Executive Council Meeting, October 1999

1999 Annual Meeting
Council Minutes
October 5th, 1999

Present: Howard Green, James Fogerty, Kim Lacy Rogers, Lu Ann Jones, Alva Moore Stevenson, Laurie Mercier, Madelyn Campbell

Meeting convened at 6:17pm in the Iditarod Room

Howard Green asked Council to review the agenda for the meeting. Council gave preliminary approval to the agenda as presented, reserving the possibility of altering the agenda at a later time.

Discussion of annual meeting planning and finances was inaugurated by Mercier, who noted that preliminary expenses for electronic and audio visual equipment were only $1500 as opposed to the $7500 spent in Buffalo. Kuhn noted that total expenses for this item will likely be greater due to last minute orders. There was discussion of the best location for annual meeting equipment approval and planning, which this year was handled by Mercier. Normally it has been handled by Local Arrangements committee members, but officer oversight has helped cut costs, solicited competitive bids by vendors, and insured that participant requests were genuinely needed.

Mercier reported on fundraising; about $10,000 of the projected $14,000 has been raised. Campbell reported on registration. Paid registrants to date include more than 350 of 400+ registrants. Campbell will work registration, thus saving around $5500 in fees that would have been paid to a vendor.

There was brief discussion of the place of the silent auction and exhibit/vendor relationships and the need for coordination in dealing with these overlapping contacts. It was further noted that the need for strong local arrangements support is critical in keeping costs in line and providing highly important assistance in carrying out necessary work on the meeting site.

Cliff Kuhn moved that Council formally express its appreciate to Laurie Mercier for efforts above and beyond the call of duty in dealing with local arrangements, fundraising, and other details involved in planning the Anchorage meeting. Fogerty seconded; approved.

Cliff Kuhn then reported on planning for the 2000 annual meeting in Durham, North Carolina. Both Program and Local Arrangements committees are formed, have met, and are involved in raising support and participation for the meeting. Program co-chairs Mary Murphy and Alicia Rouverol will need some support since both have little institutional support. Cliff is in contact with a variety of funders and other supporters to discuss and promote potential support for the meeting. Both committees include a good number of people well placed to produce both support and participation.

Issues - what to do in a town like Durham that does not offer a great many attractions. Consensus: the meeting will draw well because of its central East Coast location and the large number of colleges and universities in the area. The Hotel (the Marriott) is okay; additional space is available in the immediate vicinity. Some meeting sessions are expected to be held at the Carolina Theater and the Durham Center for the Arts which are adjacent to the hotel.

Howard reported on discussions concerning the 2001 annual meeting. Consideration has returned to St. Louis. Howard was hooted down when he suggested that St. Louis might be too close to Durham. Howard has invitations from four hotels, and strong interest by local arrangements people. It was noted that responsibility for site selection and hotel negotiation had shifted from Council to the Executive Secretary. Either Laurie or Madelyn needs to go to St. Louis as soon as possible to follow up and negotiate a hotel deal. If OAH meets in St. Louis, Laurie or Cliff can hold a planning meeting on site at that time. Cullom Davis, Leslie Brown, and John Wolford have indicated interest in participating in the planning of a St. Louis meeting.

Laurie also needs to talk with NCPH about the joint NCPH/OHA reception at OAH in St. Louis. The reception has been jointly sponsored for a couple of years; other arrangements might also be made. Howard recommended going to San Diego for 2002, and urged that a conversation be inaugurated as soon as possible to confirm local interest and infrastructure.

Cliff Kuhn moved that St. Louis be formally designated the site of the 2001 annual meeting. Lu Ann Jones seconded; approved.

Discussions regarding 2002 in San Diego or Nevada will be pursued.

Madelyn Campbell then delivered the Executive Secretary's report. She began work at the new OHA office at Dickinson College on May 1, 1999. She dealt with publication of the annual meeting program and the membership directory and the mailing of both. She also dealt with transfer of the OHA web site, and mailing information to people requesting it.

Pulling together accurate membership directory information was difficult. The UCC database did not (at that time) include telephone and email information. The decision to omit everything from the directory except members and constitution, bylaws, etc. saved a good deal of money. Only two complaints were received on the omission of minutes of meetings. Madelyn dealt with ads in the directory; she had little time to do this and did receive a few complaints on the cost of ads.

Madelyn noted that Tom White and UC Press have been excellent to deal with. Response to questions has been immediate and helpful. We have a new UC account person for customer assistance which seems to be working well as Madelyn forwards member inquiries to UC Press.

All OHA accounts except the Endowment have been closed in Texas and transferred to Dickinson. A decision on the location of the Endowment funds will need to be made by Council in line with the Endowment committee policy recommendations adopted by Council several years ago.

There was additional discussion of ways in which the Executive Secretary and OHA President will deal with Dickinson College to provide summer assistance and software support and training.

The first session of the meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Council reconvened at 9:00 a.m. on October 6th.

Madelyn Campbell and Laurie Mercier staffed the Registration desk and were not available.

Green delivered the President's Report.

Introductory remarks -- The President expressed some regret that there existed some loose ends and things left undone before his term ended. Has not appointed awards committees, some committee chairs.

