New Brunswick, NJ
Board members present: Barbara Mabee, Oakland University, President; Rita Bode, Trent University, Canada, Past President; Simona Wright, The College of New Jersey, First Vice President; Bill Waddell, St. John Fisher College, Second Vice President; Andrew Schopp, American/British Literature Director; Natalie Edwards, Wagner College, French Language and Literatures Director; Jennifer Harris, Mount Allison University, Popular Culture Director; Birgit Tautz, Bowdoin College, German Language and Literature Director; Daniela Antonucci, Princeton University, Italian Language and Literature Director; Elaine Savory, New School University, Comparative Languages and Literatures Director; Sophie Lavin, SUNY Stonybrook, Women's Caucus Director; Paolo Pucci, University of Vermont, LGBTQ Caucus Director; Grace Wetzel, University of South Carolina, Graduate Caucus Representative
Not present: Cecilia Feilla, Marymount Manhattan College, American/British Literature Director; Monica Leoni, Waterloo University, Spanish Director; Elizabeth Anderman, University of Colorado-Boulder, CAITY Representative; Laurence Roth, Susquehanna University, Modern Language Studies editor.
Non-Board members present: Elizabeth Abele, Executive Director, SUNY Nassau Community College; Johanna Rossi Wagner, Rutgers University, Executive Assistant; Donald Gagnon, Western Connecticut State University, Diversity Committee
President Barbara Mabee calls the meeting to order 11:30 am.
Move to accept February 26, 2009 minutes made by Natalie Edwards; seconded by Birgit Tautz; minutes approved.
Program and Future Conventions
The Executive Director (E.D.): There has been a sustained increase in participation; in 2006 in Philadelphia there were 140 sessions and 560 participants. This year in Montreal there will be 366 sessions and 1500-1600 participants. E.D. asks the Board to think about 1) Who NeMLA is as an organization and 2) What do we want it to be.
E.D. commends Directors for a great job with the difficult task of cutting 20% of the sessions. The increase in sessions raises the question of how big does NeMLA want to be. If there is growth what does the convention lose and if it becomes more competitive some sections may be cut.
The discussion is opened up to the floor:
The differences between the MLA and NeMLA are discussed. NeMLA has become a successful convention because of transparency with panel selections, 100% open session proposals, time for conversations that lead to projects, and the fact that chairs have a lot of responsibility. NeMLA is able to offer a community that MLA is not while remaining a job-oriented convention.
Executive Director’s Report
E.D.: NeMLA is large enough now to require financial review. Although the deficit was smaller than expected for the last convention are there areas where costs could be reduced? Newsletter is still in print, it could go to 100% online, or we could stop internationally sending hard copies which are $2.50 outside of US and Canada, particularly because only 50% of international members pay the foreign mailing fee.
All members are in agreement that offering only the online version of the newsletter would be sufficient for international members, but keeping both the hardcopy and electronic version for US and Canada.
E.D.: We keep administration costs light (although this might need to change) and we do spend a lot of money on fellowships and the convention, but these costs are strategic. Returning to the discussion of NeMLA convention size: for the Boston convention there was a vote that we did not want to go bigger than 320 sessions, but we have exceeded this. Should we sustain or go bigger? This year staff has been temporary increased with the Chair Coordinator and an Executive Assistant, but these are not permanent positions. Without more support a number like 360 sessions is not sustainable.
Simona Wright suggests that 320 sessions seems to be the ideal goal because of manageability. If becomes a different conference after that.
E.D. suggests that his will mean directors will have to cut next year and opens the floor for discussion on the process.
The idea of merging panels is discussed. Birgit Tautz and Daniela Antonucci both had success and issues of chairs not willing to merge. Daniela Antonucci brought up the issue of participants pulling out after accepting and asked for a more specific policy. Collaboration between board members was encouraged. It was also suggested that directors notify chairs of the importance of polite rejections, as many times panels will need to go back to the abstracts when a panelist drops. One reason for this is a double participant restriction. NeMLA does not restrict proposals to one session but allows for multiple submissions. This does cause some issues later on when a presenter accepts more than one, which is prohibited. Members suggest that directors send out emails to chairs addressing some common issues. Clear chair guidelines will be more helpful.
