Society of American Archivists
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
August 27 – 28, 2007
Chicago, Illinois
President Elizabeth Adkins called the meeting to order at 9:05 am on Monday, August 27. Present were Vice President/President-Elect Mark Greene, Treasurer Ann Russell, Executive Committee member Peter Gottlieb, and Council members Mark Duffy, Aimee Felker, Rebecca Hankins, Nancy Zimmelman Lenoil, Leon Miller, Ben Primer, Carla Summers, and Sheryl Williams. Also present were Frank Boles, who will assume the position of Vice President/President-Elect for 2007-2008; Bruce Ambacher, Margery Sly, and Diane Vogt-O’Connor, who will become Council members effective September 1, 2007; SAA Executive Director Nancy Beaumont; Publishing Director Teresa Brinati; Education Director Solveig De Sutter; Member and Technical Services Director Brian Doyle; and Finance/Administration Director Tom Jurczak. Jim Dalton facilitated the August 27 strategic planning session. Lee White, Executive Director of the National Coalition for History, joined the group on Tuesday, August 28. Guests on August 28: SAA members Kate Theimer and Jim Gerencser.
MONDAY, AUGUST 27
Council members and staff participated in a day-long strategic planning session with Facilitator Jim Dalton. The group discussed SAA’s current “radar screen” issues, the status of activities associated with those issues, and other challenges that the profession faces that may be considered for addition to the “radar screen” of priorities.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 28
I. COUNCIL BUSINESS
A. Adoption of the Agenda
Felker moved and Williams seconded adoption of the agenda with changes recommended by the Executive Committee. PASSED.
B. Approval of the June 2007 Minutes
Felker moved and Williams seconded approval of the June 2007 Council meeting minutes. PASSED.
C. Review of the June 2007 “To-Do List”
Council members reviewed the items listed on the June 2007 “To-Do List” and provided updates on completed and incomplete items.
II. REPORTS
A. Report of the Executive Committee
Gottlieb reported on a number of items that the Executive Committee had addressed on behalf of the Council since the June 2007 Council meeting, including the following:
- Approved a motion that the SAA Treasurer and staff be directed to transfer the Society’s FY2007 net gain (approximately $50,797, unaudited as of August 27, 2007) as follows: 5% to the General Reserve Fund and 95% to the conversion and maintenance of a digital version of The American Archivist. If funds remain after the conversion of the American Archivist back file, those funds are to be transferred to the Technology Fund for the purpose of enhancing the content management system.
- Approved a statement on concerns about the administration of FOIA within several government agencies.
- Reviewed “Protocols for Native American Archival Materials” and recommended that the document be discussed by the full Council. (See Agenda Item III.A.)
- Approved a request from the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield to sign onto testimony for the Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Democracy and Human Rights of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in support of U.S. ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention.
- Reviewed requests from OpentheGovernment.org to 1) sign a letter of support for federal whistleblower legislation (declined the request) and 2) sign a support letter for U.S. Senators’ efforts to maintain provisions in the OPEN Government Act (S. 849) that strengthen the Freedom of Information Act (approved the request).
- Agreed on the text of Council Exemplary Service Award citations for Vicki Walch and Trudy Peterson.
- Reviewed a request for assistance from the Iraq National Library and Archives (INLA) and, in response: 1) drafted and approved a statement for posting on the SAA website deploring illegal entry into the INLA facilities by Iraq National Guard and US troops and 2) drafted a letter (subsequently sent) to President Bush and other US officials about alleged US troop incursion into the INLA facilities.
- Reviewed a request from Russell James, founding editor of the SAA Student Chapter Newsletter (a grassroots publication), for “official” status, and developed and approved a charge for a three-person editorial board appointed by the incoming SAA president. Information about the group will be included in the Council Handbook.
- Reviewed a draft charge that would assign to each of three task forces the task of developing statements on access to various types of records (ie, collected manuscripts, private records held by a creating organization, and government records). This issue is being carried over for discussion at the September 1 meeting for direction in the face of revisions to the process for the ALA/SAA Joint Statement on Access to Research Material.
- Reviewed and discussed a digest of postings (compiled by Kate Theimer on her “archivesnext” blog) on the Archives & Archivists Listserv about how SAA could improve its work.
- Reviewed a draft of an agreement with a university to transfer the A&A List archives.
- Approved an Op-Ed piece (drafted by Mark Greene) for the Washington Post regarding a news story about the Washington D.C. mayor’s plans to delete all city government email messages after 6 months. The piece has not yet appeared in print.
B. President’s Report
Adkins reported on a variety of items not included in the Executive Committee report, including the following:
- Discussions with ARMA International leaders and staff about drafting a joint memorandum of understanding regarding development of standards.
- Communication with the Association of College and Research Libraries of the American Library Association regarding the process used to prepare a revision of the ACRL/SAA Joint Statement on Access to Original Research Materials.
