2016 Members Meeting Minutes
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
MINUTES, ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING— October 7, 2016
The 85th annual members meeting was held on Friday, October 7, 2016, at the Shippensburg University’s Conference Center, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. The meeting was called to order at 12:05 p.m.
To the many members in attendance, Vice-President Dieterich-Ward introduced the launch of the newly redesigned PHA website, www.pa-history.org , and offered a brief tour of its attractive interface and features. As he explained, it is “our front door” and will help to promote the Association and its many activities.
It was moved, seconded, and passed that the minutes of the 84th annual members meeting, held on Saturday, October 10, 2015, be approved.
Treasurer Hyduke presented a brief report on the financial condition of the organization. She noted how income and expenditures were on par, and that the Association’s endowment certificate of deposit came due. It was moved to a short-term (one year) CD with the best interest rate available. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the report be received.
Business Secretary Guenther presented a brief report on the membership status of the organization. Currently there are about 350 members of the PHA, and conference registrations this year totaled 157. Membership renewal forms will be mailed soon (sent to those who did not renew on the conference registration site.) She noted that she is collecting dues during the conference. She explained that the renewal forms also ask for donations to the Association’s various prizes, if members wish to review books for the journal (and their areas of expertise), as well as if members wish to be added to a list of consultants that historical institutions may call upon for grant-writing and other projects. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the report be received.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS:
The Nominating Committee, chaired by Janet Lindman, presented the following recommendations for elections:
For President (2017-2018): Allen Dieterich-Ward, Shippensburg University
For Vice President (2017-2018): Bev Tomek, University of Houston at Victoria
It was moved, seconded, and passed that the nominations be closed and a unanimous ballot be cast for the slate of officers.
The Nominating Committee presented a slate of nominees, for the Council Class of 2019 and two positions for the Council Class of 2017:
Class of 2019
Brian Alnutt, Northampton Community College (1st term)
Daniel Barr, Robert Morris University (2nd term)
Carla Mulford, Penn State University (1st term)
Leslie Patrick, Bucknell University (1st term)
Anne Verplanck, Penn State University, Harrisburg (1st term)
Class of 2017
Kenneth Heineman, Angelo State (*)
Rich Saylor, Pennsylvania State Archives (*)
*fulfilling an unexpired term
It was moved, seconded, and passed that the nominations be closed and a unanimous ballot be cast for these Council members.
President Birkner thanked the nominating committee for its work, and added special appreciation for the dedication of Janet Lindman and her counsel as past president. He also recognized two retiring Council members – Laurie Rofini and Vagel Keller – who each served two, three-year terms.
The Executive Committee Report began with welcoming remarks from President Birkner. He extended thanks to the Program committee and its chair, Bev Tomek, and to the Local Arrangements committee and its chair, Allen Dieterich-Ward, for all of their work for this year’s annual meeting, “Technology, Business, and the Environment.” He described that the Association has a dedicated and effective Council and Executive Committee, and that we can all be impressed by our quarterly journal and re-envisioned Pennsylvania History Series, by the professional networks we foster, and with the quality conferences we organize. He encouraged members in attendance to “talk up” the PHA and invite colleagues to learn about our activities. The new website will help us to do this especially during this time when increasing specializations have created many organizations for professional affiliations.
President Birkner presented one item for action:
Moved, that Sections III.1 and III.9 of the Constitution of the Pennsylvania Historical Association be amended so that the amendments read as follows:
(strikeouts indicate deletions; language in bold indicates additions):
Section III. 1. The officers of the association shall be a president, a vice president, a recording secretary, a business secretary, a treasurer, an editor of the journal, and an editor or editors of the pamphlet book series
Section III. 9. The journal editor shall edit and publish the journal of the association. The series editor or editors shall edit and publish the Pennsylvania History Studies Series and other publications of the association as determined by the council. Each editor shall have the advice and counsel of an editorial board; the size and length of terms of the two editorial boards shall be determined by the council. With the approval of the council, the editors may appoint one or more assistant or associate editors, who shall serve at the council’s pleasure. The journal editor shall also have the assistance of a book review editor, who shall be appointed by the council and serve at its pleasure. Passed.
It was moved, seconded, and passed that the minutes record that the membership expressed a hearty thanks to Michael Birkner for his leadership of the PHA for these last two years.
Birkner passed the gavel to Dieterich-Ward.
The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.