At the last Board meeting the Board referred the following motions to the Operations Vice President:
Mixon Moves: The Internal Organizations Committee is instructed to interpret strictly the requirement in Bylaw VII. E that the common interest of members of a Section be related to speleology.
Stevens Moves: Appendix D (Policy for Internal Organizations) is amended by adding: "10. A group of individuals who are fraternally involved in a study or interest not specifically related to speleology may be afforded visibility, but will not be recognized as an official Society internal organization."
I have not gotten a clear statement of preference from the Internal Organizations Committee but I believe at least the more vocal members of the Society approve the first motion. Thus I have asked to have it placed on the agenda for this meeting.
The second motion does not clearly state just how these groups will be "afforded visibility" and thus should be reworked. In addition I think it would create an orphan entity that would be "neither fish nor fowl." I will leave it up to an interested Board member to make such a motion if they are so inclined.
The Board also asked me to look into producing a display on the NSS to be taken around to outside meetings such as the National Cave Management Symposium. I have recruited Karen Kastning to work on this project but it is time to mention a budget. Once upon a time Karen was working on a portable display to be moved around to the various national parks with caves. At that time the portable display frames would have cost around $3,000. We estimate that a budget of $5,000 would be required today. There is no spare money right now to fund a project of this size unless an angel can be found to give us the money.
Camille has saved thousands of dollars of what we budgeted for the operation of the office during fiscial 1996-97. Out of this saving I have approved a 7% raise for Beth retroactive to her six-month anniversary in August. There is an additional raise for Beth along with a raise for Camille in the proposed 1997-98 budget.
Office
Camille Duke
manager@caves.org
Things are progressing at a great rate at the office. It has been almost a year since we started running exclusively on NSSTrak. It has greatly reduced the number of membership problems that I saw when I first took this job. The money deposited matches the membership entries into the computer thus allowing us to balance to what was entered into a person's records. If a member calls in with a question about their membership, I can quickly pull up their payment record. Included in the information is the payment type, amount, and check number or credit card reference number. This eliminates pulling the paper files. Membership reports are quickly generated and there is no limit to the amount of information that can be pulled from the database. I finally finished linking the family members to their sponsor. After this was completed, we ran a query to make the family members expiration date the same as their sponsor. In the case of a life member's family members, we set the anniversary date of the life members to the same as the family members renewal date. We are working on plans to include the family members renewal notice on the same form as their sponsor. Currently, we are hand pulling the family memberships and putting them in the same envelope as their sponsor. Needless to say, this takes time and a few slip by unnoticed. But we can send out 1500 renewal notices in 1 day even without being at full efficiency. The problems with including the family members on the same form are obviously space related. We have some members that have 6 or 7 family members. Couple that with email address, different phone numbers along with date of birth, gender, occupation and college addresses and you can see the problem. Once we eliminate this problem and replace our slow printer, sending out renewal notices will be completely painless with a lot less paper and postage used. During the process of linking family members, I found about 20 family members that have no sponsor. I left messages for the people with valid phone numbers and dropped some of the other members. The ones that were dropped were people that were imported from the old database. Any family member who renewed, reinstated, or joined during the last year were already linked to their sponsor. We are having great results with our renewal and acknowledgment letters. They allow any errors that were made in a members record to be quickly caught and corrected. Members also know exactly what is in their membership record and can make corrections before the erroneous information is printed in the membership manual. This year's membership manual might be slightly larger due to the large number of members going on-line. 2,515 of our members have email address in their membership files.
LedgerMaster - We have been using Ledger Master for inventory tracking purposes since May. Phil and I spent the weekend of Feb. 8 and 9th working on installing the upgrade to version 2.18. At the present moment, we are still testing the new version to ensure that all the data was properly imported from the older version. We did inventory on February the 3rd and our physical inventory matched the inventory amounts in LedgerMaster. LedgerMaster is proving to be invaluable on report capabilities and we are not even using 10% of the system due to the lack of the new chart of accounts. Once Stringfellow completes this monumental task, we will be able to complete the changeover. LEDGER MASTER reports can easily be exported over to excel spreadsheets and then e-mailed out to the EC (now that I have converted over to MIME on my email). We now have about 10 months of inventory history. Also, I am happy to report that the old inventory index cards have finally bit the dust. With the system, I can pull the buying history of a particular member or wholesale customer. Account receivable are much easier to keep current due to our monthly reports and statements.
The office is functioning even better than ever with the addition of Bill Torode as our part time bookstore helper. Bill has taken a lot of the burden off of Beth and myself by filling the orders. We are now able to ship most orders the same or next day. Bill has learned the ins and outs of bulk mailings so he now gets the monthly mailing processed for bulk mailing. He has also started doing the bulk of mailing the renewal notices.
