Report/Item

2004 Annual Report
Mary Whalen, committee chair

This past year has seen tremendous changes in the Divisions web site. In October, 2003, we rolled out a total redesign and change in the web address of the site. Our new URL is http://www.wdafs.org . The web site now resides with a new hosting company, One World Hosting and they have proven to be very reliable and helpful. Plus, it has saved us over $300 per year! We have organized the site in a different navigation structure making it easier to find information. We have gotten great input from a lot of people, thanks! We are also open to hosting the WDAFS Chapters on our site for free. The North Pacific International Chapter has migrated their information over to our site and their new URL is now: http://www.wdafs.org/npic. Updates to this site are in progress.

The Western Division will also host the 2005 AFS Annual Meeting Web Site. The new URL for the AFS 2005 Annual Meeting in Anchorage Alaska is http://www.wdafs.org/Anchorage2005 . As of early July, the web site is still in draft but it is being filled with information rapidly for a rollout after the Madison meeting at the end of August.

2003 Annual Report
Mary Whalen, committee chair

I took over chair of this committee from Allen Bingham in late summer, 2002. I began updating information on the existing web site in September 27. I started a new format for the 2003 WDAFS Annual Meeting web site to provide information for the upcoming meeting in San Diego. I was able to post program, activity and logistics information as well as many details needed in planning the meeting. This facilitated better communication between meeting coordinators and attendees. For the future, I am going to redesign the rest of the WDAFS web site in a similar style as the 2003 Annual Meeting site. I am always open for suggestions and more information to post on the web site. Pictures of people and events are always welcome here too.

This ad hoc committee was established during the 3-4 December 2001 WD AFS Retreat held in Portland, OR. At this meeting Allen Bingham volunteered (via teleconference) to be committee chair, and agreed to draft a mission statement, as well as identify the committee's charge for review and approval by the Executive Committee at a later date.

The draft mission and committee charge was developed in February 2002 as follows::

The draft mission of the Electronics Communication Committee are to:

• coordinate and facilitate electronic communications for the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society through maintenance and updating of the Division's web-site and maintenance of the Division's email list server; and
• maintain the Division's "institutional memory" by routinely posting and storing information on the Division website.

The committee's draft charge for 2001-2002:

• maintain and update the Division's web-site;
• upgrade the features of the web-site to facilitate easier navigation among the various documents maintained on the site; and
• determine if the Division's email list server address database can be dynamically linked to the Parent AFS Society's membership database (so that email address updates made by members as well as new member's addresses are updated/added to the list server data base in timely manner), and to request implementation of the dynamic link (if feasible).

The mission and charge of the committee had mostly been addressed by the Division's webmaster prior to the creation of this ad hoc committee. Maintenance of the Division's web-site was the primary accomplishment during the past year, including: each newsletter that has been put out this year has been made available on our web site in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.