- Her plans for her presidential address on the subject of diversity.
C. Vice President’s Report
Greene reported on the following:
- Completion of more than 45 appointments to committees, task forces, and other groups, in addition to the appointments previously made to the Appointments Committee and the 2008 Program Committee. Remaining to be appointed are members of the 2008 Host Committee. He noted that 85 SAA members had completed the self-nomination form on the SAA website. He provided a breakdown of his appointments by race/ethnicity, length of SAA membership, sex, and geography.
- Participation in two media interviews: one with a New York Times reporter on the recent trend of significant architects to sell rather than donate their collections to repositories (resulting in a one-sentence quote in the article) and the second with a Los Angeles Times reporter about whether Hillary Clinton’s papers as First Lady should – by law or ethics – be open for inspection as she runs for President (with no published quotes).
- Progress made in identifying a repository to house the A&A List Archives (1993-2006) and in drafting a legal transfer or donation document.
D. Treasurer’s Report
Russell presented an unaudited year-end financial review for FY 2007 generated using the new accounting and general ledger software. The net gain of slightly less than $51,000 was due largely to careful management of expenses and a slightly higher increase in members than was projected. She noted that approximately $59,565 in direct expenses were associated with SAA’s strategic priorities as follows: Technology, $31,560; Diversity, $9,685; Advocacy and Public Awareness, $17,720; and Disaster Planning and Preparedness, $600.
E. Staff Reports
1. Executive Director: Beaumont’s written report provided updates on advocacy efforts as well as progress on activities addressing SAA’s strategic priorities in the areas of technology, diversity, and public awareness.
2. Membership: Doyle’s written report provided an update on membership statistics, including growth rates by dues category. He noted a slowing of growth among student members, from a high in FY2006 of 32% to the current growth rate of approximately 5-6%. SAA’s total membership was 4,885 as of the end of July.
3. Education: De Sutter’s written report provided a year-end summary of FY 2007 education programs, noting that 54 face-to-face workshops served 1,463 registrants; that approximately 1,120 people at 225 sites participated in SAA’s two online real-time web seminars; and that 10 new program topics were introduced in FY07 and 10 more new programs are in development. Her projected calendar for FY2008 (through April 2008) includes 33 workshops and seminars in locations throughout the country.
4. Publications: Brinati’s written report noted that seven new titles were published in FY 2007, including the following: Archives and Justice: A South African Perspective by Verne Harris (foreword by Terry Cook); Planning New and Remodeled Archival Facilities by Thomas Wilsted; Film Preservation: Competing Definitions of Value, Use, and Practice by Karen Gracy; Photographs: Archival Care and Management by Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler and Diane Vogt-O’Connor with Helena Zinkham, Brett Carnell, and Kit Petersen; Architectural Records: Managing Design and Construction Records by Waverly Lowell and Tawny Ryan Nelb; Archives & the Public Interest: Selected Essays by Ernst Posner edited by Ken Munden with a new introduction by Angelika Menne-Haritz; and Understanding Archives and Manuscripts by James O’Toole and Richard Cox. Total sale of books achieved a new record in FY 2007 thanks to the availability of many new titles.
5. Annual Meeting: Beaumont’s written report noted an advance paid registration total of 1,527, which would make the meeting the largest SAA-only meeting in the Society’s history. Exhibit sales were below levels in FY 2005 and FY 2006, and she pointed out the significant challenges of space constraints in the hotel, extremely high food and beverage costs within the hotel, and a return to high AV costs.
6. Association Management Software (AMS) System: Doyle’s written report reviewed the status of the Headquarters transition to a new association management software system, as well as new accounting and general ledger systems. Several important tasks remain to configure the system fully and achieve optimal efficiency, including configuring various new reports and extracts and working with the vendor to add custom procedures to streamline critical data processing tasks; integration of certain website functions with the new AMS; and integration of all systems with Lyris ListManager.
F. 2007 Program Committee
A written report prepared by co-chairs Danna Bell-Russel and Becky Haglund Tousey noted their perspective that the Program Committee was composed to reflect the diversity of the archives profession and that the program, selected from 89 session proposals, successfully addressed diversity issues within the profession. They reflected on the benefit of expanding the programming options to include poster presentations (beyond those of graduate students) and noted that all endorsed sessions were discussed by the full committee in order to ensure that the preferences of Sections and Roundtables were considered.
G. 2007 Host Committee
Host Committee Chair Janet Olson submitted a report on behalf of the committee that reflected on the diversity of the committee itself (with members representing academic, corporate, cultural, religious, association, government, and public library repositories) and on the variety of repository tours and open houses scheduled just prior to the start of the Annual Meeting. Those that most specifically addressed diversity issues included the repository tours of the Center for Black Music Research and of the Chicago Jazz Archive at the University of Chicago and the open houses at the Gerber/Hart Library (LGBT collection), the Women and Leadership Archives, the Frances Willard House, and the Leather Museum.
