I'm on the SPJ national board and active in my local chapter, but I didn't realize until recently there's something called the Circle of Excellence Awards. It recognizes our best chapters.The deadline was June 1, and according to the webpage, "Selection is based on chapters’ annual reports. Nomination form should be attached to annual report and accompanied by letter(s) of recommendation."
But who judges this? Doesn't say anywhere. You'd think the two at-large directors would be on that panel, since everyone in SPJ tells me that we're the only souls who put eyeballs on every annual report. But no one's rung my bell.
Even weirder, one of the criteria for winning the Circle of Excellence is "scholarship activities." But the annual report doesn't have a category for scholarships.
The report form asks for details about ethics programs, diversity programs, FOI programs, Project Watchdog, and an undefined "service project."
But scholarships are ignored. My own chapter's executive director even emailed SPJ headquarters: "Our scholarship program is an important part of the chapter, so would you please append the following sentence to our entry." Then the executive director added a statement about us awarding more than $6,000 to Florida college students and high school seniors.
Most of the annual reports failed the mention scholarships, even though I could visit their website and read about the significant amount of money they gave to students. Something's off here. I hope someone fixes it.
Here are a couple other weird things about those annual reports...
1. When I campaigned for at-large director, I promised I'd ask my fellow board members to make annual reports mandatory for each of us. I thought, "Hey, if it's good enough for the chapters, why not for the leaders?" I asked the president to put on the agenda, and he said he'd consider it. But I never heard about it again.
2. The chapters fill out their annual reports online. But the RDs, who must fill out their own comment sheets on reports from their region, still do so on paper — and in handwriting. So much for the digital revolution.
MONDAY: What there really should be a chapter award for.
