 |
Society of American Archivists
Council Meeting
May 24 – 26, 2011
SAA Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
Agendas and background materials for SAA Council meetings are available
via the SAA website at: http://www2.archivists.org/governance/reports
President Helen Tibbo called the meeting to order at 8:24 am on Tuesday, May 24. Present were Vice President/President-Elect Gregor Trinkaus-Randall; Treasurer Aimee Felker; Executive Committee Member Brenda Lawson; Council members Scott Cline, Tom Frusciano, Tom Hyry, Donna McCrea, Dennis Meissner, Deborra Richardson, Rosalye Settles, and Kate Theimer; and SAA Executive Director Nancy Beaumont, Publishing Director Teresa Brinati, Member and Technical Services Director Brian Doyle, Finance/Administration Director Tom Jurczak, and Program Coordinator René Mueller. Elisabeth Kaplan, who was elected to serve on the Council beginning in August 2011, also attended the meeting. Representatives from the Unite Here Local 1 (hotel workers) union made an unannounced visit to the Council meeting between 10:13 and 10:25 on Tuesday, May 24.
TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011
I. COUNCIL BUSINESS
I.A. Adoption of the Agenda
Tibbo introduced and the Council adopted the agenda. Over the course of the meeting, some Action Items were taken up out of sequence (by general agreement) to accommodate discussion of FY 2012 budget items.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: McCrea
PASSED (unanimous).
I.B. January 2011 Minutes
Tibbo noted that the January 2011 meeting minutes were adopted by online vote of the Council in April 2011 and posted on the SAA website immediately. SAA members were notified of availability of the minutes via In the Loop and the website.
I.C. Review of January 2011 “To Do” List
Council members reviewed the January 2011 “To Do” List and provided updates on completed and pending action items. The group also reviewed the “Ideas” and “Reminders” lists.
II. STRATEGIC PLANNING
II.A. Proposed Revisions to Technology Priority, Desired Outcomes 1 and 3
At its January 2011 meeting the SAA Council discussed whether any aspects of the “Technology” strategic priority should be updated. Specifically Beaumont pointed to the “internal radar screen” issue of SAA’s use of current and emerging technologies (Desired Outcome #3) as an area that might warrant review and update. Hyry noted that his original concept of a “Technology Futures” group had been lost in recent reviews and revisions of the Strategic Priorities document, and he offered to propose new language to capture this concept. Theimer offered to review and suggest revisions to Desired Outcome #3, Activity b. The Council discussed how to differentiate between the Communications Technology Working Group and a Technology Futures group, how a Technology Futures group would be managed, and a charge and description for the Technology Futures group.
MOTION 1
THAT Strategic Priority 1, Technology, Desired Outcome #3, Activity b., be revised as follows: (strikethrough = deletion, underline = addition)
- Reconstitute the Website Working Group as the “Communications Technology Working Group” to: 1) conduct an environmental scan of communication technologies currently in use by SAA and assess their effectiveness; 2) propose appropriate policies, protocols, and/or compliance mechanisms to enhance the use of these technologies by SAA’s constituents; and 3) promote adoption of those policies, protocols, and compliance mechanisms;.
and 4) identify emerging communications technologies and advise the SAA Council, staff, and members on how to apply them effectively to the needs of SAA and the archives profession. (FY 2010 – FY 2011)
[The Communications Technology Working Group (CTWG) was envisioned as a flexible group whose tasks would evolve depending on SAA’s needs. The group was reappointed by Tibbo in March 2010 (with a charge to advance the development of the SAA “standards portal”) and by Trinkaus-Randall in April 2011 (with a charge to complete the May – December 2011 activities outlined below).]
- Appoint Working Group.
To appoint Working Group: 1) publish revised charge on website with call and deadline for volunteers; 2) make appointments; 3) convene WG and set up appropriate electronic communication tools. (Trinkaus-Randall, Doyle; March 2011)
- To conduct scan: 1) review and create an index of existing communication technologies, projects, reports, documentation, policies, protocols, and procedures in use by SAA, by official component groups, and by ad hoc member groups; 2)
meet convene a public forum at Chicago 2011 to discuss and analyze present preliminary findings and to solicit input to identify what technology resources, capabilities, and uses individual members and groups want from SAA. (Working Group, Doyle; May – August 2011)
- Compile and disseminate via online channels the information received at the Chicago 2011 public forum. Solicit additional comments as necessary and supplement findings through research on trends in user adoption of technology (i.e., such resources as the Pew Internet and American Life Project). (Working Group, Doyle; September – December 2011)
- Group to 1) analyze functional gaps between SAA’s officially sponsored communications technology and constituent needs and/or user practices; 2) identify priority areas; and 3) submit recommendations to the Council, including technologies to be acquired and/or deployed, timetables and fiscal analyses, and protocols for use. (Working Group, Doyle; September – December 2011)
|
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 2
THAT the following new Desired Outcome (#4) be added to Strategic Priority 1, Technology:
Desired Outcome: SAA will harness and cultivate the technological expertise of its members to inform strategic planning, educational programming, and internal and external communication.
Measurable Activities:
- Establish a Technological Futures Working Group, charged with surveying the current and emerging technology landscape and advising SAA members, Council, and staff on new developments and tools that significantly affect the documentary record and/or can be applied by the archival endeavor. Recognizing the fast pace of technological change, the Working Group will be expected to work informally and even experimentally, with a potentially fluid membership, with the goal of providing timely updates on new technologies as they affect archives and archivists.
- Consult select membership to identify potential members and appoint.
- In consultation with appropriate SAA component groups, identify sources for new technological development (such as blogs, websites, publications, etc.) and determine a methodology for reviewing new tools and trends for their applicability to archives and archivists.
- Determine best methods for disseminating news, reviews, and other information using tools such as a blog, Twitter, podcasts, and/or other methods.
- Report periodically to the Council
|
Move: Cline
Second: Frusciano
PASSED (unanimous).
II.B. Status of 2010–2014 Strategic Priority Activities
The Council reviewed the status of all 2010-2014 measurable activities associated with SAA’s Strategic Priorities (adopted in May 2010), noting how much has been accomplished, the status of big projects that span several years, and how “bricks-and-mortar” activities both support and conflict with the strategic plan given the organization’s limited resources. The document will be updated and reviewed by the Council annually at its winter meeting as part of the strategic planning process. Any feedback from the Council or SAA members should be sent to the executive director.
II.C. Activities Associated with Strategic Priorities, FY 2006–2011 (Reference)
The document detailing activities associated with SAA’s strategic priorities from 2006 to 2011was updated so that the Council might measure (to the extent possible) progress toward addressing the three highest-priority issues. Council members noted the value of compiling this status report and discussed how to include within it the related activities of other SAA groups.
III. ACTION ITEMS
III.A. Proposed FY 2012 Budget
Felker and Jurczak provided an overview of the budget development process, including review by the Finance Committee prior to the Council’s consideration. The staff had prepared a draft based on activities outlined in the Strategic Plan as well as operational needs and trends, with an overall goal of achieving a balanced budget.
Given that the initial draft anticipated a deficit budget and provided a 16-item “B List” (i.e., those items that are not included in the draft budget but that warrant Council discussion and/or those items that the staff had hoped to include in the proposed budget but removed in order to achieve a workable bottom line), the Council and staff discussed specific proposed activities (e.g., projected Annual Meeting attendance and associated costs) and considered three scenarios for budget revisions. During the course of these discussions, the group voted unanimously to request funding from the SAA Foundation for projects related specifically to the Foundation’s mission and funding priorities on behalf of the profession (publications, education, and scholarships).
The SAA Foundation Board convened and approved (unanimously) the SAA Council’s request for funding. The SAA Council then reconvened, received a report that its funding request had been granted, and adopted the FY 2012 budget as revised.
MOTION 3
THAT funding in the amount of $38,775 be requested from the SAA Foundation to support the following projects that are within the scope of the Foundation’s mission:
- $30,425 from the Linda J. Henry Fund to support development of the next iteration of the Archival Fundamentals Series ($20,325) and research and development of the Digital Archives Specialist continuing education offerings ($10,100);
- $5,000 from the Mosaic Scholarship Fund to support the second of two Mosaic Scholarships to be awarded in 2012; and
- $3,350 from the Margaret Cross Norton Fund to support SAA representation at the International Council on Archives Section of Professional Associations (ICA-SPA) 2011 meeting.
Support Statement: The requested funding will support SAA’s development efforts in areas that are within the mission of the SAA Foundation, and thus appropriately funded by the Foundation.
Fiscal Impact: If approved, Foundation funding in the amount of $38,775 will be applied to SAA’s FY 2012 activities per the motion.
Move: Meissner
Second: Trinkaus-Randall
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 4
THAT the FY 2012 Budget of $2,418,961.28 in revenues, $2,417,977.49 in expenses, and a net gain of $983.79 be adopted, and
THAT any net gain realized in FY 2012 be used to replenish the Council-designated funds (Education, Publications, and Technology) that now reside in the (c)(6) organization on a schedule to be determined by the Council at its May 2012 meeting.
Support Statement: The FY 2012 budget represents a realistic and restrained work plan for the Society that places appropriate emphasis on maintaining operations at a sustainable level while addressing SAA’s strategic priorities.