H. American Archivist Editor
American Archivist Editor Mary Jo Pugh noted in her written report (for the period May 11 to August 8, 2007) that the beta version of American Archivist Online will be available for viewing at the SAA Bookstore during the Annual Meeting; the Editorial Board had revised the guidelines and submission process for the Theodore Calvin Pease Award; the 204-page Spring/Summer 2007 issue of the Journal was mailed in early June; the Fall/Winter 2007 issue will be the first to be published both in print and online; and 10 manuscripts had been submitted for consideration.
I. Editor, Print and Electronic Publications
Peter Wosh, appointed by the Council in March to serve a three-year term as Editor, Print and Electronic Publications, provided an update on the status of a basic manual on preservation that is slated for publication in 2008; signing of contracts to produce a basic book on managing electronic records and a more theoretical book on “Archives in the Digital Age”; the status of a book proposal concerning archival ethics; and the distribution to all members of requests for proposals for new readers on religious archives, diversity, and public awareness. He noted that the planned joint meeting with the Journal Editorial Board in March 2008 will aid in developing a strategic approach to electronic publishing across SAA’s entire publications program.
Pugh and Wosh joined Council members and staff for an informal discussion of their work over lunch.
J. Technology Best Practices Task Force
Task Force Chair Naomi Nelson’s written report noted that the group had completed an initial survey of available resources and compiled a draft list of best practices, guidelines, reports, publications, and other resources in a draft of Managing Electronic Records and Assets: A Bibliography, which was posted on the SAA website prior to the Annual Meeting so that members could begin contributing to it. An email message was sent to SAA and ARMA leaders requesting that they publicize the draft and encourage suggestions and additions.
Lenoil noted that feedback about the first offering of the “Electronic Records Summer Camp” was very positive.
K. Other Reports from Council Members
No other reports were presented.
III. ACTION ITEMS
A. Native American Archives Protocols
Carla Summers, Council liaison to the Native American Archives Roundtable, presented a report and a series of recommendations regarding a document entitled “Protocols for Native American Archival Materials” that was created by a group of 19 Native American and non-Native American archivists, librarians, museum curators, historians, and anthropologists gathered at a conference at Northern Arizona University in April 2006. The Protocols were referred to the SAA Council for endorsement.
Summers offered the following opening statement before the action item was discussed: “The protocols are an example of a community of experts creating a set of ideal behaviors that, because of the trust issue, are presented as prescriptive. Protocols set standards of behavior and ceremony. We all know that we strive to meet standards and maybe our role is to make this document sound more like guidelines. But I feel that may violate the trust of the group. Our review is one of the most important for a document that calls for review and conversation. As others have said, that review must be provided diplomatically and mindfully, which isn’t always possible in the crush of Council business. Finally, rather than worrying that our support will extend a special status to Native Americans, we should see these protocols as inspiration for other communities where the issues of human rights and spiritual ownership apply, however we define sovereignty.”
MOTION 1
THAT the SAA President appoint a three-person task force, to include Boles and two others to be named, to serve as liaisons to the drafters of the “Protocols for Native American Archival Materials” and to propose by the end of November 2007 a process for sharing the Protocols with the SAA membership and moving forward with their consideration by the Council.
Moved by Greene; seconded by Summers. PASSED.
B. Proposed Bylaws and Council Handbook Changes
Greene thanked SAA member Kate Theimer for bringing before the Council several ideas for streamlining communication with members about Council activities. He noted that although information about Council meetings is made available to members, the current methods (summaries in Archival Outlook, minutes approved only during in-person Council meetings) are slow.
Greene moved as a group Motions 2 through 6; seconded by Miller. PASSED.
MOTION 2
THAT the SAA office notify the membership, through a post on the SAA website, of the schedule of upcoming Council meetings immediately upon scheduling them.
MOTION 3
THAT the SAA office make agendas for Council meetings available to the membership, through a post on the SAA website, 10 business days prior to the Council meetings, with the understanding that exceptions are possible for late changes and agenda amendments made at the meetings.
MOTION 4
THAT the SAA office make minutes of the Council meetings available to the membership, through a post on the SAA website, within 60 calendar days after completion of the meetings.
MOTION 5
THAT the SAA office make available to the membership, through a posting on the SAA website, the agenda for the Annual Business Meeting at least 10 business days prior to the meeting, with the understanding that the agenda can and does change as a result of member submissions of resolutions to the Council Resolutions Committee as described in SAA Bylaws Section 10.H.
MOTION 6
That the SAA Council request the input of the membership, via a posting to the SAA website at least 5 30 working days prior to an expected vote, of an intention to terminate any organizational unit, with the understanding that this does not apply to terminations outlined in the SAA Council Handbook chapters on sections and roundtables.
