Council
Minutes
January 5-6, 2001
Washington Hilton & Towers
Washington, D.C.
President Lee
Stout called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. Present: Vice President Steve
Hensen, Treasurer Elizabeth Adkins, and Council members Thomas Battle, Tom Connors,
Jackie Dooley, Mark Greene, Becky Haglund-Tousey, Dennis Harrison, Jane Kenamore,
Richard Pearce-Moses, Wilda Logan Willis, Executive Director Susan Fox, and
Meetings Director Debra Nolan.
ADOPTION OF
THE AGENDA
Kenamore moved
and Battle seconded adoption of the agenda as amended. PASSED.
ADOPTION OF
THE MINUTES
Council approved
the minutes from the August 29 and September 2, 2000 meetings.
REPORT OF
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Kenamore reported
on the Council vote via listserv to support the resolution from the National
Archives Assembly regarding the retention schedule for 2000 Census returns.
Stout reported that he had not sent the Council resolution to the U.S. Archivist.
Council discussed the reasons which prevented the resolution on the census from
being submitted to NARA. Given evidence of a communication breakdown between
NARA and SAA, Council asked Willis and Fox to see what steps might be possible
to ensure smooth and consistent communication between SAA and NARA on issues
open for public comment.
REPORT OF
THE PRESIDENT
Stout reported
on his participation in the Seville, Spain meeting of the International Council
on Archives. He said he had good conversations with leaders of both the ICA
and the International Records Management Trust (IRMT) regarding their relationship
with the World Bank, and with leaders from the Association of Records Managers
and Administrators (ARMA). He particularly explored how SAA could share expertise
and knowledge in partnership with IRMT. ARMA expressed interest in more interaction
with SAA, especially with the possibility of holding contiguous or joint annual
meetings in 2005. Since the date and location for the 2005 SAA meeting had not
yet been set, Council agreed that a joint or contiguous meeting that year should
be explored. His discussions with ICA centered on increased cooperation in developing
and providing publications. Stout said he also attended the joint Midwest Archives
Conference (MAC)/Mid-Atlantic Archives Conference (MARAC) fall meeting, which
featured a session on cooperation between regionals and nationals. He said the
session was well attended, brought forth good dialogue, and engendered good
will on both sides.
REPORT OF
THE VICE PRESIDENT
Hensen said he
set up an Appointments Committee, chaired by Kathleen Roe. Kris Kiesling and
Bill Landis agreed to Co-Chair the 2002 Program Committee and Alden Monroe agreed
to chair the 2002 Host Committee. He hoped to have all of his appointments filled
by the summer Council meeting.
REPORT OF
THE TREASURER
Adkins directed
Council to the FY2000 Auditors' report and Management Letter. The auditors recommended
that SAA establish policies and procedures to identify slow-moving and obsolete
inventory and then adjust the inventory reserve accordingly. Adkins said that
the publications department was developing a plan to meet this recommendation.
The letter also noted a small problem with association software properly tracking
refunds and recommended that procedures be put in place until the problem was
resolved.
Greene moved
and Battle seconded acceptance of the auditors' report. PASSED
Adkins then reviewed
the mid-year budget. She expected that the Society would end the fiscal year
on June 30 with either a balanced budget or one slightly in the black. Council
expressed concern regarding the consistently high cost of software support.
Fox reported ongoing discussions with the vendor and efforts made to identify
Access developers to help alleviate dependence on the vendor. Haglund-Tousey
offered to provide Fox with the name of an Access expert who provided good service
to Kraft Foods, Inc.
ARCHIVIST
OF THE UNITED STATES
Stout welcomed
John Carlin to the meeting and expressed appreciation on behalf of Council for
his taking time from his busy schedule to meet with the Society. Carlin discussed
the new administration and the new Congress, the status of NARA's budget and
his appreciation for Tom Hickerson's Congressional testimony supporting NARA
budgetary requests. He also discussed the agency's new descriptive system and
NARA's ongoing work with managing electronic records, including the resolution
of concerns on the Census appraisal.
