ISHPSSB Newsletter 

International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology

Spring 2009 Thirty-eight Issue Volume 20, No. 2

President’s Semi-Annual Report

From the Lame-Duck’s Chair

I can’t believe how fast the time has gone! My presidency is nearly over. I am really looking forward to meeting many of you in Brisbane. I now understand what past Presidents of our society must have felt at this point in their tenure. There are so many things I wanted to do and haven’t yet accomplished. I am pleased with our move to an all electronic newsletter and on-line membership renewal and voting for officers (see below). My President’s Corner blog was a good idea, but department chair duties at home prevented me from keeping it as up-to-date as is needed to make a viable blog. Perhaps I’ll maintain it as a Past-President’s Corner and encourage President-Elect Ana Barahona to consider blogging as well. You can still find it linked from http://www.ishpssb.org/presidentscorner.html , which will redirect you to my site: http://web.mac.com/griesemer/ISHPSSB-President/Presidents_Corner/Presidents_Corner.html .

I am grateful to Gar Allen (Past President) and Mike Dietrich (Past Past President) for their continued advice and encouragement. With their help, we managed the transition from the very long-serving Treasurer, Keith Benson, and Secretary, Chris Young, without too many hitches. Keith’s and Chris’s outstanding service to the Society left very large shoes to fill and I am very happy to say that Lisa Gannett and Roberta Millstein took on their tasks earnestly, diligently, and with humor and skill. It has been a pleasure serving with them and the other members of the Executive Committee: President-Elect Ana Barahona and Brisbane Program Co-Chairs, Marsha Richmond and Manfred Laubichler, as well as with the many Committee Chairs — Paul Griffiths and Rachel Ankeny (Local Arrangements), Pam Henson (Archivist), John Lynch (Education), Paul Griffiths (Membership Development), Gar Allen (Nominations), Chris Young (Off-Year Workshops), Ana Barahona (Operations, Site Selection), Tara Abraham (Marjorie Grene Prize), Carl Craver (Publications), Ellen Clarke and Don Goodman-Wilson (Student Advisory), Lisa Gannett (Travel Support), Frédéric Bouchard (Webmaster), and Roberta Millstein (Email List Manager) — and also with Council members — John Dupré, Jean Gayon, Betty Smocovitis, Werner Callebaut, Sandra Mitchell, Edna Suarez, Ellen Clarke, and Don Goodman-Wilson.

I’m also very pleased that interest in ISHPSSB remains high across the globe and that, in the face of a world-wide recession our finances are holding up well. On my agenda when I became President at Exeter were to increase representation from social scientists and to increase discussion of ways to enter the world of electronic publishing. Those items are still very important and my goals on those items have gone largely unmet since Exeter. I hope that as Past President (and Chair emeritus of my department at home!), I will finally find the time to pursue these goals more fully.

Brisbane 2009

Brisbane Meeting Registration and Membership Renewal

On-line membership renewal is working very well. Members can join ISHPSSB or renew their memberships at the web page: http://ishpssb.onefireplace.com/ and pay by credit card or PayPal. Conference registration for ISHPSSB 2009 – Brisbane is also available through the site. I just registered myself and it works very smoothly. Don’t forget to contribute to the graduate student travel fund if you are able! Besides providing modern database tools to manage our membership list, the site allows us to send automated membership renewal reminders. Please note that memberships must be renewed annually now. We are interested to learn how members find the experience of using this site. Let us know what you think.

Agenda for the General Members’ Meeting in Brisbane

According to the Bylaws, there is a set order of business for a general members meeting. I hope this description of procedure for the meeting here in the newsletter will do two things: (1) help prepare the next set of officers for their tasks ahead, and (2) remind members that this meeting is for the members. It is not a business meeting for the officers. The ISHPSSB Council holds two lunch-time meetings during each of our conferences, one before the General Members’ Meeting, chaired by the outgoing President, and one after, chaired by the incoming President.

1. Roll Call.
2. Proof of notice of meeting or waiver of notice.
3. Reading of minutes of preceding meeting.
4. Reports of Officers.
5. Reports of Committees.
6. Election of Directors and Officers, and/or the announcement of results of mail ballots.
7. Unfinished Business.
8. New Business.