Support Statement for Motions 2 Through 6: It is in SAA’s best interest for Council activities to be as transparent as possible. If adopted, this procedure will contribute to increased member awareness of Council decisions and actions.
Fiscal Impact: None. Some additional staff time.
Primer proposed amendment to 30 days; seconded by Williams. PASSED. (Greene and Summers opposing)
MOTION 7
THAT after the formation of a task force, information regarding the charge, schedule, products, and membership of the task force shall be made available by the SAA office to the SAA membership through a posting to the SAA website within 15 working days of creation of the task force charge. However, by majority vote the Council may decide not to release some or all of this information when the topic of a task force’s deliberations contains sensitive or confidential information (for example, in matters of personal privacy).
Support Statement: It is in SAA’s best interest for Council activities to be as transparent as possible. If adopted, this procedure would enable transparency without diminishing the Council’s and staff’s effectiveness in leading and managing the Society.
Fiscal Impact: None. Some additional staff time.
Moved by Greene, seconded by Duffy. PASSED.
Duffy moved to amend the Greene recommendations with two additional recommendations; seconded by Felker. PASSED (unanimously).
The original motion, including all three recommendations, was then considered. PASSED. (Hankins opposed.)
MOTION 8
THAT the SAA Council Handbook be revised to include the following provisions under Section VIII relating to task forces: 1) at least one half of the members of any SAA Council task force will be appointed from outside the SAA Council, and 2) the President will consult with section and roundtable leaders and consider them for appointment to task forces when appropriate in matters of special concern to them.
Moved by Duffy, seconded by Felker. PASSED.
MOTION 9
THAT when considering matters relating to new policies and programs or organizational change and strategy, SAA Council task forces will ordinarily consult with and seek comment from SAA section and roundtable leaders and with the membership as a whole when possible and appropriate.
Support Statement for Motions 8 and 9: The SAA Council recently adopted recommendations of the Task Force on Sections and Roundtables that included the following provisions:
The president or designee will report on the involvement of section leaders in the activities and appointments of the Council in the past year. (Section 1.7.)
Consultation. Sections are incubators for developing leaders who go on to take positions in SAA. Leadership development is a more productive process in an organizational environment that nurtures consultation and participation. The task force endorses a previous task force recommendation that section leaders be appropriately consulted in the decision-making and deliberative processes of the Society. Whenever possible, section leaders should be included in appointments to committees and task forces, when such appointments are appropriate to inform the subject or achieve a diversity of opinion. (Section 1.11.)
With passage of the Task Force’s final recommendations, a number of changes were made to the Council Handbook’s paragraphs on sections and roundtables. [Motion 8] brings the Task Force’s recommendations into harmony with the Handbook’s paragraphs on task forces. Council task forces – as opposed to any number of ad hoc or special Council committees that may investigate routine matters – are an organizational tool “to deal with matters of special concern to the Society and the profession.” In matters of special concern, the appointment process should appropriately include section and roundtable leaders. The significant difference in this amendment from the previously adopted Section/Roundtable Task Force report is the inclusion of roundtable conveners in the pool of those who should be tapped.
[Motion 9] supports the effort to maximize transparency in response to the recommendations brought forward by SAA member Kate Theimer regarding SAA Council task forces. While the member’s specific recommendations do not allow for sufficient flexibility in terms of the range of task force assignments, they do challenge the SAA Council to be conscious of achieving a reasonable balance between effective associational governance and members’ rights to be informed and involved in the association’s special concerns (which are properly the primary reason for task forces). This [motion] responds to this challenge by formalizing a practice that the Council typically expects of its task forces when weighing matters that may result in substantial policy changes, organizational structure, or new programs of interest to SAA members and their elected leaders.
A proposed revision to the Handbook is suggested to follow as closely as possible along the following lines.
Section VIII: Task Forces
GUIDELINES
Role and Purpose
The SAA Council establishes task forces to deal with matters of special concern to the Society and the profession. Task forces are given specific charges to study and evaluate certain issues, prepare reports and study documents, and, when deemed appropriate, make recommendations for action by the Council.
The work of task forces usually occurs within a prescribed period of time, such as from one annual meeting to the next. In some circumstances, the duration of the task force may be extended to allow the work to be completed. When a task force is terminated, existing SAA bodies such as committees, sections, and roundtables may continue attention to the area it addressed. In some instances, a new SAA body may be formed to follow up the work of a task force.
Members of task forces are appointed by the President, and generally serve for the term of the task force. Membership on task forces is open to all SAA members. A minimum of one half of the members of any task force are appointed from SAA members who are not currently serving on the SAA Council. In making appointments to task forces, the President gives special consideration to section and roundtable leaders who may have a particular interest in the matter of special concern.
