March 10, 2019 ZA Board Meeting Minutes

March 10, 2019 Zimfest Association Board Meeting Synopsis

Members in Attendance: Jacqueline Fallon, Chris Halaska, Daniel Lockley, Evelyn Mukwedeya, Tendai Muparutsa, Mandy Walker-LaFollette, Alex Weeks, Janis Weeks
Members Absent: None
Non-voting member in attendance: Claire Jones

Review/Modify Agenda (All)

Nothing to add

Approval of February Minutes/Synopsis (All)

Already posted.

Interview Tendai Muparutsa for Board Position (All)

We like to have Zimbabwean representation on the board. There may be blind spots that we don’t always know about. Do you feel comfortable taking on the role of an advisor to the Zimbabwean musicians? Tendai feels like he could help be a connecting person between the Zimbabwean musicians and the board. A few ideas from Tendai… He is curious on how the board could reach out to non regular performers or attendees and other institutions with Zimbabwean music programs to know what they are doing and exchange notes. Tendai has a high tolerance of hybridity. He likes including other instruments in his music and arrangements. At ZF he wishes we could put more effort into dancing and drumming and not just mbira and marimba.

Interview Follow-up (All)

Tendai is willing to give honest feedback when asked. He has an interesting perspective and we all think he would be a good addition to the board. Tendai accepts the invitation to be on the board.

Zimfest 2019 Update (Claire)

• North American performer applications are down from 2018. Daytime concert schedule will have less slots.
  • A few less workshops will be scheduled this year due to less performing groups, some of them being school groups and also Nhema north happening this summer and some attending that instead. It is better to add more workshops if needed after registration is going.
  • Can we increase our support for some Zimbabweans or provide scholarships? Does this work with the budget and the possible enrollment decrease? OC will create a list of criteria/guidelines.
• Increased Zimbabwean applications means OC has had increased work vetting candidates (many strong ones!)
• Teacher membership price increase proposal follow-up – dropping this proposal for now since we didn’t make a decision.
• Board approves a Marketplace late fee
• Save the Date cards are available for download – contact the OC committee if interested

Code of Conduct Follow-up (All)

Ensure all board members have signed it.

Criminal Background Check Portal at Coeus Global (Janis)

Moving along, portal is set, contract still needs to be reviewed. There is the option of the association paying or they have the option to pay for their own. We will only run background checks on those with social security numbers.

Board Recruitment Follow-up (All)

Send a message out early this week

Next Meeting

Sunday April 14th, 6:30 pm PST on Google Hangouts