| The
American Schools of Oriental Research Executive Committee Meeting April 29, 2005 - Boston, MA Minutes |
PRESENT: P.E. MacAllister, Chairman, Larry Geraty, President, Martha Sharp Joukowsky, Vice-President, James F. Strange, Secretary, Douglas Clark, Executive Director, Ed Gilbert, Larry Herr for COP, Eric Cline for CAMP, Eric M. Meyers, David Rosenstein, B.W. Ruffner, Dick Scheuer, Life Trustee, Joe D. Seger, Billie Jean Collins, Director of Publications, and Selma Omerefendic, Accountant.
ABSENT: Holly Andrews, Assistant Director, Burton MacDonald for CAP
VISITORS: Richard Ballou, Britt Hartenberger, Nader Rastegar.
1. Call to Order - P.E. MacAllister, 1:30 pm.
2. Approval of the Minutes of Feb 13, 2005 Executive Committee Meeting-J. Strange. Minutes corrected as amended.
3. Report from the Chairman - P.E. MacAllister. Waived.
4. Report from the President - Larry Geraty. Reports that we are doing well in the enhancement of our academic vision. The Development Director (program) will be in place soon in the form of a consultant group. One of our new Trustees, Nader Rastegar of Atlanta, is present. Discussions with potential Board members continue. Expansion of individual and institutional membership continues apace under Joe Seger's leadership.
5. Report from the Executive Director - Douglas Clark (distributed). During discussion of Board responsibilities, Doug mentioned that a major responsibility is to help ASOR stay afloat financially. He suggested the Annual Meeting should turn a profit. A trustee suggested that we tap patrons for students' expenses to the meeting. Doug Clark recommended we develop a development program which is "systemic, comprehensive, carefully conceived, beneficial in the short run and for the long haul, a program which learns from the past, helps ASOR survive in the present and promises a long and sustainable future, rich in programs, publications and presentations." He distributed a synopsis of legal documents composed of the ASOR founding document (The Articles of Incorporation), the ASOR Bylaws and the ASOR Manual of Policies and Procedures so that Executive Committee members may read and digest them, noting where they are not in harmony. P.E. MacAllister suggested that the operating committee chairs and Joe Seger work through the document to iron out differences. Doug suggested a Master Planning Committee be established, made up of a Chair TBA, Loren Basch, Sy Gitin, Rachel Hallote, Sten LaBianca, Carol Meyers, David Rosenstein, Joe Seger, grad student TBA, and ex officio PE MacAllister, Larry Geraty, Eric Cline, Larry Herr, Burton MacDonald, Doug Clark (nv), Billie Jean Collins (nv), and Holly Andrews (nv). This committee would be charged with dealing with ASOR's academic agenda and programs. Eric Myers suggested that Doug Clark chair the committee. Martha suggested Alex Ratzlaff, a graduate student, for the committee. Doug Clark agreed to chair, if appointed. ASOR will negotiate a new contract with BU for June 2006, when the current contract runs out.
Joe Seger spoke for the ASOR Membership committee, and asked that one of the old membership categories be activated, namely, that of Advisory Membership.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE Advisory Membership for businesses, foundations, and organizational entities be activated, with Annual Dues of $500, with a voice and vote at the annual Membership Meeting, receive copies of the ASOR Newsletter, discounts on the Annual Meeting registration, access to ASOR-L List serve, and recognition in ASOR publications. Moved by Joe Seger, seconded by B.W. Ruffner. This is already in the Bylaws, but needs to be interated in our announcement of our memberships. A third sub-committee for this area should be added to the Membership Committee to deal with this category. PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Joe Seger be empowered to organize a sub-committee of the Membership Committee to deal with this category. MOVED by Larry Geraty seconded by Larry Herr. PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Doug Clark suggested that the Executive Committee, in fact all Trustees, sign a conflict of interest form, a standard procedure for Trustees of nonprofit corporations. He will provide a form for the next meeting.
