Council Minutes
June 5-6, 2004
Chicago, Illinois
President Tim Ericson called the meeting to order at 8:30 am on Saturday,
June 5. Present: Vice President/President-Elect Rand Jimerson, Treasurer Fynnette
Eaton, and Council members Danna Bell-Russel, Frank Boles, Elaine Engst, David
Haury, Kathryn Neal, Megan Sniffin-Marinoff, Christopher Ann Paton, Peter Wosh,
and Joel Wurl. Also present were Richard Pearce-Moses (Vice President/President-Elect,
2004-2005), Aimee Felker (Council, 2004-2006), SAA Executive Director Nancy
Beaumont, Publishing Director Teresa Brinati, Education Director Solveig DeSutter,
and Graphic Designer/Webmaster Brian Doyle.
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
Sniffin-Marinoff presented proposed changes in the agenda, as well as estimated
times for completion of each agenda item, per an Executive Committee discussion
on June 3. Jimerson moved and Engst seconded adoption of the agenda as amended.
PASSED.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
Eaton moved and Engst seconded approval of the February 7-8, 2004, Council
meeting minutes as amended. PASSED.
Eaton moved and Engst seconded approval of the February 6, 2004, Planning
Day Notes as amended. PASSED.
REVIEW OF THE FEBRUARY 2004 ACTION ITEM LIST
Council members reviewed the items listed on the February 2004 Action Item
List and provided an update on completed and incomplete items.
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Sniffin-Marinoff reported that a question had arisen about the eligibility
of the New York Archivists Round Table to qualify for the Jameson Award.
The Executive Committee determined that the NYART was not, in fact, eligible
for the award. The occasion of NYART's 25th anniversary should not go unrecognized,
however, in light of the many accomplishments of the group. The Executive
Committee agreed that Ericson would compose a Council resolution for Council
action at this meeting. The draft resolution will be considered under New
Business.
In February, Ericson corresponded with the director of the Southwest Museum
in Los Angeles to express the Society's concern about the extensive problem
with insect infestation in the Southwest Museum that was described in the
January 25, 2004, Los Angeles Times article "Working Out the Bugs." His
letter said, in part, "SAA applauds your willingness to publicly acknowledge
the insect problem and to treat those sacred Native American objects in a
way that respects them and preserves their spirit. Both actions show that
the Southwest Museum understands its special responsibility to the native
people whose artifacts constitute the heart and soul of the museum." He offered
the Society's support as the director works to complete the preservation
effort.
In March 2004, SAA received a request from a member that SAA communicate
with trustees of the Phillips Library in Salem, Massachusetts, regarding
significant cutbacks in hours and staffing. Ericson will send a letter to
the trustees on behalf of SAA once Sniffin-Marinoff can obtain updated information.
In May 2004, SAA received correspondence from Margaret Turner, president
of the International Council on Archives/Section on Professional Associations,
indicating that severe budget cuts in the Italian Archival Administration
are threatening the operation of archives throughout Italy and that the country
faces a severe shortage of professional archivists in the state sector because
there has been no recruitment since 1984. The Society sent a letter to the
Italian Ministry of Culture encouraging that significant efforts be made
to recruit archivists.
SAA has received a number of pieces of correspondence about the state of
the Iraqi Archives. Peter Hirtle, who attended a recent meeting of the North
American Archival Network of the International Council on Archives, had suggested
to Ericson that SAA await further information from ICA before proceeding
with any actions.
Sniffin-Marinoff indicated that the Council had not officially acknowledged
Debra Nolan's departure from SAA employment, and she suggested that the Council
develop and pass a resolution in her honor, as well as collect donations
for a gift and sign a card to her. Beaumont was asked to purchase a suitable
gift after receiving the donations.
