2009 Spring Business Meeting

President Patricia Quigley presided over the Spring Business Meeting April 18, 2009 at Salve Regina University. Each committee of the chapter provided a report on their activities to the members. Highlights from the reports are:

The Leadership Succession Committee presented the 2009 election results: Bonnie Dinwoodie is vice-president; Deborah Erickson-Owens is treasurer; Karen Hetzel was reelected Faculty Counselor for RIC; Jo Ann Barnes Mullaney is SRU’s Faculty Counselor; Nicole Smith and Katherine Paquette were elected to Governance Committee; Leeann Schmitt and Marc Wyzansky were elected to the Leadership Succession Committee; and Anne Carty was elected Biennial Convention Delegate.



(Bonnie Dinwoodie, Deborah Erickson-Owens, Marc Wyzansky, Leeann Schmitt, Katherine Paquette,
Jo Ann Barnes Mullaney, Karen Hetzel)

The president-elect position had no volunteers and remains empty. Michelle Siskind will become chair of this committee as Suzanne Carr’s term is complete. Suzanne reported on the chapter’s first use of electronic balloting. The technical part of the process worked well with the help of Third Eye Studio, who set up the computer portion of the balloting. It was a learning process for some members, who were stymied by the password format.

Delta Upsilon uses the e-mail addresses supplied by International. Members are reminded to update their e-mail addresses with International so they can receive information from Delta Upsilon. To update your email address or other information goto: http://www.nursingsociety.org/Membership/MyMembership/Pages/my_membership.aspx

The Governance Committee reported 71 undergraduate students, 5 BS-RN students, 8 MS students and 3 nurse leaders were inducted into the chapter December, 2008. A community service project “Women’s Heart Health Community Awareness” by chapter members was held in conjunction with RIC on March 4, 2009. The Chapter Management Manual was updated during the year. The committee sponsored the Charter Amendment allowing SRU to join the chapter.

The Heritage Committee was excited to report they received a $9000 grant from the Champlins Foundation to furnish the Betsy Nield Nursing History Library at the College of Nursing URI. Cataloguing of the book collection is being done by Sybil Atkins, a URI library science graduate, and Abigail Baker, a URI library science student. A computer was purchased for the work of the committee. The opening and dedication of the Betsy Nield Nursing History Library will be September 3, 2009 at 4pm in White Hall.

The Chapter has established the Barden-Nield Heritage Fund to honor Martha Barden and Betsy Nield for their leadership, vision and valuable contributions to the development of the Heritage Program for our Chapter. The fund will be used to continue preserving nursing history in RI. Contributions to the fund are most welcome. Contributions should be made out to Delta Upsilon Chapter-at-Large with Barden-Nield Heritage fund noted in the memo area and sent to: Sandra Zion, Co-Chair Heritage Committee, 150 Arlington Ave. Providence, RI 02906.

The Research Committee recommended two proposals for funding in 2008: Robin Miller and Marcella Thompson. They reminded members that the application for the 2009 awards is on the Web.