January 2003

7:30 am

Palmer House Hilton

Robert Beisner, presiding Members and guests present: Deborah Kisatsky, Michael Hogan, Scott Laderman, Bob Beisner, Peter Hahn, Dennis Merrill, Andrew Rotter, Malcolm Crystal, Ann Heiss, Mark Stoler, David Schmitz, Mark Lawrence, David Anderson, Bill Burr, Jim Matray, Phyllis Soybel, William Brinker.

1. Comments regarding the sale and marketing of the soon-to-be published Guide were presented by Bob Beisner. A motion from Dennis Merrill, Chester Pach, and Peter Hahn was introduced. It read:
   

   The SHAFR Business Office is authorized to market the Guide according to the terms of the contract and under the provisions outlined below:

   1. SHAFR will offer the Guide for pre-publication sale, beginning January 2003, at the following prices: $65 to student members and $95 to other members. Once the guide is published (estimated date: June 2003), prices will increase to $80 and $120, respectively.
   2. The SHAFR Business Office will advertise the sale on the Web site, in the Newsletter, in Diplomatic History, over H-diplo, at the 2003 annual meeting, and in as many other venues as feasible. The 2003 annual meeting will be advertised as the “last chance” to buy at pre-publication rates (provided that volumes remain available at that time).
   3. Purchasers will be directed to send payments (checks only) to the SHAFR Business Office, which will deposit the checks and provide names and addresses of purchasers to ABC-Clio, on a schedule to be negotiated with the publisher. The publisher will ship copies of the book directly to the purchasers. ABC-Clio is contractually obligated to pay shipping costs in such distribution. The SHAFR Business office will pay ABC-Clio the amount due for the books shipped.
   4. Contributing editors (list attached) are entitled to free copies of the Guide. The SHAFR Business Office will secure 50 copies of the Guide for distribution to contributing editors, holding any remaining copies in reserve for future distribution as directed by Council. ABC-Clio is contractually obligated to provide an additional 15 copies of the Guide to Bob Beisner.
   5. SHAFR is obligated to purchase 600 copies of the Guide at $50 each, within 18 months of publication, and it has the option to order additional volumes at the same price before ABC-Clio's print run (deadline: 5 May 2003). Should early sales indicate sufficient demand, the Business Office will exercise this option and commit to additional copies at the $50 price.
   6. Every effort will be made to sell (or distribute free to contributors) the 600 obligatory copies as soon as possible. If copies remain unsold (or undistributed) at the end of the 18-month time frame, the SHAFR Business Office will accept such copies from ABC-Clio and continue to market them to SHAFR members until supplies are exhausted. Once the Business Office exhausts its supply of copies obtained at $50, it will market copies to members at the cost of $135 each (the $225 list price less 40% “author's” discount offered by ABC-Clio).

   The motion passed.

2. Council discussed maintaining an electronic version of the Guide. Merrill, Pach, and Hahn presented a motion as follows:
   

   The SHAFR Council authorizes the appointment of a search committee to search for a successor to Bob Beisner as editor-in-chief of the continuing SHAFR bibliographic project. That editor's responsibilities will include working with chapter/subject editors to produce supplements to the revised, printed Guide and making plans for the electronic publication of those supplements and/or the entire revised Guide. The motion carried.

3. Beisner announced that the SHAFR Newsletter will be moved from Tennessee Tech to Ohio State University after publication of the March, 2003 issue. Peter Hahn and Mitch Lerner will assume the editorial duties. In so doing the content, frequency, and format of the newsletter will be altered. Some information currently found in the newsletter will be maintained online thereby keeping the members better informed. A motion to commend the current (out-going) editor was made and adopted by Council.
4. Council approved changing the term Executive Secretary-Treasurer to Executive Director to be effective immediately. Peter Hahn, the first Executive Director, plans to assume additional responsibilities for the organization. He is already involved in new “outreach” activities and plans for more. Hahn hopes for increased members from government officials, high school teachers, and from related associations both inside and outside the field of History. The goal is to reach growth in membership, in stature, and influence. Council members strongly endorsed the goals.
5. David Schmitz reported for the 2003 SHAFR annual meeting planners. As Program Chair, Schmitz confirmed the dates June 6-8, 2003. The George Washington program will include a 4 pm reception at the State Department on Thursday. Further details will be mailed to the members.
6. Mark Lawrence reported preliminary and tentative news of the 2004 meeting to be held at the LBJ Library and the University of Texas, Austin on June 24-27, 2004.
7. Phyllis Soybel reported for the Georgetown Travel Grant Committee. After some discussion concerning the amounts of the grants, Council approved granting $1500 to Adam Howard (Florida) and $500 to Tammy Nemeth (British Columbia).
8. Peter Hahn presented details of SHAFR's finances. His report of the 2002 (actual) expenditures and revenues and the 2003 (estimated) expenditures and revenues clearly portrayed the financial health of the organization.
9. Jim Matray, serving a five year term as liaison between SHAFR and its investment managers (Schafer Cullen), reported that in these times of financial uncertainty SHAFR's endowment funds were being invested soundly.
10. Malcolm Crystal from Blackwell Publishers discussed various services that are being currently utilized and that are becoming available to SHAFR.