CR Nation

Four nights next week, the CRNC will host a training open to ALL College Republicans via conference call on the subject of recruitment.

The days, times and call information for the training are as follows (taken from CRNC blog):

Monday July 13 @ 9:00 p.m. (Central)
Dial-in Number: 1-309-946-5000
Participant Access Code: email jhagen@crnc.org for the access code

Tuesday July 14 @ 8:00 p.m. (Central)
Dial-in Number: 1-309-946-5000
Participant Access Code: email jhagen@crnc.org for the access code

Wednesday July 15 @ 8:30 p.m. (Central)
Dial-in Number: 1-309-946-5000
Participant Access Code: email jhagen@crnc.org for the access code

Thursday July 16 @ 9:30 p.m. (Central)
Dial-in Number: 1-309-946-5000
Participant Access Code: email jhagen@crnc.org for the access code

With about 25 State Chairs and the entire CRNC Executive Board, the bomb-shell announcement of the new administration’s first conference call with the National Board on Thursday was that the CRNC has cut STORM.

On the call, the announcement was made by CRNC Treasurer Brand Kroeger.

According to Mr. Kroeger, after reviewing the books and looking at STORM’s analytics, the CRNC could not justify continuing to pay for the database.

STORM was costing the CRNC upwards of $14,000 per month to maintain, but only generating a little over 100 hits in the same period.

Running the numbers, that means the CRNC was paying $140 per hit – an astounding amount.

Asking around, College Republican leaders seem pleased with the decision, and Mr. Howell’s budget cutting measures.

The CRNC will not be database-less for long. A new database is reportedly being built around the results of a survey of College Republicans conducted several months ago by the CRNC and the David All Group.

The call was also used to introduce Tommy Jardon, former Southern Regional Vice-Chairman, as CRNC Executive Director. In an email following the call, Mr. Jardon said,

As members of the Committee, I consider each and every one of you my “boss.” Please feel free to reach out to me with any comments, concerns, questions, or ideas you may have. I, Zach Howell our Chairman, the national officers, and the entire CRNC are resources at your disposal.

Additionally, we found out on the call that the CRNC Fall Board Meeting will be held November 20-22 at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando Studios in Orlando, FL.

For State Chairs, the CRNC will reportedly cover the hotel and two meals. This board meeting, however, will be the first in which ALL College Republicans are welcome.

To make it more economically feasible for non-State Chair College Republicans the CRNC has secured deeply discounted rates on hotels and other attractions in the Orlando area.

Lastly, the call was used to push efforts to get College Republicans to deploy to the upcoming gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.

Terence Grado, former NJ College Republican Chairman and current Northeast Regional Vice-Chairman, and current VA College Republican Chairwoman Kate Maxwell both talked about their respective states.

Mr. Howell is reportedly meeting with RGA Executive Director Nick Ayers to discuss how the College Republicans can best be of service.

As always, your thoughts?

Rumor has it that incoming CRNC Chairman Zach Howell has scheduled a conference call tonight with his executive board.

CR Nation has learned that the CRNC’s new Executive Director will be on the call, but we have not learned just who that is quite yet.

I am told that on the agenda will be prepping for the CRNC’s first conference call with the National Board, which according to an email sent out to the National Board by Mr. Howell, is going to be this Thursday at 8:00 p.m. CST.

A memo sent by CRNC Chairman Charlie Smith to members of the National Board:

At a telephone conference call meeting this morning, the Credentials Committee voted to move back the deadline for state federations to submit documentation to the auditing firm…to March 18.

The date the auditing firm must submit its report stating how many delegates each federation will have was changed to April 20. This action, which was taken because of delays in the auditing firm setting up its submission procedures for the documentation, is authorized by Article Five, Section Two (5)(a) of the CRNC Constitution.

I am told the purpose of the changes is to allow state federations more time to submit their list of members and also to allow those alleged members included in the list more time to confirm whether they are or are not College Republicans.

The CRNC Budget & Finance Committee met last night via conference in order to discuss the recently formulated CRNC budget for fiscal year 2008. After discussion, the committee voted to officially recommend the budget to the larger Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is expected to vote on the budget this weekend at the board meeting in Memphis.

In an email forwarded to CR Nation, Justin Smith, Midwest Regional Vice Chair, stated –

In accordance with the constitutional requirements outlined in Article Three, Section Six, Subsection Four, the CRNC Budget & Finance Committee has unanimously recommended that the budget proposed by Chairman Charlie Smith be adopted at the National Board meeting.

The budget allocates significan funding for the field program, CRNC website, and chapter resources.

The budget breaks down like this –

37.59% for the Field Program

13.62% for Chapter Resources

18.93% for Technology

29.87% for running the office