Move: Felker
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
III.B. Briefing Paper: Proposed Constitutional Amendments
At its January 2011 meeting, the SAA Council resolved, “THAT the SAA Council recommend at the Society’s 2011 Annual Membership Meeting a constitutional amendment that eligibility to run for elected office requires that the candidate be an individual member when slated and throughout the individual’s term in office.” (Motion 18) Council members also agreed to solicit input from SAA Fellows on the possibility of “decoupling” the membership requirement from eligibility to be elected a Fellow. As reported by Tom Frusciano (Agenda Item IV.D.), the ensuing discussion reintroduced questions and differing opinions about the proposed constitutional amendment. Given the complexity of the issue(s), the Council agreed that a well-balanced briefing paper should be attached as an exhibit to the Council’s motion to amend the Constitution to inform member deliberation at the Annual Business Meeting.
MOTION 5
THAT “Briefing Paper: Constitutional Amendment Regarding Institutional Member Primary Contact Eligibility to Hold Elected Office in SAA” (as amended) be attached as an Exhibit to the Council’s motion to recommend amendment of the SAA Constitution at the Society’s 2011 Annual Business Meeting.
Briefing Paper:
Constitutional Amendment Regarding Institutional Member
Primary Contact Eligibility to Hold Elected Office in SAA
- Motion1
THAT the SAA Constitution, Article III.A.4., be amended as follows:
Institutional membership shall be open to institutions or agencies responsible for or substantially interested in the custody, study, teaching, control, or use of records, archives, and/or private papers. Institutional members are eligible to receive the publications of the Society. Each institutional member may identify a primary contact person, who is eligible to vote, hold office, and serve on appointed groups. (Strikethrough indicates deletion.)
- Effect of the Amendment
Primary contacts of institutional members would no longer be eligible to hold elected office in SAA (i.e., President, Vice President, Treasurer, Council, Nominating Committee) without first joining as individual full members. Individual membership may be obtained at any time, which immediately confers eligibility to be elected to office in SAA.
- Summary Analysis
In favor of the motion: Individual membership and institutional membership are qualitatively different, and it is appropriate to tailor benefit packages to these different member categories. Primary contacts represent an institution’s interest in SAA and the profession, which appropriately manifests itself in the right to vote and the eligibility to serve on appointed groups. Eligibility to hold elected office, however, should accrue to individual members and is not an appropriate benefit for institutional members, including primary contact representatives.
Opposed to the motion: Eligibility to vote and to hold office are fundamental rights in representative governance and should not be decoupled. Primary contacts of institutional members have served SAA in many capacities, just as have individual members, and have had the privilege to vote, hold office, and to serve on appointed groups. Retaining the right of institutional member primary contacts to hold elected office provides equity between and among members. The rights afforded to the primary contact should be comparable or equal to those of individual full members.
- Proposed By
SAA Council.
- Background
In September 2007, Article III.A.4. of SAA’s Constitution was amended to add the following sentence: “Each institutional member may identify a primary contact person, who is eligible to vote, hold office, and serve on appointed groups.” The primary contact role was instituted for two reasons: 1) to clarify who is entitled to receive and exercise benefits on behalf of an institutional member; and 2) to extend appropriate leadership opportunities to those individuals.
This amendment created an inconsistency in that institutional member primary contacts enjoy all of the benefits otherwise associated with full individual membership except the eligibility to be elected as SAA Fellows. In February 2008, the Council reaffirmed by a 6-4 vote “the current constitutional provision that Fellows must be individual full members of SAA, and, therefore, a primary contact of an institutional member is not eligible to become a Fellow unless that individual is also an individual full member who meets all other eligibility requirements.”
In February 2010, the Committee to Select SAA Fellows raised the question again. In its report, the committee expressed its discomfort with the current guidelines, observing “that primary contacts have all the other rights of full (individual) membership—including the right to be appointed to committees, to be named as official SAA representatives, and to stand for election to SAA offices—even to be elected as SAA President.”
In response, the Council charged the Membership Committee to investigate “what changes and/or constitutional amendments may be required to reconcile the apparent inconsistency identified by the Committee to Select SAA Fellows.” The Membership Committee concurred with the Committee to Select SAA Fellows that the right to hold office and the ineligibility to be nominated as an SAA Fellow constitutes an inconsistency. A majority of committee members held that eligibility to hold elected office and eligibility to be nominated as an SAA Fellow are not appropriate benefits for primary contacts. By a 6-2 majority vote, the committee recommended that the right of institutional member primary contacts to hold elected office be rescinded.
- Analysis
Consistent with SAA’s strategic objectives as articulated in Article II of the Constitution?
The Society’s objectives include “cooperat(ing) with other professional organizations, cultural and educational institutions, and international organizations having mutual interests in the preservation and use of recorded heritage.”
- In favor of motion: Facilitating cooperation at the institutional level requires building relationships with stakeholders throughout an organization rather than focusing on the benefits of a single individual. Conversely, eligibility to hold elected office is a privilege that should accrue to individual members and not to institutions.
- Opposed to the motion: Eligibility to vote and to hold office are fundamental rights in representative governance and should not be decoupled.
Consistent with SAA’s legal and financial interests?
Institutional members currently comprise 9% of SAA’s membership and contribute 21% of total dues revenue. The fiscal impact of the proposed change in member benefits is unclear.
Benefit to the Society’s members as a whole?
Not applicable to full individual, student, or associate members. As above, the potential impact on institutional members has not been measured.
Corrects an error or omission or adds clarification to existing policies?
The adoption of the motion would resolve an apparent inconsistency identified by the Committee to Select SAA Fellows (i.e., that current policies allow primary contacts to hold office but not to be selected an SAA Fellow) and would help clarify the nature of institutional membership.
1 The motion that was passed by the Council in January 2011 was as follows: “THAT the SAA Council recommend at the Society’s 2011 Annual Membership Meeting a constitutional amendment that eligibility to run for elected office requires that the candidate be an individual member when slated and throughout the individual’s term in office.” (Motion 18) The motion for consideration at the Business Meeting has been rephrased to reflect the actual constitutional language that would result from the amendment. |
Support Statement: A well-balanced briefing paper will inform member deliberation on this issue at the Annual Business Meeting.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Felker
Second: McCrea
PASSED (unanimous).
III.C. Draft Bylaws Amendments Re: Voting Methods
On May 11, 2011, following its January 2011 discussion of recommendations from the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Voting Methods (Agenda Item III.G.) and additional work by the Subcommittee, the Council voted to put forward to the Annual Business Meeting proposed amendments to Articles IV, Article IX, and Article X of SAA’s Constitution to change the method by which members engage in decisions related to membership dues and bylaws and constitutional amendments. (The proposed amendments would shift the decision-making from those attending the Annual Business Meeting to an all-member referendum following the Annual Business Meeting.) Given the complexity of issues related to the proposed amendments, the Council agreed to take up related bylaws amendments at its May 2011 meeting. These amendments would establish consistency between the Constitution and Bylaws if the constitutional amendments are adopted.
MOTION 6
THAT the SAA Council recommend at the Society’s August 2011 Business Meeting the following amendments to SAA’s Bylaws, Section 10, “Rules of Business Meeting”:
h.) All resolutions to be brought before the business meeting for action shall be submitted in writing to a Council Resolutions Committee the Executive Director no later than noon of the day preceding the business meeting and shall be available to members in writing at the meeting. Resolutions from the floor may be considered by majority vote, except as required by the Constitution.
i.) Amendments to the constitution that have been approved by the Council in advance of the business meeting may be adopted by a majority vote. Amendments to the constitution that have not been approved by the Council may be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3rds) vote. All amendments to the constitution must be filed with the Executive Director at least one hundred (100) days prior to the annual meeting and mailed by the executive director to all members at least sixty (60) days in advance of the meeting at which they are to be considered.
j.) Adoption of, or amendment to, bylaws of the Society may be made by a two-thirds (2/3rds) vote of those members present and voting at the annual business meeting.
k) i) At the beginning of the meeting the President will announce the agenda, call for additions or amendments, and call for a vote to approve the agenda. After the agenda has been adopted by the majority of the members present and voting, it can be departed from only by the general consent or by two-thirds vote if any members request a vote.
l) j) Proxy votes are not permitted.
m) k) Aside from the rules above, Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (latest revised edition) will govern the business meeting.
|
Support Statement: The draft constitutional amendments recommended by the SAA Council stipulate that constitutional and bylaws amendments be approved by member referendum. There is no provision for amendment by the quorum at the Annual Business Meeting. These revisions are necessary to maintain consistency between the Constitution and the Bylaws. In addition, because the sole function of the Council Resolutions Committee as defined in the Bylaws is to convey motions to the President, and because this duty can be more effectively fulfilled by the Executive Director, the amendments help streamline governance procedure.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Theimer
Second: Felker
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 7
THAT the SAA Council recommend at the Society’s August 2011 Business Meeting the following amendment to SAA’s Bylaws:
11. MEMBER REFERENDA
Member dues changes and resolution of motions filed with the Executive Director in accordance with Article IX or Article X of the Constitution shall be determined by member referendum. The Council Executive Committee shall review and approve a briefing paper, prepared by the proposer(s) and/or by the Executive Director in accordance with Council guidelines, which shall be presented with the motion(s) at the business meeting or at a special meeting called by the Council. Notice of the referendum, copies of proposed member dues changes, constitutional amendments and/or bylaws amendments, and briefing papers shall be distributed by the Executive Director according to a method approved by the Council to eligible voting members no more than thirty (30) days after the meeting at which the motion is presented. All members shall be given the opportunity to participate in discussion and debate on items presented for referenda. Ballots shall be distributed to eligible voting members according to a method approved by the Council no fewer than sixty (60) days and no more than ninety (90) days after the meeting. Approval of motions shall be determined by a two-thirds (2/3rds) vote of those members voting in the referendum, provided that at least ten (10) percent of the eligible voting members shall have voted. A member may obtain the vote count from the Executive Director. |
Support Statement: The amendment specifies provisions that are necessary for the effective administration of member referenda, including notification, scheduling, quorum requirements, and review, approval, and dissemination of briefing papers. These provisions are consistent with principles of parliamentary procedure and will facilitate informed voting by the members.
