This was the last Board meeting for the Fiscal Year 2023. The meeting focused on the approval of the USITT Budget for FY 2024. It was well prepared, had been extensively reviewed by the Finance committee, and there were minimal questions from Board members. The Board of Directors approved the operating budget as presented. A huge thank you to the work of Director of Finance Fran Taylor, Executive Director Laura Lee Everett, and the input from the Finance Committee. While we are still in financial recovery from the catastrophic pandemic losses, we are healthy and the USITT’s head is above water.

Three Consent agenda items were presented to the Board for approval. All items were passed. They included the assignments and chairs of three Committees of the Board: The Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Governance Committee. The second was an amendment to the ByLaws where Roberts’ Rules of Order were specified to “ …establish rules of order to structure discussions and conduct business.” (The new USITT meeting procedures will be used beginning July 2023 when conducting Board related business).The last was appointments to the ESTA=ETCP Certification Council of Joe Aldridge and Eric Rouse.

Paul Bruner was recognized for his constant stewardship of the ByLaws and their changes, as well as his service as Secretary. He has onboarded incoming Secretary, Ashley Bellet for a smooth transition.

Laura Lee Everett, Executive Director gave an overview of the operations. Highlights included the collaborative staff work on delivering a clear and more transparent budget, the tech audit being conducted on all the digital services used by the Institute to assess synergy and financial savings, and the creation of three new staff roles to balance the workforce. The May site visit to the Seattle conference venues was enlightening and went well. Staff is working on the July Costume symposium, the August Commissioners and Board retreats, and planning for USITT24. She reminded everyone that many awards are open for nomination, as are Board nominations, and encouraged board members to submit conference session proposals.

The meeting concluded with plans for the Board Retreat to be held in early August.

Respectfully 
Carolyn Satter, president

PQ observations:

"Feast upon the bites of art in their rarest forms, swept by the momentum of change in performance design. Merge all its means of expression. Indulge in teamwork driven by ideas. Invite all senses." ... found on the PQ tote bag, Prague Quadrennial.

I have followed the two US entries to the PQ from the Tallahassee, Florida, unveiling in January at FSU, to the USITT 2023 Conference in St. Louis, Missouri in March, to Prague, Czech Republic, in June. This was my first time immersed in this project. I know why we do it and the USITT commitment, but what I was not expecting was the sensory experiences that awaited me – tactile, emotional, and visual adding to a deep appreciation of artists’ interpretation of the world they occupy - from the emerging artists (student exhibits) clothed in plastic sheets, symbolizing the isolation of the pandemic to the interaction with the Japanese artists who daily changed their booth to emphasis the daily changes of life. While some of these took longer to absorb all had a profound effect on me – taking me to places I had not expected. I was captivated. The experience was, and is, powerful.

I am grateful for the world of theatrical expression that I have chosen to be in ... C Satter