Council Special Resolution Honoring Debra Mills Nolan, CAE
The SAA Council adopted the following special resolution:
Whereas Debra Mills Nolan, CAE, served the Society of American
Archivists with distinction for more than 11 years as director of meetings,
associate executive director, interim co-executive director, and independent
contractor; and
Whereas Debra Mills Nolan, CAE, dedicated herself to meeting
the needs and interests of SAA members and leaders throughout her tenure;
and
Whereas Debra Mills Nolan, CAE, introduced many creative
approaches to program management that led to innovations of great benefit
to SAA; and
Whereas Debbie's consistently positive attitude, generosity
of spirit, and good humor generated great enthusiasm among members, leaders,
staff, and vendor colleagues;
Therefore Be It Resolved THAT the Council of the
Society of American Archivists thanks Debbie for her outstanding contributions
and wishes her well in all future endeavors.
[Moved by Jimerson; seconded by Sniffin-Marinoff] PASSED.
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
Ericson reported on a wide variety of items:
Archivist of the United States: Ericson reminded the group that,
immediately following notification on April 8 of the nomination of Allen
Weinstein to be Archivist of the United States, SAA contacted the Council
of State Historical Records Coordinators (COSHRC) and the National Association
of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA) to develop a joint
statement on the nomination that focused on the need for Senate Governmental
Affairs Committee open hearings on the nomination in order to explore more
fully 1) the reasons why the current Archivist is being replaced and 2) the
nominee's qualifications to become Archivist of the United States. The joint
statement was posted on the SAA Web site on April 14. To date, 26 organizations
have signed on to "Statement on the Nomination of Allen Weinstein to Become
Archivist of the United States." On April 26, SAA posted "Joint Statement
on Selection Criteria for the Archivist of the United States" and "Joint
Statement on Questions to Ask the Nominee for Archivist of the United States," both
issued with COSHRC and NAGARA. In addition, in April and May Ericson participated
in several interviews with national media on the subject of SAA's opinion
on the nomination; in May, he met with the 12 members of the Senate Governmental
Affairs Committee staff, along with National Coalition for History staff
Bruce Craig, to discuss the need for open hearings and professional input;
and in early June he wrote a letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times
in response to an article that mischaracterized SAA's position on the nomination.
Heritage Emergency National Task Force: In April Ericson appointed
Thomas Connors of the University of Maryland/National Public Broadcasting
Archives to serve as SAA's representative on the Heritage Emergency National
Task Force, a group that was formed in 1995 to help archives, libraries,
museums, historical societies, and historic sites to better protect their
collections from natural disasters and other emergencies. Council members
reviewed Connors' report on an April 28 meeting of the Task Force.
ARMA/SAA Joint Committee Meeting: Committee Chair Aimee Felker reported
on several items discussed at the May 22 committee meeting, including 1)
the status of the draft communications/public relations plan following input
from Council members and others; 2) the Committee's interest in developing
a Web site on which standards that apply to records managers and archivists
might reside for easy access, beginning with development of an annotated
bibliography representing existing standards; and 3) a recommendation from
the Committee that SAA (through its representative) apply for membership
on the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 232—Standard for
the Protection of Records Committee.
National Fire Protection Association: Although Council members had
completed an online vote in late May supporting an ARMA/SAA Joint Committee
recommendation that SAA apply for NFPA membership, Beaumont noted that NFPA
membership requirements are more complicated than she or the Committee had
anticipated. In order to obtain representation on the NFPA 232—Standard
for the Protection of Records Committee, an individual and an alternate will
have to apply and be accepted on their own merits (i.e., NFPA does not permit
either institutional membership or institutional representation on its committees).
Ericson agreed to contact Standards Committee Chair Diane Vogt-O'Connor to
obtain Committee recommendations regarding who from the Washington, D.C.,
area might apply for membership and, de facto, represent SAA on the
NFPA committee. Beaumont agreed to search the SAA database to determine whether
there is anyone in the St. Louis area who might join NFPA in order to attend
the August 3 meeting of the NFPA committee.
Harold T. Pinkett Award Changes: Ericson reported that he had approved
a recent request from Archives and Archivists of Color Roundtable Co-chairs
Rebecca Hankins and Rose Roberto that SAA fund two recipients of the Harold
T. Pinkett Award; that the two recipients receive complimentary one-year
memberships in SAA (in addition to free travel to and registration for the
Annual Meeting); and that in those years in which a second-place award winner
might be named, that the runner-up also receive a free one-year membership.