Written reports are submitted to the Council annually and when the work is completed. Task forces are also expected to communicate with other SAA bodies engaged in similar undertakings. In the course of their investigations, task forces are ordinarily expected to communicate by direct means or to use the Society’s electronic announcement lists and website to alert section and roundtable leaders, or the membership when appropriate, of special matters that they are considering that may affect SAA policy, organizational structure, or new program initiatives. Member comments will be considered by task forces and reported to the Council.
To encourage participation by students and new members of the profession, persons who have been members of SAA for less than five years may serve as interns to task forces. Interns, who are appointed by the Vice President/President Elect in consultation with the chair, serve as non-voting members for a term of one year and are expected to attend the SAA Annual Meeting and assist in the work of the group throughout the year.
In summary, task forces serve an investigative and policy advisory role, and are armed with a specific charge to be completed in a prescribed period of time.
Fiscal Impact: No additional measurable impact.
Moved by Duffy, seconded by Felker. PASSED.
C. Minority Scholarship Fund
Adkins noted that, in conducting research for her Presidential Address on the subject of diversity, she had learned about the American Library Association’s Spectrum scholarship program, “an ambitious program that has many ‘legs’ that provide support in a way that is meaningful and ongoing.” She sees a need both to leverage ALA’s existing program (by promoting it via SAA’s communication vehicles) and to build a minority scholarship program within SAA.
MOTION 10
THAT the SAA President appoint a Minority Scholarship Task Force to prepare a proposal for the Council's consideration at its first meeting in 2008. The proposal should suggest a program structure, as well as the level and quantity of scholarship awards to be made. In preparing a recommendation regarding structure of an SAA program, the task force should review the ALA Spectrum Scholarship initiative, the Midwest Archives Conference’s Archie Motley Memorial Scholarship for Minority Students program, and any similar programs.
Support Statement: A well-structured minority scholarship program would advance SAA’s diversity strategic priority by supporting graduate archival education for people of color. Communications, outreach tools, networking opportunities, and a mentoring program might be associated with the scholarship program, providing multiple opportunities to address action items in support of our diversity strategic priority.
Moved by Adkins, seconded by Russell. PASSED. (Felker dissenting)
D. A&A List: Deleting Messages
Greene noted that there is a pending request for several hundred messages to be removed from the Archives and Archivists List archives by the message poster. Past practice (pre-dating new Terms of Participation) has been to allow such redactions from the list, and the decision has been made to permit these deletions as well. The remaining question is whether, as part of the information provided to users of the archives (and the current list if such requests are submitted) about the fact that messages have been deleted and why, the requestor’s identity should be disclosed. A decision on this question is necessary to complete the document that will transfer ownership of the list archives from Miami University of Ohio to another university and to facilitate administration of the active list going forward.
Per the discussion document, the most compelling reasons cited for not posting the name of the individual who is requesting deletion of his posts are that 1) he is strongly opposed to being identified; 2) it names the individual with no prior warning that the request for deletion would result in his name being known; and 3) the damage to the list archives will be done, and providing the name will not improve the situation sufficiently to risk alienating the poster. The most compelling reasons to post the name of the individual are that 1) it provides users of the list with sufficient information to fully understand the impact of the deletions, thus helping to maintain, as best possible under the circumstances, the integrity of the list; and 2) it will discourage future requests to delete messages.
Adkins provided a report summarizing the results of her solicitation of feedback from current A&A List subscribers on the matters of 1) whether the identity of the poster should be posted and 2) whether such requests for deleting messages should be honored in the future. Her query generated more than 60 responses via List postings and private email messages to her. Of the two questions posed to the List, the second generated far more discussion than the first, with opinions expressed by more than 40 individuals. Sentiment ran strongly against permitting deletions in the future. A few individuals said that deletions should be permitted in exceptional cases, and no one supported the idea of deleting posts simply because an individual had later decided that the posts might prove embarrassing.
MOTION 11
THAT the SAA Council resolve that the individual who is requesting deletion of his posts be named as part of the information provided about the fact of the removal and why; and
THAT the SAA Council resolve that any individuals requesting deletion of their postings in the future be named in a similar manner, whether the deletions occur from the archives or from the active list.
Support Statement: It is in SAA’s best interest to discourage deletions of posts from the list archives and the active list. Indeed, the Council may wish to resolve to prohibit any further deletions from the active list made solely to please the poster (and not, for example, to eliminate a copyright infringement). Naming the individual minimizes, so far as possible, the damage done by deleting the messages to the contextual integrity of the list archives or active list.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Moved by Greene, seconded by Gottlieb. FAILED. (Greene and Miller dissenting)
E. A&A List: Reconsider Banning of Subscriber?
Felker presented a report and recommendation on the matter of an Archives and Archivists List subscriber who was removed and banned from the A&A List for what was described by another SAA member as “frequent and somewhat bizarre and off-topic postings.” In spring 2007, the SAA installed a new software program and did not set the program to exclude this subscriber. As a result, the individual tried to re-subscribe to the list. In a separate written report, Adkins provided information on the previous decision to ban the subscriber. Felker asked that the Council reconsider the access rights of the individual and, if appropriate, update and apply consistently the published and formal listserve access guidelines.
