The Society of Professional Journalists elected leadership has agreed to allot to its members sufficient time to provide complete and insightful comments to the SPJ board about what people would like to see in the next staff leader. Starting at noon Eastern time on Saturday, July 13, 2019, the executive board has agreed to hear out all such feedback. (Correction: An earlier version of this post gave the wrong date and has since been corrected.)
This virtual meeting, which will only be conducted using the Zoom app, is meant for regular members and not just chapter leaders
to provide insight on the kinds of attributes they would like to see in an executive director. All members of our local chapter are invited. You must download the app first.
SPJ President Alex Tarquinio has agreed with requests from board members as well as SPJ DC past President Jonathan Make that there should be sufficient time for input.
“I’ll make sure the comments stay on point and everyone has a chance to speak,” she emailed the national board this afternoon.
The initial scheduling of the executive committee meeting to include no more than a half hour of member comment had drawn concern from Make. He has helped to spearhead a group of local leaders and chapters that is seeking from the SPJ board maximum transparency and collaboration with membership.
To that end, longtime and outgoing board member Michael Koretzky also on Sunday proposed that all people running for board positions agreed to follow several transparency principles. He is taking comment on them now.
At the same time, an SPJ committee led by Secretary-Treasurer Matt Hall has been researching transparency best practices. The goal is for the board to vote on them when it meets for the last time in its current incarnation in September at the annual conference. He requests that people email him with any ideas: smallhalls@gmail.com.
On any questions on the local chapters including SPJ DC’s thrust for transparency, you can contact Make at press@warren-news.com, 202-872-9200 or at makejdm.