Andrew Schopp asks to return to standards of acceptance for panels. Grace Wetzel points out the difficulty for areas without board representation. Members suggest a clarification of categories. The following discussion brings up the following issues:
The E.D. mentions that the category of Other Languages and Literatures has been used, but it also marginalizes. For an area to be formalized it should have a min. of five annual sessions. Birgit Tautz suggests Area Studies (Caribbean, European, Asian, African) to eliminate hierarchy. E.D. goes on to say that one strength of Comparative Literature is that it is a place where participants can go beyond language and nation but now there are problems with American, British, Anglophone, Comparative Literature and World Literature as they are not clearly defined.
Andrew Schopp asks about the function of the categories: are they for administrative use or are they for vetting session proposals? The E.D. confirms that they are used in scheduling the convention. Birgit Tautz suggests that NeMLA tag sessions in non-existent areas. E.D. mentions that we try to do this now and suggests that the directors could pull certain sessions to list in a particular way, but that this is something that the Directors would have to monitor.
Elaine Savory suggests that the membership needs to ultimatly decide what categories to use, but the Board should think about how to make them useful. Rita Bode suggests placing this discussion in the program. She goes on to suggest that there might be a blank category in the CFP. The E.D. states that there is a place for suggestions where chairs can add additional categories.
Break from the Executive Director’s Report
Diversity Committee
Don Gagnon was invited to address the board.
Don explains the committee goals including the possibility of new caucuses or area divisions, sponsorship of speakers in fields of diversity and to encourage participation by professionals whose background reflect a diverse and representative population. He suggests board representation or a caucus with annual sponsorship of speakers and events.
The difficulty of the proposed African-American board representation or Caucus formation is discussed as that Anglophone is already over-represented on the Board. Establishing a specific budget is a possibility. It was already discussed that diversity issues go beyond African-American identity.
Birgit Tautz asks how this is being defined, as a percentage in culture or in Literature that is represented? This discussion returns to the previous about categories of description. It would be good to have a board member with expertise in this area on hand. Regarding participation in the organization questions about how these scholars are organizing, by scholarship or identity were asked.
Don Gagnon suggests that the committee would like to send out a survey to the membership about these issues to then discuss and meet in Montreal. A budget for the Diversity Committee was confirmed.
E.D. suggested that the best sessions for diversity could be identified out and publicized for the attendees.
***Return to the Executive Director’s Report
Future Conventions:
Rochester won out against Pittsburgh for 2012. The Hyatt will give NeMLA a $139/night rate for Boston 2013 and also WiFi in the rooms for New Brunswick next year. This puts us with New Brunswick 2011, Rochester 2012 and Boston 2013. After that NeMLA needs to consider theb type of organization it is, regional/national, larger or selective, in making site decisions.
New Staff Report:
Johanna Rossi Wagner the Executive Assistant reports on the Graduate Assistant program and the move to make the positions more professional and official implementing contracts and wider responsibilities. She lauds the program’s success.
The Executive Assistant also speaks about the new databases that allows for a more robust and relational system of data capture and manipulation and will ease the burden of working with growing participant numbers. Explained examples where the database will save administrative time.
President’s Report Barbara Mabee
The President discusses the 2010 Montreal venues and special events.
Keynote: McGill will be introducing our keynote speaker Alan Liu, Professor of English at UC Santa Barbara. Peter Gibian, Professor of English at McGill has offered to introduce him.
Registration Table: to be staffed with McGill graduate students. There will be tote bags this year.
Special Events: McGill is arranging a tour to Edel/Henry James Collection. Charmaine Nelson, Associate Professor in the Dept of Art History and Communications at McGill will give a lecture on “Post-Colonial & Post Post-Colonial Feminist Theory. Swiss author Verena Stefan will be reading from her novel. Gail Scott with be the guest poet reading at the opening reception. There are also six poets lined up to read at the Convention and suggestions were solicited about the format of the readings.