At the conclusion
of Carlin's visit, Adkins continued the Treasurer's Report. She proposed that
Council consider establishing a technology fund in order to guarantee the ability
to identify and implement technological enhancements as needed. The initial
monies could be allocated from the revolving, Norton, publications, and education
funds.
Council discussed
the pros and cons of establishing such a fund and asked Adkins to put together
a more detailed proposal for the summer meeting.
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Education
Office
Fox said she
was extremely impressed with the work of Solveig DeSutter and Patti O'Hara,
SAA's job-sharing Education Directors. They joined the staff on November 1 and
by mid-December had succeeded in constructing a spring schedule of workshops.
They were catching on very quickly and already demonstrated diplomacy, intelligence
and expertise. Hensen underscored Fox's remarks and said he too had heard from
instructors in the field that they were impressed with DeSutter and O'Hara.
He said SAA was fortunate to have them on board.
Publishing
Fox directed
Council attention to Teresa Brinati's Overview of Publishing Activities. She
said that Council's decision at the 2000 winter meeting to approve an annual
meeting of the Publications Board was already bearing fruit, as evidenced by
the number of authors contracts issued. She also noted the increase in publications
sales, which contributed significantly to the overall SAA budget. Brinati attended
the ICA Conference in Seville and realized nearly double the sales to the international
market than those at the SAA annual meeting.
Web Technology
Plan
Fox presented
a web technology plan and gave high praise to Teresa Brinati and Brian Doyle
for their work in researching and developing recommendations. She said the purpose
of the plan was to give Council information and background on the administrative
issues involved with managing the web site and its evolution, and to provide
continuity for a larger decision which would need to take place further down
the road. In order for the web site to become fully integrated with SAA's systems,
it would be necessary to either purchase an Internet module from the current
software vendor or to go to another software system entirely. Fox said she thought
that technology had not yet caught up with the needs and demands of the association
market and recommended that no decision on the matter take place for the near
term, in order to see if technological developments would help bring about a
clearer decision path.
In the meantime,
the web plan outlined enhancements to the site which would better serve membership,
including e-commerce and providing web space on the SAA server for unit newsletters.
Willis requested that the office post the plan on the SAA website.
December 9
NFACE Follow-up Meeting
Fox reported
on a December 9 meeting held at SAA and organized by the principals involved
with the National Forum on Archival Continuing Education (NFACE). Attendees
included, Fox representing SAA, Bruce Dearstyne ( NAGARA), Terry Davis (AASLH),
Sandra Clark (AASLH), Peter Gottlieb (COSHRC), SAA Education Directors Solveig
DeSutter and Patti O'Hara, and Vicki Walch, NFACE Project Coordinator. The meeting
was fruitful and resulted in nine agreements, subject to organizational board
approval. They were as follows: 1) The Executive Directors of SAA, AASLH, NAGARA,
and COSHRC would meet again in December 2001. 2) SAA, AASLH, NAGARA, and COSHRC
wanted and would support a web site focusing on continuing education and would
work to develop means to make it self sustaining. 3) SAA would organize a convocation
of education liaisons and education officers at its next annual meeting. 4)
AASLH and COSHRC would take the lead in developing web-based training for the
grass roots. 5) COSHRC would convene representatives from those states that
had developed programs for grass roots delivery to identify successful strategies
and assess potential obstacles. 6) NAGARA would take the lead in developing
a leadership/management institute with SAA, AASLH, and COSHRC operating as willing
partners. 7) SAA, AASLH, NAGARA, and COSHRC all agreed on the need for additional
case studies in electronic records issues. 8) COSHRC would ask NHPRC to make
products of its grant projects more readily available, preferably via the web.
9) The four associations would ask NHPRC to provide a research fellowship, through
its existing fellowship program, once every five years to analyze information
collected through all of the existing data collection efforts and report on
the status of archival records programs in the United States.
Since Fox did
not have a final copy of the report to distribute at the meeting, Council agreed
to review the recommendations in more depth via the Council listserv and to
vote on whether or not to endorse as soon as possible thereafter. Initial response
to the recommendations was favorable.