Fiscal Impact: SAA staff has negotiated an option with our e-ballot vendor to add, upon demand, an additional asynchronous voting event at the cost of $1,500 per year.
Move: Felker
Second: Trinkaus-Randall
PASSED (unanimous).
III.D. Digital Archives Specialist Curriculum
The Digital Archives Continuing Education Task Force, charged in May 2010 to develop a detailed workshop curriculum on digital archives for implementation in FY 2012, completed its work with a draft of the Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) curriculum. The Task Force report included a summary of the proposed curriculum and certificate program that incorporated feedback from those sections and roundtables that chose to respond to a call for comments (issued to Acquisition and Appraisal; Business Archives; College and University Archives; Description; Electronic Records; Government Records; Preservation; Reference, Access, and Outreach; Architectural Records; Archival Educators; Archives Management; Congressional Papers; Lone Arrangers; Metadata and Digital Object; Records Management; and Science, Technology, and Healthcare). The Committee on Education then reviewed the document. The DAS curriculum as drafted was included in the proposed FY 2012 budget (Agenda Item III.A.). The Council discussed the curriculum and certificate program model, pricing, incorporation of regional associations, and program administration before unanimously approving all five motions presented in the report and congratulating the Task Force on its work.
MOTION 8
THAT the Digital Archives Specialist Curriculum, as presented in Appendixes A and B of the Digital Archives Continuing Education Task Force report, be adopted.
Support Statement: The SAA Council’s approval of this digital archives continuing education curriculum addresses directly SAA’s Strategic Priority #1, Technology, Desired Outcome #1: “SAA will provide education and training to its members to ensure that they are aware of relevant standards and adopt appropriate practices for appraising, capturing, preserving, and providing access to electronic records.”
Fiscal Impact: Expenses totaling $18,790 and gross revenues of approximately $120,000 (in year one) are included in the proposed budget for FY12.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 9
THAT the Digital Archives Specialist Certificate Program, as presented in Appendix B of the Digital Archives Continuing Education Task Force report, be adopted.
Support Statement: The SAA Council’s approval of a Digital Archives Specialist Certificate Program augments the activities designed to address Strategic Priority #1, Technology, Desired Outcome #1, by affirming that learning outcomes were achieved – via successful completion of individual course examinations and a comprehensive examination – when a certificate of completion is awarded. Completion of the certificate program may enhance an archivist’s desirability to employers and will assist archivists in marketing themselves.
Fiscal Impact: Expenses totaling $9,375 are included in the proposed FY12 budget. Testing revenue in year one (from more knowledgeable students who may choose to test out of “Foundational” courses) has not been included in the proposed budget for FY12.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 10
THAT a Digital Archives Specialist Subcommittee of the Committee on Education be created and charged as follows:
Digital Archives Specialist Subcommittee
of the Committee on Education
Reports to: Committee on Education
Established: May 2011
- Purpose
The Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) Subcommittee is responsible for ensuring that the Digital Archives Specialist curriculum remains up-to-date. Because the curriculum is likely to require frequent changes, the Subcommittee suggests and implements changes to the curriculum (including the examinations) as needed. In addition, the Subcommittee is responsible for ensuring the currency of the core competencies for a DAS certificate, overseeing the learning outcomes to ensure that they support the core competencies, and supporting the development of new courses.
- Committee Selection, Size, and Length of Terms
The DAS Subcommittee consists of three members and one chair, is composed primarily of practitioners in digital archives, and includes one “junior” member to offer a fresh and current perspective. The Subcommittee is chaired by a digital archives educator with experience in digital archives and in developing and implementing courses for either graduate or continuing education.
The Subcommittee chair serves for three years in that capacity. Members serve staggered three-year terms. In year one, one Subcommittee member may be assigned a three-year term, and two Subcommittee members may be assigned four-year terms to ensure continuity as the program is launched and to assist in the process of implementing the staggered terms.
- Reporting Procedures
The chair of the DAS Subcommittee shall report to the Committee on Education at its meetings.
- Duties and Responsibilities
- Review new courses, quizzes, and examinations to ensure quality and relevance.
- Review new examinations for existing courses to ensure quality and relevance.
- Monitor evaluation methods and results to assess whether individual participants accomplished specific learning objectives and goals and if the goals and objectives of the curriculum are met overall.
- Implement and maintain a review process that evaluates existing online seminars (annually) and other existing courses (as appropriate) to ensure that they reflect current archival practices (if appropriate) and up-to-date technical know-how for digital archives.
- Provide advice to the Education Director.
- Meetings
The DAS Subcommittee meets either virtually or face-to-face in advance of the Committee on Education’s mid-winter meeting (if one is held) and at the SAA Annual Meeting. |
Support Statement: The SAA Council’s approval of a Digital Archives Specialist Subcommittee and the charge ensures appropriate maintenance of the Digital Archives Specialist curriculum and certificate program.
Fiscal Impact: $2,360 for a mid-winter meeting and conference calls, as well as space at the Annual Meeting. This amount is included in the FY12 budget.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 11
THAT the description of the Committee on Education be amended to add a new standing position (ex officio liaison) for the chair of the Digital Archives Specialist Subcommittee.
Committee on Education
I. Purpose
The Committee on Education has three complementary purposes: 1) to assess the profession's educational needs; 2) to prepare and promote standards for archival education programs, those based in graduate schools as well as post-appointment and continuing education and training programs; and 3) to provide advice to the SAA Education Office.
The Committee on Education's work is based on the following assumptions:
- Education and professional development are essential to the continued advancement of the profession;
- Graduate education and continuing education must be addressed in a coordinated manner, ensuring that developments in both areas are based on a common understanding of the needs of the profession at all levels;
- Education and professional development offerings must be responsive to the forces and circumstances that could or should shape the profession; and
- Education and professional development should be a cooperative enterprise involving various participants, including SAA; other national, regional, and local archival organizations; graduate-level academic programs; employers; and related professional associations.
II. Committee Selection, Size, and Length of Terms
The Committee on Education consists of nine ten members (including a chair and vice chair) appointed by the SAA Vice President for staggered three-year terms. The vice chair is appointed by the SAA Vice President normally from among the committee members serving the second year of their appointment. The vice chair assumes the chair in his or her third year on the committee. The chair of the Digital Archives Specialist Subcommittee and the SAA Education Director serves as an ex officio members of the committee.
The membership of the committee shall include a balanced mix of archival educators and of practicing archivists with administrative or supervisory experience.
The vice chair of the Committee on Education serves as an ex officio member of the Theodore Calvin Pease Award Subcommittee of the SAA Awards Committee, as a liaison to the Archival Educators Roundtable, and as an informal advisor to the Student Program Subcommittee.
|
Support Statement: Approval of a tenth slot on the Committee on Education for the chair of the Digital Archives Specialist Subcommittee will help to ensure that the Committee and Subcommittee act in concert and will provide a sufficient number of volunteers to enable the Committee to take care of its other responsibilities.
Fiscal Impact: $670 for attendance by one additional person at the mid-winter meeting of the Committee on Education. This amount is included in the FY12 budget.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 12
THAT the Digital Archives Continuing Education Task Force be disbanded with thanks.
Support Statement: The Task Force has done outstanding work and its charge is now complete.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
III.E. College and University Archives Section Bylaws Changes
The College and University Archives Section revised its bylaws to bring them into compliance with Section IX of the SAA Governance Manual, addressing requirements for the structure of the elected positions, refined some language, and adding information where appropriate. The Council reviewed and approved the revision.
MOTION 13
THAT the following changes to the College and University Archives Section bylaws be approved:
College and University Archives Section Bylaws (Revised 2011)
[Note: Strikethrough indicates deletion; underline indicates addition.]
The following text is the bylaws published in the September 1985 Academic Archivist, proofread for direct and complete compliance with the text of the bylaws held by the SAA Executive Director as of October 2000, amended by Section vote at the 2003 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, and amended in 2011 by the Section Steering Committee to comply with SAA guidelines.
The following text is the bylaws published in the September 1985 Academic Archivist, proof read for direct and complete compliance with the text of the bylaws held by the SAA Executive Director as of October, 2000, and amended by Section vote at the 2003 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.
ARTICLE 1. NAME
This group shall be known as the College and University Archives Section of the Society of
American Archivists (SAA).
ARTICLE 2. MISSION PURPOSES
The mission of the College and University Archives Section is to serve as a forum for discussion of concerns related to the professional status of academic archivists and for bringing our collective experience to bear on the problems faced by individual archivists; to advocate action which meets the needs of college and university archival programs and which advances their professional quality; and to stimulate the professional growth of academic archivists through SAA and other organizational and educational means.