Timing of Annual Business Meeting at Boston 2004: Ericson asked Council
members to remind their liaison assignments (ie, Section and Roundtable leaders)
that, due to logistical constraints in the hotel, the Annual Business Meeting
will occur earlier than usual at the 2004 Annual Meeting, and that, if they
intend to submit materials, they should be prepared to do so earlier than
in the past. Beaumont agreed to announce this schedule in the July/August
issue of Archival Outlook.
Faulkner v. National Geographic Society: Ericson noted that
the Intellectual Property Working Group had recommended to him that SAA join
in an amicus curiae brief led by JSTOR in the Faulkner v. National
Geographic Society case, which concerns whether digitizing a published
work that contains contributions from freelancers is a violation of copyright
(and is not protected by 201c). He indicated that there would be no cost
to join in the brief.
MOVED THAT SAA join in the Faulkner v. National Geographic Society amicus
curiae brief being led by JSTOR provided that there will be no expense
to SAA. [Moved by Eaton, seconded by Jimerson] PASSED.
North American Archival Network of the International Council on Archives
(NAANICA): Ericson reported that Past President Peter Hirtle represented
SAA at the most recent NAANICA meeting in Montreal in May. SAA will continue
its involvement with the group and will have one representative to it.
Statement on USA PATRIOT Act: Ericson reported that he had decided
not to continue work on the original draft "Statement on the USA PATRIOT
Act" because he believed that SAA had nothing new to add to statements issued
by others. Instead, he thought it important to issue a statement upon the
renewal of the Act, when it is more likely to gain press coverage. He has
begun work on a "Statement on the Renewal of the USA PATRIOT Act" that he
will field with Council members immediately following the Council meeting,
and he will then forward the Council-adopted draft to the NAGARA and COSHRC
president(s) for possible co-signing prior to July 15.
SAA Mentoring Program: Ericson noted that the SAA Mentoring Program
is not working as well as we would like it to work. One reason for this is
that there are not enough mentors. He encourages each Council member to become
a mentor, as this action would send an important and positive message to
all members.
Action Item List: Ericson then reviewed and updated the status of
his assignments on the February 2004 Action Item list.
CONVERSATION WITH ARCHIVIST OF THE UNITED STATES JOHN CARLIN
Council members met briefly with Archivist of the United States John Carlin
via telephone. When asked whether he was surprised by the announcement of
a nominee for his position, Carlin indicated that he was "surprised on that
particular day, but not surprised in general." Ericson asked whether Carlin
will be attending the SAA Annual Meeting in Boston, as the Society would
like to acknowledge him for his years of service to the profession. Carlin
indicated that he does plan to attend, and that he also has an interest in
sharing his thinking about the future at some point.
Carlin then provided an update on the Electronic Records Archive project,
indicating that NARA had received a number of excellent design bids. He believes
that they will select one or two vendors during the summer of 2004. One result
of the process of development has been "an incredible expansion of technology." He
said that it is exciting and satisfying for him to look back over his nine
years as Archivist of the United States to "see the change in opinion of
those agencies with whom [we] work—we're no longer viewed as the ïrecords
police.'"
VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT
AHA Session Proposals: Two of four programs that SAA endorsed for
the AHA meeting in Seattle in January 2005 were approved. Jimerson thanked
Wosh and Wurl for their assistance in formulating ideas for the conference,
whose theme is "Archives and Artifacts." Accepted sessions are one on advocacy
for public history and archives (with panelists Lee Formwalt, Terry Davis,
Charlene Bickford, and Jimerson) and one on the "Heritage and Politics of
Archives" (with Francis Blouin, David Lowenthal, Bruce Craig, and Katherine
Sibley.
In April, Jimerson and Beaumont attended an American Society of Association
Executives symposium for chief elected officers and chief staff officers
in Chicago. Jimerson was particularly interested in the emphasis on the importance
of boards focusing on policy and strategy issues, rather than on the minutiae
of reporting and process. He would like to look at focusing future Council
discussion on policy alternatives.
