SDH-SEMI Executive Meeting Minutes

May 4, 2012

Susan Brown, Dan O’Donell, Stefan Sinclair, Keith Lawson

1. Approval of Agenda: Approved
2. Approval of Minutes (March 30, 2012): Approved
3. Items for action
• Finalising Nominations for SDH-SEMI and ADHO committees (SB and MS)
• Possible names for Secretary: Dominic Forest? Yin Liu?  Submit other names to Michael, as they occur to us, before Sunday
• French President: Michael Sinatra
• Stefan will send out a call to the members of SDH-SEMI asking for indications of interest from members to serve in ADHO positions, SDH-SEMI positions, now or in the future
• MS: we will call for nominations from the floor: those who respond via email to SS’s call will be included alongside any other nominations from the floor
• Vacancies:

  - President (French)
  - Secretary (prefer bi-lingual office holder)

• SS will include a paragraph on the duties of each Office in his note to the membership
• DO & SS to compose the call in such a way as to indicate that the current President (French) has agreed to stand for the position and will be nominated at the AGM
• The exec. should think of and contact people at the annual conference to serve as SDH-SEMI reps on ADHO committees and ask them if they’d be willing to serve.

4. Structural/Committee changes
• Nomination committee under secretary (DPOD): Approved
• VP -> VP Awards (MS) :
• this would be the result of putting the nomination committee under the Office of Secretary
• General discussion of this change leads to a agreement to re-name both VP positions as simply VP, rather than VP-Awards and VP-Outreach
• To effect such a change requires a Constitutional change, which must be voted on at the AGM
• MS will compose the new language for this change, and it will be circulated to the executive, then present it at the AGM
• Add 2 members at large? (DPOD)
• MS: a way to introduce members to the executive in a way that ensures continuity through overlapping terms, and hopefully open the path to people to who want to get involved in the executive
• the Member-at-large positions would be, conceptually, an “entry” position to the executive
• the positions would be 2 year positions, with one starting for one year, the other for two, for the sake of overlap.  The positions do not include term limits, so a person who takes the one year member-at-large will be free to stand for re-election.
• Approved
• SS:  I wouldn’t mind revisiting the members-at-large issue so that we’re not waiting a full year to have a nomination and voting process. could we note invite nominations pending approval of the constitutional changes. Then again, maybe it’s time we think about electronic voting for this kind of thing.
• General agreement is expressed
• MS points out that we propose the change at the AGM, then vote for the positions.  To solicit possible occupants in advance might corrupt the process
• SS: offers wording that seems to satisfy MS’s concerns.  SS’s language to be circulated via email.
5. Status of other constitutional changes (MS)
6. Information and possible action
   • MOU/Status of our proposal for a registration form
   • The creation of a new registration method will be tied to presentation of the concept at the ADHO general meeting, at DH_2012
   • Discussion of SSHRC grant adjudication processes if time permits (SB)
   • this discussion will be conducted in full at the annual executive dinner at Congress
7. Reports and Continuing Business

1. Journal (DPOD)
1. Status
2. Heads up on proposals for adjusting publication format
3. North-South (DPOD)
2. ADHO report (MS)
3. Treasurer (KL)
1. Student Travel Bursary [with apologies Keith, I missed your report in its entirety b/c of my inexperience with WordPress.]
4. Outreach (SS)
5. Conference (MS)
6. Awards? (SB)
7. Secretary (RC)

• Approval of Minutes (March 30, 2012)

• Items for action
• Finalising Nominations for SDH-SEMI and ADHO committees (SB and MS)
• Structural/Committee changes
• Nomination committee under secretary (DPOD)
• VP -> VP Awards (MS)
• Add 2 members at large? (DPOD)
• Status of other constitutional changes (MS)
• Information and possible action
• MOU/Status of our proposal for a registration form
• Discussion of SSHRC grant adjudication processes if time permits (SB)
• Reports and Continuing Business
• Journal (DPOD)
• Status
• Heads up on proposals for adjusting publication format
• North-South (DPOD)
• ADHO report (MS)
• Treasurer (KL)
• Student Travel Bursary
• Outreach (SS)
• Conference (MS)
• Awards? (SB)
• Secretary (RC)

To register for one or both of these workshops email Brent Nelson at brent.nelson[at]usask.ca before 15 May 2012. Space is limited, so register early.

