The "Spirit of MSERA" that keeps this organization alive and healthy is due to the continued dedication of its members. To you, the members of MSERA, your willingness to conduct research, write proposals and papers, travel to the annual meeting, give of yourself and your resources, a debt of thanks is given.

A number of members have extended themselves to assume roles of leadership and hard work that makes MSERA the highly successful organization that it is. Their contributions are significant to the continuing success of our organization.

At the heart of this program is our program chair, Malenna Sumrall, from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama. Malenna had the impossible task of putting the whole program together. This year, she put into place the electronic submission process, a great success, helped move MSERA forward, and saved a lot of trees. Most of you took advantage of the electronic process instead of the usual paper submission process. Coordinating reviews of proposals, assigning papers to sessions, making room assignments, getting presiders, and producing a program for the annual meeting are among the herculean task she has performed. On behalf of MSERA, thanks Malenna for planning our Annual Meeting in Bowling Green.

For the past two years, Robert Calvery, from Flippin School District in Arkansas, has served as Secretary/Treasurer. Keeping track of all the membership files with people moving, changing phone numbers, addresses, and e-mails is a thankless task. Being in charge of registration for two years is a big job for anyone. A simple thank you is not enough.

Tony Norman of Western Kentucky University has been the MSERA representative responsible for coordinating the arrangements for the Annual Meeting in Bowling Green and the University Plaza Hotel. He is our host, and his efforts are greatly appreciated.

Jerry Mathews, Membership Committee Chair, from Auburn University made great efforts to recruit new members both last year and this year. Carol Mullen, now of the University of South Florida, Graduate Student Advisory chair, worked diligently to bring a number of interesting offerings for the graduate students at the Annual Meeting. To both of these individuals, our sincere thanks.

For the past number of years, Qaisar Sultana of Eastern Kentucky University has chaired the Evaluation Committee. She and her committee have collected data that has affected the direction and policy of MSERA. Our eternal thanks for her selfless efforts in this important task.

Our editors of our publications, Jim McLean and Alan Kaufman of Research in the Schools, Lynn Howerton and Nola Christenberry of the Researcher, David Morse of the MSERA Web, and John Petry of the Proceedings, are to be commended for their efforts to keep the lifeline of communications in MSERA at the highest quality.

For the past few years, I have followed Gerald Halpin of Auburn University, in a succession of jobs in MSERA. Trying to fill his shoes has been the toughest job I have ever attempted. His example and counsel have enabled me to serve you more effectively these past few years. I thank him for his support and friendship.

Behind the leaders of this organization and the committee chairs is a vast number of you who have served on committees and given of your time and energy. Thank you for your continued willingness to serve.

Clifford A. Hofwolt
Vanderbilt University
MSERA President, 2000