[Dixielandjazz] IAJE

[Stephen G Barbone]

Bad news.

Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband

> *Dear friends, colleagues, and IAJE members,*
>
> I am writing on behalf of the IAJE Board to enlist your support in  
> what
> is clearly the most challenging time in the Association's history.
>
> For nearly 40 years, IAJE has played an absolutely vital role in
> assuring the continued worldwide growth and development of jazz and  
> jazz
> education. Although IAJE employs professional staff dedicated to
> carrying out our collective mission, it is you, our members, who have
> supported and shaped the organization into what it is today -- the
> gathering point for the worldwide jazz community!
>
> If you have ever attended the *Annual International Conference*,  
> read a
> helpful article in the *Jazz Education Journal*, attended a *Teacher
> Training Institute*, received guidance or information from the expert
> *Resource Team*, or grown in any number of ways from making new  
> contacts
> with IAJE's diverse and dedicated membership, you know the value of  
> IAJE
> firsthand. IAJE is a passionate and respected advocate for jazz in our
> society and jazz education in our schools. Quite simply, there is no
> association like it!
>
> Unfortunately, IAJE presently finds itself facing significant  
> challenges
> that threaten its ability to continue to meet its vital mission.
> ** IAJE's Campaign for Jazz*, envisioned over 5 years ago as a means  
> of
> endowing IAJE's programs and thus (ironically) assuring its fiscal
> stability, has not performed as hoped or expected. The initial
> investment necessary to launch the Campaign was quite significant and,
> while many have been quite generous with their pledges of support, the
> money has arrived much slower than anticipated or needed. In short,  
> IAJE
> invested heavily in this campaign and has not come close to recouping
> its expenses, resulting in the accumulation of significant debt.
> ** The Toronto conference*, while an incredible event (and the usual
> great "hang"), experienced very poor attendance -- down by nearly 40%
> from previous years. Many factors beyond IAJE's control influenced  
> this:
> the high cost of airfares, the weakness of the American dollar, and  
> new
> passport requirement for U.S. citizens. Nevertheless, this situation
> left us with an additional debilitating financial loss.
>
> Given the cumulative and devastating effect of these setbacks, the  
> Board
> has had to take a realistic look at our current financial position and
> has made the very difficult decision to temporarily suspend the
> following programmatic operations for the time being so that we may
> focus all of our attention on the health of this vital association.  
> This
> will include the:
>
> * Search for a new Executive Director
> * Park City Jazz Summit in Park City, Utah
> * All scholarship programs
> * Production of the Jazz Education Journal
>
> The IAJE website will continue to operate along with opportunities for
> members to access the Resource Team, online publications, and other
> member benefits. Current plans are to resume publication of the JEJ as
> early as the end of summer.
>
> A Transition Team has been appointed by the Board to help guide IAJE
> through this difficult time. As an association that has seen  
> phenomenal
> growth in both its membership and programming over the past 40  
> years, we
> have reached a point where significant changes have to be made.
> Therefore, we anticipate utilizing this as an opportunity to  
> restructure
> the Association in ways that will not only ensure its future fiscal
> health but will position it to better meet the needs of our members.  
> To
> facilitate this restructuring, we will, therefore, be postponing
> Executive Board elections until later this summer. Ultimately, we are
> confident that IAJE will emerge from this a much stronger, more  
> vibrant
> association.
>
> We cannot do this without your help, however! To ensure IAJE is able  
> to
> meet these very immediate challenges, we need EVERY member to send a
> small donation by the end of March!! We are suggesting a minimum of  
> $25
> but, clearly, if you can afford to give more, we need you to! It is
> vital that all who value the work of this Association participate in
> this effort in some small way. Quite frankly, even the Seattle
> Conference may be affected if this appeal is not successful. So,  
> please
> help us! Help us NOW! If we are to keep the voice of jazz alive and  
> the
> profession healthy for the future, we need IAJE. And, right now, IAJE
> needs YOU!
>
> *Here is how to make your immediate contribution:
> *** Click on the "donate now" button* at top or go to the IAJE website
> <http://www.iaje.org> and click on the "donate" button
> ** Donate by phone* with a credit card by calling 785-776-8744
> ** Mail a check to:* IAJE, P O Box 724, Manhattan KS 66505-0724 USA
>
> Sincerely,Chuck Owen President, IAJE