Schedule:

Both sessions will be held in B113 Bricker Academic Building, Wilfrid Laurier University.

9:00 am – 12:00 pm.   Aimée Morrison (U Waterloo) will answer the question, “What is Digital Humanities, and how do I get started?”

“Digital Humanities” is a term and a set of practices and projects gaining increasing currency in the humanities. Stanley Fish writes about it in the New York Times! Chronicle of Higher Education columnists name it the next big thing, two years in a row! Funders and administrators often tout digital humanities work as highly desirable: it is technical, collaborative, large-scale, and often draws large amounts of external funding from both the private sector as well as granting agencies.

However, pinning down exactly what “digital humanities” is or what kind of work it entails can be confusing to newcomers, never mind the vague or not-so-vague fear that this new field undermines traditional humanities scholarship.

This workshop will overview the history of digital humanities, the debates that currently animate the field, a variety of projects that represent its potential for continue humanistic inquiry in an increasingly digital world, and point to a wealth of further intellectual and practical resources for scholars looking to maybe join the party.

Everyone is welcome. Nothing is required but curiosity and a willingness to debate.

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.  Dan O’Donnell (U Lethbridge). “Markup and Metadata: An introduction to the power of XML and related technologies in humanities research applications.”

This workshop introduces scholars to XML and related technologies, demonstrating the power they can offer in conducting humanities research. Some of the major initiatives in the field will be discussed, including a brief overview of the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI).

The workshop is intended to be introductory and will focus on the basic concepts using simple examples and demonstrations. Some elementary hands-on exercises will also be provided.

This workshop will be of interest to scholars who do not have significant digital training or experience and who want to take the first steps in learning about how digital technology can help them in their projects. By the end of the session, participants will have a basic knowledge of some of the core concepts, tools, and resources and an understanding of how they can set about acquiring more detailed training and information.

Daniel Paul O’Donnell is Professor of English at the University of Lethbridge. He is editor of Caedmon’s Hymn: A Multimedia Study, Edition, and Archive, and Principal Investigator on the Visionary Cross Project. He is a former Chair of the Text Encoding Initiative, founding director of Digital Medievalist, and co-president of the Society for Digital Humanities / Société pour l’étude des médias interactifs. He is editor of Digital Studies and Associate Editor of Digital Medievalist.

Approval of Agenda

• Approved

Approval of March 2nd, minutes

• Approved

Committee and Officer Reports (precirculate if possible):

President English

• Journals report pre-circulated
• North-south collaboration: SDH-SEMI asked to co-sponsor INKE Birds of a Feather conference in Havana; SDH-SEMI to lead ADHO’s positive response to Ray’s invitation nominally to support the conference: Secretary recuses himself from discussion; the SDH-SEMI exec enthusiastically endorses nominal support for Havana INKE BoF conference; ADHO people described as enthusiastic in principal for North-South collaboration
• Journal: new issue likely to appear close to the time of this year’s conference; new editorial team and processes functioning well

President French

• By-laws: we do still have Directors, a legacy from Consortium period; Directors category will be removed as Bylaws are revised; Michael taking the initiative on contact with ADHO regarding a separate SDH-SEMI registration system online
• ADHO: mobile app proposal voted down on the basis of costs: the idea is considered good, but the cost too high

Vice President

• Award: the committee declined to extend the award period beyond 10 years: Discussion – such an award misses entirely the mid-career constituency that originated this year’s discussion of a new award; a mid-career award might focus on a particular output; is three awards plus the graduate award too much?; an early career award based on trajectory, a mid-career award based on a particular output; announcement of early career award to be made at this year’s conference, and there is no expectation of a recipient being found for this year’s conference; the award may be made in any year, but need not be made every year; the early career award recipient will speak in a plenary, the mid-career recipient maybe not, but the question will be discussed in greater detail in our next meeting; recipients of the early career will be invited to join the DS/CN advisory board.  The early career award is voted on and passed, with the understanding that a mid-career / pre-professor / work / project award will be developed in the near future.
• Nominations: dates and duties clarified as far as possible via a Google doc; the question of terms for positions of SDH-SEMI reps on ADHO committees will be confirmed by one or both of the SD-SEMI presidents
• Nominations: we have no nominations committee; should the Awards committee be renamed the Awards and Nominations committee?; should we have a separate Nominations committee under the office of the Secretary?; the remaining committee members lean toward the latter; because only 3 members of the exec remain for this meeting, no decision on this is finalized; the structure proposed is for the Secretary to Chair the committee, and the Vice-President to be on it, along with other society members named by the committee Chair.