Executive Secretary -- Concerning the Executive Secretary's position, there had been some misunderstanding between Baylor, Dickinson, and the OHA about timing and when the Baylor contract ended. In the long run, the OHA is not adversely affected.

OHR Editor -- A replacement for Bruce Stave was found, Andrew Dunar of the University of Alabama, Huntsville. He will have a three-year contract beginning with the summer 1999 issue. In the year 2001 the OHA and Dunar will discuss extending his contract to avoid turnover in the position.

Publications Committee -- There has been no headway with the pressing problems of staffing the Committee.

2001 Hotel -- Negotiating the contract will be the Executive Secretary's responsibility.

There was an extended discussion of the OHA budget. Green presented an updated budget projection that takes into account the revised figures from UC Press and for the annual meeting. Council approved the printing of the membership directory in stripped down form. It was noted that this was different from the recommendation of the task force headed by Michael Gordon. Council discussed whether the minutes should be included in the directory or just on-line.

The Executive Secretary said that in light of her heavy duties upon assuming the position, she had not yet generated quarterly reports.

Council discussed the appropriateness of retroactive approval of the 1999 budget and who looks at the interim budget reports.

Council discussed the job description and review of the Executive Secretary.

It was moved, seconded, and carried that the vice-president elect submit for Council's approval at Mid-winter meeting a detailed annual meeting budget, including attendance estimates, projected income sources, and expenditures, and that this budget be discussed and approved by Council prior to Council's consideration of the annual budget.

The Nominating Committee report has already been presented to Council and was noted. Tom King will join Council, Mary Marshall Clark was elected First Vice President, and Sherna Gluck, Ruth Hill, and Linda Shopes were elected to the Nominating Committee.

Laurie noted that the Education Committee report had been emailed to Council members.

After some discussion, Council recommended that the incoming First Vice President be liaison to the Nominating Committee and attend its meeting at the annual meeting. It is the sense of Council that the Vice President/President Elect be kept free of committee liaison responsibilities. It is also the sense of Council that incoming Council members and officers should be assigned liaison responsibilities immediately upon election and that both the outgoing and incoming liaisons should attend the appropriate committee meetings at the annual meeting.

Fogerty delivered the Publications Committee report. There has been no activity to date. John Schuchmann has joined the Committee but declined to chair it. Mary Marshall Clark will be leaving the Committee with election as an officer. The Committee needs new members and a chair. Kim Lacy Rogers volunteered to join the Committee and was asked to chair it. She agreed.

Green recommended that the proposed separation of the OHA Newsletter and ORAL HISTORY REVIEW be accomplished, with responsibility for oversight of those publications transferred as follows: Newsletter to the OHA President and the OHR to Council. Moved, seconded, approved.

Alva Moore Stevenson noted that she had send a report on the Diversity Committee's activities to Council by e-mail. There was discussion of the report; no action is required of Council at this time.

Kim Rogers delivered a verbal report on the International Committee. She received a report from Committee chair Jim Morrison. He noted the need for more funding for international participation at OHA meetings. His term is at and end with the meeting in Alaska and a new chair will need to be appointed. Green encouraged Rogers to discuss the appointment with Mercier and to convey Morrison's thoughts on the subject. Appointments to the Committee should be made with the objective of developing contacts and funding for international participation at OHA meetings.

Reports from State and Regional Forum and the Scholarships Committee were distributed and discussed by Council.

Council broke for lunch, and reconvened at 1:45 pm.

Green raised dilemma created by fact that Mercier is helping staff registration table and as incoming president not here for crucial discussions about Membership, Dues and Benefits Task Force Report and UC Press. Rogers suggested that we discuss task force report.

Membership, Dues and Benefits Task Force Report: Kuhn praised report as very solid. Green re: UCP, Council on record to review UCP contract in 2000; believes membership projection numbers are optimistic, but growth is beginning to kick in as UCP projected.

Rogers raised doubts about report's question re: was payment to UCP worth what OHA earns, and other Council members agreed that UCP provided valuable services.

Mercier joined the meeting. Green said we would handle task force report by specific recommendations it makes. Discussion of age profile of OHA and how we need to bring in graduate students.

Recommendations: Green said Council needs to discuss recommendation that Newsletter be published four times a year. Fogerty noted that Mary Kay Quinlan in separate memo asked for $2000 a year for producing four issues. Green said he favors this suggestion in long term, but Council does not yet have enough information in form of systematic cost estimate to recommend this now. Fogerty said he wanted more information, too: do we want a fourth issue or three longer issues? Council noted the great job Quinlan does on Newsletter.

Green recommended response: Council likes the idea, but depending on its budget and more information from Quinlan, will revisit question of whether or not to publish Newsletter with more pages or to add more pages to existing Newsletter schedule.

Recommendation #2 re: technical leaflets: Fogerty said great idea, but a ways down the road. Green: Council response: a good idea, but structurally not ready to undertake it now and should revisit suggestion. Green raised question about how many subjects can be addressed in one-page technical leaflet. Rogers asked what was function of each pamphlet and publications?