ARTICLE 3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Section’s goals and objectives are:
1. To promote greater communication among academic archivists through annual meetings, the Section’s electronic listserv, the Section’s website, and publications, including a newsletter reporting on Section activities and matters related to college and university archives;
2. To represent academic archivists to the rest of SAA and related professional groups;
3. To promote and facilitate planning and execution of task-oriented projects of importance to academic archivists; and
4. To promote research, publication, and exchange of ideas on problems and developments in academic archival practice.
ARTICLE 4. AREAS OF ACTIVITY
The Section’s activities include:
3. To facilitate the planning of high quality annual meeting sessions for the Society of American
Archivists which address concerns and needs of academic archivists;
1. Facilitating the planning of high-quality annual meeting sessions for SAA which address the concerns and needs of academic archivists.
2. Recommending to the SAA Council through memoranda or formal papers an action or a position the Section believes appropriate for SAA.
3. Suggesting program sessions for the SAA Annual Meeting and, with the advice of the Executive Director, planning Section functions for the SAA Annual Meeting.
4. Communicating Section activities to the Society at large by publishing information about their work on the Section website and on SAA’s main website.
4. To advocate action which meets the needs of college and university archival programs and which advances their professional quality;
8. To stimulate the professional growth of academic archivists through the Society of American Archivists and other organizational and educational means.
ARTICLE 35. MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to any member of the Society of American Archivists SAA with an interest in the records, archives, or manuscript collections of any academic institution.
ARTICLE 4 6. OFFICERS
A. List of Officers
The Section shall be governed by a Chair, Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, and a six-member Steering Committee.
B. Terms of Office
1. Chair and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. The Chair shall take office at the close of the annual Section meeting following his/her year as Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. and The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect shall take office at the close of the annual Section meeting following his/her election. shall each serve a term of two years. They may not be elected to serve consecutive terms in the same office. They shall take office at the close of the annual Section meeting in which they are elected and shall serve until their successors take office.
2. Steering Committee Members. Each Steering Committee member shall serve a term of
three years, and shall not be eligible for immediate reappointment. They shall take office at the close of the annual Section meeting following their election, and shall serve until their successors take office. Steering Committee members shall not be eligible for immediate re-election.
C. Method of Selection
1. Chair
The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect becomes Chair after a year of service.
2. and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect
a. The Chair andVice-Chair/Chair-Elect shall be elected through electronic ballot according to SAA rules and guidelines before the annual Section meeting. at the annual Section meeting. The Chair shall be elected in even numbered years; the Vice-Chair shall be elected in odd numbered years. The Nominating Committee shall call for nominations for Chair or Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect through the newsletter and the Section’s electronic listserv, and publish their slate of candidates (together with brief biographies and/or campaign statements). in the newsletter immediately preceding the annual meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the annual Section meeting, provided that the individual being nominated has consented to be nominated. The Chair and The Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect shall be elected by a majority vote of the Section members voting plurality of the Section members present and voting at the annual Section meeting.
b. In the case of a vacancy in the office of Chair, the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect shall assume that
office for the remainder of the unexpired term. In case of a vacancy in the office of
Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect, the Steering Committee shall elect one of their members to serve as
newsletter editor until the next annual meeting, at which time a new Vice-Chair shall
be elected conduct an election to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.
2. Steering Committee
a. Members of the Steering committee shall be appointed by the Chair elected by the Section membership. Two members are to be appointed elected each year. The Steering Committee's composition should reflect the diversity of the Section's membership, especially in terms of location, size and type of employing institution.
b. If a vacancy should occur on the Steering Committee, the Chair, with the advice
and consent of the other officers, may appoint a Section member to fill out the
remainder of the unexpired term.
D. Duties of Officers
1. Chair. The Chair shall preside over Section meetings and over meetings of the officers,
and, with the assistance of other Section officers, direct the Section's activities.
2. Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect shall assume the Chair's duties.
3. Steering Committee Members. Steering Committee members shall advise and assist the
Chair and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect regarding Section activities including policy formulation,
study/discussion groups, goal-oriented projects, and the newsletter.
ARTICLE 5 7. MEETINGS
A. The Section shall meet once a year at the time of the annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists SAA. The time of and agenda for this meeting shall be announced in the newsletter, on the Section website, and the Section’s electronic listserv immediately preceding the meeting.
B. Additional Section meetings during the annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists SAA may be scheduled. Any such additional meeting shall be announced before the end of the regularly scheduled Section meeting.
C. Ten percent of the members of the Section, as determined by the SAA Executive Director at the start of the annual SAA meeting, shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE 6 8. COMMITTEES
A. Nominating Committee
1. A Nominating Committee of three members shall be appointed by the Chair; one
member of this committee shall be an outgoing member of the Steering Committee.
Members of this committee shall serve for a term of one year, and shall not be eligible for
immediate reappointment.
2. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for election. They shall
obtain from these candidates brief biographies and/or campaign statements for publication
with the announcement of the slate of candidates on the Section’s website and in the newsletter immediately preceding the annual meeting. The Nominating Committee should ensure that the ballot for the Steering Committee’s composition should reflects the diversity of the Section's membership, especially in terms of location, size and type of employing institution. The committee shall prepare a ballot for use at the annual meeting. This ballot shall include provision for candidates nominated from the floor. The committee shall present a report of their activities at the annual Section meeting.
B. Tellers Committee.
Each year the Chair shall appoint a Tellers Committee consisting of at least two Section members to distribute, collect, and count the ballots, and to report the results of any election held during the annual Section meeting.
C B. Section Newsletter
Consistent with the Guidelines for SAA Sections, to promote communication of Section activity within the Section and to the Society at large, there shall be a College and University Archives Newsletter. The newsletter is the responsibility of the newsletter editor who shall be appointed by the chair, with the advice of the Steering Committee, for a term of two years, renewable with approval of the Steering Committee. The newsletter editor serves as a non-voting member of the Steering Committee, unless the editor also holds elected membership in which case the editor shall have all voting privileges. The editor should not serve concurrently as chair of the Section.
C. Section Website
The Section’s website is maintained by a webmaster who shall be appointed by the chair, with the advice of the Steering Committee, for a term of two years, renewable with approval of the Steering Committee. The webmaster serves as a non-voting member of the Steering Committee, unless the webmaster also holds elected membership. The webmaster should not serve concurrently as chair of the Section.
D. Study/discussion Groups
Topics for study/discussion groups are to be solicited from the Section members. Selection of
study/discussion topics to be included in the Annual Meeting shall be made by the Section officers, and leaders for such groups shall be appointed by the Chair (with the advice of other Section officers) far enough in advance of the annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists SAA to allow the formation of such groups to be announced on the Section’s website and in the newsletter immediately preceding the annual meeting.
E. Other committees and working groups
The Chair, with the advice of the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and the Steering Committee, shall appoint other committees or working groups as needed. The formation of such committees or working groups shall be announced on the Section’s website and in the newsletter. In addition to review and approval by Section officers, major projects (those involving substantial portions of the Section's resources, people outside the Section, and/or products to be distributed beyond the Section) also must be approved by the Section's membership either at the annual meeting or through electronic voting. Approval shall require a majority vote of those voting, except that electronic voting to be valid must result in a total number of votes cast equal to at least 50% of the Section membership as verified by the SAA Executive Director as of the day the ballot is opened. Each committee or working group shall have a written charge, a specified period of service, and a date by which a final report must be submitted to the membership.
ARTICLE 79. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Sturgis’ Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure STURGIS’ STANDARD CODE OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, latest edition, shall govern the proceedings of the Section, except as otherwise provided for in the bylaws of the Section, or the constitution, bylaws or special rules of SAA.
ARTICLE 810. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
A. Notice and form. Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by any Section member.
Such amendments must be submitted in writing to the Section officers. The proposed amendment shall be published on the Section’s website and in the next two newsletters, with the opportunity for membership reaction provided with the second printing. If the annual meeting is held before publication of the second newsletter, discussion at the annual Section meeting shall take the place of publication in the second newsletter.
B. Adoption of amendments. After the appropriate notice has been given, amendments shall be discussed and voted on at the annual Section meeting by electronic ballot. A majority vote of those members present and voting at the annual Section meeting is required for the adoption of an amendment.
|
Support Statement: The revisions to the Section bylaws achieve consistency with SAA requirements for the structure of elected positions.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Frusciano
Second: McCrea
PASSED (unanimous).
III.F. Preservation Section Bylaws Changes
The SAA Preservation Section sought the Council’s approval of its bylaws revisions, which included a few general changes reflecting actual practice that combined the outreach and publications committees, folded the posts of Web and newsletter editors into the work of the chair of the combined committee, and reorganized committee descriptions. The Council reviewed the document in light of SAA’s policies, suggested changes, and returned the document to the Section for review and revision, noting that Section members had not yet approved the new bylaws document.
III.G. Election Procedure Revisions
Since 2009, SAA has conducted elections using a “hybrid” approach that includes both online ballots (to streamline the election process and expend less money) and paper ballots to requestors (to ensure that all members have access to the election process). In light of the diminishing number of requests for paper ballots (i.e., eleven in 2009, ten in 2010, and six in 2011, with just two votes cast), the SAA staff suggested that the Council consider discontinuing the availability of paper ballots in favor of an all-online election procedure. Council members decided that hybrid elections are still warranted (Motion 14). The staff also suggested a minor change in the Bylaws to clarify the language related to eligibility to vote (Motion 15).
MOTION 14
THAT the SAA Council approve online-only distribution of ballots starting in 2012.
