CSECS Executive Meeting
MINUTES: 22 and 25 October 2003
Empire Landmark Hotel
Vancouver, BC
Meeting called to order at 20:30.
Present: Marc André Bernier, Adam Budd, Frans De Bruyn,
Nicholas Hudson, Kathleen James-Cavan, April London, Benoît
Melançon, Barbara Seeber, David Trott, Servanne Woodward.
1. The agenda for the meeting was approved.
2. The minutes of the previous meeting (23 October 2002) were moved by
Marc André Bernier and Nick Hudson and were approved unanimously.
3. Nick Hudson reported on preparations for this year’s
conference. Generous support has been received from the
University of British Columbia and the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council of Canada. The president of the University is
sponsoring a reception, and the French Department has helped to bring
in plenary speakers. A more detailed budget of income and
expenses for the conference is to be submitted to the Executive in a
few days. Special thanks is due to Ron Hatch for the production
of a splendid program brochure. The Executive expressed its
thanks and appreciation to Nick Hudson for the first-rate work he has
done.
4. The President, Benoît Melançon, reported that the
Society has never been in such fine form, either in terms of finances
or membership. Membership currently stands at a record level (251
members in 2002). The Society’s journal, Lumen, is now back on schedule,
with three issues appearing in three years. The journal has
achieved better visibility and is attracting some advertising.
Now it is important to persuade more of our colleagues to publish in
the journal. We will soon have our first affiliated society, the
Eighteenth-Century Scottish Studies Society. Upcoming conferences
will be held at the University of Western Ontario (2004) and at the
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
(2005). The president reported on relations with the
International Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (ISECS), which are
not good, mainly because of poor communication and organization.
Requests for information and action directed to ISECS, for example,
remain unanswered. Election results from earlier in the year
remain unreported. CSECS seems to be getting very little value
for the subscription dues it sends annually to ISECS. The
president concluded by thanking everyone for their hard work on behalf
of the Society.
5. The Secretary-Treasurer, Frans De Bruyn, reported on the financial
position of the Society (see the attached balance sheet and
profit-and-loss statements). The basic point is that the
Society’s finances continue to grow at a healthy clip, owing to a
number of favourable circumstances. These include the successful
control of Lumen costs on the part of recent conference organizers,
increases in donations, the minimizing of operating costs, growth in
membership, increasing interest income, and improved sales of
Lumen. Current assets stand at over $70,000, enabling the
implementation of new programs. The treasurer suggested that
after the new fellowship program (to be proposed to the membership at
this year’s annual meeting) is up and running, consideration be given
to establishing an annual book prize, for the best book in
eighteenth-century studies by a member of the Society.
6. Marc-André Bernier, co-editor of the Bulletin, reported that
the Web version of the Bulletin is working very well. Because of
the move to a web-based Bulletin, there are currently no costs
associated with its production. He thanked the President for his
contributions to the Bulletin.
At this point, the meeting adjourned, to be resumed on Saturday, 25
October, at 8:00 a.m.
Meeting reconvened at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, 25 October 2003. The
following business was transacted:
7. Barbara Seeber and David Trott reported on Lumen activity for this
year. The editors submitted a number of proposals for changes to
Lumen, of which the following were approved by the Executive for
immediate implementation: (1) the introduction of a standardized
“elements of style” guide for all submissions, in both languages, (2)
the inclusion of a “notes on contributors” section, and (3) inclusion
of abstracts for all essays published. Two other proposals to be
pursued are the introduction of annual review essays (in English and
French) on the state of eighteenth-century studies and the publication
annually of an solicited essay by a major international scholar.
The need for closer co-ordination between the managing editors and the
annual conference organizer was stressed, with the managing editors to
take a more active role in the production of future issues. The
Executive moved a vote of thanks to Herb Ratsch for getting Lumen 22
out on time for the annual meeting.
8. Servanne Woodward reported on her meeting with ASECS and its
affiliate societies. Representatives from various groups at the meeting
outlined their plans for upcoming meetings. Servanne communicated
to the American Society on a point of friction between our two
groups. ASECS has scheduled an annual meeting in Montreal without
consulting CSECS. Since this can lead to problems for the our
Society, in terms of scheduling future meetings and finding sponsors to
organize future meetings, such action on the part of ASECS is a cause
for concern.
9. April London reported on activities in the Humanities and Social
Sciences Federation of Canada. She reported on the Federation’s
five‑year campaign to create an endowment so that its advocacy, renewal
of infrastructure, and extension of services will be put on an assured
and permanent basis. This endowment, to be called the Canadian
Endowment for the Humanities and Social Sciences, has a target of $11.4
million. For information, the Federation can be e-mailed at endowment@hssfc.ca, or contact
Dr Robert Merrett, VP Development, at robert.merrett@ualberta.ca.
Strong concerns were raised about SSHRC’s policy regarding Canada
Research Chairs.
10. Marc André Bernier reported on ISECS Executive meeting in
Los Angeles. ISECS currently has 31,000 pounds sterling in its
account. Important developments over the last year include the
transition to an electronic directory and electronic balloting, the
award of some 60 bursaries for conference participants from countries
with weak currencies, and an increase in funding for the quadrennial
conference. The electronic balloting went reasonably well, with a
doubling in the number of voters, but there were irregularities in the
ballots submitted by one country. An increase in Society fees
will be implemented next year.
11. Adam Budd thanked the Society for continuing to support graduate
student activities, including a graduate student roundtable discussion
and social event at the Vancouver meeting. He thanked Frans De
Bruyn, Alex Dick, and Tiffany Potter for their participation in the
discussion. The University of Toronto has agreed to host the
graduate-student e-mail discussion list, called CSECSGRADSTUDENTS-L,
for the next five years. The list currently has 57 subscribers
from five countries (Canada, US, France, Germany, Australia).
Some concerns were expressed about confusion surrounding deadlines for
Lumen and Madoff Prize submissions. These problems are to be
looked into. Adam thanked Stephanie Masse, of UQTR, for her
helpful assistance in translating English-language messages directed to
francophone graduate members of the Society.
12. The Society’s Webmaster was not present, so no report was
forthcoming concerning the Society’s website.
13. Next year’s meeting is to be held at Western, in London,
Ontario. Servanne Woodward reported on preparations for next
year’s meeting. The dates for the London meeting will be 20-23
October 2004.
14. The recipents of the Madoff Prize for 2001 (Saskatchewan
Conference) were announced. They are Martin Nadeau and Suzanne
Stewart.
15. No new business was raised.
Meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m.