Minutes of the 2011
Annual Business Meeting
CHAPEL HILL, NC
JANUARY 15, 2011
President Cheryl Crowley called the meeting to order at 12:10 in the Chancellor’s
Ballroom of the Carolina Inn and introduced the Local Arrangements Chair
Wei-Cheng Lin and Program Chair Jan Bardsley. They thanked their planning
committee, volunteers, UNC-Chapel Hill and the other organizations that helped
to sponsor the event.
President Crowley then introduced UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorp who
added his welcoming remarks to the assembled participants and said how important
Asian Studies was in academia and the larger world.
President Crowley followed by introducing members of the SEC/AAS Executive
Committee, who were asked to stand for applause. The meeting was adjourned
for 30 minutes so participants could go to the buffet tables for lunch.
Upon resuming the meeting, the minutes of the 2010 ABM meeting at the Brown Hotel
in Louisville, Kentucky were presented by Susan Walcott and accepted without amendment.
Local Arrangements Chair Wei-Cheng Lin and Program Chair Jan Bardsley next
presented their reports. Around 145 papers were presented, along with a language
workshop and K-12 teacher workshop. The conference was expected to have a
surplus, of which they hoped to designate $2,000 for expenses connected with
the SERAS journal, which is now edited at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Vice President Harry Kuoshu pointed out the ballots and colored information sheets on
each table, and asked participants to mark them for collection. Results of
the balloting for vice-president and at-large member would be announced at
the end of the program. He asked attendee candidates to stand: Shiping Hua
for VP and James Yoxall for at-large member. Their two competitors, Kang
Liu (Duke) for VP and Kun Qian (University of Richmond) for at-large member,
were not at the meeting.
Susan Walcott gave the Council of Conferences report, pointing out in particular that
graduate student papers were needed to represent SEC/AAS at the COC panel
at the AAS conference each year. She also asked that suggestions for improvements
in AAS programs, journal, and fundraising be given her to present to the
Council.
SERAS editors Li-ling Hsiao and David Ross reported receiving fourteen papers for
the latest issue, which were sent out for review along with eleven Notes.
Ultimately, six papers and ten Notes were accepted, about the same rate as
in the past three years. They thanked all reviewers and contributors. The
next issue will be a special on Asian art, particularly in Taiwan, and supported
by funds from TECO.
Acting Treasurer Susan Walcott noted several factors in the report placed
on the tables, along with agenda items. Although still in the black, the
total balance has been declining largely due to SERAS expenses and the shortfall
in people paying the modest SEC/AAS dues – particularly presenters who are
obligated to be members. She also mentioned that the financial ledger had
been audited and was found to be in order. Auditing Committee members Yoxall
and Métraux stood up for applause.
Student prizes were awarded for Travel Grants to Aries Arugay (Georgia State), Steve
Gump (University of Illinois) and Cheyenne Haney (Florida State). The Undergraduate
Paper prize went to Katy Lea Todd (Mary Baldwin College.) Lack of entries
for the graduate paper prize was again mentioned; no graduate paper prize
was awarded.
Lucien Ellington, Editor of Education about Asia presented his report, noting that
submissions are being accepted for an upcoming issue on Asian food.
Vice-president Harry Kuoshu announced that the 2012 SEC/AAS meeting will be at
Furman University, with a shuttle bus taking attendees between events at
the university and downtown hotel. He then announced the election results:
incoming Shiping Hua for VP and James Yoxall for at-large member.
Since no announcements or other business were offered from the floor, following
reminders about the upcoming talks by AAS President Kalyanakrishnan Sivaramakrishnan
and Keynote speaker Wu Hung, the meeting was adjourned by President Crowley
at 1:45.
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