Tweets chronicle State Board meeting

The State Board of Education is meeting today in Hailey, and thanks to spokesman Mark Browning’s “tweets” on Twitter.com, anyone can keep up on just what they’re doing. So far, Browning has reported that Sen. Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston, presented his constitutional amendment to allow “tuition” to be charged at the U of I, rather than just “fees,” and the board unanimously endorsed the move; it’ll be on the ballot for voters to consider in the next general election. Also, that the board debated alcohol rules for pre-football game activities at universities, and that it voted to reappoint Larry Weeks to the Board of Library Commissioners. To see Browning’s tweets and track the progress of the board meeting, go to the Twitter.com page and enter IdSBOE in the search box on the right side.

Asked what prompted the Twitter approach, Browning said, “Board meetings for me are basically a juggling act. I have reporters that are on site, it’s in their area; I’ve got ‘em coming in by email, phone, or text. Everyone’s wondering where they’re at, where they are in the agenda. I’ve been looking for a way to put out, basically, a status update - here’s where we’re at.” Browning said he heard about Twitter when the Spokesman-Review used it as part of its reporting on the Joseph Duncan death penalty trial last fall. “I thought, ‘I wonder if that might work for a board meeting.’ ” After the crush of the legislative session, he said, “We just said, ‘Hey, let’s give it a whirl - and the price it right.’ I think, if we do it right, hopefully it’ll prove useful for folks.”