LACS-SHA Business Meeting, 2008

New Orleans

1.                   B. Ganson opened the meeting, noting it was the 10^th anniversary meeting, and went over agenda. Discussed plan to honor past presidents.  Noted presence of a guest, R. Billinger, president of the European section of SHA.

2.                   Billinger brought greetings from the European section and invited LACS members to an excursion to a World War II museum on behalf of the European and British sections.

3.                   Ganson announced receptions hosted by the Tulane LAS center, LACS, and V. Gould.

4.                   Ganson said that LACS would thrive as the relevance of Latin American countries grew.

5.                   Ganson honored the founding president, Kimberly Hangar, and announced that a service certificate would be sent to Hangar�s sister.  Also gave service awards to all the previous LACS presidents.

6.                   S. Johnson gave the report of the LACS representative to the SHA.  Stated that she had reported on LACS activities to the board, and that the board members had all noted that both LACS and the European section enrich SHA.

7.                   R. Brown gave the Treasurer�s report, substituting for M. LaRosa. We have $4300 and 77 members, a very large increase. Encouraged out of date members to send registration and money to LaRosa.

8.                   M. Childs gave the program report, substituting for R. Adderley and A. McMichael. We have five panels for 2009. Emphasized that we were lucky to get five needed to take advantage of this. New Orleans was easy, and we will need to rally for Louisville.

9.                   Ganson stated that no program committee for 2009 had yet been set.

10.               D. Alden gave the Mcleod Book Prize committee report. Considered 21 books, narrowed this to five.  An honorable mention goes to N.D. Cook and A.P Cook for People of the Volcano (Duke University Press, 2007). Main prize goes to Juliana Barr Peace Comes in the Form of a Woman (UNC Press, 2007), which also won the SHA�s Sydnor Prize.  Barr was on hand to accept this prize.

11.               J. Clune gave article prize report.  Ida Altman won for �The Revolt and the Historiography of Early Spanish America,� The Americas (April, 2007). Altman was present to accept the prize.

12.               Ganson opened the floor for consideration of the minutes. S. Johnson moved for approval, and they were approved by acclamation.

13.               Ganson said that the Executive Committee wanted to revise the bylaws which require that we have elections at the annual luncheon in order to enable other people to vote.

14.               Ganson reported that the Executive Committee had nominated J. Landers for Vice-President. Landers was elected by a show of hands.

15.               Ganson introduced the speaker, D. Alden. Alden spoke on �Terror on Land and Sea � the Barbary Pirates and their Rivals from the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth Century.�

16.               Ganson turned over the meeting to M. Childs, the new LACS president.

17.               Childs encouraged people to continue recruiting members. He said that SHA is a natural home for Latin Americanists and that SHA leadership is very interested in figuring out how LACS fits in.

18.               Ganson closed the meeting.

LACS Executive Meeting

New Orleans, 2008

Attending: S. Johnson, B. Ganson, R. Brown, M. Childs, T. Corse, R. Adderley

1.       Discussion of reimbursement of Johnson for reception - $330.

2.       Ganson reported that membership has climbed from 28 to 58 to 75.

3.       Ganson moved for approval of the minutes, and they were approved by acclimation.

4.       Brown gave the Treasurer�s report � we have $4292 and membership of 64 plus 12 that Johnson is bringing in, up from $3800 and 58 members.

5.       Brown stated that the book and article prizes and the program are our main sources of membership.  Ganson noted that the prizes help people�s careers and gain us recognition. She also stated that we would be putting up book posters for member�s books. Johnson suggested we also include the book prize winners.

6.       Ganson stated that she had prepared service awards for past presidents to present at the luncheon. She asked that reports at the meeting be kept short so there would be more time for discussion.

7.       Johnson gave the report for the LACS representative to SHA. Quoted the council as saying that �We [LACS and the Europeans] enrich the organization.� SHA is excited that LACS is on the verge of funding graduate students on our program. This well help perpetuate LACS as these students get jobs and stay in the SHA.

8.       Adderley stated that SHA is aggressive about membership. Each person on the membership committee is responsible for drumming up membership in their area.

9.       Ganson said that we needed to look at the cost of the graduate student subsidy.

10.   Ganson said that negotiations with the caterer had been tough. Discussion followed on possibility of moving the luncheon off site, and of high costs of luncheon. This led to a discussion of affordability of graduate student subsidy, and the Council agreed to limit this subsidy to $20.

11.   Adderley gave the Program Committee report. Last year we decided to send SHA six panels, which SHA agreed to (though our set number is five). We however lost a panel due to people not coming. They had good reasons but we have to be careful. We should try to build panels that have some kind of LACS loyalty. SHA is enforcing its rules on waiting for full panels. People must wait three years after presenting a paper. SHA was more concerned about reconstructing a panel after someone dropped out. Phi Alpha Theta continues to be a nuisance with membership. It is unclear who is responsible for PAT for SHA. Much lower interest for 2009, with fewer panel and paper proposals. We have four full panels and a fifth and sixth that are partial. When we do the CFP we need to contact people who were previously rejected. We will definitely have at least five panels and a PAT panel.

12.   A general discussion of the book and article prize followed. Juliana Barr won the book prize and Ida Altman won the article prize.

13.   Childs raised the question of the program chair of next year. The Council agreed to ask T. Rogers.

14.   A general discussion of vice-presidential nominees followed, and the council agreed to nominate J. Landers. Ganson suggested revising the bylaws to allow for election by e-mail.  

15.   Brown noted that the bylaws don�t cover the prize committees, and suggested that asking a person to be on the prize committee for three years was too much. Childs suggested making the winner chair of the next committee. Johnson suggested that the winner plus two nominees from the president form the committee. The Woodward committee will consist of A. McMichael, Adderley, and the new vice-president. Johnson suggested emailing the membership list for members of the article prize committee. Childs said he would contact past presidents for suggestions. Johnson recused herself as she will be putting money into the prize fund.

16.   Childs said that Brown had done well on the newsletter. Ganson suggested amending bylaws to make the newsletter editor a member of the Executive Council, possibly for a three year term.

17.   Corse said he needed technical help on the website. A discussion followed on the need for a logo, and Ganson agreed to work on the issue.