It was discussed that sending out a survey to all members might be the best way to determine how to schedule the special events, giving them options between the various tours and other activities available like walking tours and theater.
First Vice President’s Report Simona Wright
We have the results from our recent elections:
2011 New Brunswick Convention:
E.D.: We have changed in terms of the next three institutions we no longer need to ask for support, McGill, Rutgers and the University of Rochester are happy and proud to participate. We are getting great support from institutions.
Simona Wright suggests that the decision of hotel and institution should happen early on to ensure commitment.
E.D.: New Brunswick was the first Convention that she was able to plan from the ground up and speaking to the institution before signing seems to be the better process. Let’s look at institutions like Tufts for Boston now that NeMLA is in a better position.
Simona speaks about the meeting with Dr. Furmanski, Executive VP of Academic Affairs and Dr. Ann Fabian, Dean of Graduate Studies at Rutgers. They enthusiastically accepted our invitation to host/sponsor the 42nd NeMLA Convention. Local representatives from the Department of Italian at Rutgers will be at the forefront, but we want to involve the language departments and we want to have each department sponsor a session (following NeMLA’s policy). The Zimmerli Museum will also be utilized.
Italian Studies
Volume XXXI of NeMLA Italian Studies was published this Fall online and in print. Volume XXXII (on Primo Levi) and XXXIII (on the Italian city) have already gone out. The scope of the journal is to involve senior faculty, graduate students and junior faculty in the editing process.
E.D. mentions that other language areas would be supported in a similar endeavor if interested in the future.
Second Vice President’s Report Bill Waddell
The Second Vice President asks for readers for the 2010 Summer Travel grants.
Jennifer Harris, Elaine Savory and Birgit Tautz volunteer.
The deadline is February 1st and he hopes to send out decisions no later than March 1st. Bill also asks if submissions can be submitted in other languages or half and half. The Board consensus is that it should all be in English.
Nominating Committee:
Seeking nominations for Directors of British and German and a new Second Vice President, he asks that the British and German directors help in the effort as well as more volunteers to help encourage prospective candidates. Birgit Tautz and Grace Wetzel volunteer and Cecelia Feilla is nominated for the committee.
Rochester Convention 2012:
Bill announces that the hotel and institution are in place. Cooperation with other institutions is also underway (there are eight institutions w/in thirty miles of Rochester). The dates will be March 12-16th and it is accessible, comparable to Buffalo.
Hyatt Regency Boston Labor Dispute —
What are our options if the dispute causes a general boycott of the Hyatt or if the Hyatt goes under?
The E.D. suggests contacting the regional director. NeMLA is bound to a 3rd year with Hyatt
Bill will take the initiative to find out more about this and try to set some guidelines
Past President’s Report Rita Bode
Book Award:
There were 17 last year and only 4 this year. Rita Bode asks for readers: Cecelia Failla, Monica Leone, Andy Schopp, Jennifer Harris and Elaine Savory volunteer or are volunteered. Past President adds that they will also have outside readers.
Anti-discrimination Policy Review:
At the spring 2009 Board meeting, the Board reviewed NeMLA’s Anti-Discrimination Policy. The Board discussion led to the suggestion of the inclusions in square brackets below.
NEMLA does not discriminate, [nor tolerate harassment] on the basis of race, creed, sex, disability, or sexual orientation in the administration of its membership, convention, prizes, awards, or publication.
Within the association, NEMLA actively promotes diversity in the composition of its governance structure, in its convention programming, and in its publications, [and is committed to fostering a positive, supportive and inclusive professional environment].
As of October 1998, NEMLA will no longer enter a relationship with any host institution that will not equally respect all [omit: four] of NEMLA's caucuses. In particular, NEMLA expects any host institution to provide and distribute in the convention folder a list of restaurants and night spots for the Gay and Lesbian Caucus.
Will now read:
As of October 1998, NEMLA will no longer enter a relationship with any host institution that will not respect NEMLA’s commitment to diversity.
Motion to propose policy changes for presentation to the general membership made by Andrew Schopp; seconded Elaine Savory; motion approved.
