May 26, 2022—At its May 18-20, 2022, hybrid meeting, the SAA Council:
- Approved a Fiscal Year 2023 budget of $2,758,657 in revenues, $2,782,426 in expenses, and a net loss of $23,770. Council members noted that the approved budget reflects the leadership’s commitment to investing in the future of the profession and the organization. This conservative approach to the future acknowledges SAA’s continuing investment in the development and marketing of new products and services for members, in several important member-led projects, in reclaiming unfilled staff positions, and in technology to enhance the availability of the Society’s first hybrid Annual Meeting. (IV.A.)
- Approved a description and charge to create an Archival Repatriation Committee tasked with ensuring "that the organization’s services, activities, policies, communications, and products support archivists in repatriating and receiving archival materials.” This new group grew from a recent recommendation from the SAA Native American Archives Section, who will have standing representation on the committee. The Council will soon issue a special call for leaders to serve on this new committee. (IV.B.2.)
- Approved revisions, as submitted by the Committee on Public Policy, to SAA’s Public Policy Agenda for 2022-2024 and to SAA’s Legislative Action Agenda for 2022-2023 (to coincide with the current legislative term). The revised documents will be available here soon. (IV.E.)
- Approved revisions, as recommended by the SAA Standards Committee, to the Encoded Archival Context – Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families (EAC-CPF) and a major revision to Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS). The new versions of both standards will be available on the SAA Standards Portal soon. (II.C.-D.)
- Elected Derek Mosley to serve on the 2022-2023 Executive Committee and Stephen Curley and Rachel Winston to serve on the 2022-2023 Nominating Committee. (IV.F.)
- Reviewed proposed revisions to the SAA Constitution and Bylaws, per standard review conducted by second-year Council members. Many major and minor revisions are recommended to bring the documents into alignment, reflect current technology and realities, and adhere to proper association governance best practices. The Council will next prepare a final version to share with membership this summer and will seek feedback in the fall, ahead of an all-member referendum to approve the revisions in spring 2023. Keep an eye on the SAA website for more information soon. (V.A.)
- Discussed the awarding of several Council Exemplary Service Awards and Council Resolutions honoring SAA members and groups for their outstanding contributions to the profession and to SAA. Awards will be announced in conjunction with the 2022 Annual Meeting. (V.C.)
- Approved committee description revisions for the Committee on the Selection of SAA Fellows, to expand the perspectives represented on the committee; the Committee on Education, to add an immediate past chair position; and the Committee on Research, Data, and Assessment (CORDA), to formally include the SAA Research Forum among CORDA’s duties. (IV.F., II.E., II.F.)
- In addition, the Council discussed: a new task force on membership funding and pathways for diverse archives workers (IV.C.), assessment metrics to consider SAA Sections structure (V.B.), activities in conjunction with the 2022 Annual Meeting (V.D.), and a variety of reports from leaders, staff, and component groups (VI.A.-H.).
View the agenda and materials for the May 2022 meeting here.
If you have questions about these Council actions, contact SAA President Courtney Chartier (president@archivists.org) or Executive Director Jacqualine Price Osafo (jpriceosafo@archivists.org). Comprehensive minutes of the May meeting will be available soon via the SAA website.
The next Council meeting will be held in August, in conjunction with the 2022 SAA Annual Meeting. If you’d like to have an item considered for inclusion on the next agenda, please send to Chartier and/or Price Osafo by July 18, 2022.