Vice President Outreach (also Web/infrastructure)

• Regrets

Treasurer

• SSHRC money received, to help defray travel costs: $1575.00.
• To be used to help fund grad students: 12 inquiries to date, 7 of whom have sent information; 5 more may contact by May; 7 are travelling internationally; several from Western Canada, 1 from PEI
• Treasurer to send names to Secretary for Secretary to confirm membership against ADHO list
• Cheque sent to journal about a week ago

Time and Location: 1330 Eastern on Skype

• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of March 2nd, minutes.
• Committee and Officer Reports (precirculate if possible):
• President English
• President French
• Vice President
• Vice President Outreach (also Web/infrastructure)
• Treasurer
• Conference
• Journal
• Nomination
• ADHO
• Other?
• Ongoing business and business arising from the minutes (sometimes included in officer reports)
• Bylaw changes update (MS)
• Subscription form update (MS)
• SDH-SEMI and North-South Collaboration: Birds of a Feather-Havana sponsorship (DPOD)

Regrets: S. Brown

In attendance (via skype): M. Sinatra, D. O’Donell, S. Sinclair, K. Lawson, R. Cunningham

English Pres:

1. ADHO pubs committee update: forthcoming changes to the server, forthcoming change to the webmaster
2. DS/CN First editorial meeting of new editorial staff, including new Man. Ed.; two articles in galley; two articles in review; two articles have come in; one expression of interest for potential another article
3. Ideal turn around (1 week to acknowledgement; 6 – 8 weeks for review; 12 weeks total to publication: these are the ideal, and DS/CN is getting close to it)

French Pres.

1. Changes to Bylaws still in progress
2. New membership site still in progress
3. New French Name for Society, Société canadienne des sciences humaines numériques; invites a change to the English side of the name to Canadian Society for Digital Humanities, producing the acronym CSDH-SCSHN
4. Discussion of implications for putting a national name in the society name: could it impact our ADHO funding model?
5. Discussion over whether to endorse this new name today, or postpone until our April meeting.
6. The final decision will be delivered by the membership at the AGM.
7. Action Item: We agree today to endorse this new name when it is presented for approval at the AGM.
8. 2012 conference program is almost complete.  The program chair, B. Nelson, will send out letters of acceptance & rejection soon (within days)
9. ACCUTE has indicated a disinclination to modify its program so that our joint session with them will fall within the days of the SDH-SEMI conference
10. Action Item: The exec asks MSinatra to contact the Pres of ACCUTE to ensure she is aware of this problem and understands the seriousness, for SDH-SEMI, of having a session that falls outside the time frame of our conference.  If a resolution to the issue is not forthcoming, MS is empowered by the exec. to withdraw our support of the session.
11. Gaming Assoc. will cooperate with us to choose a mutually agreeable time for a joint session
12. Healthy numbers of speakers will participate
13. Conf. Committee approves the idea of having a poster session about recent successful funding applications
14. A question asked about having B. Nelson post a blog entry on numbers of papers submitted and accepted, in the hope that SDH-SEMI will look like a friendly place for people to submit for presentation
15. Student funding (assistance) for conference attendance discussed
16. Emergent Scholar Award discussed, based on a Early Career Award document forwarded today to the Exec.

• Should the award be aimed at early career scholars, or at a significant piece of work?
• Ask the awards committee to take into account our discussion today –pre-tenure-ish (10 years or less); early career longer (15 years?)?
• Action Item: The exec likes the emphasis on the work, but is split on the question of whether an emphasis should be placed on very early (pre-tenure or equivalent? less than 10 years) career scholars or whether mid-career scholars, up to 15 years post-PhD, should also be eligible.  This is a decision we’re asking the Awards committee to deal with, then return a revised version of the award document to the exec for possible adoption at our next meeting.

