MSBA Committee

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. at the MSBA Offices.

Minutes

9/16/09 | 10/21/09 | 11/18/09 | 1/6/10 | 2/3/10

Diversity Planning Task Force
Meeting Summary
February 3, 2010

The meeting was chaired by Phil Duran.

Members present: Dana Bartocci, Celeste Culberth, Andriel Dees (phone), Sitso Bediako, Mark Frey (phone), Yovnne Shorts Lind (phone), Julie Plumitis, and Tram Nguyen (MSBA staff).

Chair Phil Duran welcomed everyone to the meeting, followed by brief introductions of all those present.

Workgroup Check-Ins

Benchmarking workgroup: this workgroup will begin developing questions to ask, criteria to consider, or other similar guides for the Task Force to use in reviewing the sufficiency of existing bylaws/policies and diversity-related programs and services, and making any recommendations for change.

Celeste Culberth and Sitso Bediako summarized the working document on strategic planning for MSBA diversity goals. This document is attached. The five goals discussed in this strategic planning document are: 1) Be innovative; 2) Be an example; 3) Be proactive; 4) Be accountable; and 5) Be a diversity resource. This document will be circulated via email to the entire task force. Members of the other working groups will review the document and get their information to Sitso by March 1, 2010. Sitso will compile the information and have a summary document at the next full task force meeting.

Due to time constraints, updates on the Programs/Services and Policies/Bylaws workingroups will be given at the next meeting.

Diversity Structure Discussion
The task force discussed the current diversity structure of the MSBA which includes the following groups: Diversity Planning Task Force, Diversity Committee, Diversity Best Practices Outreach Task Force, Women in the Legal Profession, Human Rights Committee, Life and the Law Committee and the Minority Bar Summit. Is this an effective structure? Should there be consolidation into one group? Should there be a creation of an umbrella organization that will oversee all these different groups? These were some of the questions that came up and members were encouraged to come up with suggestions for further discussion and evaluation at the next meeting.

Next Meeting
The Task Force will meet next on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. at the MSBA Offices.

Meeting adjourned.

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Diversity Planning Task Force
Meeting Summary
January 6, 2010

The meeting was chaired by Phil Duran.

Members present: Dana Bartocci, Sitso Bediako, Joan Bibelhausen, Melissa Lopez Franzen, Mark Frey, John Hennen,, Julie Plumitis, and Tram Nguyen (MSBA staff).

Chair Phil Duran welcomed everyone to the meeting, followed by brief introductions of all those present.

Workgroup Check-Ins

Bylaws/Policy Review: this workgroup will review the published bylaws and policies of the MSBA, and catalog the instances in which they relate to diversity issues. Ultimately, the Task Force will review them for sufficiency and make recommendations, if any, regarding changes.

Julie Plumitis reviewed the document that was submitted by her group regarding bylaw and policy changes. The document is attached. Overall, the word “other” was replaced with the word “additional” when talking about “….forms of diversity…”.throughout the bylaws and policies for consistency purposes.

Diversity-related Programs/Services Review: this workgroup will develop a working definition of “diversity-related program or service” (or similar phrase) and then inventory the diversity-related programs/services being provided through the MSBA, including but not necessarily limited to those offered by the Diversity Committee, Women in the Legal Profession Committee, Minority Bar Summit, and Best-Practices Task Force. Ultimately, the Task Force will review them for sufficiency and make recommendations, if any, regarding changes.

Joan Bibelhausen reported that the survey went out to all section and committee chairs on December 1, 2009 with a deadline to respond of December 15, 2009. To date, 29 responses have been received (53% response rate). Follow up emails and phone calls will be made to those that did not respond. By the next meeting, the workgroup will increase the responses to the survey and do an analysis of the results. The workgroup will also talk to the Diversity, Women in the Legal Profession, and Life and the Law Committees.

