Dear SPJ members, Thank you to all who joined us in New Orleans for Excellence in Journalism 2011. Because of your dedication, the inaugural joint conference with the Radio Television Digital News Association was an great success! Please take some time to congratulate your peers on three days of great professional development and a year of excellent journalism. Following is a summary of the major events at EIJ11, both for those who attended and those who could not come. Please keep engaging with us and your SPJ peers on Twitter (hashtag #EIJ11) and Facebook to carry with you everything you learned at EIJ11! ----------------- THE WORKING PRESS COVERAGE EIJ11's daily tabloid newspaper and news site, The Working Press, covered many aspects of the conference. Read daily coverage from the dedicated student journalists and professional advisers. More conference recaps, including audio of selected professional development sessions, will be available in the coming weeks on SPJ.org. DUES INCREASE The board of directors approved a modest increase in dues at its Sept. 25 meeting after several months of discussion and soliciting feedback from members and chapters. Depending on your membership category, annual dues will increase by $3 (professional), $1.50 (student, post-grad, retired, household), or $4 (associate). Please take time to read this explainer on the background, reasoning and process for implementing this change. The change will take effect Jan. 1, 2012. FYI -- Dues were last increased in 2002. ELECTION RESULTS Chapter delegates elected new board of directors members for 14 open seats. Elections took place during the opening and closing business sessions, as well as regional meetings. Congratulations to our new SPJ national board representatives, and thank you to everyone who ran. SPJ is so successful because of the tireless work of so many volunteers. See bios of candidates here. - President: John Ensslin (read news release)
- President-Elect: Sonny Albarado
- Secretary-Treasurer: David Cuillier
- Vice President for Campus Chapter Affairs: Neil Ralston
- At-Large Director: Bill McCloskey
- Campus Adviser At-Large: George Daniels
- Region 2 Director: Brian Eckert
- Region 3 Director: Michael Koretzky
- Region 6 Director: Amanda Theisen
- Region 10 Director: Dana Neuts
- Region 11 Director: Teri Carnicelli*
- Region 12 Director: Kelly Kissel
- Student Representatives: Gideon Grudo and Taylor Mirfendereski
*Ran from the floor. No bio immediately available. AWARD WINNERS: - Wells Memorial Key: Al Cross (read news release) - Regional Director of the Year: Brian Eckert, Region 2 (read news release) BYLAWS AMENDMENTS - One Member, One Vote: Passed (Amends bylaws to allow all members, not just chapter delegates, to vote for Society officers and directors.
- Student members of pro chapters: Passed
- Technical corrections: Passed
- Chapter board vacancies: Passed
See text of the amendments. RESOLUTIONS Convention delegates considered 11 resolutions. The full text, as amended, of resolutions will be posted to SPJ.org soon and included in future communications. Results: 1. Thanking President Limor for her service: Passed by voice vote 2. Thanking Headquarters Staff for its service: Passed by voice vote 3. Thanking sponsors, donors and contributors for their support of the 2011 Excellence in Journalism Conference: Passed by voice vote 4. Calling for SPJ to maintain its membership in AEJMC: Passed by voice vote 5. Opposing checkbook journalism: Passed by voice vote 6. Minority hiring gag: Passed by voice vote 7. Condemning the use of "illegal alien" and "illegal immigrant" in news stories: Passed by voice vote 8. Encouraging passage of a federal shield law: Passed by voice vote 9. Reinstating the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award (submitted by Fort Worth Pro chapter): Failed by voice vote 10. Reinstating the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award (submitted by 25 SPJ members): Failed - 71 in favor; 85 opposed 11. Overturning the board-approved membership dues increase: Failed - 31 in favor; 85 opposed SEE YOU NEXT YEAR Mark your calendars now for Excellence in Journalism 2012, Sept. 20-22 at the Harbor Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Let the planning officially begin. We hope to see you there! | 