Observing the Technical Niceties

1. The first thing we will do at the General Members’ meeting is establish whether we have a quorum (1/10 of the voting members).
2. The second thing we will do is entertain a motion to suspend the rules so that we can dispense with items a, b and c to save time. (Roll Call, Proof of notice of meeting, and Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting).
3. Third, we will entertain a motion not to hold an annual meeting in 2010, so as not to violate the Bylaws, which require annual rather than biennial meetings. In general, Council “meets” virtually, by email, in non-conference (even) years.

Committee Reports

Unfinished Business

New Business

1. Thanks to Outgoing Officers and Council Members
2. Items Brought Forward from Council
   1. 2011 Site Selection Discussion - preparatory to Council decision. The Council will vote on a site proposal for 2011. Prior to that vote, we will have a discussion of the recommended site proposal in the General Members’ meeting. The text of the recommended proposal, from the University of Utah (see below), will be made available in advance of the conference. The recommendation itself will be presented as part of the report of the Site Selection Committee earlier in the General Members Meeting.
   2. Possible Bylaws

      1. Consideration of possible amendment to ARTICLE III – 14. SUMMER CONFERENCES. This section of Article III establishes that the agenda of our conferences is to be set by the Council. Past practice has been to accept papers on any topic related to the general area of interest to the Society and its members, yet this Article gives the Council greater powers than past practice indicates. This issue came to my attention in preparation for the Brisbane conference, on the issue of who, if anyone, has authority to shape the content of our conferences. I am asking for this discussion at the General Members’ meeting to see if there is any sentiment to change the terms of the Section 14 of Article III. The text of this Section is as follows:

         • The Society will endeavor to hold summer conferences outside the normal academic year. Generally, these summer conferences will be held every other year and their agendas will be set by the Council. The primary purpose of the summer conferences will be to serve as a forum for the presentation of lectures and technical papers that enhance and advance the knowledge and understanding of the history, philosophy and/or social studies of biology. Generally, the annual Members' and Directors' meetings will be held at the summer conference in those years when the conferences take place.
      2. Consideration of possible amendments to ARTICLE XII — STUDENT ASSISTANCE, to: (1) clarify the term ‘insubstantial’ to provide better guidance to officers in making decisions in regard to student travel, and (2) review whether we wish to discriminate financially between student member and student non-members, on the grounds that the membership fees are so modest for students that it is reasonable to expect any student who wishes to participate to join the society. The text of this Article is as follows:
         • The Council of The Society shall have the authority, but is not required, to expend funds to or for the benefit of worthy and needy students for the purpose of assisting such students in meeting the costs of transportation, meals, and lodging in attending the educational and scientific activities conducted by the Corporation, provided that such expenditures remain an insubstantial portion of the Corporation's budget. In addition to the provisions of Article XI above, the Corporation shall in no way discriminate against any student in the expenditure of such funds because the student is not a Member of The Society.
      3. Consideration of possible amendment to ARTICLE II — MEMBERS. Section 13. VOTING. Should the text of the Section be amended to include a provision for electronic voting, with similar terms (100 days prior, not less than 30 days from the date of the ballot email transmission)? The text of this Section is as follows:
         • Voting for the election of Directors and Officers may be conducted by mail. If such elections are conducted by mail, a mail ballot shall be sent to the entire Membership of The Society no more than one hundred (100) days prior to the Annual Meeting. Members shall have not less than thirty (30) days from the date of the ballot postmark in which to cast their ballot. The Secretary of The Society shall be responsible for the conduct of all elections and for reporting the results to the Membership. Candidates for each office and Directorship shall be nominated by a nominating committee or by nomination of any two Members regardless of class, of The Society. Votes taken at any meeting for any purpose shall be taken by ballot upon the demand of any member.
   3. Off-year workshop policies. We need to review policy about whether graduate student travel support should be confined to the biennial conference or also made available for off-year workshops. This matter arose after Exeter (ISHPSSB 2007) because the expectation has grown up that off-year workshop proposals might receive not only the endorsement of ISHPSSB but also funding, e.g. for graduate student travel. However, there is no mandate in the Bylaws. Past practice has not been clear to members, proposers, or the Executive Committee (in part because our policy changes in motions passed by Council are not well-displayed. (Some of them are listed at the bottom of the Archives page on the ISHPSSB website.) Off-year workshops began (the first one in 2004) with the understanding that ISHPSSB endorsement/approval did not carry with it any promise of funding. Now that we have endorsed three workshops for 2008 and reinforced the expectation of funding with this cycle’s call for proposals in which we stated: "Some funding for graduate student (ISHPSSB members only) travel to the workshops may be available," it is time to establish a policy. In 2001, a policy was approved on Off-year workshops as follows:
      • The Society will sponsor workshops in even-numbered years on an ad hoc basis. It was agreed that these workshops must be thematic in nature, which will distinguish them from the regular ISHPSSB meetings. The Off-Year Workshop Committee developed guidelines for applications and an approval process. The Society does not provide funding, but it will provide the Society's mailing list of members and publicity about the workshop through the Society's email list and web page.
   4. Renting out our members list, advertising on our web page. Various journals and other advertisers have expressed interest in buying or renting our membership list or paying to have banner advertisements place on the ISHPSSB conference or Society websites. Members of the Council have expressed a variety of opinions on the matter. We will have a brief discussion of the issue in the General Members’ meeting.

