The meeting began at 12:30 when Dr. Estus greeted the Board members. Minutes of the 12 October meeting were approved and will be published on our website.

Members were asked to put two dates on their calendars, the 3 May Awards Reception at the Hagen Center at 4 pm at which we present the grants to new recipients, and a yet to be determined date in June for the Research Projects Conference. There is no location available on campus this year, and board members were asked for suggestions. Deb Cary offered the Broad Meadow Brook facilities if it was felt there was enough room for presentations. Eric Waldron noted that the airport was not available because of the high level of security necessary, and offered to contact Phil Niddrie to see if Union Station could be used for our presentations.

Dr. Estus announced, with regret, the resignations of two of our Board members, Antoinette Torres, due to a change of job, and Sandra Mayrand, a loyal Board member whose work load at the University of Massachusetts as Director of Regional Science Resource Center has made the decision to resign necessary.

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The Education Program

Sr. Kathleen Livingstone presented a review of the web site, and asked for the Board’s contributions or additions. One modification to the home page of our web site has already been made at the suggestion of Kathy Daniel in Washington.

We continue to add to our resource library.

In the planning process is an interdisciplinary course, Environmental Factors in Transportation.

This summer a workshop will be offered. Information has been sent to educators throughout the region, and registrations are coming forward.

In our Lecture Series, two lectures were offered this year: When A Road Runs Through It: An Examination of the Impact of the Interstate Highway System on American Communities in October, and Building Highways to Enhance Community Life was offered in April.

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Technology Transfer Program

At the MEES conference and the MAST conference attended by Sr. Kathy, UTC had the opportunity to display our program and materials. Sr. Kathy was a presenter at the MAST conference.

Charles was a keynote speaker at CMTA’s annual dinner.

UTC sponsored the Boston WTS luncheon here at Assumption College in November.
At the Skills for Tomorrow luncheon hosted by UTC, Jerry Barilla gave a presentation of the new science center.

Charles informed the Board that the annual Bike/Pedestrian conference was held at the Crowne Plaza in Worcester, and he was asked to moderate a session on roadway design issues.

Currently we are hosting the Mass Highway Design Working Group. The Design Working Group, initiated by Commissioner Matt Amorello, a Board member, is working on design issues, trying to get MassHighway to “ease” up on using rigid design standards. They are trying to find ways of helping them become more sensitive to existing historical locations and topography. It is interesting that the federal highway department has put out a manual about design.

Summing up, that is a description of program here so far. We keep building partnerships, developing education here at Assumption, trying to expand it abroad and wait for competition results.

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Research Project Proposals for 2001-2002

The final item taken up at the meeting was the awarding of Grants for 2002-2003. Each grant was approved and evaluated, generating discussion prior to awarding grants to the following:

1. Touchstone Community School – Polly Brown
2. Vincent J. Gallagher Middle School – Keith Daniels
3. Horace Mann Middle School, Franklin, Ma, - Carolyn Fortuna, Vicki Golburgh
Auburn Middle School – Stephen Hanley
4. EcoTarium-Russell Handsman
5. Mass Audubon –Gail Howe
6. Narragansett Middle School – Garry MacEwan
7. Skills for Tomorrow High School – Elizabeth Potter, Stephanie Erickson

An eighth grant was submitted, but the Board, after discussion felt that the proposal did not meet the required criteria at this time. It was suggested that the grant be returned to the writer, be reworked, and resubmitted in the fall of this year for another competition.

The Board asked that we develop a policy statement on equipment requested in grants, and also asked that a standardized form be developed to assist in evaluation of the grants.

Dr. Estus thanked the Board for their participation, and the meeting was adjourned at 3:10 pm.

Respectively submitted,
Mona Heffernan
Administrative Assistant