End of the Docent Roundtable at the Natural History Museum

 Due to the recent classification of docent volunteers into active and inactive volunteers and several active DRT members requesting and becoming emeritus, at the DRT meeting of March 28, 2022, after much discussion the DRT Board voted to dissolve the Docent Round Table as of July 1, 2023. The minutes of that meeting as well as the DRT's President's letter sent to the DRT Membership are listed below:

 Docent Roundtable Board Meeting

March 28, 2023

Attendees: Christyann Evans, Connie Graham, Mary Kuhl, Maria Martinez, Chuck Milam, Bert Rosario,

Carolyn Weiss and Tiffany Wylie

Call to Order: Bert Rosario

Approval of Minutes: The minutes were reviewed and approved.

Vice President’s Report: Joyce Poulson

For the trip to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, 16 people have signed up, more than we have had in a very long time. The May 16, 2023 trip is to the Parsonage of Aimee Semple McPherson.

Treasurer’s Report: Chuck Milam

Current balance is $3,027.56

Old Business: Nominating Committee Report Carolyn Weiss

Subject: Status of  2023 Slate of Election Nominees listed below:

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------         

Date:  March 23, 2023 

To:     Docent Roundtable Board of Directors

From:  Election Nominating Committee

 

Subject:  Status of 2023 Slate of Election Nominees

 I.               Background

a.    At the DRT Board meeting of January 31, 2023, the Chair appointed Carolyn Weiss (myself) to head the Nominating Committee to determine a slate of nominees for elected positions for FY 2023-24.  As there was not a sufficient number of Board members present or available for a usual 5-member Committee, the Board waived the Rules and selected Bert Rosario and Elsa Shekelle as Committee members, with Tiffany Wylie as Ex Officio member.  

II.             Process

a.    As a first order of business, I contacted by phone all current Board members, including At-Large members and appointed Committee Chairs.  Each was asked if they intended to return in FY 2023-24 and if so, if they desired to continue in their current capacity on the Board of Directors.  Five of the eight elected officers indicated they do not plan to return to the Board, as follows:  Joyce Poulson, Vice-Chair; Chuck Milam, Treasurer; Connie Graham, Secretary; Maria Martinez, At-Large; and Nancy Christianson, At-Large.  Elsa Shekelle, Bert Rosario and I agreed to return. That will leave five (5) vacancies.

b.    Prior to initiating a call around to docents on the Active roster, the Committee members discussed the relevant issues.  Tiffany noted that she would soon (early March) send out a notice to all volunteers whom she had not already heard from, to determine if they wished to resume their duties in the next several months. Those that said they would not, or could not, return to active status would be removed from the Active Docent roster, and would therefore be ineligible to sit on the DRT Board of Directors.

c.     Tiffany was not optimistic about the number of potential active Docents, and she noted that, because of the pandemic hiatus, no newly eligible Docents-in-Training would be moved into eligibility for the first half of FY 2023-24, and possibly longer.  However, she would not have a revised and final list of active Docents until the middle of March.

III.            Discussion

a.    Two of your Committee members, myself and Elsa, discussed the possibility of running for two of the vacant elected positions; Treasurer and Secretary.  That would allow the Board to continue to function in a minimal capacity.  However, that number of Board members would be insufficient to permit all of the usual special events, outings and other activities to be carried out, and if even one member was absent from a meeting, no votes could be taken.  It was not a practical solution.

b.    Given the post-Covid pandemic staffing issues, plus the age of current Board members, it appears unlikely that the Board could be reconstituted with all, or even most elected positions filled in the next 18 months.

 c.     The results of Tiffany’s survey of Docents revealed the following:  Ten (10) Docents will not return/are ineligible; one (1) is inactive; two (2) have requested Emeritus status; and one (1) is uncertain, for a total of fourteen (14).  There are 14 active Docents, and three more likely to return in the future.  Of those 14, three are supporting the Museum remotely, and three are already serving on the Board of Directors.

 The Committee made a concerted effort to recruit eligible Docents and DIT’s to fill the soon-to-be-vacant positions.  Each of the Committee members surveyed the docents who were in their respective huddles, and none of us found anyone willing to be placed on the ballot.  There are simply not enough eligible Docents willing to serve, and not enough DIT’s eligible to serve.

 IV.           Recommendation

 Based on the above findings, it is with sadness that this Committee recommends that the DRT Board of Directors consider whether to suspend or dissolve the Board during its meeting of March 28, 2023.  There is nothing written in the Bylaws concerning the process for either suspension of the Docent Roundtable, or a process for its dissolution.  Tiffany will be able to discuss how that process was accomplished for the Tar Pits Museum Docent Board. The vote of the Committee to make this recommendation was unanimous.

 Respectfully submitted by:

Carolyn Weiss, Chair

Nominating Committee 

 Carolyn was commended for the attached report.