On May 7, Jimerson presented the keynote address, "Historians and Archivists:
A Common Past, A Common Future," at the Pacific Northwest History Conference,
held jointly with Northwest Archivists, Inc., and the Northwest Oral History
Association. His talk featured information about the nomination of Allen
Weinstein as the Archivist of the United States and the coalition working
to ensure that proper procedures are followed in that appointment process.
Several people at the conference expressed a willingness to assist in archival
advocacy issues.
LIAISON REPORTS
Membership Committee: Wurl reported that membership numbers are looking
very good and that the Committee/staff action plan appears to be having some
positive effects. Committee Chair Scott Schwartz has indicated his intent
to step down as chair in September.
Electronic Publishing Working Group: Wurl reviewed the written report
of the EPWG and highlighted the concerns expressed by Chair Rob Spindler.
In a wide-ranging discussion of the very content-rich and detailed report,
Council members touched on a variety of issues of concern, including:
- Broader issues of SAA's technology infrastructure.
- Spindler's recommendation that the Working Group be disbanded and its
work dispersed to other groups. There is great concern that the many issues
identified by the Working Group will be lost if they do not have a champion
and a dedicated group (or groups) to carry out the tasks. Council generally
agreed that it is not time to disband the group, but it may be time to
reconsider its purpose.
- Concern that the mandate for online-only distribution of section and
roundtable newsletters has not yet been fulfilled, and that many sections
and roundtables do not seem to be moving in this direction.
- In response to a Council discussion in February 2004 regarding posting
of Pease Award applicant articles, to what extent does the Council agree
or disagree with the publication of "gray literature"?
- What are the overall financial implications of the Council-adopted EPWG
2002 Final Report?
Ericson asked Paton, Wurl, Brinati, and Doyle to review the EPWG Report
to determine the status of each item (eg, which are policy issues and which
are staff functions, which have been completed and what remains to be done
on those that have not been completed). Further, Ericson asked Wurl to invite
Spindler to attend the Council meeting in August 2004 for a more detailed
discussion of his ideas and concerns.
American Archivist Cover Controversy: Boles reported
that several members of the Business Archives Section had expressed their
dismay with the selection of cover art on the Spring 2004 issue of American
Archivist. They explained that the cover image, of a 1982 political poster
that was critical of Sun Maid's treatment of farm workers, was portrayed
in a way that could be inflammatory and embarrassing to those archivists
who work in corporate environments. Boles indicated that Journal Editor Phil
Eppard had responded to the members' complaints.
Privacy and Confidentiality Roundtable: Boles reported that the issue
of release of autopsy photos in two celebrity cases has not received the
concern and press that had been anticipated, and thus the Privacy and Confidentiality
Roundtable recommends no action at this time.
Unsung Hero Award: Neal reported on a recent communication with Awards
Committee co-chairs Daria D'Arienzo and Diane Dimkoff that would establish
a new award for "lost contributors to the profession—those who work
alone or who are from smaller places that don't have the infrastructure to
support extensive, visible professional activities." Council asked that the
co-chairs provide more information about the potential new award.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Council members reviewed the FY04 YTD Financial Statements (as of May 31,
2004) as well as a review of variances between budgeted and actual figures.
Review and discussion of the proposed FY05 budget was moved to the last
item of New Business in order to ensure capture of all discussion items with
financial implications.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Council members reviewed staff reports addressing Headquarters Operations,
Education, Publications, and the Annual Meeting.
APPOINTED GROUP REPORTS
Committee on Ethics and Professional Conduct
Council members reviewed the draft revision of the Code of Ethics as prepared
by the Committee and made several recommendations for minor revisions that
Sniffin-Marinoff will report back to the Committee. The revised draft will
be fielded to the Leadership Listserv and to the general membership via the
Web, Archival Outlook, and the Annual Meeting registration packets,
and all members will be invited to provide feedback at an open Ethics Forum
on Wednesday, August 4, from 4:00 to 5:30 pm at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
The Committee report also recommended that the Council consider charging
the Committee to develop a separate but similar Code of Professional Conduct.
Council members suggested that, after the Code is completed, the Committee
draft a two-paragraph example to clarify what the Code of Professional Conduct
might look like. Council will then decide whether this effort should be pursued.