Beth has started concentrating more on membership renewals and the Audio/Visual library. Both of their hard and excellent work has allowed me to focus more energy into the office accounting, database improvements, and bookstore marketing. I am happy to report that I can finally breathe and actually take a day or two off. Beth has learned a lot during the last year and has proven herself as a competent and conscientious employee. The three of us are working well as a team.
Our future plans include completely the transition over to LedgerMaster, increasing the speed and efficiency of the office functions, and increase the speed of the computer system.
There are no problems to report as things seem to be following the proper path of progression.
Archivist
J. Reynolds Duncan Jr.
153 Atria Dr
Toney AL 35773
no report
Association Management Software Committee
Phil Winkler
816 Washington St
Wilmington DE 19801-1510
72426.1153@compuserve.com
PLANS: (1) To analyze office business practices and determine methods to improve by automation.
(2) Revisit critical processing areas of our membership database to optimize them for performance and increase data-integrity.
(3) Improve the office computer hardware to speed processing of renewals and Bookstore processing. This involves purchase of a business quality, high-speed laser printer and installation of a Novell file server to replace the Lantastic server.
(4) Begin adding our property into the Fixed Assets module of LedgerMaster. Another module which may of use is the Real Property Management (RPM) area for the various real estate properties we own.
(5) Continue analysis of all NSS Operations with a view to incorporating as much data as possible into our enterprise database.
PROGRESS: The membership database (NSSTrak) is working very well. Several modifications have been made to accommodate new functionality such as email address processing, donations, Video Lending Library automation and reporting, improved multi-user access (by reinstalling the virus checking software, incorporating Family Member capability to reduce the number of renewal mailings to a group of Family Members, improved data output for transmitting a monthly data file to selected officers and Committee chairs.
LedgerMaster 2.18 was installed during my visit February 6 through 9, 1997. Version 2.19 will be installed by Relational Data Systems (Les Cardwell) this weekend to incorporate some changes Camille requested. Les and Camille have had several long telephone discussions reviewing work flow of orders and the correct sequence of steps in processing orders. Our Bookstore inventory is being maintained properly.
An Acer Color Pentium 100 notebook computer with 1 gb drive and 16 mb rain was delivered on my visit in February. This will be used for Conventions and other events where the NSS Bookstore has a presence. This computer should be sufficient for the next two to three years of operations. Purchase price is $800, about 60% off of list.
PROBLEMS: File Server: Our data processing demands have exceeded the capabilities of our Lantastic file server. Both NSSTrak and LedgerMaster demand high transaction speeds of fairly large data files. The acquisition of a Novell file server will eliminate this problem. The existing cabling and network adapter cards should be adequate.
A PCMCIA 10Base2 network card is needed to easily attach the notebook computer as a workstation to the network. A PCMCIA modem card would be very useful when the staff is on the road.
Camille has taken LedgerMaster as far as she can where Bookstore operations are concerned until the NSS Chart of Accounts have been standardized. Once the Chart of Accounts is complete all money from memberships, donations, and video lending can be posted to our accounting system routinely.
Connecting to the NSS Office network via modem is complicated by two things: no dedicated phone line and an outdated UART chip in the communications server. The UART can be updated to a 16550AF quite easily (and cheaply), but a dedicated phone line for the network as well as for faxing is really needed.
Audio-Visual Aids Committee
Paul Stevens
5964 Seabright Rd
Springfield VA 22152
plstevens@aol.com
OVP Comments: Paul has asked to step down from this committee because of the press of work as Treasurer. He has recruited Dave Scoky of Roanoke, Virginia to take over the post. Normally, this job would be advertised in the NEWS, but two things mitigate against that in this case. Paul is anxious to pass the job on as soon as possible and Dave is the perfect person to take it over. I would most likely wind up choosing him anyway. Thus I have asked Dave Luckins to put Socky's name on the current agenda for confirmation.
Cave Files Committee
Richard Blenz
8070 W Eller Rd
Bloomington IN 47403
rblenz@ucs.indiana.edu
PLANS: To run the Files as usual.
PROGRESS: A couple of hundred new caves filed this last year. Occasionally I see a request for some cave data on the Internet but not yet addressed directly to the Files or to me.
PROBLEMS: I know you would like to have some problems to work on but at the moment, none from me.