 VP Outreach

1. Blog posts to be used to encourage wider participation in our Society

English President

1. On the question of potential North-South connections there are no new developments

 Treasurer

1.  Outstanding Achievement recipient’s anticipated expenses discussed
2.  ADHO journal payment has been made

• funding challenges and opportunities posed by the new SSHRC structure and CFI
• the potential for the equivalent of the ODH at SSHRC
• enhanced collaboration and ties with the southern hemisphere
• a response to SOPA
• made-in-Canada T&P guidelines
• increased Francophone involvement in SDH/SEMI
• increased support for students
• development of DH and integrated DH curricula
• disciplinary / professional in-reach (back into traditional disciplines)

One possible next step would be to fill in each of these with a bit more information and then seek members-at-large who may be interested in working with the exec.

Time and Location: 1330 Eastern on Skype

• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of January 13th minutes
• Committee and Officer Reports (precirculate if possible):
• President English
• President French
• Vice President
• Vice President Outreach (also Web/infrastructure)
• Treasurer
• Conference
• Journal
• Nomination
• ADHO
• Other?
• Ongoing business and business arising from the minutes
• Bylaw changes
• Subscription form
• Report on 2012 conference
• Proposal to create a new junior scholar award
• SOPA
• Advocacy and Outreach position/committee?
• SDH-SEMI and North South Collaboration

Approval of Agenda

• Approved

Approval of December 5th Minutes

• Corrections: that ADHO needs a new webmaster, not SDH-SEMI-ANNUAL
• typos

Committee and Officer Reports (precirculate if possible):

• Nothing pre-circulated

President English

• ADHO web issues affected by John Unsworth’s departure from UIUC

President French

• For March meeting, anticipate bylaw changes and new French name for our society
• Subscription form–MOU with ADHO to enable membership through Fed website

Vice President

• Dan speaks to ADHO nomination committee work being done by Susan (in her absence)
• The committee needs to find a list of ADHO positions before it can proceed in its work

Vice President Outreach (also Web/infrastructure)

• Infrastructure issues being addressed, which is not to say solved
• French language renaming of the society will come for discussion before the Exec as early as March meeting
• The membership page in French, enabling payment in their own language, may be more important than a new name
• Dan cautions that server speed likely to remain an issue at least through the spring

Treasurer

• Finances are good.
• ADHO payment received before year end
• SDH-SEMI paid up with FEDCAN
• Institutional subscriptions to the ADHO journal form a basis for ADHO payments to SDH-SEMI

Conference

• CfP has gone out
• We are using ConfTool
• By February meeting we should have numbers of submissions
• Treasurer asked to discuss attendance plans with the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award, toward predicting the costs

New Items

SOPA (Richard)

• Richard circulated an email asking us to discuss OUP and its support for SOPA
• MIT, Penn State UP, have posted anti-SOPA statements, Cambridge reported to be considering the issue
• Richard to draft a statement for circulation to Executive prior to being posted on SDH-SEMI website

SDH-SEMI and North South Collaboration

• Is SDH-SEMI interested in pursuing “North-South” international collaboration (i.e. developing collaborations, co-hosting workshops and events, seeking funding with programmes and colleagues in the developing world?)
• Should SDH-SEMI pursue relationships with digital organizations in the global south?
• Perhaps we could ask Ray Siemens & Dan think about how to pursue this idea?  What sources of money, how to do it, etc.?
• We should not forget that our first priority is the Canadian context, and that we need to increase our Canadian membership numbers.
• Dan will report back after discussing this with Ray.

Advocacy and Outreach position/committee?      

• Given the number of times we discuss the need to be active with national and international organisations and work on developing discipline, should we establish an advocacy and outreach position?
• Such a position might lead to greater uptake of ideas put forward during Exec meetings or general meetings or on an ad hoc basis
• Would such a position remove from executive oversight public statements seeming to come from SDH-SEMI?
• Our need for such a position may not be urgent, but we agree to keep an eye on the idea.
• The VP Outreach will compile a list of possible issues that might benefit from the attention such a position could enable