MOTION 12
THAT SAA establish and publish procedures for handling alleged violations to ensure that all members or subscribers experience fair and equal treatment.
Moved by Felker, seconded by Hankins. PASSED. (unanimously)
CONVERSATION WITH NCH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEE WHITE
Lee White, executive director of the National Coalition for History, joined the Council for an update and discussion of current NCH activities and priorities. He noted that he would be providing an advocacy update to SAA committee, section, and roundtable leaders at the Leadership Orientation and Forum on Wednesday, August 29.
F. Task Force on Trusted Archival Preservation Repositories
Felker noted that the Task Force on Trusted Archival Preservation Repositories was created by the SAA Council in August 2006 to: “Create a proposal for an SAA-sponsored program that defines a trusted archival preservation repository program and could be used for outreach and promotion. The program should include a self-assessment tool. The proposal should describe the nature of the program, outline a self-assessment tool, and include a work plan and a draft budget for creation of a program.” The idea for the program had been submitted in April 2006 by then-chairs of the Preservation Section (Gregor Trinkaus-Randall) and the Visual Materials Section (James Eason).
The task force report recommends that SAA develop a preservation-focused institutional self-assessment tool for archives and other custodians of historical documents that is disseminated via and supported through establishment of web seminars and workshops. Further it suggests that the name be changed to avoid suggesting attainment of “trusted status” as judged through an external assessment and certification process.
MOTION 13
THAT the SAA Council endorse a grant-funded Responsible Care of Historical Archival Records Program that will develop a preservation-focused institutional self-assessment tool and related training components to enable organizations to evaluate their current level of preservation activities, identify program needs, and implement progressive improvements that will directly enhance the preservation of archival records.
Support Statement: This program will help repositories of all sizes to better understand what is needed to prepare for potential disasters, provide a self assessment tool for gap analysis, and serve as an authoritative source of information to help convince resource allocators of the need to address such gaps. This initiative will build on established preservation guidelines and wherever possible incorporate SAA’s previous and current preservation efforts. It differs from SAA’s previous institutional assessment efforts in that it focuses on preservation rather than all aspects of institutional operations, and it differs from existing preservation assessment tools in that it will not be a collections condition survey tool but rather a broader program assessment tool that will cover the following areas: Preservation Planning, Resource Allocation, Emergency Preparedness, Collections Care, and Physical Facilities.
Fiscal Impact: To prepare the grant application, an estimated $8,500 is requested to cover a Grant Application Preparation Stipend ($5,000) and Advisory Board Travel ($3,500).
Moved by Felker, seconded by Summers. PASSED.
G. Additional Action Items
Support for the Partnership for the American Historical Record
Primer noted that the PAHR project will require some financial resources. He will do additional research with the Council of State Archivists and the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators to determine the level of resources needed, and will return to the Council with that information.
IV. DISCUSSION ITEMS
Council members then discussed a variety of issues that were likely to be of concern to groups at the Annual Meeting, including the proposed changes in the SAA constitution (benefits of institutional membership) and bylaws (dues increase, creation of new membership category); the Council-adopted changes in policies and procedures related to Sections and Roundtables; and the agenda for the 2007 Leadership Orientation and Forum (held on Wednesday, August 29).
V. COUNCIL BUSINESS
A. Review of August 28, 2007, To Do List
Council members reviewed and refined the draft August 2007 “To Do” List.
B. Adjournment
Gottlieb moved and Felker seconded adjournment of the meeting. PASSED. The meeting was adjourned at 3:35 pm.
Society of American Archivists
FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
August 28, 2007
Chicago, Illinois
The meeting of the SAA Special Funds (SAA Foundation) Board of Directors was convened at 3:55 pm on Tuesday, August 28, 2007.
Felker moved and Williams seconded adoption of the agenda. PASSED.
Re-Purposing the SSA/SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund
Summers reviewed the work of the Society of Southwest Archivists and the Society of American Archivists in creating and administering the SSA/SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance (EDA) Fund in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Of initial contributions totaling approximately $45,800, the majority of funds were distributed to repositories affected by the two hurricanes. A total of $15,000 remains in the EDA Fund; no requests for EDA funds have been received since September 2006 despite several promotional efforts.
SSA and SAA leaders have conferred and agreed that it would be appropriate to re-purpose the EDA Fund to create a fund to respond to disasters nationwide that affect archival collections.
Summers moved and Gottlieb seconded the following four motions as a group. PASSED.