Internal Organizations Committee
Evelyn Bradshaw
10826 Leavells Rd
Fredericksburg VA 22047-1261
ebradshw@interserf.net
Administration of Internal Organizations: Grotto annual report forms were mailed out to nearly 200 grottos 11/9/96. By the first deadline of 1/17/97, less than half had been returned. A bulk rate mailing of a preliminary directory listing of all grotto reports received was mailed about January 25. This will serve two purposes: it will remind delinquents to act promptly and it gives those who have reported a chance to proofread and update or correct their listings.
Region, survey, and section report forms were mailed out later by me, Dave Taylor, and Bill Bussey respectively
Inquiries about starting new grottos continue to be received and are always handled as a priority. You may be interested that the latest came from Costa Rica.
Two or three applications for NSS grotto status are about ready to be chartered, after the usual verification that all NSS requirements have been met and after giving key people in the area including nearby grotto leaders a chance to react.
Services to Internal Organizations: In recent months I have been called on for advice and help resolving some internal grotto problems. Let them remain nameless as I believe the situations will be resolved amicably. This did lead to my reviewing some old bylaws adopted in the good old days when we wanted only to "go caving." In those days we didn't see the necessity for timetables for action on amendments, elections, or for due process for those subject to possible expulsion, etc. I'm becoming quite a specialist in analyzing bylaws.
We don't have the formal manual on grotto operation that Dave Luckins talked about but the new grotto packet has some interesting reading in it, plus useful information about NSS activities.
Filing and Archives: Plans are developing but no real action has taken place. I concur with Reynolds Duncan's determination that the files be accessioned (is that a verb?) chronologically as they arrive. I do feel that it is important that the 1/0 files be in separate file cabinets to expedite retrieval when a grotto needs data for its umpteenth anniversary or for reference when it is reactivated after a long hiatus.
PROBLEMS: (1) Probably a temporary glitch in smooth transfer of NSS membership data via email. But fall back to sending a disk apparently can work if necessary.
(2) To date no firm deadline for turning in 1/0 data has been established with the new editor of the Members Manual, nor is it yet clear just how grotto data can be transmitted without complete or partial rekeying.
Sections Subcommittee
Bill Bussey
PLANS: I continue to collect and enter Annual Reports, and will send them to the new editor of the 1997 NSS Members Manual. I have not yet been in direct contact with her. However, I understand Evelyn has.
There is a movement afoot to form an NSS Fine Arts Section. This has Bill Halliday' support. Evelyn sent Dave Brison a copy of the Section application material in early September. However, I have not yet heard from them.
PROGRESS: The newest Section, the Medical Section of the NSS, should be chartered by the Spring Board meeting. Evelyn insisted on numerous revisions to their Constitution and Bylaws, which has taken some time.
As of this writing, I have received Annual Reports from Survey & Cartography, Geology & Geography, Paleontology, Speleophilatelic, Digging, American Spelean History Association, Medical (not yet chartered), Rescue, and Human Sciences Sections. For the most part, these are the groups who always make their deadlines, year after year. Hats off to their leaders who do a great job in this small, but key, reporting effort.
I understand that the OVP will move at the March 1997 Board meeting that the Internal Organizations Committee strictly adhere to the guideline that Sections be specifically cave related. This is in response to the Lavender Cavers mess of this past Fall. I will strictly adhere to this guideline in the future. However, this will not allow the chartering of the current "Spa Association" as an NSS Section as had been proposed by leaders of the group.
In October, I received what I believe to be the last batch of Section report and correspondence archive files from Evelyn, and predecessors John Halleck and Steve Gates. The files have seemed to "dribble in" over the three years I've had this job. Thus, for the first time in a long time, these files are all in one place. Evelyn has suggested that I send or take them to Huntsville for safekeeping. However, they may not have room for them there. Right now they take up about a full filing cabinet drawer at home. I'm willing to keep them for the time being. I'll whatever the OVP wants in this one.
PROBLEMS: I have e-mailed Sections who have not returned their 1996 Annual Reports and requested something from them. These include the Communications and Electronics Section, which never submits a report, except over the phone when I call them, and the Cave Diving Section, which over the past three years not submitted, or been very tardy with their reports. Almost all have replied this week saying something will be in the mail shortly.
As Lois Bergthold, the editor of the 1997 NSS Members Manual is a Macintosh person, it remains to be seen if there will be any problems in electronically sending her the 1997 Sections listing. She apparently does not have dBase capabilities, which is what I've sent in the past. We'll see what happens.
Headquarters Facilities Committee
Greg Freese
763 Telephone Tower Rd
Laceys Spring AL 35754
gfreese@bmtc.mindspring.com
no report
NSS Bookstore Manager
Jim Hall
623 Larry PI
Madison AL 35758
73505.1632@compuserve-com
Bookstore is running ok. We have total sales of On Rope since it arrived in December of 1,806 copies, which if we figure at the rock bottom discount price of $16 gives us gross sales of over 28K on that one book.
