SND/Update

Photo by Lars Pryds
Oulu Finland was the site of SNDScandinavia’s annual workshop - Oulu24 from May 14 to 16. Why the 24? A whole lot of sun! It was light almost around the clock. Oulu is located in the northern part of Finland, about 75 miles south of the polar Circle. Oulu is also the northern biggest town in the Nordic Countries with 140,000 inhabitants. The town is well known as a Technology Center, with a well reputed Technical University, and Nokia has a also a big developing center in the town.

We’ve heard from many of you about the importance that training plays in terms of SND’s tangible worth to you.

We’ve made some important changes over the last two years to transform the kinds of training SND offers.

SND’s German-language affiliate, DACH, representing visual journalists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, holds its annual meeting June 26-27 in Linz, Austria.

Sessions explore design, photography, information graphics, typography, illustration and more. World’s Best-Designed Newspapers™ will be on display. Speakers include Mark Porter, Wolfgang Beinert, Wolfgang Ammer, Andrew Timmins, Daniel Becker and Mauricio Gambarini.

The grants will help the students attend the 31st SND Annual Workshop & Exhibition, Sept. 24-26, 2009, in Buenos Aires.

Visual students worldwide were invited to apply for the grants and applications were received from 25 in the United States and 70 in South America. The students selected for grants have demonstrated leadership in visual journalism. Most are involved in student publications and in SND student-affiliate activities, and have secured internships, part-time jobs and other professional work.

Society for News Design Vice President Bonita Burton and the SND Executive Committee are pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Mango Curtis and Jonathon Berlin to key positions. We’re still seeking volunteers for several other positions.

Want a glimpse of the future? Try new challenges or careers? Or do you just want a laugh? The Society for News Design and Adobe would like to invite you to an afternoon of education, conversation and fun in San Francisco on Saturday, July 18. This is a free and open event to anyone who has an interest in media, creativity and innovation. You do not need to be a member to attend.

Dear SND members,

You have heard a lot of information tossed out during the last few days on how your elected officers and appointed board have handled two significant issues that collided: a search for a new executive director and a possible move of the Society’s offices to a university campus.

Members have called for an explanation of the events that led to SND President Matt Mansfield’s resignation, as well as the resignations of SND Foundation President Bill Gaspard, Publications Director Tyson Evans, and East Coast Metro Regional Director Jon Wile. We submit this with the hope that we can answer calls for transparency and move forward.

Last week President Matt Mansfield announced he is resigning, effective Thursday. Several members had questions about what this means for the future of the Society. Here are a few answers…

Matt Mansfield, SND’s president, and Bonita Burton, vice president, will answer questions about Mansfield’s resignation, the future of the Society, and steps being taken to ensure there’s a smooth transition. They will also talk about the Society’s ambitious agenda moving forward. We know you have questions. We have answers. Please join us at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. Please drop questions on this post and we will do our best to answer them on the chat, which will be archived so all members can see what was said even if they were not able to join live.

To: Society for News Design members
From: Past Presidents

Matt Mansfield, the current SND president, has resigned, effective June 18. The reasons for his resignation are not altogether clear to those of us who do not sit on the board of directors, but I — and at least 13 other founders and past presidents of SND who participated Thursday in a lengthy teleconference that discussed the resignation and its ramifications — are convinced that Matt did resign in the interest of the Society.

In the phone conference, we fully acknowledged Matt’s worth to the Society and his many and valuable contributions over many years. We tried to dissuade him from resigning, but he was steadfast.

Where does that leave the Society, and more important, what does it mean to you, as a dues-paying member?

Dear SND members,

I’m resigning as president of the Society for News Design.

It’s not a choice I make lightly, especially because I was elected by you to serve your interests in this organization — and because I love SND.