The Board discussed the following at the March 5, 2025 Board Meeting:
- The March General Meeting is going to serve as the bi-annual meeting of the CWAJ General Incorporated Association (GIA) bi-annual meeting. We need to have a quorum of close to 100. Heidi is working with Ritsuko Watanabe, Regional Representative, to add information about the GIA to the Board Orientation Materials and, if necessary, the SP&P.
- The organization of International Women’s Day is in good shape.Thank you Marijke Munsiff and team!
The Scholarship Working Group Final Report is now available. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fb42f__OLQtycC9BxhZ3-xb2-S_nvQVb/view
- The new Working Group for Member Recruitment and Stewardship is responsible for implementing new member recruiting activities, connecting in various ways with new members, and connecting members to volunteer activities. This Working Group reports to the President and liaises with the Membership Committee.
- The new computer has been installed at the Center. There are rules of use posted on the wall at the Center, above the computer.
- Amy Fujii, Archivist, has been asked to conduct an IT inventory. All members of the Extended Board are asked to comply with her requests for information.
- The Treasurer submitted the first half of the CWAJ budget for 2025-26. Heidi Sweetnam, as President, was invited to the Treasurers’ meeting where the budget was prepared. The Scholarship/Education and Management budget provides for an increase over last year, but it is still less than the total of membership dues collected. (Per the SP&P, membership dues are expected to be used for management expenses.) The complete budget (including the Print Show budget and the Non-Print Show Expenses budget) will be presented at the April meeting.
- Norman Tolman, a longtime supporter of CWAJ, passed away in January. Naoko Yagura, Anna Said Pullicino and Joanna Chinen attended the memorial service. Joanna Chinen was one of two non family members asked to speak at the memorial service. The Tolman family asked that, instead of flowers, friends should make a donation to CWAJ. CWAJ has already received several donations.
- Kristen Hughes made a presentation about this year’s plans to increase the number of member donors and corporate donors.
- Amy Fujii presented the opportunities associated with using Google Workspace as a solution to the concern that the organization is at risk of having its documents scattered across the personal google accounts of both active and inactive members. Google Workspace will provide a vehicle for the Archivist and for centralized organization of each Director’s teams working documents, such as calendars, minutes, and other pieces of information needed by committees. The board agreed that Amy should move forward with setting up Google Workspace for CWAJ.
Proposal for 2026 CWAJ Scholarship Allocation. To be voted on next meeting. This proposal recommends how CWAJ will allocate its scholarship funds of 14 million yen in 2026. The Scholarship Committee is recommending that CWAJ keep the allocation the same as 2025 to keep the scholarship amounts consistent. However, there is a big difference between the SA amount and SVI-SA amount. They would like to use the extra 1 million yen to boost the SVI-SA amount if that scholarship is awarded.
Proposal to Discontinue the Young Ambassador Membership Category. Approved. This program offered membership for 2,500 yen if the member provided social media support. Reasons for approval of the proposal included: Not many have taken advantage of this category of membership. Publicity has assumed a more active role in SNS. A social media intern would be a more effective option for CWAJ. Junior memberships are still available.
Proposal to Include Explanation of the Contingency Fund in Annual Budget. Approved. CWAJ has a contingency fund of 24,870,000 yen. The contingency fund is maintained for use during dire financial circumstances, such as COVID. There is no written explanation of why the amount of 24,870,000 yen was selected. With approval, the Board will be asked to review the amount in the Contingency Fund each year and that the explanation of the amount in the Contingency Fund will be included as a footnote in the annual budget.
