $35.00 and the reinstatement fee at $5.00.
• approved the tentative schedule and committees for the 1st Legislative Council, with the understanding that revisions and changes by the staff in consultation with the president may be necessary.
• approved the proposed rules and procedures for the 1st Legislative Council.
• gave approval for Phi Delta Kappa International to hold a forum/conference on October 23-25, 1997, and directed the staff to move ahead with its plans.
• approved the schedule for the Coordinator Legislative Committee meeting.
• adopted vision, mission, and goals statements for Phi Delta Kappa International. (See copy attached.)

ITEMS RELATED TO HEADQUARTERS AND BOARD OPERATION

• ratified the board's earlier action in extending through the 1997 year the contract with Acordia for comprehensive medical coverage for employees.
• appointed the firm of George S. Olive and Company to conduct the 1996-97 audit of Phi Delta Kappa International's fiscal records.
• approved staff and professional staff salaries in amounts proposed by the executive director with the salaries to be on file in the office of the executive director.
• fixed January 30 - February 1, 1998, as the dates for the next winter meeting of the Board of Directors.

Actions of the Coordinator Legislative Committee at its February 1-2, 1997 meeting were as follows:

• approved a budget for 1997-98 with an expenditure limit of $4,626,800.
• set international dues for 1997-98 at $35.00.
• retained a reinstatement fee of $5.00 for 1997-98.