Support Statement: Less than 1% of ballots in the 2009–2011 elections were paper ballots. Although the direct expenses of conducting “hybrid” elections are negligible, some staff time and effort is required to identify individuals for notification via USPS. In addition, reporting of election results is delayed for approximately a week to allow time for delivery of ballots mailed on the closing day of the election. In light of the low number of requests for paper ballots, the conduct of hybrid elections as a standard operating procedure may no longer be warranted.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Felker
Second: Cline
FAILED (Aye: Hyry, Felker, Lawson, Trinkaus-Randall. Nay: Cline, Frusciano, McCrea, Meissner, Richardson, Settles, Theimer. Abstain: None.)
MOTION 15
THAT Section 5.E. of the Society’s Bylaws be amended as follows (strikethrough = deletion, underline = addition):
Ballots shall be distributed to all individual eligible voting members according to a method and schedule approved by the Council.
|
Support Statement: Since 2008, primary contacts of institutional members have voted in annual elections. This revision corrects an inconsistency between the Constitution and the Bylaws.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: McCrea
PASSED (unanimous).
III.H. Early Career Award
Trinkaus-Randall presented a revised description of a new award – the Early Career Award – that he originally had suggested for consideration at the January 2011 Council meeting. The proposed award would recognize archivists who have distinguished themselves within 10 years of entry into the profession. Council members expressed support for the spirit of the award, but were unclear about the eligibility criteria and concerned about administration of the award.
MOTION 16
THAT the SAA Early Career Award be established and awarded for the first time at the 2012 Annual Meeting;
THAT the SAA Awards Committee be responsible for administering the award; and
THAT the following language be adopted and added to the Governance Manual as the award’s description:
The proposed award description embedded in the report for Agenda Item III.H. – and all material for SAA Council meetings – is available via the SAA website at: http://www2.archivists.org/governance/reports.
Support Statement: An Early Career Award provides a wonderful opportunity for SAA to recognize the development of an archivist at the beginning of a career and to encourage continuing participation. This award fills a gap by encouraging archivists to recognize the promise and development of colleagues at an early career stage, supplementing SAA’s already robust awards program.
Fiscal Impact: Between $100 and $900 annually, depending on the number of awards and whether the recipients choose to attend the Annual Meeting or opt for an SAA bookstore gift coupon.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Cline
FAILED (Aye: Cline, Richardson, Theimer, Trinkaus-Randall. Nay: Felker, Frusciano, Hyry, Lawson, McCrea, Meissner, Settles. Abstain: None.)
III.I. Archival Innovators Award
Trinkaus-Randall and Theimer proposed development of a new award that encourages innovation and creativity and recognizes the “movers and shakers” of the archives profession. Council members agreed that SAA should recognize these individuals, groups of individuals, repositories, and organizations that have had an innovative impact on the profession and recommended several changes to the award language to help with administration.
MOTION 17
THAT the SAA Archival Innovators Award be established and awarded for the first time at the 2012 Annual Meeting;
THAT the SAA Awards Committee be responsible for administering the award; and
THAT the following language be incorporated into the full award description:
SAA Archival Innovators Award
Purpose and Criteria for Selection:
Created in 2011, this award recognizes individual archivists, groups of archivists, repositories, and organizations that demonstrate, through a combination of as many as possible of the criteria below, the greatest overall current impact on the profession or their communities.
- Creativity or innovation in approaching professional challenges;
- Demonstrated ability to think outside professional or institutional norms;
- Ability to translate creativity, innovation, and new thinking into working solutions;
- Development of an archives program or outreach activity that has an extraordinary impact on a community;
- Commitment to the advancement of professional knowledge through traditional or emerging information-sharing media.
Eligibility:
Presented to an archivist, group of archivists, repository, or organization for work undertaken within the past three years. The work need not be completed, but it must be sufficiently advanced to demonstrate results.
Sponsor and Funding:
Society of American Archivists
Prize:
A certificate and free registration to the SAA Annual Meeting (for one individual) occurring in the year in which the award is presented or a certificate and one $100 prize.
First Awarded:
2012
Selection Committee
The subcommittee consists of three members of SAA and one of the co-chairs of the Awards Committee (ex officio). The SAA President-elect shall appoint one member of the subcommittee each year to serve a three-year term. The senior member of the subcommittee in years of service shall serve as its chair.
Application Deadline and Nomination Form:
All nominations shall be submitted to the Awards Committee by February 28 of each year. Download the nomination form as a PDF or RTF. Send 5 copies of completed form and supplementary documentation to:
Archival Innovators Award Subcommittee
Society of American Archivists
17 North State Street, Suite 1425
Chicago, IL 60602-3315
Questions should be directed to the chair of the SAA Archival Innovators Award Subcommittee. |
Support Statement: This award provides SAA with an opportunity to recognize the innovative accomplishments of an individual or groups of archivists, repositories, or organizations, as well as to promote and highlight innovation within the profession, including “cutting-edge” technologies and professional practice. The award fills a gap by providing recognition for people who have undertaken innovative activities outside the norm while those activities are still current, rather than having to wait for recognition until later in their careers. It is an award for which many “mid-career” archivists would be eligible.
Fiscal Impact: The costs associated with this award will include the cost of one certificate per awardee (i.e., individual, group, or entity) and either one free Annual Meeting registration per awardee (i.e., individual, group, or entity) or one $100 prize per awardee (i.e., individual, group, or entity).
Move: Hyry
Second: Lawson
PASSED (unanimous).
III.J. Council Exemplary Service Award(s)
Council members considered and adopted a motion for one Council Exemplary Service award to be given at the 2011 Annual Meeting. Because the award recipient remains confidential until the Annual Meeting, see the Appendix to the August 2011 minutes for award language.
MOTION 18
THAT [individual] be awarded the 2011 Council Exemplary Service Award.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Hyry
PASSED (unanimous).
III.K. Elect Executive Committee Member
By ballot of those Council members who do not serve as officers, Scott Cline was elected to serve on the Executive Committee in 2011-2012. Tom Frusciano and Deborra Richardson, also second-year Council members, will serve on the 2011-2012 SAA Nominating Committee.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011
III.L. SAA Foundation Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
At its January 2011 meeting the SAA Foundation Board of Directors directed Beaumont and Jurczak to work with legal counsel to complete draft Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Society of American Archivists Foundation to reflect the requirements associated with incorporating the Foundation in the state of Illinois as well as the governance-related revisions discussed at the Board’s January 2011 meeting. Based on legal counsel’s advice the documents were put forward for approval by both the SAA Council (as the “Corporate Member”) and the current Foundation Board of Directors (the “Corporation”). (See Agenda Item SAAF II.A.) The current Foundation Board would be superseded by a new Foundation Board, comprising Class A members (the Corporate Member’s executive committee plus the immediate past president) and Class B members (to be selected by the Corporate Member by August 2011).
To define the legal existence and operations of the organization more formally and to establish on a separate and distinct basis the not-for-profit and tax-exempt status of the Foundation under applicable state and federal law, staff intended to file with the Internal Revenue Service, on or about July 1, 2011, an Application for Employer Identification Number (IRS Forum SS-4) and an Application of Recognition of Exemption (IRS Form 1023). The “Initial Consent to Action” associated with these filings would be voted on by the Foundation’s Class A members on or about July 1, 2011.
MOTION 19
THAT the SAA Council approves the taking of all measures necessary to cause the existing Society of American Archivists Foundation, an unincorporated association, to be established as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation (the “Corporation”) pursuant to Section 102.35 of the Illinois General Not for Profit Corporation Act (805 ILCS 105/) (the “Act”), including, but not limited to, the filing of Articles of Incorporation in substantially the form attached hereto; and
THAT the SAA Council acknowledges and agrees that, consistent with the provisions of the foregoing Articles of Incorporation, the Society of American Archivists shall serve as the sole corporate member of the newly formed corporation (the “Foundation”); and
THAT the SAA Council hereby approves the adoption of the Bylaws of the Foundation in substantially the form attached hereto; and
THAT the SAA Council hereby acknowledges that the initial Class A Directors of the Foundation (as defined in the foregoing Bylaws) shall consist of the following individuals, by virtue of their status as members of the SAA Council Executive Committee and immediate past president:
- Gregor Trinkaus-Randall
- Jackie Dooley
- Aimee M. Felker
- Scott Cline
- Helen R. Tibbo
THAT the SAA Council hereby appoints Nancy P. Beaumont to serve as the initial Executive Director of the Foundation.
Support Statement: The SAA Foundation currently exists as an unincorporated association organized and operated under the auspices of the Society of American Archivists. For various legal, financial, strategic, and philanthropic reasons, it is now deemed advisable to define the legal existence and operations of the organization more formally and to establish on a separate and distinct basis the not-for-profit and tax-exempt status of the Foundation under applicable state and federal law.
Fiscal Impact: Legal and filing fees at a rate of $495 per hour, plus staff time from Beaumont and Jurczak.
Move: McCrea
Second: Felker
PASSED (unanimous).
III.M. Other Action Items from Council Members
No other action items were submitted for consideration.
IV. DISCUSSION ITEMS
IV.A. Journal Editor Recruitment
The term of the current Editor of The American Archivist, Mary Jo Pugh, expires on December 31, 2011. Pugh’s three-year appointment was effective in January 2006 and she was reappointed for a second three-year term beginning January 2009. Because an individual may not serve more than two consecutive terms as Editor, a Search Committee was formed and Council-adopted procedures were followed to seek and hire a new Editor. Concurring with the Search Committee’s unanimous choice, the Council voted to approve appointment of Gregory S. Hunter as Editor of The American Archivist (2012–2014) pending his consent to serve. Hunter accepted the appointment on Wednesday, May 25.