The Committee also recommended that the Council consider development of
a third "aspirational" document that indicates the types of policies and
procedures that are fundamental for good administration of the records and
manuscripts in custody of archival institutions. Council members discussed
the fact that the Publications Board currently is working on an update of
a book on institutional best practice, and that this task is appropriately
placed with the Publications Board and falls outside the scope of the Committee
on Ethics and Professional Development's charge.
Committee on Education and Professional Development
Council members engaged in an extensive discussion of the Committee on Education
and Professional Development report, in which Committee Chair Bill Landis
asked for specific feedback on various items in order that the Committee
might move forward with priority setting and development of a revision of
the PACE Guidelines. Council members reviewed the specific questions and
provided feedback to Council Liaison Chris Paton for transmission to the
Committee. In addition, the Council:
- Voted to disband the SAA Continuing Education Task Force, with thanks:
MOVED THAT the Continuing Education Task Force be disbanded with thanks.
[Moved by Jimerson, seconded by Bell-Russel] PASSED.
- Asked staff to present a proposal to Council at the August 2004 meeting
regarding creation of a "semi-formal" advisory group to assist staff in
developing ideas for new education programs. The group would be "out in
the field," would bring forward ideas for new programs, ensure that there
are no gaps in current offerings, and assist in creating curricula in appropriate
areas. The group would not be a part of or responsible to the CEPD.
Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee had its inaugural meeting May 14-16, 2004. In a
dynamic and wide-ranging discussion of SAA policies, communication, products,
services, and activities, the Diversity Committee affirmed the content of
the 1999 Task Force on Diversity Final Report as a foundation for the future
work of the Committee. The Committee will return to the document continually
to develop action plans to address the items outlined in the report. Committee
members agreed to put forward of series of recommendations for Council consideration.
The Council adopted the Diversity Committee's Recommendation 1.
MOVED THAT an update on diversity initiatives be included in the
reporting requirements for Council, the SAA office, and all SAA units. [Moved
by Jimerson, seconded by Boles] PASSED.
Support Statement: The SAA Council has attached high priority to
the ongoing goal of increasing the diversity of SAA's membership and the
enrichment of diversity-related services. This goal will be realized only
when it becomes fully integrated into the fabric of the entire organization.
All groups should be strongly urged to develop new initiatives and to amplify
existing activities to address this priority, and all should report annually
to Council on their diversity-related efforts and their impact. To assist
in this effort, the Diversity Committee will develop a set of suggestions
to help instruct Sections, Roundtables, staff, and others in how to go about
promoting diversity within their groups and core activities.
The Council adopted the Diversity Committee's Recommendation 2.
MOVED THAT the President Elect and the Appointments Committee report
to the Council on the demographics of committees and indicate what was attempted
to seek diversity among committee members. [Moved by Boles, seconded by Eaton]
PASSED.
Support Statement: Per the 1999 Task Force Report, every effort should
be made to "include at least one new or lesser-known member on each committee
and task force as an intern to increase participation by newcomers." Further,
SAA should support broad representation on all appointed groups. The requested
report would institutionalize accountability, help SAA understand "how we're
doing," and establish a baseline for future efforts. The President Elect
will define and establish standards for "demographics."
The Diversity Committee's Recommendation 3—that SAA provide for an
orientation for SAA leaders (eg, committee and task force chairs, Section
and Roundtable chairs), with inclusion of requirements for diversity reporting
and importance of diversity initiatives as a priority—was discussed
extensively. Council members decided that they needed more information about
orientation options, timelines, and costs before they could make a decision.
Beaumont was charged with preparing a report on this topic for the January
2005 Council meeting.
The Council adopted the Diversity Committee's Recommendation 4.
MOVED THAT the 2005 Annual Meeting Program and Host committees address
diversity issues by incorporating appropriate programming (eg, sensitivity
to cultural differences, ownership, access, and use of archival materials)
and local arrangements activities (eg, tours, diversity fair) into the meeting
experience, and further
THAT the 2004 Annual Meeting Program Committee report on the extent
to which that program addresses diversity issues. [Moved by Jimerson, seconded
by Eaton] PASSED.