Long-Range Planning Committee Report Rita Bode
Rita Bode explains the genesis of the Long-Range Planning Committee to think about the future direction for the organization. Rita Bode then summarizes the discussion and decisions at a committee meeting in Buffalo earlier in October:
Finances — To increase oversight of NeMLA finances in the wake of the increased budget the committee recommends that major accounts have a second signature and to also increase the Past President’s role as advisor on budget and quarterly reports.
Board Structure — The committee discussed Board Areas and suggests that Popular Culture become Cultural Studies and Film a title that Popular Culture Director Jennifer Harris approves.
Motion to change Popular Culture to Cultural Studies and Film made by Jennifer Harris; seconded by Sophie Lavin; motion approved.
Regarding Comparative Literature the committee discussed various options such as Literatures in a Comparative Context; Global Literatures, etc. and a discussion develops around the following topics:
Maintaining the possibility of having authors from different linguistic traditions on the same panel.
Diaspora, Transnationalism and Globalism were discussed as possible categories not as Board Areas but as discussions at the session level
Cooperation btw Area Directors with session proposals that draw on more than one
The inadequacy of the term Anglophone. The British/American Directors will meet to discuss this.
Caucuses — the Executive Director opened up discussion about Caucuses as self-sustaining groups. She also brings up that the by-laws require an annual recertification of each caucus attesting to a) a significant meeting, b) clear mission and c) democratic election of officers. These would entitle the caucus to board representation. If a caucus does not fully meet these goals, the Caucus could still receive funding for events. The Board might consider creating Member at Large positions to fulfill concerns like Professional Development and Diversity. These positions would be reviewed by the Nominated Committee and be elected by the full membership, and could be charged by the board to coordinate with membership caucuses/committees.
A discussion follows about the need for caucuses to have a) an administrative structure (elected officers) b) more than a social group c) clear goals. Some caucuses have weak affiliation between members such as the LGBTQ and CAITY caucus that make it difficult to meet the initial criteria. It is proposed that NeMLA adhere to the by-laws requiring Caucus reports each year as a proposal for renewal.
Motion to change language in Representation for Caucuses to meet aforementioned criteria made by Andrew Schopp; seconded by Jennifer Harris; motion approved.
Motion to affirm the current policies on Representatives of Caucuses made by Bill Waddell; seconded by Natalie Edwards; motion approved.
Administrative Home for the Organization — The Executive Director leaves meeting for this discussion. The Board discusses the possibility of an additional term for the current E.D. but only with more support as NeMLA has significantly grown. The Board discusses the need for clerical and also coordinating support with faculty and graduate assistant support and also suggested going to institutions as NeMLA has become an organization that is able to request more support. The Committee closes with the decision to draft letters to ask for institutional support.
Final Recommendations:
A time frame may be required to decide if and/or when the newsletter should be downloaded rather than mailed.
Area Director Reports and Caucus Reports:
Italian Daniella Antonucci
Returns to a previously discussed issue about adopting stronger language for people pulling out after confirming participation.
Motion to make a policy regarding acceptance (for CFP) “once formally accepted you many not accept another session” made by Daniela Antonucci: seconded by Bill Waddell; motion approved.
French Natalie Edwards
Will explore the possibility of a listserv to serve the constituency/ the profession
Comparative Literature Elaine Savory
Returns to the idea of categories and suggests that perhaps a session or special roundtable may be an opportunity to discuss these with the membership.
Cultural Studies and Film Jennifer Harris
Media — There are 274 media requests, 1/3 of all panels. She suggests that a clearer articulation of the $20 fee would be helpful.
Jennifer Harris discusses her recommendation to go with the hotel media instead of an outside vendor that came to NeMLA. Media Vendors quote $12,747.50 and the hotel Hotel’s second quote (PSAV) $13,471.
Recommendation: go with on site, they know space, and have access.
Motion to authorize PSAV for Montreal media made by Elaine Savory; seconded by Rita Bode; motion approved.
Motion to adjourn session made by Bill Waddell; seconded by Birgit Tautz; meeting adjourned at 6:38 pm.