6. Report from the acting Treasurer - B.W. Ruffner. B.W. read into the record the following paragraph:
"Our earlier efforts to rearrange our chart of accounts so that the many activities of ASOR can be evaluated more logically allow us to begin seeing where our problems are. Unfortunately, clear accounting alone doesn't solve the problems. I want to emphasize that these challenges are not new. The reality that operating expenses in Boston and Atlanta have exceeded our reliable income stream has been with us for at least five years. The current crisis was obscured by our murky financial reporting which made it difficult to see that ASOR has survived on last-minute bailouts by a few very generous donors and by draining the funds donated around the Centennial celebrations."
The Boston office faces a shortfall for this year. Our ability to take $15k (5% release) out of endowment to reduce a deficit is problematic. The Annual Meeting budget looks better than the Boston office budget. The Publications Committee projects a surplus for the year. The Treasurer indicated that the budget must be passed, but he does not believe that he should approve a budget that shows a deficit. No action was taken, and it was passed on to the full Board with no action.
7. Report on Development - David Rosenstein (distributed). David reasoned with the Executive Committee that the purpose of Development is to put in place the elements of a long-term and sustainable program with major gifts, Trustee giving, planned giving, direct marketing, branding, public outreach and other essentials that will make a long-term contribution to ASOR's existence. It was pointed out that there must be a real committment from the membership of the Board. A proper development program must be in place. Is there a cost benefit for ASOR to have one office? Is there a benefit for ASOR to have a Budget Committee? COP has investigated the prospect of uniting the offices in Boston, and it turned out that moving the Atlanta office to Boston would cause a greater financial loss. Cost of living in Atlanta is much cheaper than in Boston. The Bylaws mention a Budget Committee. Perhaps it is time to activate this committee, perhaps as part of the Finance Committee.
8. Report on Investments - Ed Gilbert (distributed).
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the distributed Investment Policy be accepted as ASOR's policies. Moved by B.W. Ruffner, seconded. PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. (See appendix.)
9. Report from the Committee on Publications - Larry Herr, Billie Jean Collins. Larry Herr reported that distributing an electronic Newsletter would save some part of the $11k spent on the current Newsletter. Larry Herr asked for a straw vote. Most of the Executive Committee was in favor. The Membership Committee reported that the membership were polled last fall and responded largely in favor of an electronic Newsletter. COP plans to make the change. B.J. Collins reported that the third issue for the year of NEA went to press yesterday.
10. Report from the Committee on Annual Meeting and Programs - Eric H. Cline (distributed). CAMP anticipates a full house in Philadelphia. Sometimes program sessions will be book five across. William Dever will lecture Friday night at the University Museum, University of Pennsylvania. The Honors and Awards Committee has been reconstituted with Sten LaBianca as chair. Billie Jean Collins, Doug Clark, and Eric Cline spoke of adding a tour sub-committee. Eric Cline will oversee it as part of CAMP. CAMP will take nominations for members and for chair. A company has been located which will do most of the work, if ASOR will get the first few in the door of each tour.
Doug spoke of a draft of the Memo of Understanding between ASOR and SBL. Kent Richards is in favor of the connection between SBL biblical scholars and archaeology. The proposal is to develop a relationship that is less than full integration of the two societies.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT this body receive this proposal for a working relationship between ASOR and SBL as a working document to be carried to the Board. Moved by Jim Strange, Seconded by Eric Cline. PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
11. Report from the Committee on Archaeological Policy - Doug Clark for Burton MacDonald. Harris grants went to six projects for a total of about $4,500. He proposed Carol Meyers for membership on CAP. There will be a CAP tour of Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus beginning June 14 in Jordan, in Israel 19-21, 22-27 in Cyprus.
12. Old Business: None
13. New Business: None
14. Vote to Adjourn 4:45 pm.
APPENDIX: Investment Policy