MOTION 1
THAT the scope of the SSA/SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund be broadened beyond repositories recovering from hurricanes Katrina and Rita to enable the Fund to make grants that support the recovery of archival collections from major disasters, regardless of region or repository type.
Support Statement: This action is widely supported by SSA leaders and by the grant review committee, individuals intimately involved with the devastation of Katrina and Rita. The broadened scope of the Fund will be further recognition of the importance of not only an outpouring of concern after a major disaster, but a continuing commitment to ensure support for archival collections hit by disaster.
Fiscal Impact: None.
MOTION 2
THAT the SSA/SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund be renamed to the National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives.
Support Statement: The name reflects a national scope, is easy to understand, and has an inspirational ring.
Fiscal Impact: None.
MOTION 3
THAT the SAA Foundation Board appoint a standing grant review committee to review applications to the National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives and other grant requests; and
THAT the committee be charged to draft for Board review and approval application procedures for Foundation funds.
Support Statement: The Foundation is in its earliest stages and its workings are unfamiliar to most members. This recommendation to create a grant review committee for all Foundation funds, not just the Disaster Recovery Fund, will serve to standardize processes. Creation of subcommittees may be appropriate in the future as the Foundation becomes more active.
Fiscal Impact: Costs associated with appointing a new committee and publishing guidelines and applications.
MOTION 4
That the SAA Executive Director be directed to contact by letter all donors to the SSA/SAA Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund concerning this change after a review of the letter by a fundraising consultant.
Support Statement: The Foundation Board has a responsibility to contact previous donors to inform them of the re-purposing of the Fund. Donors have a right to know that their contributions will continue to support the recovery of collections that are damaged by major disasters. The outpouring of support after Katrina and Rita was a symbol of the concern archivists and other donors felt for individuals and repositories affected by the hurricanes. Giving money was the only way many of us could help and updating donors on how their money will continue to be of use on a national scale is good stewardship. However, it would be impossible to distinguish whose funds were used initially, so it would be impossible to return money should donors have a problem with money not going to the Katrina/Rita regions. This should be addressed in the letter. The announcement of the re-purposing of the Fund may also enable other gifts. It is important for a fundraising consultant to provide advice on content and tone.
Fiscal Impact: Staff time for identifying donors, printing and mailing costs, staff time for responding to inquiries.
Primer moved and Miller seconded adjournment of the SAA Special Funds (SAA Foundation) Board. PASSED. The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 pm.
Society of American Archivists
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
September 1, 2007
Chicago, Illinois
President Mark Greene called the meeting to order at 11:30 am on Saturday, September 1. Present were Vice President/President-Elect Frank Boles, Executive Committee member Carla Summers, and Council members Bruce Ambacher, Rebecca Hankins, Nancy Zimmelman Lenoil, Leon Miller, Ben Primer, Margery Sly, Diane Vogt-O’Connor, and Sheryl Williams. Also present were SAA Executive Director Nancy Beaumont; Publishing Director Teresa Brinati; Education Director Solveig DeSutter; Member and Technical Services Director Brian Doyle; and Finance/Administration Director Tom Jurczak. Absent: Treasurer Ann Russell.
I. COUNCIL BUSINESS
A. Adoption of the Agenda
Boles moved and Williams seconded adoption of the agenda. PASSED.
II. ACTION ITEMS
A. Actions Resulting from the Annual Membership Meeting
Council members discussed briefly two questions that arose at the Annual Membership Meeting in deliberations about the proposed constitutional amendment to enhance institutional membership benefits: 1) whether an institution’s primary contact would qualify for SAA Fellowship if that individual remained a primary contact for seven consecutive years (the current requirement for individual members) and 2) whether an individual member who is also an institution’s primary contact would be entitled to two votes. These items will be explored and reported out to the membership.
B. Sunshine Week Participation
SAA has been approached by several individuals about the feasibility of SAA participating in Sunshine Week, a “national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast, and online news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public’s right to know.” (For more information about Sunshine Week, see www.sunshineweek.org) In 2007, Sunshine Week was held March 11 – 17. The dates of the 2008 celebration have not yet been posted.
MOTION 1
THAT the SAA staff investigate the requirements for and possible benefits of SAA participation in Sunshine Week 2008, with a report to the SAA Council for consideration via online discussion in November.
Support Statement: SAA participation in Sunshine Week may provide an opportunity to expand our efforts to advocate for access to government records at the same time that it could connect SAA with others who have similar interests. If the Council were to decide to participate, that decision would be needed by late fall to ensure time for participation.
Fiscal Impact: Unknown at this time. More information will be provided following staff research.
Moved by Boles, seconded by Williams. PASSED.
C. A&A List: Monitoring Group
Greene noted that it seem reasonable for the Council to ensure that germane discussions on the Archives and Archivists List are monitored and reported for possible deliberation, official response, and/or action. To do this, a very small task force of Council could be appointed. The task force’s role would not be to participate in List discussions, but to ensure that information about those discussions is reported back to the Executive Committee or the full Council as appropriate.
