Minutes:
SOLGA Business Meeting
1999 • Chicago
Begin: 6:10 PM
Williford Room A, Third Floor
Chicago Hilton
Minutes taken by Joseph Hawkins
Copy of Agenda Distributed
Co-Chair Laurence Cohen welcomed everyone. Cohen announced that Lisa Rofel would be stepping down and that Sandra L. Faiman-Silva would be replacing her.
1.) Approval of the Agenda
Passed unanimously.
2.) Approval of the Minutes
Circulated and passed unanimously.
3.) Announcements
A variety of parties at the end of the meetings, addresses shared
4.) Co-Chairs’ Report
- SOLGA memberships were discussed briefly as the issue was scheduled to be brought up later.
- Acknowledgement of work in queer archaeology.
- Lawrence advised that those submitting papers should place them throughout the panels of AAA and not exclusively in SOLGA.
3.) Secretary/Treasurer’s Report (Todd White in abstentia).
- Budget $2,944
- Payne Prize $3,659
- A vote was taken that 10% of the budget should be offered up for a minority scholarship fund (AAA wide). Motion to accept budget passed unanimously.
6.) 1999 Co-Chair’s Report
Both Deborah Elliston and Frank Proschan spoke
- At next year’s meeting in San Francisco there will be two invited sessions and one extra. The theme for next year, “Public face of Anthropology,” Some session topics discussed. 450-600 word abstracts called for. As there are fewer rooms at hotels in SF everyone was advised to organize early.
- Frank Proschan spoke about suggestions for sessions encouraged that included topics be-- public policy Issues of anthropology in the new millenium. Everyone urged to do more collaborative and intradisciplinary projects. Example: Media. Panels that would be desirable: inclusive, AIDS, GLBT, academic/extra-academic, across the four fields. Submit early.
- A conflict of interest was discussed, (ie.) whether selectors of panels could also be presenters on panels. A voted taken and it was decided that they could (unanimous). Editors should receive abstracts by March 1.
7.) Publications, Status Report
The status of the newsletter was discussed. A suggestion was made to offer LBGT syllabi every year as an alternative.
Lisa Rofel reviewed the previous newsletter. Suggestions were made that the announcements, conferences, book reviews and minutes were of value to some members. The cost of publication was discussed and there was some more discussion. Ellen Lewin suggested an annual publication might be more efficient. There was discussion of placing book reviews and announcements on the web. A suggestion was proposed to form a committee to be established on Publications. The motion was seconded and Bill Leap and Karen Nakamura were appointed.
8.) Mentor File, Status Report (Christa Craven)
Forms for sign-up were passed out and everyone was told to limit information to what was public and DO NOT send CV’s.
9.) SOLGA Table, Status Report (Fishel)
It was announced that $100 was made on a silent auction at the table.
Also 20-25 new members were signed on at the table.
10.) Call for Volunteers for Vacant Positions
Lawrence Cohen reviewed the list of volunteer positions that needed to be filled.
- Payne and Benedict Prize
- Contributing Editors (AN, Web, Syllabi Volume, ? Newsletter)
- Nominations coordinator
- SOLGA Table Coordinator
- Post-COLGIA coordinators
- New co-chair, ‘00-’02
A volunteer sheet was passed around for anyone interested.
11.) Nominations for New Co-chair
- Deborah Elliston nominated Frank Proschan.
- Lisa Rofel nominated David Valentine.
It was decided that others not present might interested and the issue was shelved.
12.) Follow-up of AAA Issues
- Section Status: Membership
We have two years to settle the issue, so it was continued.
- Frank Proschan spoke about his letter to AAA. He told how as a result of his discussion with the board each academic department that advertises jobs in the newsletter must in inform readers of their stance on partner’s rights and their non-discriminatory attitudes toward employment. The AAA board unanimously approved the proposition.
- COLGIA, both Ellen Lewin and Bill Leap told of their likewise very positive experience with presenting their results from the COLGIA survey to the AAA board. All their suggestions were opening accepted.
13.) Frank Proschan spoke of a separate Fellowship Fund for SOLGA members in obtaining memberships.
14.) Murray Resolution: Sodomy Law States and AAA meetings update.
Stephen Murray’s suggestion that the AAA boycott any state having and anti-sodomy law for future conference sites was discussed.
Bill Leap set forth a motion that the AAA move out of Virginia which is an anti-sodomy state.
Christine Pettett argued that if AAA moved it would be difficult to work for change from within. Further, she felt that this left others in the South like herself out on a limb.
A motion was introduced to pass Murray’s Resolution and it was not seconded. A motion was proposed to continue the discussion on the LISTSERVE and vote again next year passed unanimously.
15.) SOLGA name: call for position papers.
It was questioned whether the name could indeed be legally changed under the rules of AAA to include a more LBGT inclusive name. A call was made for further discussion of this on the LISTSERVE.
16.) The Benedict Prize criteria were also shelved to be held on the LISTSERVE.
17.) Payne Prize
Karen Nakamura announced that the winner this year is Lauren Hasten, from the Dept. of Anthropology at Columbia University.
18.) Benedict Prize
Ten books were considered. Prize went to Evelyn Blackwood and Saskia Wieringa for Female Desires: Transgender Practices Across Cultures.
19.) Other Business
It was announced that there was an interest by Sarah Green at the University of Manchester, England to establish an AAA type organization in Europe.
A motion was made to adjourn, and it was seconded.