MOTION 20
THAT Gregory S. Hunter, PhD, CA, CRM, be appointed Editor of The American Archivist, for a term of January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2014.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Felker
PASSED (Aye: Trinkaus-Randall, Felker, Cline, Hyry, Lawson, McCrea, Meissner, Richardson, Settles, Theimer. Nay: None. Abstain: Frusciano.)
IV.B. “Core Values of Archivists”
Created by the Council in February 2009, the Task Force on Developing a Statement of Core Values for Archivists was charged to develop a “Core Values of Archivists” statement with full consultation and participation by SAA members and other archives associations. The Task Force solicited feedback from the Council at its May and August 2010 meetings; distributed the draft for member feedback between August and October 2010; and incorporated that feedback into a revised document following the January 2011 Council meeting. The Council considered the revised document via online discussion and decided to defer consideration until the May 2011 meeting.
Based on feedback from Council members during the online discussion, Settles and Cline presented a consolidated document that addressed the concerns that Council members had expressed. The Council discussed the proposed revisions, suggested a few minor changes, and adopted the revised statement.
MOTION 21
THAT the “Core Values of Archivists” be adopted; and
THAT the Task Force on Developing a Statement of Core Values for Archivists be disbanded with thanks.
Society of American Archivists
Core Values of Archivists
Approved by the SAA Council 5/25/11
PURPOSE
Archivists select, preserve, and make available primary sources that document the activities of institutions, communities and individuals. These archival sources can be used for many purposes including providing legal and administrative evidence, protecting the rights of individuals and organizations, and forming part of the cultural heritage of society. The modern archives profession bases its theoretical foundations and functions on a set of core values that define and guide the practices and activities of archivists, both individually and collectively. Values embody what a profession stands for and should form the basis for the behavior of its members.
Archivists provide important benefits and services such as: identifying and preserving essential parts of the cultural heritage of society; organizing and maintaining the documentary record of institutions, groups, and individuals; assisting in the process of remembering the past through authentic and reliable primary sources; and serving a broad range of people who seek to locate and use valuable evidence and information. Since ancient times, archives have afforded a fundamental power to those who control them. In a democratic society such power should benefit all members of the community. The values shared and embraced by archivists enable them to meet these obligations and to provide vital services on behalf of all groups and individuals in society.
This statement of core archival values articulates these central principles both to remind archivists why they engage in their professional responsibilities and to inform others of the basis for archivists’ contributions to society. Archivists are often subjected to competing claims and imperatives, and in certain situations particular values may pull in opposite directions. This statement intends to provide guidance by identifying the core values that guide archivists in making such decisions and choices. Core values provide part of the context in which to examine ethical concerns.
CORE VALUES OF ARCHIVISTS
Access and use: Archivists promote and provide the widest possible accessibility of materials, consistent with any mandatory access restrictions, such as public statute, donor contract, business/institutional privacy, or personal privacy. Although access may be limited in some instances, archivists seek to promote open access and use when possible. Access to records is essential in personal, academic, business, and government settings, and the use of records should be both welcomed and actively promoted. Even individuals who do not directly use archival materials benefit indirectly from research, public programs, and other forms of archival use, including the symbolic value of knowing that such records exist and can be accessed when needed.
Accountability: By documenting institutional functions, activities, and decision-making, archivists provide an important means of ensuring accountability. In a republic such accountability and transparency constitute an essential hallmark of democracy. Public leaders must be held accountable both to the judgment of history and future generations as well as to citizens in the ongoing governance of society. Access to the records of public officials and agencies provides a means of holding them accountable both to public citizens and to the judgment of future generations. In the private sector, accountability through archival documentation assists in protecting the rights and interests of consumers, shareholders, employees, and citizens. Archivists in collecting repositories may not in all cases share the same level of responsibility for accountability, but they too maintain evidence of the actions of individuals, groups, and organizations, which may be required to provide accountability for contemporary and future interests.
Advocacy: Archivists promote the use and understanding of the historical record. They serve as advocates for their own archival programs and institutional needs. They also advocate for the application of archival values in a variety of settings including, to the extent consistent with their institutional responsibilities, the political arena. Archivists seek to contribute to the formation of public policy related to archival and recordkeeping concerns and to ensure that their expertise is used in the public interest.
Diversity: Archivists collectively seek to document and preserve the record of the broadest possible range of individuals, socio-economic groups, governance, and corporate entities in society. Archivists embrace the importance of identifying, preserving, and working with communities to document actively those whose voices have been overlooked or marginalized. They seek to build connections to under-documented communities to support: acquisition and preservation of sources relating to these communities’ activities, encouragement of community members’ use of archival research sources, and/or formation of community-based archives. Archivists accept and encourage a diversity of viewpoints on social, political, and intellectual issues, as represented both in archival records and among members of the profession. They actively work to achieve a diversified and representative membership in the profession.
History and memory: Archivists recognize that primary sources enable people to examine the past and thereby gain insights into the human experience. Archival materials provide surrogates for human memory, both individually and collectively, and when properly maintained, they serve as evidence against which individual and social memory can be tested. Archivists preserve such primary sources to enable us to better comprehend the past, understand the present, and prepare for the future.
Preservation: Archivists preserve a wide variety of primary sources for the benefit of future generations. Preserving materials is a means to this end not an end in itself. Within prescribed law and best practice standards, archivists may determine that the original documents themselves must be preserved, while at other times copying the information they contain to alternate media may be sufficient. Archivists thus preserve materials for the benefit of the future more than for the concerns of the past.
Professionalism: Archivists adhere to a common set of missions, values, and ethics. They accept an evolving theoretical base of knowledge, collaborate with colleagues in related professions, develop and follow professional standards, strive for excellence in their daily practice, and recognize the importance of professional education, including lifelong learning. They encourage professional development among their co-workers, foster the aspirations of those entering the archival profession, and actively share their knowledge and expertise. Archivists seek to expand opportunities to cooperate with other information professionals, with records creators, and with users and potential users of the archival record.
Responsible Custody: Archivists ensure proper custody for the documents and records entrusted to them. As responsible stewards, archivists are committed to making reasonable and defensible choices for the holdings of their institutions. They strive to balance the sometimes competing interests of various stakeholders. Archivists are judicious stewards who manage records by following best practices in developing facilities service standards, collection development policies, user service benchmarks, and other performance metrics. They collaborate with external partners for the benefit of users and public needs. In certain situations, archivists recognize the need to deaccession materials so that resources can be strategically applied to the most essential or useful materials.
Selection: Archivists make choices about which materials to select for preservation based on a wide range of criteria, including the needs of potential users. Understanding that because of the cost of long-term retention and the challenges of accessibility most of the documents and records created in modern society cannot be kept, archivists recognize the wisdom of seeking advice of other stakeholders in making such selections. They acknowledge and accept the responsibility of serving as active agents in shaping and interpreting the documentation of the past.
Service: Within the mandates and missions of their institutions, archivists provide effective and efficient connections to (and mediation for) primary sources so that users, whoever they may be, can discover and benefit from the archival record of society, its institutions, and individuals. Archivists serve numerous constituencies and stakeholders, which may include institutional administrators, creators and donors of documentary materials, rights holders, un/documented peoples, researchers using the archives for many distinct purposes, corporate and governmental interests, and/or citizens concerned with the information and evidence held in archival sources. Archivists seek to meet the needs of users as quickly, effectively, and efficiently as possible.
Social responsibility: Underlying all the professional activities of archivists is their responsibility to a variety of groups in society and to the public good. Most immediately, archivists serve the needs and interests of their employers and institutions. Yet the archival record is part of the cultural heritage of all members of society. Archivists with a clearly defined societal mission strive to meet these broader social responsibilities in their policies and procedures for selection, preservation, access, and use of the archival record. Archivists with a narrower mandate still contribute to individual and community memory for their specific constituencies and in so doing improve the overall knowledge and appreciation of the past within society.
|
Support Statement: A statement of values that define a profession is a central component of professional identity. Articulating core archival values informs archivists within the profession and informs society of the contributions that archivists make. This document, which was drafted by the Task Force on Developing a Statement of Core Values for Archivists and vetted with the SAA membership, represents a significant step forward in defining archivists’ professional identity.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Frusciano
Second: Hyry
PASSED (unanimous).
IV.C. GAWG: Federal Funding Priorities
In a written report, Roe and Beaumont summarized SAA’s advocacy efforts with regard to the Government Affairs Working Group, the Preserving America’s Historical Records Act (PAHR, through the efforts of the Joint Task Force on PAHR), and reauthorization and appropriations for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). The Council unanimously supported two recommendations regarding federal funding priorities, provided feedback as requested, and indicated support for collaborative strategies for achieving the proposed outcomes.
MOTION 22
THAT SAA support funding of $10 million for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission in FY 2012.
Support Statement: NHPRC funding was cut to $7 million in the FY 2011 budget. The President’s proposed budget for FY 2012 includes just $5 million for NHPRC, a 50% decrease from the agency’s previously authorized level and 2010 funding level. Because of the importance of this agency to the archives community, SAA supports funding of at least $10 million.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Meissner
Second: Felker
PASSED (unanimous).
MOTION 23
THAT SAA strongly encourage the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to seek broad input from the archives community, including SAA and its members, other national and regional archives organizations, and state historical records advisory boards, on the priority functions and directions for agency funding that would best address the agency’s legislative purpose (i.e., “…collecting and preserving and, when it considers it desirable, in editing and publishing papers of outstanding citizens of the United States, and other documents that may be important for an understanding and appreciation of the history of the United States”).