MOTION 2
THAT the SAA Council create a task force subcommittee comprising two Council members, one from the first-year cohort and one from the second-year cohort, to monitor the Archives and Archivists discussion list;
THAT the members be appointed by the President;
THAT the first-year member continue during his/her second year, with a new first-year member being appointed;
THAT the full charge of the task force subcommittee be presented to the Council via email prior to the end of December 2007., but that the general task of the task force will be to monitor discussion on the A&A list and report issues of substance and relevance to SAA to the SAA Executive Committee and/or the full Council for possible discussion, official response, or action; and
THAT the task force subcommittee members will not participate officially in List discussions unless directed to do so by the Executive Committee or the full Council.
Moved by Boles, seconded by Williams.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION 2
THAT the SAA president appoint two members of the Council to serve as listserv liaisons; and
THAT the two members be assigned the tasks of recommending a charge for themselves and, if warranted, to recommend a charge and structure for any additional group that may be needed to deal with listserve terms of participation and other policy issues.
Support Statement: It is in SAA’s best interest to monitor List discussions. At times it will be in SAA’s interest to post official statements to the List, and this can best be facilitated by the creation of a Council group to monitor and report on List discussions.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Moved by Boles, seconded by Miller. PASSED. (Primer dissenting)
D. Policy Regarding Salary Information in Job Ads
Recently concern was expressed on the A&A List about the lack of salary information in many job ads posted on the SAA website and on the List itself. Claims were made on the List that the American Library Association has a policy requiring the inclusion of salaries in job ads posted on its website and in its publications.
Rebecca Hankins contacted ALA directly to inquire concerning the organization’s policy and was informed that although the association strongly encourages salary postings, it does not require them. The specific reply from the ALA office was: “ALA does not require that you include a salary figure in a job ad. However, this organization feels that including a salary figure is advantageous to both the job seeker and the employer and that we encourage you to include such a figure in all job ads you may place with us.”
A formal decision on this question is advantageous for SAA because a) it will guide the information SAA places in its information for institutions placing job ads on the SAA website; b) it can then be posted to the A&A List to demonstrate that the Council has heard the concerns expressed and responded to them.
MOTION 3
THAT the SAA Council resolve that SAA will not require employers to include salary information in job ads placed on the SAA website, in SAA publications, or on the SAA-sponsored A&A List; and
THAT information provided to employers seeking to place job ads on the SAA website, in SAA publications, or on the SAA-sponsored A&A List include the explicit suggestion that salaries or salary ranges be included in the listing.
Moved by Williams, seconded by Boles.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION 3
THAT SAA strongly encourage employers to include salary information in job ads on the SAA website, in SAA publications, and on the SAA-sponsored A&A List.
Support Statement: It is in SAA members’ and the profession’s best interest to have the widest possible set of job ads to review. Requiring the posting of salaries in such ads would reduce the number of job ads posted. The American Library Association’s practice of encouraging employers to include salary information seems to be an appropriate model.
Fiscal Impact: None.
Moved by Primer, seconded by Miller. PASSED.
E. Committee on Education Mid-Year Meeting
This agenda item, stemming from the Committee on Education meeting on August 29, was added because the Committee believes that the work of the Subcommittee on Continuing Education could be enhanced by having the entire Committee attend a mid-year meeting at which Continuing Education is discussed and assignments are made.
MOTION 4
THAT participation in the 2007-2008 mid-year meeting of the Committee on Education’s Subcommittee on Continuing Education be extended to all members of the Committee on Education (ie, including the Subcommittee on Graduate Education).
Moved by Sly, seconded by Williams. PASSED. (Ambacher abstains)
III. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Issues Identified During the Annual Meeting
Council members conducted a debriefing of the information that they had learned from their liaison activities with committees, sections, and roundtables.
B. Process for Developing SAA Statements
This agenda item was not considered due to the press of time.
C. Formation of Ad Hoc Web Technology Working Group
Doyle outlined a proposal that he will be bringing to the Council for appointment of an informal working group to work with staff on needs analysis and specifications for SAA’s content management system, with emphasis on ensuring that the needs of appointed groups are met.
IV. COUNCIL BUSINESS
A. Schedule for 2007 – 2008 Meetings
Conley Edwards, president of the Council of State Archivists, had written to Beaumont to propose that the SAA Council and CoSA board meet jointly in Washington, DC, for half a day in January or February 2008. Beaumont will poll Council members about their availability on proposed dates for the winter and spring/summer Council meetings.
B. Review of September 1, 2007, To Do List
Council members reviewed the draft “To Do” List for the September 1 meeting.
C. Adjournment
Primer moved and Williams seconded adjournment of the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 pm
Approved by the SAA Council on October 18, 2007.
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