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In attendance: Josephine McQuail, Executive Director; Antonio Cao, President;
Michelle Tokarczyk, NEMLA First Vice President; Matthew Wilson, Second Vice
President; Laureano Corces, Spanish Director; Michael Schiavi, Gay Lesbian Bi-
Trans- Driector; Annette Magid, Two Year College Caucus Director; Darcie Rives,
Graduate Caucus Director; Neil Donahue, German Director; Marilyn Rye, British
American Director; Rita Bode, British American Director; Laura Niesen DeAbruna
for Laurence Roth, Editor, Modern Language Studies
I. Introduction
1. The meeting was convened by Executive Director
McQuail who had Board
members introduce themselves and then gave a brief report on the convention.
She then gave the floor to Antonio Cao for the President's Report; Michelle
Tokarczyk for the First Vice President's Report; Laura deAbruna for Modern
Language Studies; Matthew Wilson for the Second Vice President's Report; and
the Caucus Directors for their reports
II. President's Report
1. Antonio Cao commented on his preparations for
the convention and the status of the keynote speaker
III. First Vice President's Report
1. Michelle Tokarczyk spoke about the venue for
the 2005 convention, which
will be Cambridge, and had some questions about finding a host institution.
Laura deAbruna (past president of NEMLA) advised against MIT (the local host
institution in 2003), and urged that a speaker be chosen from Harvard or MIT
IV. Book Prize Winner
1. Laura deAbruna, as past NEMLA president, heads
the Book Prize Committee. She reported that, because of the number of manuscripts
submitted, the committee was unable to find readers to evaluate them by the
time of the convention.
V. Second Vice President's Report
1. Matthew Wilson discussed some possible venues
for the 2006 convention,
which he will preside over. Convention hotels in Syracuse NY, and Stamford CT
expressed interest in hosting NEMLA, but the Board decided that both locations
would be difficult for NEMLA members to get to. Philadelphia received the most
interest on behalf of the Board, and Wilson said he would continue trying to
negotiate with hotels. The Marriot received favorable discussionas it is near
the Reading Terminal Market and the new Remmel Center
VI. Report of Language Directors:
1. Neil Donahue reported that German had a strong
presence at the
convention
2. Laureano Corces was introduced as the incoming
Spanish Language
Director and said that he hoped to continue the strong presence of Hispanic
panels and activities at the convention
VII. Modern Language Studies Report
1. Laura deAbruna gave the report in lieu of
Laurence Roth who was out of
the country. Susquehana University has been providing substantial funding for
MLS but Laura brought up questions of how the journal was going to be financed.
a. Laurence Roth had gotten one ad for MLS and
this was discussed as
a possible source of revenue
b. Neil Donahue suggested that all language departments
be urged to
subscribe
c. Annette Magid suggested that donors be located
for support of the
nonprofit, academic journal and volunteered to fundraise for MLS
d. Neil Donahue suggested that university Deans
be asked to sponsor
NEMLA with funding acknowledgements printed in MLS as incentive
e. Raising subscription fees was discussed
f. Laura deAbruna suggested that a portion of
NEMLA's budget be reserved for the MLS and questioned the prioritizing of the
convention versus support of MLS in NEMLA's budget
2. According to deAbruna, issue 33:1, the first
issue under the editorship of Roth and sponsorship of Susquehanna, will be out
in April
VIII. Caucus Reports
1. Women's Caucus, Ruth Anolik Anolik announced
the winners of the 204
Women's Caucus Best Essay Award: Beth Capo won for "'Can This Marriage
Be Saved': Birth Control and Marriage in Modern American Literature"; honorable
mention went to Elizabeth Abele's "The Open Range: Feminine Western Tradition."
Both papers were presented at the 2003 convention in Cambridge MA.
2. Graduate Student Caucus, Darcie Rives
3. Gay, Lesbian, Bi- Trans- Caucus Michael Schiavi
-- Schiavi reported on
the difficultiess faced by the Caucus in view of the unexpected resignation
of its former President. He reported that things seemed to be back on course.
4. Two Year College Caucus, Annette Magid. Magid
asked if the funds
reserved for Caucuses each year could be rolled over to the next. McQuail said
she would check but she didn't think so. Magid reported that she thought a
replacement could be found.
5. Fellowship Committee report: Rita Bode, Acting
Chair of the Summer
Fellowship Committee, announced that David Thiele and Neil Hultgren were awarded
fellowships this year.
In attendance: Josephine McQuail, Executive Director; Michelle Tokarczyk,
President; Matthew Wilson, First Vice President; Neil H. Donahue, Outgoing
German Language Director; Dan Schultz, New Two Year College Caucus Director;
Rita Bode, British and American Director; Darcie Rives, Graduate Caucus
Director; Lisa DeTue incoming Graduate Caucus Director (?); Jason Haslam, Web
Master; Laureano Corces, Spanish Language Director; Marilyn Rye, American
British Director; Antonio Cao, Outgoing NEMLA President; Annette Magid, Outgoing
Two Year College Caucus Director; Absent: Mario Aste, Italian Language
Director; Michael Schiavi, Gay Lesbian Bi- Trans- Caucus Director
Lessons from the Convention:
I. Convention Program
1. Timing of sessions in different areas (particularly
German) needs to be considered so that panels on certain subjects are more spread
out
2. A list of distribution of panels by topic (American,
German, etc.)
should be included in the convention program
3. A map of the convention hotel and rooms needs to be included in the next
Convention Bulletin
II. Convention Facilities and Expenses
1. Computer access needs to be better
2. Keynote address and reception and caucus receptions:
the hotel was not on top of things as far as acoustics for the keynote address,
seating at the
keynote reception, or timing of the caucus receptions which had been changed
[Executive Director McQuail has contacted the hotel about these problems). In
the future when possible convention hotels are being considered they should
be asked what kind of business they primarily do: personal events or business
conventions.
3. A shuttle bus should be provided in Boston
again; the shuttle to the Warhol reception was judged to be a great service
this year
4. Executive Director McQuail listed some of the
expenses for the convention and brought up the question Laura DeAbruna had made:
should the convention or the journal, Modern Language Studies, receive priority
for NEMLA budgeting?
III. Changes to Consider for the Next Convention
1. To improve attendance of certain panels perhaps
local students may be
invited for a small fee
2. Audio Visual needs: Executive Director McQuail
reported that some requestors of A/V equipment refused to pay for the equipment
ordered when they were told the cost. The Board agreed that McQuail should write
letters requesting
reimbursement for the fees charged NEMLA for the A/V equipment and authorized
her to levy punitive actions in case of continued refusal of payment
3. McQuail said that she believes NEMLA should
stay out of the A/V requests in view of difficulties caused by such requests
both this year and in the past. It was suggested that a separate form be provided
with the panel chairs' forms with A/V information. Michelle Tokarczyk and Lisa
DeTue volunteered to help gather information about A/V equipment for Boston
next year (2005)
IV Possible Candidates for Vacant Positions on the Board
1. Italian Studies: Mario Aste, recently elected
as Italian Studies Director, had health problems which prevented his attending
the Convention.. If he is unable to serve, Dr. Simona Wright (College of New
Jersey), Eugenio Bolongaro (McGill), Mark Epstein (Princeton), and Daniela Antonnucci
(Princeton) all volunteered to either help get Italian Studies active or to
serve as Director.
2. French Studies: Carine Mardorossian (SUNY Buffalo)
and Candace Lombard were volunteered or volunteered as possible candidates
V Philadelphia as Possible Site for the 2006 Convention
1. Tramble Turner and Bill Misticelli were identified
as possible local reps for the 2006 convention, if held in Philadelphia