Tiffany told us about the Tar Pits Docent Association’s decision to dissolve their organization in February 2020

Action: After much discussion the DRT Board voted to dissolve the Docent Round Table as of July 1, 2023. A letter will be sent to the DRT Membership.

New Business:

The June Luncheon will be on June 13, 2023.

Requests received for Emeritus Status were granted for the following docents:

Rita Bernard Harris, Mary Kuhl, Janice Lipeles, and Don Motley.

Museum News: Tiffany Wylie

Tiffany stated that she has enjoyed working with all of us and appreciates all that we have done for the Museum. She is sad to see it coming to an end.

The last meeting of the DRT will be on May 2, 2023 at 1:00PM

Respectfully submitted,

Connie Graham

 ________________________________________________________________________________

April 12, 2023

To:  Members of the Docent Roundtable of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

From:  Bert Rosario, Chairman of the Board of the Docent Roundtable

Subject:  DRT Board Makes a Critical Decision

 

     As Chairman, I am writing to address the momentous vote taken at the meeting held on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in which the Roundtable Board voted unanimously to dissolve the Docent Roundtable of the Natural History Museum, effective June 30, 2023.

     This vote reflects many discussions held over the past few years about the sustainability of the Docent Roundtable as an organization, considering the lack of participation in both membership activities and the Board over time.  With many members recently stepping back from regular docent duties and changing their status to Emeritus, this continuing conversation took on an element of urgency this year.  Per the DRT Bylaws, we were compelled to hold an election this March for next year’s Board Officer positions, which would begin on July 1, 2023.  As such, I appointed a Nominating Committee for the Board, Chaired by Past Board Chair Carolyn Weiss, tasking them with exploring possible recruits as candidates to run for next year’s Board of Directors.  The Committee’s work generated a Report which is to be found below this letter for your reference.

     The Committee Report concisely and comprehensively laid out the facts of the DRT’s current and impossible situation:

“Given the post-Covid pandemic staffing issues, plus the age of current Board members, it appears unlikely that that the Board could be reconstituted with all, or even most elected positions filled in the next 18 months.”

“The Committee made a concerted effort to recruit eligible Docents and DIT’s (Docents-in-Training) willing to fill the soon-be-vacant positions.  Each of the Committee members surveyed the docents who were in their respective huddles, and none of us found anyone willing to be placed on the ballot. There are simply not enough eligible Docents willing to serve, and not enough DIT’s eligible to serve.”

“Based on the above findings, it is with sadness that this committee recommends that the Board of Directors consider whether to suspend or dissolve the Board during its meeting of March 28, 2023.”

It was during that meeting that the Board, after discussing the Committee’s findings and submitted report, voted unanimously to dissolve the Docent Roundtable of the Natural History Museum, effective July 1, 2023.

     It is of course with a heavy heart that I convey this news to you all, who, by virtue of your volunteer service and your DRT membership, committed as a volunteer docent to assist NHM and to be trained in interpretive techniques, in scientific and cultural disciplines and, importantly, to share with each other, as like-minded museum lovers, the rewards of that training and learning.  The fact is the DRT has had a profoundly positive impact on volunteers, staff, and foremost, its docent members for over 60 years.  It was ours to cherish and we rightly mourn its passing.

     The Volunteer and Internship Programs of NHM, under the Direction of Tiffany Wylie, will continue to train new docents going forward who will continue to reflect well on the NHM’s mission to inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds. Perhaps, under the right conditions, a new organization will take shape that will meet the needs of NHM Docents and staff, as did the DRT during its history.

     We wish to acknowledge and thank all current and past DRT members for their contributions to the running of the organization, and those individuals who provided leadership and opportunities to the members in the form of lectures, studies and social activities that were so vital to the DRT. 

    We would also wish to bestow our heartfelt gratitude on present DRT Board members for the thoughtful discussions held and courageous votes taken on this most pivotal of topics:

DRT Communications Officer and Past Board Chair                                               Mary Kuhl

Vice Chair, Past Treasurer, and Past Trips Mgr.                                                  Joyce Poulson                 

DRT Board Secretary                                                                                                Connie Graham

Treasurer and Past Board Chair                                                                             Chuck Milam

Nom. Com. Chair and Past Board Chair                                                                Carolyn Weiss

DRT Hospitality Chair                                                                                               Christyann Evans

DRT Member-at-Large and Nom. Com. member                                                Elsa Shekelle

DRT Member-at-Large                                                                                             Maria Martinez

DRT Member-at-Large                                                                                             Nancy Christianson

NHMLAC Director, Volunteer & Internship Programs,                                      Tiffany Wylie

and ex-officio member of the DRT Board

 

We sincerely thank you for having been a member of DRT of the NHMLAC.  

 

Fraternally Yours,

Bert Rosario

Chair, DRT Board, 2022-2023