Mountain-Plains Chapter Annual Report 2021

submitted by Ellwood Colahan

Current Roster

  • Continuing Officers 2020-2022
    • Chair: Ellwood Colahan, University of Denver
    • Past Chair: Myrna Layton, Brigham Young University
    • Newsletter Editor: Myrna Layton, Brigham Young University
    • Chapter Archivist: Ellwood Colahan, University of Denver
    • Chapter Webmaster: Ellwood Colahan, University of Denver
  • Incoming Officers 2021-2022:
    • Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect: Thomas Bell, Kansas Sate University
    • Member-at-Large: Beth Fleming, Oklahoma State University
  • Continuing Officers 2018-2022:
    • Secretary/Treasurer: Janice Bunker, Brigham Young University

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  • Chapter board
    • During the second half of 2020, two members who were also board members left the Chapter and thus the board. Thomas Bell (Kansas State University) was appointed by the board in accordance with our bylaws as new Member-at-Large.
    • At our annual meeting, Mr. Bell then became Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect in a special election, in accordance with our bylaws.
    • At that same time, Beth Fleming (Oklahoma City University) was elected to serve the remainder of the current term as Member-at-Large. Both terms will expire at our annual meeting in 2022.
  • Our planned annual meeting at University of Oklahoma was postponed for a second year, and our annual meeting took place online for a second time, from May 20-21, 2021. We are now planning to meet in 2022 at University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma.
  • In January 2021 the chapter voted to donate $1,000 from our treasury to help MLA offset the costs incurred in canceling the hotel contract for the 2021 annual meeting. These funds were sent to MLA.
  • At our annual meeting the Chapter reconstituted a membership committee, specified in the bylaws but nonexistent for some time. This committee is headed by Vice-Chair/Chair Elect Thomas Bell, in accordance with our bylaws.
    • The Best of Chapter winners at our annual meeting were Collin Felter (University of Denver) for The Meyers-Briggs of Quoting: A Typology of Musical Borrowing in Jazz Improvisation, and Anita Breckbill (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) for Migration Fallout: Moving from Innovative Interfaces to Primo.

List of Future Goals

  • Our 2022 annual meeting will be held in Norman, Oklahoma, pandemic conditions permitting