Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting
South-Central Renaissance Conference
New Orleans
March 6-8, 2003
Present: Katherine Powers, Past President; George Klawitter, President; Donald Stump, Vice President; Raymond Frontain, 2003 Program Chair; Jim Baumlin, Secretary-Treasurer; Jill Carrington, Liana Cheney, Kate Frost, Christine Getz, Paul Parrish, Board Members; Phoebe Spinrad, Discoveries Editor; David Hart, Archivist.
Absent: Marguerite Tassi, Board Member; Tita Baumlin, Explorations Editor.
The following minutes are keyed to the agenda as brought forward by President Klawitter.
1. and 2. Current Agenda and Previous Minutes. President Klawitter called the meeting to order at 7:20 p.m. His motion to approve last year's minutes as submitted passed by acclamation.
3. Secretary-Treasurer's Report. J. Baumlin reported moving the organization's long-term savings from Certificates of Deposit to a money market account currently totaling $12,068. Revenues from membership dues, savings on interest, and publications income leave our organization with $7497 in other savings and checking accounts, raising our total worth to $18,280. This is a net increase of $3075 over our 2001-2002 savings ($15,205).
J. Baumlin gratefully acknowledged the financial support of Southwest Missouri State University, which covers most of the printing, mailing, and administrative costs of our journal, the Ohio State University, which continues to underwrite virtually all of the costs of our newsletter, and Saint Edward's University, which has begun to underwrite the Hunter Lecturer as an annual gift. Without the many thousands of dollars that these institutions provide yearly, even modest increases of revenue would be impossible. Given the uncertainty of this continued support (a consequence of economic pressures on education budgets nationwide), J. Baumlin spoke in favor of raising revenues and savings wherever possible. Though no formal action was taken on the following, J. Baumlin suggested that the board begin thinking of increasing membership dues, of building a profit into the price of conference registration, and of reducing other costs to the SCRC, including speaker honoraria.
J. Baumlin also reported an increase in dues-paying membership which, including anticipated new members from the 2003 conference, totals 306 members "in good standing." This represents a significant increase over last year's post-conference membership of 218. J. Baumlin explained this growth as a consequence of several recent board decisions: the separation of our historically regional conference name (SCRC) from our now national, even international annual meeting ("Exploring the Renaissance: An International Conference"); the expansion of our conference sponsored publications; and a more aggressive approach to promotion, recruitment, and membership renewal. As a continuation of this approach, the board approved the Treasurer's recommendation that our annual letter of membership renewal be sent out in the Spring after our annual conference, rather than in September (our current procedure).
7. and 8. Local Hosts' and Program Chair's Reports. (With board approval, President Klawitter moved to consider these agenda items ahead of schedule.) On behalf of the Local Arrangements Co-Chairs, Susan Krantz and Gerald Snare, 2003 Program Chair Frontain reported on the success of our 2003 meeting. Featuring 135 papers (16 contributed by the Queen Elizabeth I Society and 119 by SCRC members), this year's meeting is the organization's largest to date. Meeting in New Orleans a month earlier than our usual, April date created complications that Krantz and Frontain worked hard to resolve, such as the evaluation of papers (particularly those submitted for competitive awards), completing arrangements for hotel and conference meeting rooms, and the organizing of papers (particularly in art and music history) into coherent sessions. Frontain praised Krantz mightily for her tireless work and creative solutions to the many problems that fell into her lap. The board as a whole joined in her praise, rocking the room with applause.
In response to these issues, Frost suggested that future Program Chairs redouble efforts to involve subcommittees in the selection of papers and their organization into sessions.
Noting the scheduling conflicts that six concurrent sessions pose to conference attendees (too many papers, too little time), Spinrad raised the possibility of extending paper sessions into Saturday afternoon, after the luncheon. Cheney offered this as a formal motion, which Spinrad seconded; the motion passed.
4. Explorations Editor's Report. On behalf of Explorations editor T. Baumlin, J. Baumlin reported on the state of our conference journal. Though institutional subscriptions have remained flat, the quality of submissions continues to rise, and the journal currently has a 24 month backlog. T. Baumlin also looks forward to the guest-edited volume featuring work of the QEI Society.
The journal faces challenges. Rising paper costs ($4195 for the most recent print-run of 500 copies) need to be brought under control. And given T. Baumlin's recent declaration of her approaching retirement, a suitable heir needs to be found. Stump asked what minimum financial and administrative commitments are required for a successful change in editorship, a question which J. Baumlin could not answer. Frontain restated his suggestion that a "fact sheet" would help potential successors work up proposals to their respective administrations (as well to the SCRC). T. Baumlin affirmed that she would continue in the position until such time as a successful is declared.
The board took the opportunity to express its deep gratitude toward T. Baumlin's good and faithful service, acknowledging the radical improvements that she has brought to every aspect of the journal.
5. Discoveries Editor's Report. Spinrad reported on the continued success of our newsletter, despite softening institutional support. The increase in mailing lists has led her to increase print-runs to 1000 copies, while written requests for back issues have increased as well. Discoveries is now indexed in MLA, Abell, and the Music Index. Spinrad also notes that, short of etching woodcuts, the entire editing, production, promotion, administration, and mailing of the newsletter falls upon her shoulders, for which the board expressed admiration and gratitude.