Discussion of task force report postponed for UCP discussion with Tom White, at 2:55. White's marketing report: membership (1,071) up slightly in 1999. Noted income growth from OHR for current year. Retention of members important and White suggested beginning renewals earlier than usual. He is shooting for 80 % renewal rate. Methods of obtaining and sources of new members contained in report: direct mail, white mail, etc. White plans winter 2000 membership campaign, targeted toward regional and state oral history associations, Society of American Archivists. (White is soliciting ideas from OHA to help marketing campaigns.) Also, UCP does display ads in professional meeting programs.

Membership services: 9 working days to process orders, according to survey of 26 OHA members. Plans to lower printing and postage costs. White raised questions: Would Council consider offering a trial subscription rate for new members/subscribers? Council suggested this question be entertained once UCP had tried this strategy for NCPH. Could he read and contribute to long-range plan? Could there be a retiree rate?

Demographic sampling: 41% member are institutions and 2/3 are libraries and 2/3 of those are college and university libraries. Of individual members, 70 % give no institutional affiliation and most of those are female. White plans to meet with various OHA committees during annual meeting.

Discussion of discrepancies in membership dues as published in various publications. White recommended that institutional rate for 2000 be $75, which is different from Council vote at midwinter meeting. Council considered $75 institutional dues standard for 2000. Does Council want to adopt three-year dues structure for institutional, or wait until midwinter? Kuhn said let's adopt three years.

Kuhn moved to adopt three-tier increase for institutional membership dues of $75 in 2000, $82 in 2001, and $90 in 2002. Fogerty seconded. Discussion of ways to increase institutional subscriptions followed. Motion adopted.

White asked for questions. Green said he heard about problems with data bases throughout 1999 and asked White if he is confident about data base now. White said, yes. Kuhn asked how UCP has achieved higher renewal rates. Tom White left at 4:25.

Madelyn Campbell discussed annual meeting registration numbers and operating budget figures.

Return to Task Force report recommendations. Task force recommended that annual report and membership directory be published on OHA web site. Kuhn wonders if there is an intermediate step-a published directory of members but not as elaborate as current format. Kuhn recommended that membership directory be printed, but in more modest format. Rogers thinks all members should receive some kind of printed membership list. Fogerty suggested print membership directory every two to three years and update directory on web page. Green suggested doing another printed directory in 2000 because of problems with data base for 1999 directory. Council agrees that cost of publishing and distributing directory needs to be contained; it suggests that directory be printed in hard copy every two years beginning in the year 2000, printed in more modest format, eliminate OHA constitution, and investigate logistics and costs involved in putting UCP information on the website.

Task Force recommendation to abolish current rule that people cannot participate in sessions at the annual meeting two years in a row. Discussion followed. Rogers suggested that we keep this current rule re: no paper presenters two years in a row as much as possible, even though program chairs can have some latitude. Sense of Council: affirms we support the rule to support diversity of membership and democracy of OHA , but recognize that there are exceptional circumstances.

Sense of Council: suggestion #5: good idea and we support it.

Membership development recommendations: Good ideas but implementation is probably not possible. Green says OHA leadership should be exploring avenues for building membership ourselves rather than relying on OCP. Fogerty says State and Regional Forum is most logical way to build members. Sense of Council: Good ideas and OHA will continue to work with State and Regional Forum to build membership. Kuhn will take lead in discussing how OHA members can work with state humanities councils; he will investigate some states that might serve as pilot projects for this strategy and spotlight this discussion at Durham 2000 meetings.

Sense of Council: forward membership development recommendations #3 to Diversity Committee and #4 and #5 to Education Committee.

Consideration of income development: Sense of council: All good ideas, and charge council to pursue outside funding sources aggressively and to raise money to publications. OHA endowment funds are invested in mutual fund.

Motion: Kuhn moved to express council's gratitude to Michael Gordon for hard work, diligence and able suggestions regarding membership, dues and benefits. Mercier seconded. Passed unanimously.

Green will write thank you letter to Gordon and indicate Council discussed item by item and that concrete response to report will be coming from Council.

New business:
1) Green says AAUP has jumped on IRB issue and is having meeting in Washington in November; OHA invited. Green plans to ask Don Ritchie to attend meeting and represent OHA.

2) What does Kuhn have in mind for Annual Meeting Task Force? Kuhn will contact committee members and itemize matters to be addressed. Will examine pressing questions from site selection to program itself.

3) Park Service: Green conveyed that Pamela Dean wondered why Council did not adopt her draft agreement with NPS in March. Rogers as liaison with NPS Committee distributed report from Dean. Green explained that he told Dean that he could not understand point of this contract if each project would be negotiated separately. Rogers and Mercier speculated the contract represented a good faith statement that was prelude to specific contracts. Green agreed to distribute copies of contract to Council members via mail next week and members would vote via email. Green asked for conditional consent of contract, after he had distributed copies of contract to Council members.

Mercier asked a number of questions about upcoming OHA business.

Kuhn moved that Council expresses its gratitude to Howard Green for his leadership this year. Stevenson seconded. Motion carried.

Fogerty asked if dates for midwinter meeting could be set soon. Mercier said would be in March of 2000.

Meeting adjourned at 6:20 pm.