2001 Editorial
Vacancies
Fox reported
that both the American Archivist and Publications Editorial positions would
become vacant as of 12/31/01. She said she would begin the search for editors
in the spring. She expressed concern over the publication schedule of the American
Archivist, noting that it was once again falling behind. She said that with
the journal now issued on a semi-annual basis it was especially critical that
it be timely. She planned to raise the concern with the editor and expressed
hope that the production difficulties could be resolved.
2005 Annual
Meeting Site
Council discussed
possible annual meeting sites, and instructed Debra Nolan to investigate ARMA's
2005 site selection, Minneapolis, Kansas City, New Orleans, Austin, San Antonio
and Toronto.
NEW BUSINESS
Tasini et
al. v. The New York Times et al.
Council considered
a request from Jonathan Tasini that SAA issue an amicus brief in support of
a suit appealing a grant of summary judgement dismissing their complaint against
the New York Times et al. The complaint alleged that the defendants had infringed
on freelance authors various copyrights by putting individual articles previously
published in periodicals on electronic databases available to the public.
After a discussion
of the merits of the case, Council concluded that the issues involved were tangential
to archival interests and that there were aspects on both sides that could be
of concern to archivists. Nothing in the case suggested a strong alignment of
interests.
Proposal for
an SAA Student Scholarship
Harrison presented
a proposal from the Membership Committee that SAA establish a student scholarship
to fund a student or recent graduate from an archival graduate program within
North America to attend SAA's annual meeting.
Harrison moved
that the SAA student scholarship be adopted. Pearce-Moses seconded the motion.
Under "Who's
Eligible," Stout moved substitution of language stating "must be a
member in good standing..." with "who are SAA members of good standing,"
and to delete the sentence "Applicants must be a member in good standing
in one national, regional, or state archival organization (e.g., SAA, MAC, MARAC,
and NAGARA)." Hensen seconded. PASSED.
Stout moved that
the sentence under Purpose be changed from "This funding would include
meeting registration, transportation to and from the meeting, and room and board"
to read "This funding will be used to cover meeting or workshop registration,
transportation to and from the meeting, and room and board up to a maximum of
$1,000." Harrison seconded. PASSED.
Battle advised
that the process of administering the award be vetted through the Chicago office,
the Membership Committee and the Awards Committee.
Greene moved
to strike all language past the first two paragraphs and that Council endorse
the principle of the proposal and reconsider the administration and procedure
of the scholarship at the summer meeting. Adkins seconded. PASSED.
The motion as
amended PASSED.
Greene moved
that SAA contribute $1,200 toward the student scholarship fund. Harrison seconded.
PASSED.
Roundtables
Adkins moved
that, at the request of the roundtable, the Women's Professional Archival Issues
Roundtable name be changed to Women Archivists Roundtable. Dooley seconded.
PASSED.
Kenamore moved
a request from the Women's Religious Archivists Roundtable that it disband and
that SAA provide a time slot for the Archivists for Congregations of Women Religious
at the SAA annual meeting. Adkins seconded. PASSED, with Greene abstaining.
Resolution
Honoring SAA Archivist
Greene introduced
a resolution honoring Frank Cook's service to SAA as the Society's archivist.
Harrison seconded. PASSED.
Resolution
of Appreciation for J. Frank Cook
WHEREAS, once
upon a time J. Frank Cook volunteered the University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives
to gather up the scattered pieces of the SAA archives, care for them, and provide
access to them; and
WHEREAS, J. Frank
Cook has, over several decades, served as an exemplary steward of the SAA Archives,
providing excellent reference service to myriad SAA members and others, and;
WHEREAS, J. Frank
Cook retired from his position as Archivist of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
in September 2000, and;
WHEREAS J. Frank
Cook has recommended to SAA Council that the SAA Archives would have a more
stable and secure future at another repository, and has offered to work with
Council to find such a repository and effect a smooth transfer of the archives;
THEREFORE BE
IT RESOLVED, that SAA Council expresses on behalf of the entire Society of American
Archivists its gratitude and appreciation to J. Frank Cook for his many years
as SAA Archivist.