Support Statement: Historically NHPRC funding priorities and programs have been conceived of and created by the NHPRC staff and commissioners with limited discussion or consultation with the broader archives community. It has, in fact, been difficult to garner a broad base of advocates for NHPRC because of the limited number of organizations that have received funding. Seeking input from the broader community would provide the agency with essential information to ensure that its funding addresses the highest priorities in preserving and providing access to the nation’s historical record.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Move: Lawson
Second: Felker
PASSED (unanimous).
IV.D. Fellows’ Comments on Fellows Eligibility Requirements
The SAA Council discussed in January 2011 several questions that have arisen in recent years regarding eligibility to be elected an SAA Fellow. The Committee on the Selection of SAA Fellows had pointed out the apparent discrepancy that allows the primary contact of an institutional member to hold office but not to be eligible for Fellowship. In addition, the Council had decided in 2006 that Fellows need not remain individual members to retain their status as Fellows. The four Fellows on the Council (Tibbo, Trinkaus-Randall, Frusciano, and Meissner) were asked to query the Fellows list regarding current Fellows’ perspectives on whether eligibility requirements should include individual membership.
Frusciano’s written report summarized the 92 individual messages posted to the list in response to his query. Although the intent was to solicit opinions on a possible constitutional amendment eliminating the requirement for membership, the message thread included discussion of other issues regarding criteria for selection of Fellows, membership categories, and the role of Fellows in SAA. A majority of Fellows responding supported continuing the membership requirement for Fellowship; opinions were split regarding extension of eligibility to institutional primary contacts.
IV.E. Engaging SAA’s Fellows
Based on responses to the Fellows’ list on the previous agenda item, Frusciano submitted a second discussion item regarding the role of Fellows in the work of the Society. He noted the strong sentiment expressed on the listserv that SAA has not utilized their expertise and experience in any coordinated manner, nor have the Fellows been vocal about critical issues that SAA and the profession have faced. The Council discussed various ideas for soliciting their opinions on substantive issues and soliciting their involvement in such areas as SAA’s mentoring program.
IV.F. RLG Roundtable Name/Mission Changes
Frusciano gave a verbal report regarding the RLG Roundtable’s desire to change its name and mission. The Council discussed concerns that a new name and mission could exclude some groups and overlap with others. Frusciano will share these concerns with the Roundtable’s leadership.
IV.G. “History and the Web” Conference
Theimer sought Council input regarding the idea of a “possible new conference, modeled on the very successful Museums and the Web conference, which would focus on the custodians of historical materials and those who use them. The purpose of this History & the Web conference would be to connect organizations with historical collections and the people who use them to make the Web a better place for studying and expanding our knowledge about history.” She noted that discussion is currently in a preliminary stage but that representatives from several institutions have expressed interest in participating in the planning of such a conference. The Council discussed the potential for SAA involvement and encouraged Theimer to continue to monitor the broader community’s discussion.
IV.H. Other Discussion Items from Council Members
Annual Meeting Task Force. Theimer announced her intent to bring forward to the August 2011 Council meeting a proposal to create an Annual Meeting Task Force charged to consider all aspects of the current annual meeting model, including issues of social responsibility when selecting sites.
Student Program Subcommittee of the Program Committee. Trinkaus-Randall proposed adjusting or eliminating the Council liaison assigned to serve on the Student Program Subcommittee. By tradition, the Treasurer has played that role. Following a brief discussion, the Council agreed. Trinkaus-Randall will work with the 2012 Program Committee and Beaumont to suggest an alternative model. Felker will draft an overview of the subcommittee process based on her experience with the group.
Diversity Award. Among the tasks related to the Diversity priority within the Strategic Plan is the notion of creating a Diversity Award. This activity had been put on hold pending development and adoption of SAA’s Statement on Diversity. The Council assigned the Diversity Committee to develop the award description, with a report to the Council at its August 2011 meeting.
IV.I. Executive Session: Executive Director Performance Evaluation
The Council held an executive session to discuss the executive director’s performance evaluation.
V. REPORTS
V.A. Executive Committee
In a written report, Executive Committee Member Brenda Lawson outlined the Council’s interim actions since its January 2011 meeting.
- Voted to shorten the one-week discussion period in the case of the motion “That SAA proceed with plans to convene the 2011 Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, August 22-27” (see below) and instead that a four-day discussion period (February 16-19) be adopted, followed by a four-day voting period (February 20-23), with a message to be sent to the membership on February 24. (Passed on February 17, 2011. Aye: Tibbo, Trinkaus-Randall, Cline, Felker, Frusciano, Lawson, McCrea, Meissner, Richardson, Settles, Theimer; Nay: Hyry)
- Voted to approve that “Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies” (GPAS) as revised be adopted: http://www2.archivists.org/gpas. (Passed unanimously on February 22, 2011).
- Voted that SAA proceed with plans to convene the 2011 Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, August 22-27. (Passed unanimously on February 23, 2011.)
- Voted that Daria D’Arienzo, Connell Gallagher, and Christine Weideman be elected to serve on the 2011 Committee on the Selection of SAA Fellows. (Passed unanimously on March 3, 2011.)
- Discussed the most recent revision of the Statement on Core Values of Archivists as submitted by the Task Force on March 23 following a member comment period. After six days of online discussion, the Council decided to include the Statement on its May 2011 meeting agenda. (See Agenda Item IV.B.)
- Voted (in separate actions of the Council and Foundation Board) to adopt the minutes of the January 2011 Council and Foundation Board meetings. (Passed unanimously on April 6, 2011.)
- Discussed and voted on four motions regarding a proposed constitutional amendment on voting methods, submitted by the Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Voting Methods.
- Voted to distribute copies of proposed constitutional and bylaws amendments to each eligible voting member via the appropriate means of communication (Motion 1, passed unanimously on May 11); to present a motion for online voting at the annual business meeting in August (Motion 3, passed unanimously on May 11); and to present a motion for amendments to Article VI.2. of the Constitution at the annual business meeting (Motion 4, passed unanimously on May 11). Motion 2, which proposed a change from a 2/3 supermajority to a simple majority requirement to amend the Bylaws, failed on a vote of 6 opposed (Felker, Frusciano, Hyry, Meissner, Settles, Trinkaus-Randall), 5 in favor (Cline, Lawson, McCrea, Richardson, Theimer). The 2/3 supermajority requirement will be retained in the proposed Bylaws amendment.
Acting on behalf of the Council, the Executive Committee had taken the following actions since January 2011:
- In response to a request from Bryan Corbett of the North American Archival Network of the International Council on Archives (NAANICA), decided to make a donation of $250 to support the work of the organization.
- With input from the steering committees of the Human Rights Archives, International Archival Affairs, and Issues and Advocacy roundtables, considered and approved a letter signed by SAA President Helen Tibbo responding to the recent decision of the Hungarian Ministry of Public Information and Justice regarding disposition of archival records from the Communist era.
- On behalf of the Council, approved a revision to Section IX. of the SAA Governance Manual streamlining the due dates for Section elections and Roundtable electronic elections.
- Developed a list of facts for distribution to SAA members regarding the labor dispute between Unite Here Local 1 and the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
- On behalf of the Council, approved comments (drafted by SAA’s Intellectual Property Working Group) on the U.S. Copyright Office’s Notice of Inquiry regarding the extension of federal copyright protection to sound recordings fixed prior to 1972. A previous letter (also drafted by IPWG) had been submitted by SAA to the Copyright Office in mid-January.
- On behalf of the SAA Council, agreed to sign on in support of H.R. 1144, “The Transparency and Openness in Government Act.”
- Approved comments on the Department of Education’s proposed rule changes to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, drafted by SAA member Tamar Chute and submitted by SAA President Helen Tibbo on May 6, 2011
V.B. President
Tibbo summarized her activities since January 2011, including her work on the Digital Archives Continuing Education Task Force, the labor dispute between the hotel workers union and the Hyatt Hotel, the American Archivist Editor Search Committee, SAA/CoSA/NAGARA monthly conference calls, NHPRC advocacy, comments submitted to the US Copyright Office, annual meeting keynote speaker, and weekly conference calls with the executive director.
V.C. Vice President / President-Elect
Trinkaus-Randall indicated that much of his time since the last Council meeting had been spent working with the Appointments Committee and staff, with some time spent on developing the proposed Early Career and Archival Innovator Awards (Agenda Items III.H. and III.I.), soliciting response from the SAA Fellows on the requirements of SAA Fellowship, discussions with other national organizations, attending the ASAE CEO Symposium, and Executive Committee work.
V.D. Treasurer: YTD Financials
Felker’s written report noted that for the ten months ending April 30, SAA’s net gain exceeded budget. Previous months’ financial reports included significant net gains that were due primarily to unrealized gains on investments. During February, the investment portfolio was overhauled in response to the investment policy revision adopted by the Council in January 2011. The result of this overhaul was $150,000 in realized gains on investments that have been distributed from Operations to the various funds within the Foundation.
V.E. Staff
Staff reports for SAA Council meetings are available via the SAA website at: http://www2.archivists.org/governance/reports.
V.E.1. Executive Director
V.E.2. Membership
V.E.3. Education
V.E.4. Publications
V.E.5. Annual Meeting
V.E.6. SAA Website Development
V.F. American Archivist Editor
Mary Jo Pugh’s report summarized activity from January through May 2011 and included updates on redesign of the journal, analysis of readership survey results, a new Web presence for book reviews, the status of the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2011 volumes of The American Archivist, and statistics related to the review process since her last report in January.
