Society for Linguistic Anthropology

Minutes from the Business Meeting

December 4, 2009, 6:15 pm, Philadelphia, PA

 

1. Welcome (Joe Errington, President)

 

2. Treasurer’s report (Angela Reyes, Treasurer/Secretary)

Our net assets projected to grow to $96,000 on January 1, 2010. Net assets projected to continue to increase about $30,000 each year through 2012, when our 5-year contract with WB ends. We don’t know how this will change when a new contract is negotiated for 2013.

SLA makes money each time someone downloads a JLA article on Anthrosource so please download articles and have your students download articles.

 

3. Student paper prizes (Paul Garrett, Member-at-large)

Each year we award two prizes, but we need more submissions. Prize winners are encouraged to publish in JLA.

Award presented to grad winner: Benjamin Smith

Award presented to faculty advisor of undergrad winner: Ruairidh Falconer

 

4. Nominations (Paul Garrett, Nominations Chair)

SLA has three nominations for AAA-wide seats, but AAA will narrow it down to two. We have an SLA member to volunteer to be a nominee for the AAA minority seat.

We are doing elections next year: president-elect and member-at-large.

We also need someone to work with Kira next year and to take over her position as Program Chair the following year. Please nominate yourself or others.

 

5. JLA report (Paul Manning, JLA Co-editor)

Paul introduced Miyako Inoue, JLA Co-editor.

JLA produced long issues this year: 340 pages.

70 submissions this year, 34 last year.

1.6 months from submission to notification.

More book reviews running.

We will have two larger issues next year.

We have a new cover.

Please submit your papers to JLA.

Please have students download JLA articles from Anthrosource.

 

6. Website (Leila Monaghan, Digital Content Editor)

Presented new website.

Question from audience: How long would uploaded materials be maintained on site? Leila: we are using a web archive service, so things like the web enhancements for JLA articles would be archived as long as the archive service exists.

Recommendations from audience: Design of blog space looks like one space; can we divide it up? Should we podcast AAA presentations? Attach blog spaces to the presentations so discussions can continue?

 

7. Language and social justice task group report (Laura Graham)

Trying to get US Census Bureau to change questions that have to do with language. Now we have a dialogue with them, but they have rejected our request to omit subjective assessments of language proficiency. They said they would consider revising how they measure “linguistic isolation.”

Developing listserv.

Some dialogue with people who are organizing the Race Project. Bonnie Urciuoli is leading the assembling of a list of experts on language discrimination.

Proposed a motion to change the status of the “Language and Social Justice Task Group” from a task group to a standing committee of SLA. This committee will be called: “The Committee on Language and Social Justice.”

The SLA members passed this motion with an amendment to the effect that the Executive Board would define the parameters of the committee’s membership and participation (e.g., the size of the committee, its charge, if the positions on the committee will be by appointment or by election, etc.).

 

8. Anthropology News (James Stanlaw, Anthropology News Editor)

Good news: all deadlines met, three guest submissions last year.

Bad news: all section columns cut down to 700 words. If we have a picture, it costs us 50 words.

Good news: we were granted rights for SLA column to go onto our website. Thus, we can put shorter versions of pieces in our column then provide the website for readers to access the longer versions.

April issue will be on journalism. May issue will be on the census. We can propose themes ourselves.

 

9. Program report (Kira Hall, Program Chair)

Thanked committee who read abstracts.

Submissions: 25 panels, 38 individual papers, 1 individual poster. (Last year there were 34 panel submissions). 12 panels submitted for invited status; selected 4.

Scheduling concerns: we do our best, but AAA decides, more spread out this year. Laura Graham: AAA is getting new meeting software.

AAA 2010 in New Orleans on “Circulation.” General session deadline will probably be April 1. Invited session deadline will be one month before.

Recommendation from audience: we should use the new website to help create networks for panel creation.

 

10. Announcement (Kathryn Woolard, President-elect)

The SLA executive board decided to fund travel award money ($300) for student paper prize winners in addition to their $500 prize money each.

World anthropology’s commission proposal to sponsor international scholarship competition inaugurated at 2010 AAA meeting. They will contribute $1500 to winning section proposal for funding one international scholar to travel to meeting and participate in invited panel. If we want to compete, we must provide name, theme, title, and short description by Jan. 10. Meeting registration waiver for one non-anthropologist in invited session guaranteed.

Comment from audience: Beginning with the AAA 2010 meeting, there will be no more presidential sections. Executive sessions will continue, and proposals, due January 22, are encouraged.

Call for submissions for Sapir Book Prize to be awarded in 2010. Send three copies to Kathryn Woolard. Submit by June. Books published in 2007, 2008, 2009 are eligible; edited collections are not eligible.

Joe: Thanks to Janina Fenigson who is ending her term as Member-at-large; welcome to Jillian Cavanaugh who is beginning her term as Member-at-large.

Thanks to Joe Errington for his service as SLA President, initiated by Joel Kuipers and seconded by Kit Woolard.

 

11. New business

Dell Hymes memorial gathering tomorrow. Judith Berman read a tribute to Dell Hymes.

 

Meeting adjourned 7:15 pm

 

Submitted by Angeles Reyes, Secretary-Treasurer

Approved by Kathryn Woolard, President

December 16, 2009