Support Statement: The Council and Committee note that the 2004 Annual
Meeting program reflects significant attention to diversity issues, and praise
the efforts of the SAA President and the Program Committee in this regard.
To ensure that progress in this area continues, the 2005 committees are asked
explicitly to address diversity issues. The 2004 report is envisioned as
a tool that will help inform the efforts of the committees in 2005 and beyond.
Council members supported in principle the Diversity Committee's Recommendation
5—that SAA develop an award to acknowledge contributions to or achievements
in diversity. The Diversity Committee is encouraged to work with the Awards
Committee to develop proposed language for the award that will then be voted
on by Council.
The Committee also recommended that Ericson consider inviting a Native American
to provide a welcome at the 2004 Annual Meeting in Boston. Ericson indicated
that he would pursue this idea.
OLD BUSINESS
Journal Editor Recruitment / Selection
Boles reviewed and Council members discussed a variety of proposed revisions
to the Council Handbook, Section 7., American Archivist Editorial
Board that would reflect appropriate changes in the Journal Editor's reporting
mechanism, performance review, and recruitment/selection. Following substantial
discussion, Boles agreed to make additional changes and corrections and forward
a second revision for Council members to review online. Language regarding
diversity will be added in the Qualifications section.
District of Columbia Municipal Archives
Bell-Russel updated Council members on the status of the District of Columbia
Municipal Archives, which had been revealed via a Washington Post article
to be in grave need of renovation and significant support by the District
of Columbia government. Despite other budget cuts by the DC government, Bell-Russel
indicated that the City Council had approved $500,000 to relocate the Municipal
Archives to other quarters while preparations were undertaken to relocate
it to a new building that would combine the archives with records management.
She suggested that SAA should continue to monitor the situation, and should
plan regular communication to ensure that the Archives remains a high priority
for the municipal government.
AASLH Joint Meeting in March 2004
Bell-Russel reported on a March 19 meeting convened by the American Association
for State and Local History and attended by 23 other organizations for the
purpose of discussing means to increase funding for NHPRC. Various components
of the larger group have met via conference call to develop work products,
and the archivist representatives have been working on a parallel track.
Council members reaffirmed the importance of SAA remaining involved in this
group and this effort.
Pinkett Scholarship Fund
Bell-Russel reported on recent conversations regarding the advisability
of establishing an endowment for the Pinkett fund, and the willingness of
key representatives to put aside this idea in favor of stimulating growth
of the fund in other ways. Beaumont indicated that she will convene a meeting
of interested parties (Bell-Russel, Neal, Jimerson, Wurl, representatives
of the Archives and Archivists of Color Roundtable and of the SAA Diversity
Committee) to discuss developing coordinated action plans that would have
a positive impact on fundraising for the Pinkett Scholarship Fund.
Sections/Roundtables Reporting Form
Engst presented and discussed a draft reporting form for Sections and Roundtables
that should ease their work and also help to standardize the type of information
that is reported. The form will be changed further to incorporate the new
Council requirement for diversity reporting. The form will be made available
on the SAA Web site when it is complete. Reports are due on December 31,
and Council liaisons are encouraged to contact their groups in June to remind
them of the deadline in advance of their August meetings.
Section/Roundtable Fundraising Policy
Council members discussed a report prepared by Eaton, Bell-Russel, and Sniffin-Marinoff
that recommended changes in the Council Handbook regarding Section/Roundtable
Fundraising. During the course of the discussion, Council members realized
that the language would require further revision in order to bring it into
compliance with the current policy that SAA does not fund print newsletters,
effective after publication of the summer 2004 newsletters. The group will
prepare additional revisions for the August 2004 Council meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
Fundraising Workshop: Next Steps
Council members discussed what action steps may be necessary to stimulate
SAA's fundraising activities based on what was learned during a full-day fundraising
workshop on June 4.
MOVED THAT an ad hoc committee consisting of the Treasurer, the Executive
Director, and others, with assistance from counsel and auditors, be formed
to:
- Explore the best means to ensure the proper and separate accounting
of SAA's 501(c)3 and 501(c)6 funds;
- Explore appropriate structures to manage the 501(C)3 funds, such as
a Council development committee or a separate foundation board;
- Make a preliminary report to Council by mid-summer and use the Council
list to get a general sense of Council's preference for a development
committee or a separate foundation board; and
- Based on Council's preference, present at the August meeting draft documents
to establish the preferred administrative structure.