Council Exemplary
Service Award
Fox said she
believed that Carroll Dendler's service to the Society had proven to be consistently
of the highest caliber and that Dendler deserved special recognition for her
work. It was Dendler who served as the cornerstone to Chicago office operations.
She put in endless overtime, possessed exceptional loyalty to SAA and the staff,
and over the years proved to be a remarkable woman with an admirable work ethic.
Stout echoed Fox's sentiments, saying that during his tenure as Treasurer Dendler
always demystified finances, and was superb at clarifying accounting principles.
On behalf of all SAA Treasurers he seconded the commendation and moved that
Dendler receive the 2001 Council Exemplary Service Award. Hensen seconded. PASSED.
Preservation
Section
Connors raised
issues the Preservation Section had regarding management and publicity of Preservation
workshops. Council recommended to Fox that the Education Office post a message
to the SAA Leadership listserv whenever workshops were in danger of being canceled,
to enable interested units to encourage registrations, and when workshops were
in fact canceled. Connors also raised section concern regarding timely delivery
of its newsletters. Fox said that newsletter delivery was affected for a time
the prior year due to software difficulties, but since then those difficulties
had been identified and remedied.
Student Chapters
Dooley introduced
the discussion of student chapters. Motivated by Fox's trip report to the Association
of Moving Image Archivists annual meeting where a UCLA student reportedly found
AMIA more receptive than SAA in establishing a chapter. Dooley said she also
detected discontent at the student chapter meeting at the Pittsburgh SAA annual
meeting.
Harrison said
the feedback he'd received from student chapters indicated that they felt isolated
from SAA as the national association, and that they felt closer to the regionals.
He said student chapters also had a limited understanding of SAA and the financial
constraints under which the Society operated.
After discussing
the issues and recommending that Fox place the student chapter chairs on the
SAA leadership listserv, Stout asked Dooley to construct a series of recommendations
on how best to communicate with and manage student chapters. Council recommended
that Dooley contact the Archival Educators Roundtable, SAA mentors, the Archivists
and Archives of Color Roundtable, and others. The issue would be discussed on
Planning Day prior to the summer Council meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
SAA Trademark
Haglund-Tousey
moved that Council proceed to submit Section 8 & 15 forms with the US Patent
and Trademark Office to continue SAA as a trademark. Kenamore seconded. PASSED.
Archives and
Archivists Listserv Report
Greene reported
on the Archives & Archivists listserv Advisory Committee experiment in
changing the reply function on the list from replying to the list as a whole
to replying
strictly to the sender of the original message. The Advisory Committee asked
the list for comment, receiving about a dozen with a thin majority opposed.
Since the list had over 3,000 subscribers this response did not seem statistically
significant. The Advisory Committee recommended that the change become permanent.
Draft Agreement
with SAA and the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee
Fox introduced
a draft deposit agreement between the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee Golda
Meir Library and the Society of American Archivists. Greene asked why it was
a deposit agreement and not a donation. Archival practice, as exemplified in
SAA manuals and pamphlets, supported donation over deposit.
After discussion
of specific sections and terms, Stout recommended pursuing further clarification
of the document. Hensen suggested Fox, Stout and Ericson work out the details.
Selection
of Three Fellows to Serve on the Committee to Select SAA Fellows.
Council selected
by ballot Bob Sink, Susan Davis and Richard Cameron to serve on the Committee
to Select SAA Fellows.
Continuing
Education Grant
Pearce-Moses
reported that the technical partner to the proposed grant application to NHPRC
in support of SAA developing on-line education courses withdrew, and therefore
the grant was not submitted on October 1 as planned. He said he would like to
pursue another technical partner or solution and get back to NHPRC or another
agency for funding.
Nominating
Committee
Willis commended
the Nominating Committee for its excellent work and requested that the letter
specifying expectations for serving on Council be added to the SAA website.
Adkins read the
To Do list.
The meeting adjourned
at 12:28 PM.
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