V.G. Publications Editor
Peter Wosh’s report described Publications Board activities since January 2011, including NHPRC’s rejection of the “Fundamental Change” grant re-submission. A substantial portion of the Board’s February meeting was spent developing alternative strategies for conceptualizing the Archival Fundamentals Series. With five new books scheduled this year, a plan to issue a request for proposal for a variety of topics, and a decision to commission someone to write a history of the association, the Board also sought reaction from the Council on creating a Glossary Working Group and noted the success of the HathiTrust project offering classic, out-of-print literature on the Web.
V.H. Code of Ethics
The Committee on Ethics and Professional Conduct (CEPC) met via conference call on April 7 to discuss comments received from the SAA membership on a draft revision of “Code of Ethics for Archivists.” Given the extent of comments, the group realized that its goal of providing a revision for Council review in May was unrealistic. CEPC now expects to present a revision for Council consideration by the end of the Annual Meeting in August. Chair Tim Pyatt’s written report summarized CEPC’s discussion about the comments and plans for the revision process. The Council asked for a status update to consider at its August 22 meeting.
V.I. 75th Anniversary Task Force
The Task Force provided a written report on the status of various 75th Anniversary activities, including distribution of bookmarks with the January/February issue of Archival Outlook; development of trading cards; posting of a timeline on the SAA website; a special section in an upcoming issue of The American Archivist; 75th Anniversary sessions at ARCHIVES 360˚; an online supplement to The American Archivist; the Oral History Project, which will include both videotaped interviews of past SAA leaders and “This Archival Life,” a “StoryCorps-like” opportunity at the 2011 Annual Meeting for attendees to audiorecord their own and their colleagues’ reminiscences; Then, Now, WOW! Fun Facts in Archival Outlook; and the Foundation’s “75 for 75” fundraising campaign.
V.J. Other Reports from Council Members / What Are You Hearing from Members?
The Council discussed SAA’s relevance to the archival landscape and relationship with the regional archival organizations and generated ideas for communicating that relevance. The Council also discussed archivists’ use of Twitter, the likelihood of requests to create new roundtables, membership retention, and fundraising opportunities.
VI. COUNCIL BUSINESS
VI.A. Review of May 2011 “To Do” List
Council members reviewed the draft list of action items stemming from the meeting.
VI.B. Review of May 2011 Talking Points
Council members reviewed the decisions made at the meeting.
VI.C. Adjournment
Settles moved and McCrea seconded a motion to adjourn. PASSED. The Council meeting was adjourned at 11:04 a.m.
Approved by the SAA Council on July 25, 2011.
Society of American Archivists
Foundation Board Meeting
May 24-26, 2011
SAA Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
President Helen Tibbo called to order the meeting of the Society of American Archivists Foundation Board of Directors at 2:22 pm on Tuesday, May 24. Present were Vice President/President-Elect Gregor Trinkaus-Randall; Treasurer Aimee Felker; Executive Committee member Brenda Lawson; Board members Scott Cline, Tom Frusciano, Tom Hyry, Donna McCrea, Dennis Meissner, Deborra Richardson, Rosalye Settles, and Kate Theimer; Executive Director Nancy Beaumont; SAA Publishing Director Teresa Brinati; SAA Education Director Solveig De Sutter; SAA Member and Technical Services Director Brian Doyle; SAA Finance/Administration Director Tom Jurczak; and Program Coordinator René Mueller.
I. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Adoption of the Agenda
Tibbo introduced the agenda. Cline proposed a revision to insert Request for Funds from SAA as Item II.A. and moved the revised agenda; Felker seconded. Trinkaus-Randall, Felker, Cline, Frusciano, Hyry, Lawson, McCrea, Meissner, Settles, and Theimer voted for adoption; Richardson abstained. The agenda was adopted.
B. Reference: Past Actions
Tibbo noted that a written summary of all Foundation Board actions had been updated and would be included with the Board’s materials at each meeting. The Board reviewed the difference between “public and professional education initiatives” and the concepts of advocacy and/or public awareness, an important distinction to understand in the Foundation’s mission statement.
II. ACTION ITEMS
A. Request from SAA for Funds
The SAA Foundation Board received a request from the SAA Council for funds targeting specific SAA projects that support the Foundation’s mission as well in the areas of professional education, scholarships, and publications. After discussion, the Board approved the request unanimously.
MOTION 1
THAT funding in the following amounts, as requested by the Society of American Archivists Council, be approved:
$30,425 from the Linda J. Henry Fund for research and development of the next iteration of the Archival Fundamentals Series ($20,325) and for research and development of the Digital Archives Specialist continuing education offerings ($10,100);
$5,000 from the Mosaic Scholarship Fund for the second of two Mosaic Scholarships to be awarded in 2012;
$3,350 from the Norton Fund for SAA representation at the International Council on Archives Section of Professional Associations (ICA-SPA) 2011 meeting.
Support Statement: Each of the expenditures is appropriate given that each supports activities that are related directly to the Foundation’s mission and of potentially significant benefit to the profession. The SAA Council will be expected to provide both interim and final reports on the expenditure of the funds.
Fiscal Impact: $30,425 from the Linda J. Henry Fund, $5,000 from the Mosaic Scholarship Fund, and $3,350 from the Margaret Cross Norton Fund.
Move: Trinkaus-Randall
Second: Felker
PASSED (unanimous).
B. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
At its January 2011 meeting the SAA Foundation Board of Directors directed Beaumont and Jurczak to work with legal counsel to complete draft Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Society of American Archivists Foundation to reflect the requirements associated with incorporating the Foundation in the state of Illinois as well as the governance-related revisions discussed at the Board’s January 2011 meeting. Based on legal counsel’s advice the documents were put forward for approval by both the SAA Council (as the “Corporate Member”) and the current Foundation Board of Directors (the “Corporation”). (See SAA Council Agenda Item III.L.) The current Foundation Board would be superseded by a new Foundation Board, comprising Class A members (the Corporate Member’s executive committee plus the immediate past president) and Class B members (to be selected by the Corporate Member by August 2011).
To define the legal existence and operations of the organization more formally and to establish on a separate and distinct basis the not-for-profit and tax-exempt status of the Foundation under applicable state and federal law, staff intends to file with the Internal Revenue Service, on or about July 1, 2011, an Application for Employer Identification Number (IRS Forum SS-4) and an Application of Recognition of Exemption (IRS Form 1023). The “Initial Consent to Action” associated with these filings will be voted on by the Foundation’s Class A members on or about July 1, 2011.
MOTION 2
THAT the Board of Directors approve the taking of all measures necessary to cause the existing Society of American Archivists Foundation, an unincorporated association, to be established as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation (the “Corporation”) pursuant to
Section 102.35 of the Illinois General Not For Profit Corporation Act (805 ILCS 105/) (the
“Act”), including, but not limited to, the filing of Articles of Incorporation in substantially the form attached hereto; and
THAT the Board of Directors approve the adoption of the Bylaws of the Corporation in substantially the form attached hereto; and
THAT the Board of Directors hereby acknowledge and agree that, as a result of and effective upon the filing of Articles of Incorporation:
- All of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, franchises, authority and property of the existing SAA Foundation shall pass to and vest in the Corporation,
- All obligations of the existing SAA Foundation shall become the obligations of the Corporation, and
- All activities and operations of the existing SAA Foundation shall cease, with such activities and operations thereafter conducted solely and exclusively by the Corporation in its stead; and
THAT the Board of Directors approve the preparation, execution, and filing of such reports, forms, and other documents as may be necessary or appropriate to reflect the foregoing, including without limitation the filing of a final Form 990 information return for the existing SAA Foundation.
Support Statement: The SAA Foundation currently exists as an unincorporated association organized and operated under the auspices of the Society of American Archivists. For various legal, financial, strategic, and philanthropic reasons, it is now deemed advisable to define the legal existence and operations of the organization more formally and to establish on a separate and distinct basis the not-for-profit and tax-exempt status of the Foundation under applicable state and federal law.
Fiscal Impact: Legal and filing fees at a rate of $495 per hour, plus Beaumont’s and Jurczak’s staff time (donated by SAA).
Move: McCrea
Second: Felker
PASSED (unanimous).
III.C. Administration of “75 for 75” Campaign Donations
The Board discussed the merits and drawbacks of directing “75 for 75” campaign donations to a specific fund, brainstormed about what to name such a fund, and approved unanimously the creation of a “Strategic Growth Fund” that would exist beyond the 75th anniversary celebration.
MOTION 3
THAT a new unrestricted fund, known as the Strategic Growth Fund, be established in honor of the Society of American Archivists’ 75th Anniversary.
Support Statement: Established in 2011 in honor of the Society of American Archivists’ 75th Anniversary, the Strategic Growth Fund holds and manages donated funds for the purpose of supporting the strategic priorities of the SAA Foundation, including professional and public education, publications, and research.
Move: Felker
Second: Settles
PASSED (unanimous).
III. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Selection of Board Members
The Board reviewed the composition of the Foundation Board of Directors established by the Articles of Incorporation and generated ideas about potential members of the reconfigured Board as well as a guiding framework to ensure a balanced and effective membership.
B. Discussion Items from Board Members
No discussion items were submitted.
IV. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Adjournment
Felker moved and McCrea seconded a motion to adjourn. All were in favor. The Foundation Board meeting was adjourned at 10:26 a.m.
Approved by the SAA Foundation Board of Directors on July 25, 2011.
|
|
