Annual General Meeting (1999)

Minutes: 16 October 1999

Holiday Inn
Rue Sherbrooke
Montréal, QC

Meeting called to order at 16:45.

Present: John Baird, Marc André Bernier, Michèle Bocquillon, Larry Bongie, Jacqueline Chammas, Lorna Clark, Frans De Bruyn, Ugo Dionne, Megan Fairbanks, Christa Fell, Gordon Fulton, Marie-Laure Girou-Swiderski, Chantal Grenier, Ronald B. Hatch, Nicholas Hudson, Eva Jacek, David John, Philip Knee, William Kinsley, Benoît Léger, April London, Jay Macpherson, Heather McPherson, Benoît Melançon, Rob Merrett, Feisal Mohamed, Mark Phillips, Pam Perkins, David Raynor, Marie-Christine Pioffet, Peter Sabor, Emmanuelle Sauvage, Betty Schellenberg, Alison Scott-Prelorentzos, Alex Sokalski, Raymond Stephanson, Eleanor Ty.

1. Minutes of the previous meeting adopted as presented (Hudson/Hatch)

2. Conference President's Report

Benoît Melançon noted that the Université de Montréal has been very generous in its institutional support. Some highlights of this year's conference: 122 papers to be presented, of which 40 will be presented in French; three plenary speakers; three round-table discussions, including two focusing on teaching; and a graduate student forum. Benoît thanked those who helped organize the conference, and those who provided administrative and institutional support. He also thanked chairs and presenters at the many sessions. He announced that applications for financial support (travel and registration costs) should be submitted by 1 November. He expects to announce the winner of this year's Madoff prize by 1 December.

3. President's Report

The President thanked Benoît Melançon for his hard work in preparing this year's conference. She expressed encouragement at the bouyant membership figures for the Society and the broad participation in this year's conference.

4. Secretary-Treasurer's Report

Frans De Bruyn presented a consolidated statement of income and expenses for the year (Oct. 1998-Oct. 1999) and a balance sheet of the Society's current assets and liabilities. Currently the Society's net worth, once long-term liabilities (production costs for Lumen 96, 97, and 98) are taken into account, stands at approximately $34,000. These figures include the Lumen accounts currently managed by Alex Sokalski. On the membership side, Frans noted that this year's membership stands at 218, with more memberships still to come in before the books are closed for 1999. Of these, 40 are members from outside Canada, with 178 Canadian members. Membership breakdown by region: Western Canada, 47 (BC-17, AB-15, SK-8, MB-7); Ontario, 79; Quebec, 37; Atlantic Canada, 14 (NB-1, NS-8, PE-1, NF-4).

5. Lumen: Managing Editor's report

Alex Sokalski reported that volume 16 of Lumen (1995) is finally published. This issue saw many delays and cost overruns. The final cost was $7,630.66, most of which was borne by the Society. Some delays are being experienced with volume 17: some contributors are late in returning page proofs. For the period July 1998 to June 1999, $2,472.05 was received in sales; after deductions for commissions, postage, and handling, the Society realized $736.57 in net sales. The current balance in the Lumen chequing account is $2,391.01 and the value of the Lumen GIC account is $7,821.35.

Gordon Fulton announced that Lumen 17 is currently coming out; Lumen 18 will be appearing very soon; and Rob Merrett expects Lumen 19 to appear next spring (2000).

Problems with the operation of Lumen were discussed, including cost overruns and declining sales and circulation. Some solutions were suggested, including tighter production schedules and guidelines, and the appointment of a permanent editor. Other suggestions: converting Lumen into a more regular academic journal, soliciting articles from non-members (as well as members), publishing it electronically, enlisting institutional support, and applying for subsidies from Heritage Canada and SSHRC. Frans De Bruyn was delegated to study the possibilities for reforming or revamping the journal and to report back at next year's general meeting in Toronto.

6. Bulletin: Editors' Report

Raymond Stephanson reported that the costs for publishing the Bulletin over the past year have been $854.90. Of this, the University of Saskatchewan has contributed $500, leaving a balance for the Society of $354.90. To control costs, members will be encouraged to receive the Bulletin in electronic form; the electronic version will become the default version of the Bulletin, though printed copies will still be available in the near future. Various members expressed concerns: making the Bulletin fully electronic involves issues of Internet security, readability (Web-based versus e-mail versions), and members' access (some Society members still have no e-mail or access to the Web). Ray suggested doing a survey of members to see who can receive the Bulletin in an electronic version, and setting up a three-year schedule for going fully electronic.

7. Future Conferences

John Baird announced the dates for next year's meeting: 19-21 October, at the Colony Hotel in Toronto. Planning for the event is already underway, with events to be held both at the hotel and at Victoria College. The meeting will be a joint conference with the Scottish Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies. CSECS will meet in Saskatoon in 2001 (Ray Stephanson), and in Quebec City in 2002 (Peter Sabor). Both McMaster University (Jane Rush) and UBC (Nicholas Hudson) have indicated an interest in hosting future conferences. It was noted that CSECS hasn't met in Atlantic Canada for a number of years. The suggestion was made that members from that region be approached about hosting a future CSECS conference.

8. New Executive Positions

The following new delegates and representatives were acclaimed:

HSSFC delegate: April London;

ASECS delegate: Peter Sabor;

Philosophy rep.: Philip Knee;

Other languages and literatures rep.: Marianne Henn;

Bulletin Editor (French language): Marc André Bernier.

9. Madoff Prize

Jean Coutin is the winner of the Madoff prize for 1997. The winner for 1998 is still being chosen.

10. ISECS, ASECS, HSSFC and Other Organizations

Louise Robert from HSSFC spoke to the membership about the Federation's activities, which include lobbying the Federal Government, representing the humanities at SSHRC, sponsoring the annual congress of learned societies, and subsidizing the publication of academic books. HSSFC is currently engaged in a study of the research infrastructure needs of humanities scholars, and Louise encouraged CSECS members to express their views on this issue. Benoît Melançon thanked Louise for the financial award this year's conference received from the Federation. The Affiliate Co-ordinator for ASECS next addressed the meeting. She will be writing up our conference in the next issue of the ASECS Newsletter. She described the various programs of ASECS and encouraged us to join. Various members who attended the ISECS congress in Dublin reported a fruitful, stimulating, and enjoyable conference. The fine weather and delectable Guinness were specifically noted.

11. Other Business

Benoît Melançon presented two items for discussion.

i. The location of the CSECS Web site. Because of limitations at the Université de Montréal, Benoît suggested moving the Society's Web site to C-18, which is based in Switzerland. They will host our site gratis, and we will be free to terminate the arrangement at any time. Moving to the C-18 site would mean access to a search engine and the possibility of protecting information (such as the contents of current Bulletins) by password. The move was approved.

ii. Benoît Melançon proposed that the Society devote some funds over the next two years to gather, organize, and update archival materials. Some Society members reminded the rest of us that older archives for the Society do exist; these can form the basis for the proposed new project. It was agreed that this would be a desirable goal, and Benoît encouraged members to send in any material they may have on file for photocopying and electronic storage.

Meeting adjourned at 18:15.

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