S-USIH Minutes February 2018

Executive Committee Meeting

27 February 2018, Noon EST

Attending

Kevin Schultz, Leah Gordon, Ray Haberski, Richard Candida Smith, Natalia Petrzela, Tim Lacy, Ben Alpers, Rebecca Brenner

Agenda

President’s Report

Publications Chair’s Report
Treasurer’s Report

Secretary’s Report

Conference Chairs’ Reports

President’s Report

Kevin Schultz:

Richard moves past agenda, Leah seconds, all approved, and it will appear on website

Election coming because Kevin and Leah are stepping down most likely

Call for nominations coming soon

Natalia: Two year terms are perfect

Institutional memory, easy transition and recruitment, and basics of job

Leah: Treasurer should have one central package for the next person

Need more central structure

Passwords everywhere

Publications Chair’s Report

Richard Candida Smith:

Blog updated the comments policy, and a succinct explanation is available on website

Generally more people are commenting

Sometimes flamed wars, which is off-putting

New policy modeled on Junto thanks to Sara G

Can block users if unanimous among bloggers

Supermajority of bloggers can overrule a blogger moderating decisions

Increased visits to blog

Transition to new blog editor

Ben has been blog editor for 8 years

Thank you Ben

Comparable to journal editors

Richard: What if blog editor is also pub comm chair?

Discussion about whether editor will be from bloggers

Ben: Blog is responsibility of the pub comm chair

Richard: Articulate Society’s priorities for the blog

Ray: Bloggers should be more connected to executive committee

Leah: That all sounds great

Rebecca: Convinced that we can make someone from outside a blogger before they become editor to circumvent that rule if necessary

Natalia: Agrees

Richard: Wants discussion about expectations for the blog

Richard: Book reviews – Send book reviewer recommendations to him – looking for book reviewers

Resolution for the Procedures of Appointing a New Blog Editor

Everyone in favor: no abstentions:

  • The SUSIH blog editor serves three-year terms, renewable, starting when the transition from Ben Alpers, the current editor, to the new editor is complete.
  • The SUSIH executive committee invites the blog collective to nominate a new editor from among the regular contributors to the blog.  The executive committee reviews the nomination and has sole authority to decide who ultimately receive the appointment and on what terms.
  • After consultation with the blog collective and other members of the society, SUSIH executive committee shall draft written expectations for the position, articulating SUSIH priorities for the blog during the appointment’s three-year term.
  • The transition period from Ben Alpers to the new editor will last six months.  At the end of that period, the new editor’s three-year term begins and Ben Alpers service as editor concludes.  During the transition, Ben Alpers will continue as blog editor and the new editor will be blog editor-elect.
  • At the end of the second year of a blog editor’s term, the blog collective will submit to the executive committee a written evaluation of the preceding two years, making recommendations for future goals, operating procedures, and the status of the editor position.  Upon receipt of this report, the executive committee will make its own evaluation and recommendations.  At the conclusion of the review process, the editor is renewed for another three-year term or the process of appointing a new editor begins.

Treasurer’s Report

Leah Gordon:

Wild Appricot monthly or yearly fee increased

We are where we were last year at this time, even though we paid for the website

Starting balance in 2016 was $31,000

Now we are at $29,000

Secretary’s Report

Rebecca Brenner:

518 members total

186 active members

Only email this month asked where to find discussion about conference panels, so I directed him

Sara Georgini is setting up SUSIH Twitter account with a projected March launch date

Need Sara and Leah’s photos and bios for the website

2018 Conference

Tim Lacy:

Stable, no big news

Answering emails about submissions and helping the plenaries cement their plans

Next step is to think about catering

2019 Conference

Natalia Petrzela:

Template from Sara G is enormously helpful and reassuring

Discussions of volunteer details

Claire Potter gave verbal commitment to program committee

Looking to secure a place

Adjourned: 1:50pm EST