Biennial Meeting, 12-16 July 2009, Brisbane, Australia

Conference Program

A draft program will be published as a supplement to the Newsletter.

The 2009 meeting of the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology will take place from Sunday, 6 pm 12 July, through 3 pm Thursday, 16 July, at Emmanuel College, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Australia, hosted by the University of Sydney.

Local Arrangements

The City of Brisbane is providing $20,000 (Australian) in travel funds that can be used to support student member travel to the Brisbane meeting. The Society traditionally has supported student travel and we will continue to do so. Additionally, Lisa Gannett, working with the History of Science Society, applied for US NSF funds to support student travel. We have learned recently that the “ISH travel grant was awarded high priority by the panel.” Way to go Lisa and hearty thanks for Jay Malone of HSS for his help! This approval does not guarantee funding – there is another round of approval required by NSF – but we have been advised to plan on the assumption that the grant will be awarded. Since there are restrictions on the use of NSF funds for travel, Lisa will be working with students awarded travel assistance on choice of air carriers. Procedures for graduate student members to apply for travel funds were posted at the meeting web page: http://www.ishpssb.org/meeting.html. The deadline for graduate student applications to help support travel to Brisbane has passed (April 1, 2009). Students who receive travel awards will be mailed checks after the meeting only once the treasurer has received a completed reimbursement form and original receipts/invoices and all boarding passes. If you are travelling on an electronic ticket, be sure to obtain a receipt from your airline at the time of check-in. Email and travel agent receipts will not be accepted. Treasurer Lisa Gannett: treasurer@ishpssb.org or Department of Philosophy, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3 Canada.

2009 Marjorie Grene Prize Citation

ISHPSSB 2011 Site Selection

The proposal and the Site Selection Committee’s recommendation will be discussed at the General Members’ Meeting in Brisbane. A decision on the recommendation will be voted on at the second Council meeting in Brisbane following the members’ meeting disussion. The Utah proposal will be posted on the ISHPSSB web site in advance of the Brisbane meeting so that members may inform themselves prior to the discussion.

1.  $30/person conference services fee.

   The $30/participant fee is not simply for registration, but includes management of lodging, meals, catering, booking rooms, etc.  It is unlikely that we will be able to bring down this cost and still be able to use the event management services on campus.  However, using the ISHPSSB registration software will save us a $500 (plus 18%) fee for setting up registration services.  Still, we will set up a meeting with event management services to discuss what kinds of costs and services they can offer if we simply request that they block off a suitable amount of lodging for the meeting.  If they can offer a feasible alternative, we will let you know.

   One advantage of using events management is that they can help us work with caterers that are licensed to serve beer and wine on campus.  Depending on our budget we are hoping to have either a cash bar or provide drink tickets to ISHPSSB participants for the opening reception, which we plan on holding on grounds adjacent to the meeting accommodations that overlook Salt Lake City.

   Keep in mind that our budget included no funding sources, though we are optimistic that we will be able to raise at least $10,000 - $20,000, and possibly more.  This should net ISHPSSB a fair amount of money.  We've also initiated a search for sponsorships/funding in order to offset overall costs and registration prices for participants.  Between getting the go-ahead to host the meeting and local budgets starting to become more settled, we'll be able to move much more aggressively on this front.  So even if we can't bring down the conferences management fee, we think we'll be able to make that up from other sources of funding.