Sitso Bediako distributed a document which lists the Guiding Principle and 5 goals flowing from the principle. The document is attached. The group was commended for their great work, and members were encouraged to review and come prepared to the next meeting with thoughts/suggestions for improvements, if any. This will be the main agenda item at the next meeting.

Other Business
Joan Bibelhausen reported that the she will be presenting a CLE program on diversity on behalf of the Diversity Committee at the MSBA “Nine Days in June”. Part of the program will include a segment on the Diversity Planning Task Force.

Next Meeting
The Task Force will meet next on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. at the MSBA Offices.

Meeting adjourned.

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Diversity Planning Task Force
Meeting Summary
November 18, 2009

The meeting was chaired by Phil Duran.

Members present: Sitso Bediako, Joan Bibelhausen, Celeste Culberth (by phone), Andriel Dees, Mark Frey (by phone), Jill Gauding (by phone), John Hennen, Yvonne Shorts-Lind (by phone), Regan Waller (by phone), Mary Ward, and Tram Nguyen (MSBA staff).

Chair Phil Duran welcomed everyone to the meeting, followed by brief introductions of all those present.

Workgroup Check-Ins

Mary Ward summarized her workgroup’s report with recommendation for changes regarding the MSBA bylaws and personnel policies. The document is attached. The Task Force referred the First, Second, and Third Policies At Issue back to the Subcommittee for review and revision.

Joan Bibelhausen summarized her group’s report which contains survey questions that will go out to MSBA section and committee chairs under Leo Brisbois’s name within the next couple of weeks. The document is attached.

Sitso Bediako gave an update on what his group has been doing. The consensus regarding the way forward in this process is to work on finalizing a guiding principle to diversity planning in the MSBA and a set of goals (no more than 4-5) that flow from the principle.

Then from a process standpoint, the benchmarks to be developed will be related to the goals, with implementation steps that are tied to them. This may require coordinating with the inventory group to find out what programs may already align with related implementation steps and corresponding benchmark. It will also help to identify gaps. The end product should be a map of sorts to guide diversity efforts.

The group started crafting a guiding diversity principle with two ideas: 1) Profession to reflect all levels the diversity of the state of MN; and 2) MSBA should model the diversity it seeks to see in the profession. One thought that was presented was that #1 might work as a principle on its own. #2 might be a goal.

There is also some shared work that must be done with the policy subcommittee to make sure we are all working off the same definitions and toward the same purpose.

The goal of the Subcommittee for the next full task force meeting is to have a written product (the "map") detailing the principle, the 4-5 goals flowing from the principle, and the workings of the benchmarking areas/implementation steps for the larger group to discuss (and hopefully approve). The next step after getting approval of the map would be to propose more benchmarks (based both on internal goals and a comparison of model bar associations across the country) and fit in the information we have from the inventory subcommittee. With the info from the inventory group, we should be able to add some detail to the map and begin to identify any current gaps or areas where the MSBA is doing well.

Next Meeting
The Task Force will meet next on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. at the MSBA Offices.

Meeting adjourned.

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Diversity Planning Task Force
Meeting Summary
October 21, 2009

The meeting was chaired by Phil Duran.

Members present: Sitso Bediako, Joan Bibelhausen, Celeste Culberth (by phone), Melissa Franzen (by phone), Mark Frey, Jill Gauding, Ana Gomez (by phone), John Hennen, Julie Plumitis, Yvonne Shorts-Lind, Mary Ward, and Tram Nguyen (MSBA staff).

Chair Phil Duran welcomed everyone to the meeting, followed by brief introductions of all those present.

Workgroup Check-Ins

Julie Plumitis distributed a document summarizing her group’s recommendation for changes regarding the MSBA bylaws. The document is attached.