At the August meeting, Council may direct the committee to finalize the appropriate
documents to establish the preferred structure in hopes that the structure
can be in place in time to be announced as part of the fall fundraising campaign.
[Moved by Eaton, seconded by Bell-Russel] PASSED.
Council Resolution Honoring New York Archivists Round Table (NYART)
The SAA Council adopted the following resolution:
The Council of the Society of American Archivists hereby
extends its congratulations and best wishes to the New York Archivists Round
Table (NYART) on the occasion of its 25th Anniversary.
Founded in 1979 with only ten initial members, the NYART
grew to 180 members within two years and has now increased in size to more
than 330 archivists from 160 different institutions. Such growth illustrates
vividly that the Round Table has been successful in meeting the needs of area
archivists and has become an important resource for New York's archival community.
Notable among the NYART's accomplishments are:
- Its role during 1979 in initiating New York Archives Week as a means to celebrate
metropolitan New York's diverse history, raise public awareness of the area's
archives and recognize individual and institutional use and promotion of
archives. The Archives Week program
was a notable success and has continued since 1979. It is now held annually in October and includes
such activities as the Family History Fair, lectures, exhibits, and an awards ceremony.
- Working with a group of concerned historians and other professionals
during the early 1990s in order to bring both the city and state governments
to the aid of the New York Historical Society, which had planned to close
its library, a nationally
significant cultural resource.
- Initiating a major campaign to advocate for the return of former New York
City Mayor Giuliani's records to the New York Municipal Archives. Partially
through the Round Table's advocacy effort, city laws were revised to
ensure public control over the records of city government.
But perhaps most important, throughout its 25 years the NYART has provided a
forum in which members of the Metropolitan New York archival community can come together to discuss
issues of professional concern. Among
its many activities are the following:
- Monthly meetings held at repositories around the city between September and June focus
on practical and professional issues, or on the relation of the archival profession
to topics of current public interest.
- Since 1999, the NYART Web site (www.nycarchivists.org) has provided members
and friends with information on relevant events, professional development, and
job opportunities.
- The NYART publishes Metropolitan Archivist, a semi-annual newsletter
with articles on substantive archival issues, book reviews, and ART news.
The Round Table prints and distributes its annual Membership Directory and
maintains an online Repository Directory of member institutions.
It promotes professional development through continuing education
workshops and professional education opportunities, which attract
the audience from
the New York Metro area and beyond. The Round Table prints and distributes
its annual Membership Directory, and maintains an online Repository
Directory of member institutions.
The SAA Council commends the NYART's ambitious program
that is in the best tradition of a regional archival association's unique ability
to provide professional support and educational opportunities to those who
comprise its geographical constituency. The Society of American Archivists
is proud to be associated with an organization of the NYART's quality, and
we look forward to working with the Round Table and its members during the
coming years.
[Moved by Engst, seconded by Wosh] PASSED.
Student Chapter Application
MOVED THAT the Wright State University petition for a Student Chapter be approved.
[Moved by Eaton, seconded by Boles] PASSED.
Adoption of FY05 Budget
Council members reviewed the budget summary sheets and program planners developed
to present the proposed FY05 budget. Among the detailed items discussed was
the value of ongoing institutional membership in the Coalition for Networked
Information, for an annual fee of $5,600, as well as the Council-adopted policy
that discontinues financial support for print section newsletters.
MOVED THAT the proposed FY05 budget of $1,510,710 in income, $1,494,835
in expenses, and $15,785 in net revenue be adopted.
[Moved by Boles, seconded by Wurl] PASSED.
Election of Executive Committee Member
Wurl was elected to serve on the 2004-2005 Executive Committee. Engst and
Boles will serve on the 2004-2005 Nominating Committee.
Adjournment
Following a review and update of the Action Item List, the meeting was adjourned
at 12:00 noon on Sunday, June 6, 2004.
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