Minutes of the SMI Board of Councilors Conference Call
Monday, November 30, 2015, 2:00 pm CT/20:00 GMT
Participants:
Guest
Absent:
Staff:
Jonathan Braun, Nadine Cerf-Bensussan, Tim Denning, Brian Kelsall, Allan Mowat, Cathryn Nagler, Gabriel
Nunez, Kiyoshi Takeda, Dale Umetsu, Ifor Williams
Coy Allen, Web Committee Chair
Ken Beagley, Michael McGuckin
Gail Bast, Kim Mitschke, Amanda Mohr, Lori Rathje
I.
Welcome & Call to Order – A. Mowat called the meeting to order and welcomed participants.
II.
Roll Call – L. Rathje confirmed participants.
III.
Minutes, September 28th, 2015 Board Meeting – Councilors reviewed the minutes from the previous Board call.
MOTION: The minutes were approved as presented.
IV.
Treasurer’s Report – T. Denning updated Councilors on the 2015 audit, October 31st, 2015 financial statements and
2016 operating budget draft.
A. 2015 Audit – The SMI Executive Office is obtaining proposals from accounting firms to perform the audit of SMI’s
2015 finances. The proposals will be presented in January so that the Board may select an audit firm. The audit will
be conducted in spring of 2016, and the final report will be shared with the Board during the May conference call.
B. October 31st, 2015 Financial Statements – Net assets are $1,044,652, and the year to date increase in net assets is
$230,327. ICMI 2015 generated a profit of at least $92,648. The funds from the German Research Foundation have
not yet been received. There is the possibility that the receipt of the funds is contingent upon the financial success
of the congress.
C. 2016 Operating Budget Draft – The draft budget projects net revenue for 2016 of $192,042. MICS is budgeted to
be close to cost-neutral in its first year. The projected profit share with NPG from the journal is more than
$230,000 for 2016. Since the journal’s finances have performed consistently better than projected since its
inception, the figure projected by NPG was included in the budget.
ACTION: L. Rathje will follow up with Oliver Pabst and the German Research Foundation to investigate the status of the ICMI 2015
grant funds disbursement.
MOTION: The 2016 operating budget was approved as presented.
V.
Mucosal Immunology Course & Symposium (MICS) – The majority of the MICS plenary speakers have confirmed
their participation, and abstract submission opens on December 1, 2015. The Planning Committee is interested in
adding an opening keynote lecture followed by a reception on the night of July 27. Since the meeting hotel does not
have sufficient space available at this time, alternate venues are being investigated. The meeting will feature a session
similar to the British Society of Immunology’s Bright Sparks session.
ACTION: A. Mohr will forward Bart Lambrecht’s faculty invitation to Peter Openshaw, so he may follow up with him.
VI.
International Congress of Mucosal Immunology (ICMI 2019) – Councilors reviewed results of the recent survey
measuring members’ interest in the location of ICMI 2019. Data showed a slight preference for Australia over Japan.
Ken Beagley and Michael McGuckin have expressed willingness to serve as the local organizing committee if the
congress is held in Brisbane. There have been funds committed by the Australian government if Brisbane is selected.
Based on these factors, as well as the fact that the congress has not been in Australia in many years, the Board voted
Brisbane as the destination for ICMI 2019.
MOTION: Brisbane, Australia was identified at the location for ICMI 2019.
ACTION: L. Rathje will follow up with K. Beagley and M. McGuckin to inform them of the Board’s decision and implement next
steps in the planning process.
VII.
Strategic Plan – Councilors discussed various strategic initiatives, including:
A. Application Process for Young Professionals on the Board – Councilors updated the proposed eligibility
requirements to principal investigators who are between 5-15 years out from receiving their doctoral degrees,
who are members of SMI and who are working in a field relevant to mucosal immunology. Instead of identifying a
review committee, the full Board will review applications.
B. Developing Country Survey – For SMI’s purposes and intent, the definition of a developing country must be
updated to a scope beyond the World Bank definition. Many areas, including South America and Eastern Europe,
where SMI has interest in expanding, are not included in the World Bank definition.
C. Other Initiatives – Many of the actions related to SMI’s strategic initiatives are being implemented at the
committee level (i.e. Membership, Web, Extramural Programs and Program Committees). The action
implementation timeline will be continually updated and presented for progress review on Board calls.
ACTION: L. Rathje will update the application for the Young Professional board positions and will send to the Board.
ACTION: A. Mowat will draft a definition of a developing country and will send to the Board for feedback.
VIII.
Committee Reports – Committee Chairs reported on the activities of their respective committees.
A. Mucosal Immunology Journal – After a lengthy negotiation process, SMI and NPG arrived at an addendum to the
publishing contract that is agreeable to both parties. The revised contract will be effective through December 31,
2021 and notable changes include a 60%:40% profit share between SMI and NPG respectively and a reduced
management fee.
B. Extramural Programs Committee – Satellite programs will be held at both the American Association of
Immunology’s and Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies’ annual meetings, and programs are in place for
both events. The Board discussed a request for meeting support from the South African Immunology Society.
Although the meeting is small (approximately 50 people), Councilors approved to sponsor the travel of an SMI
member’s travel to the meeting to chair a session, in addition to $1,000 in general meeting support to be
expended at the society’s discretion. Nicola Harris and Benjamin Marsland were suggested as potential speakers.
C. Education/Textbook Committee – Chapter authors for the second edition of Principles of Mucosal Immunology
have been informally invited, with formal invitations to follow shortly. The slated publication of the book is
February of 2017.
D. Membership Committee – The Membership Committee has been reactivated with members from diverse
geographic areas. The committee will meet within the next month to discuss membership recruitment and
renewal strategies.
E. Web Committee – The Featured Papers and Protocols sections of the website are updated more frequently with
relevant content, and SMI has an increased social media presence. The committee is working to develop
questions for online interviews with historical SMI leaders. These will be recorded and posted on the website by
the end of March 2016. Committee members suggested capturing the content of the Mucosal Immunology
workshop and posting these lectures on the website.
MOTION: The Board approved the publishing contract addendum between SMI and NPG to proceed to signature.
ACTION: C. Nagler will inform the South African Immunology Society of the Board’s decision regarding support of the meeting.
IX.
Upcoming Board Calls – Councilors were reminded of upcoming Board calls.
A. January 25, 2016
B. March 28, 2016
C. May 23, 2016
X.
Adjournment – A. Mowat adjourned the call at 3:55 pm CT.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori L. Rathje, SMI Executive Director