   If there is a particular amount of money ISHPSSB is hoping to net from the meeting or to make available for graduate student travel, that would be helpful to know. Additionally, if you have any guidelines on what kinds of sponsorships are acceptable that would also be useful in how broadly we will be seeking funding.  We have been working with the College of Humanities Development Officer to prepare funding requests for various University Deans and Divisions, to submit proposals to federal granting agencies, and possibly working with other local Universities as sponsoring agencies.  Beyond that there may be opportunities with private foundations or even companies (though we are hesitant to seek out corporate sponsorship).

2.  Getting a drink in Utah.

   This is an easier concern to address!  Getting a glass or bottle of wine at dinner is very easy -- you can even get a very good wine!  Most restaurants in Salt Lake City offer glasses or bottles of wine, some with quite good wine menus.  Many restaurants also allow you to bring your own bottle to dinner (for a corkage fee).  Wine must be purchased at a state liquor store, one of which is located right downtown near public transportation and specializes in wine. For those willing to venture outside of Salt Lake City, Park City is about twenty minutes away.  There you'll find excellent top-rated restaurants, many of which have received Awards of Excellence from the Wine Spectator (for what that's worth).

   A recent change in law (going into effect July 1st of this year) will make getting a drink even easier.  Full strength beer will be available at restaurants, either on tap or bottled.  Perhaps more importantly, Utah has also (finally) gotten rid of some of its peculiar laws governing bars.  There will no longer be memberships required to enter bars, merely a check of an ID. We've also got some great local breweries, and are exploring options at partnering with them to feature some of their beers at our various receptions.

All the best, 

Matt Haber
Jim Tabery

Election of Officers 2009

In proposing nominees, the Nominating Committeestrove to achieve balance with regard to field, gender, nationality, and experience. Finding candidates to fillsome big shoes this year was not an easy task. Following the precedent of years past, we decided to nominate two Program Co-Chairs, Mark Largent and Chris Young. In accordance with the Society’s by-laws, we solicited nominations from the membership at large. Those nominated by two or more members and who have expressed their willingness to serve now comprise part of the slate. Our sincere thanks to all we have agreed to be nominated.

ISH NOMINEE BIOGRAPHIES

For President-Elect

If elected, he would aim to continue the successful recent tradition of ISHPSSB sponsored off-year events, seek new sources of funding to support the involvement of younger scholars in the society’s activities, and promote recognition of the capacity of history, philosophy, and sociology of biology to inform public policy.

For President-Elect

For Secretary

For Treasurer

For Program Co-Chair

For Program Co-Chair

For Council: In voting for Council members choose three of the six candidates.

For Council

For Council

For Council

For Council

For Council

For Council

Electronic Voting and the Election Process

The instructions will tell you to click on a tab or navigation button from the Instructions - start page (see the image below). There is one tab for each office (President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Co-Chairs, and Council). Next to each candidate for an office is a check box. At the bottom of each page is a button, “Vote this slate” to vote for a candidate or candidates for that office (up to two for Program Co-Chair, up to 3 for Council). You must click the “Vote this slate” button at the bottom of each page to complete the voting. After you click the button, the button will be replaced by a “Thank you for voting! Your vote has been recorded” message. You cannot change your vote on any given page once you click that button. If you overlook a vote for an office and log out, you can log back in again and complete your voting, provided the deadline has not passed.

From: ISHPSSB_Voting_Site <cbeck@ucdavis.edu>

Subject: User Account Information for ISHPSSBVote

Date: May 7, 2009 10:41:03 AM PDT

To: jrgriesemer@ucdavis.edu

Welcome ,

This email is not spam.  A username has been created for you on the ISHPSSB Voting Site for the purpose of online voting.

Following the link below will allow you to set a password for the username that we have assigned you.  For future reference, that

username is jrgriesemer

Please activate your account by visiting

http://medea.ucdavis.edu:8080/VoteNow/passwordreset/ ... [rest of url deleted]

You must activate your account within 720

hours, so before Jun 06, 2009 10:41 AM

The above link will only work once, for you to reset your password.  Should you need to revisit the ISHPSSB Voting Site, the direct URL

is http://medea.ucdavis.edu:8080/VoteNow/

With kind regards,

--

ISHPSSB ELECTION 2009 VOTER INVITATION

Voting starts May 15. Look for the email invitation in your inbox.

Membership Renewal

Special Offers from Publishers

Contact