Joan Bibelhausen reported that her workgoup has idenitifed the following tiered definition as to who the Task Force should be including as those who provide a diversity related program or service:

1. A function of the MSBA that has diversity consciously in mind (ex. Diversity committee, summit)

2. A group or function where diversity is a desirable or appropriate component to achieve their mission (life and the law, LAD, possibly sections)

3. Affiliated organizations or projects for which the MSBA can provide support and resources or wishes to maintain connections to maximize and leverage efforts (minority bars, district bar diversity efforts) within the context of MSBA services and support

The next questions are:

How do we define a program or service
What do we generally want to know from each group – are they the same questions or different depending on where they fit in the MSBA organizational structure and how we define a program or service.
What data do we want to collect? Is historical info relevant?
What do we want to deliver? A synopsis for each program or service? A comparison chart? An organizational chart of the MSBA showing program and service goals? (see HCBA attachment)

A discussion ensued regarding whether or not the task force should be looking into diversity practices in respect to Minnesota State Bar Association as an employer and it was the concensus of the group that it would make sense to do so. This component will be added on to the Policy/Bylaws Review Subcommittee.

Sitso Bediako reviewed the attached document which summarizes this workgroup’s suggested goals and aspirations.

Next Meeting
The Task Force will meet next on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. at the MSBA Offices.

Meeting adjourned.

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Diversity Planning Task Force
Meeting Summary
September 16, 2009

The meeting was chaired by Phil Duran.

Members present: David Ahlvers, Dana Bartocci, Sitso Bediako, Joan Bibelhausen, Celeste Culberth, Jill Gauding, Ana Gomez (by phone), John Hennen (by phone), Julie Plumitis, Yvonne Shorts-Lind (by phone), and Tram Nguyen (MSBA staff).

MSBA President Leo Brisbois was also present for the first half of the meeting.

Chair Phil Duran welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the task force and thanked everyone for serving on this important task force. Brief introductions were made.

Chair Phil Duran reviewed the Charge to the Task Force. The purpose of the Diversity Planning Task Force includes the following:

Review the language of MSBA’s bylaws and current goal(s) pertaining to diversity: is this language still sufficient? If not, what should replace it?
Inventory and evaluate the various “diversity programs” of the MSBA’s committees, sections, and task forces: are they still active and effective? If not, should they be revived or discontinued? Are there gaps?
Assess the MSBA structure related to delivery of these programs – is the current constellation of diversity-related committees/sections/task forces the most effective, or would some degree of reorganization make the MSBA more effective in terms of its diversity work?

The Task Force will plan to deliever a report with recommendations, if any, to the Assembly on June 26, 2010.

The MSBA’s “Diversity Infrastructure” was also reviewed. The groups that are included in this infrastructure are: Diversity Committee, Diversity Best Practices Outreach Task Force, Women in the Legal Profession Committee, Affiliate Organizations, and Minority Bar Summit. It was suggested that the Human Rights and Life and the Law Committees be also added to the list; as well as any diversity committees of existing sections. [Subsequent to the meeting, Tram confirmed that there are no known diversity committees within existing sections.]

Initial Work Plan
The Task Force will break into the following Subcommittees:

Bylaws/Policy Review: this workgroup will review the published bylaws and policies of the MSBA, and catalog the instances in which they relate to diversity issues. Ultimately, the Task Force will review them for sufficiency and make recommendations, if any, regarding changes.
“Diversity-related Programs/Services” Review: this workgroup will develop a working definition of “diversity-related program or service” (or similar phrase) and then inventory the diversity-related programs/services being provided through the MSBA, including but not necessarily limited to those offered by the Diversity Committee, Women in the Legal Profession Committee, Minority Bar Summit, and Best-Practices Task Force. Ultimately, the Task Force will review them for sufficiency and make recommendations, if any, regarding changes.
“Benchmarking” workgroup: this workgroup will begin developing questions to ask, criteria to consider, or other similar guides for the Task Force to use in reviewing the sufficiency of existing bylaws/policies and diversity-related programs and services, and making any recommendations for change.

Next Meeting
The Task Force will meet next on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. at the MSBA Offices.

Meeting adjourned.

- Last Updated 08/21/2009 -