6. Martz Lecture Report. Stump reported on the 2003 Martz Lecture, noting several complications. Stump affirmed the need of board members to recruit colleagues, inviting their submissions. At the same time, he acknowledged the need of Prize Committee members--and particularly the Committee Chair, who is likely to be heavily involved in recruiting submissions--to avoid apparent conflicts of interest (and observation which Spinrad reinforced).
To this effect, Stump moved that "the Vice President of SCRC chair the Prize Committee but not be involved in the judging." Seconded by Powers, the motion passed.
Stump made another motion, seconded by Powers, that "the panel of judges include the following: the Past President and three or four members of the board chosen by the current President to represent key areas of specialization." The motion passed.
Stump and Klawitter turned next to the problem of "originality." As context, I present the current wording of the Martz Lecture (following Frontain's flier for the 2004 meeting): "Only essays which have not been published previously, are not under consideration elsewhere, and have not previously been presented at a conference may be considered." A lively discussion followed concerning the generic differences between 20- and 40-minute essays, between conference papers and full-length journal articles, between first and final drafts of work-in-progress, between formal presentations and informal panel discussions.
In response to this discussion, J. Baumlin offered the following motion, which Frost seconded: that "the committee is charged with ensuring the prize winning essay's originality, obtaining written confirmation from the author that his or her contribution conforms to advertized requirements. Should the author report having presented some previous version, it remains the author's responsibility to prove, to the satisfaction of the prize committee, that the essay to be presented at our annual meeting satisfies the 'spirit' of our requirements, remaining clearly and compellingly original in its thesis, implications, historical contexts, and/or applications." After further discussion, J. Baumlin "called the question" and the motion passed (with one dissenting vote).
9. Reports from Subcommittees.
A. Martz Lecture. Stump reported on the increased conference participation and notoriety that the competition (and Derek Alwes' selection) has brought to the SCRC.
B. RCRC. Stump reported on the continuing life-pulse of the Regional Central Renaissance Conference (RCRC), intimating that any merger of the SCRC with the RCRC is premature. J. Baumlin observed that we should still pursue some active relationship with our Northern regional neighbor, offering to exchange mailing lists and establish other forms of cooperation.
C. Promotion. Cheney reported having begun a glossy flier promoting our organization and its upcoming conferences. Urged on by Powers and other board members, the original subcommittee has rededicated itself to producing marketing/promotional materials for our organization.
10. Archivist's Report. Hart reported on the recent explosion of SCRC archival materials, given the development of internet, email, and other electronic, non-paper technologies. A vital responsibility for the SCRC archivist is deciding what materials, whether electronic or hard-copy, warrant preservation. While acknowledging that such decisions remain the archivist's, the board expressed consensus that even "informal" email correspondence can be archived, as it reflects on the corporate personality of our richly quirky organization.
Hart has sought to house the SCRC archives permanently in the special collections of the University of Arkansas library, noting that the head of special collections will need some incentive to make this commitment. In his wisdom, President Klawitter formed a subcommittee of the next year's SCRC Past president, President, Vice President, and Archivist, who will work up a proposal for archiving our materials; this proposal will likely include an offer of books published by SCRC members.
11. New Board Members. Noting the completion of Getz's and Frost's tenure on the SCRC board, Powers proposed Scott Howard and Marina della Putta Johnston as successors, two long time, loyal SCRC members. Acclaimed by the board, their nominations will be put forward to the general membership at our annual business meeting.
12. Announcement of Program Chairs. Getz has already been announced as the 2004 Program Chair in Austin (to be hosted by Frost and Klawitter). For the 2005 meeting, Norman Land will serve as Program Chair (with Darryl Tippens serving as Local Host), while T. Baumlin will be Program Chair in 2006 (aided by Local Host, Irving Keltner).
13. Old Business. In order to complete business expeditiously, the following items were present informationally and not as formal motions.
B. SCRC officers will use email correspondence to make inquiries and circulate information, but it cannot be a medium of official business requiring formal, Parliamentary debate and voting.
C. Future officers should be advised of their need to gain access to teleconferencing technology, allowing them to participate in any "off-season" business meetings that the SCRC President may, with sufficient advance notice, convene.
D. Future officers should be advised that the SCRC President reserves the right to convene "off-season" board meetings in such appropriate venues as the annual meeting of the SCMLA, in which board members can participate either by their physical presence or by means of teleconferencing technology.
E. Spinrad urged the need to "hasten slowly," suggesting that we back off from further innovations in order to study and refine the many changes that we have recently approved.
14. Additional Business. At J. Baumlin's prompting, President Klawitter formed a subcommittee of J. Baumlin, Frost, and Carrington, charged with studying the organization's expenses and sources of revenue. At J. Baumlin's prompting, President Klawitter formed a subcommittee of J. Baumlin, Klawitter, and Frost, charged with studying the resources and complexities of electronic publication.
At 10:05 p.m., J. Baumlin moved to adjourned. Seconded by Carrington, the motion carried.
Dutifully submitted,
James S. Baumlin
SCRC Executive Secretary-Treasurer