From DCC4@aol.com Mon Jan 24 09:34:13 2000
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 10:25:59 EST
From: DCC4@aol.com
To: r3-EXCOM2000@ieee.org
Cc: d.green@ieee.org
Subject: Past Director's Report


When Dick Riddle asked last fall if some time could be dedicated at the 
Nashville meeting for training the EXCOM for an E-conference, there was no 
hesitation, but a to answer in the affirmative.  It was also suggested by 
Dick to permit any new 2000 EXCOM members to come and take part in this same 
training.  The E-conference classes were led by Charles Lord, Bill Ratcliff 
and Dave Green and with the accompanying notes were thorough and achieved 
their purpose as evident by the successful E-conference committee meetings 
and the EXCOM practice that was held on 18 January.  Of course, the real test 
will be on 29 January at the official Executive Committee Meeting.  
Expectations are high for another success.

On another note, there are two items of IEEE wide interest that will be 
challenges this year.  The first is to provide proper funding for IEEE 
central intra-structure costs since the proposed New Financial Model was not 
passed by the Board of Directors last fall.  President Bruce Eisenstein has 
agreed to appoint an ad hoc committee whose charge will be to provide 
direction and leadership for the solution of this funding problem.

The second item is the serious proposal that will be brought in a form of a 
motion at the February Board of Directors meeting in New Orleans by the 
Technical Activities Board which if passed would make membership in IEEE-USA 
optional.  It is felt that would be a very critical situation for IEEE-USA 
and it is questioned whether it could remain as functional as it is today 
with the potential loss of revenue.  Hopefully, support to defeat that motion 
will be rallied in the coming days.