We have several new items which should be in the March NSS adds. We now have a yellow metal car tag available like the old one, but that says Life Member across the top.
NSS Library Committee
Jon Smith
Department of English
Drawer E
Mississippi State MS 39762
jon@isis.msstate.edu
We have gone from being behind schedule to being ahead. We have cataloged the entire lending library (Jim did about 15% in December, and I did the rest in January) and begun on the main collection. This means two things. First, OCLC now knows what books we have in the lending library. Any NSS member (or anyone else) can now go to his or her local university library and ask the reference librarian what libraries in Alabama have, say, Depths of the Earth or Caves of Connecticut . The NSS's code number (SABA, I believe) will show up on the printout. (I encourage Board members to try this.) Second, we now have on disk professionally-done catalog records which we will upload into our local software program as soon as it arrives.
The local software program is Winnebago Spectrum, a Windows-based cataloging program that, unlike other programs, comes ready to put on the Web whenever the NSS chooses to become a Webserver or to put our catalog on our current server. This program is still being worked on, so in the meantime Winnebago is sending us free their DOS-based product to use until the Windows-based product comes out later this quarter. We need not buy the first or even second release of the Windows product, so we can continue to catalog in DOS until their new product is bug-free. I have sent some of our downloaded OCLC files to Winnebago to make sure they can be uploaded directly into the program. If not, a relatively cheap conversion program can be used. Winnebago's DOS program has been the market leader for several years.
I anticipate it will take around 120 hours to catalog the main collection. About 1 in 20 books will be things no other OCLC library has; we make a profit on those, but I want to be very good at downloading before I move to uploading and creating new records, Since I'm not a professional librarian! This is one aspect I need to do, not any other volunteer.
So my goal is to have the entire main collection cataloged by the end of fall 1997. The only reason for it to take that long is that a good bit of it will have to be done in the 97-8 FY. Most of our 96-7 budget will go towards the local software.
Longer-term goals: 1) to put catalog labels on the spines of all books. [Bill resists this notion as defacing the books, but it has to be done; a formal statement of the Board's support for this move might help me here.]
2) to show off the new cataloging system to potential donors and interested members at the Sewanee convention.
3) to install Tattle-Tape strips and magnetic security equipment at the door of the library.
41 to do a formal assessment of preservation needs.
5) to catalog the duplicates currently lining too many shelves and ship 'em off to the satellite libraries.
6) to get the catalog on-line, so members can access the catalog over the Web.
I'd like to thank Jim Hall here for attending the training session in Atlanta in November, and for training me. He's, why we are now ahead of schedule.
Photo Archives Committee
Karen Kastning
PO Box 1048
Radford VA 24141-0048
karen-kastning.geology@geoqmail.geology.runet.edu
PLANS: As mentioned in previous reports, I will be purchasing a database manager, probably FilemakerPro, in the very near future (within the next 30 days) and will start transfering data into that system. I am looking into other useful programs, such as Adobe Illustrator and PrintShop, and may also buy one of them if I can get a good deal. I received good feedback on my questions to people about what they use and what would be appropriate for the Photo Archives needs.
PROGRESS: Kevin Downey donated a used, but high-quality slide duplicator (value ~$1000) to the Cave Photography Section. Because this would be so useful to the Photo Archives, he shipped it to me to store and use year-round. It arrived at my home about six or seven weeks ago. We need to replace a broken optical glass and buy one or two camera adaptors, but otherwise it is in excellent condition. As soon as I purchase these items, I will be able to duplicate materials much less expensively than in the past. Assuming that I can learn the fine details, we should then be able to assist other committees (such as the Photo Salon and Audio-Visual committees) to also have access to high-quality dupes at a reasonable cost. Part of Kevin's request when he donated the Illumitran was that it be available to the NSS cave photographers and not gather dust in someone's closet or garage. We hope to have a workshop at the convention in 1998 and I will be sure that word gets out to the people most likely to have a need for the Illumitran.
PROBLEMS: Nothing specific. Just a need for more hours in a day!
Speleo-Museum Committee
Craig Hindman
7600 Pindell School Rd
Fulton MD 20759
tiderman@erols.com
Activity at the Museum has been a little slow. There have been few donations or inquiries for information since the last report. The computer program has been written and the data will be inputted over the winter.
Photographing of the contents is on hold pending notification that the budget request has been approved.
At this point there are no problems.