Eudora Welty Society Annual Business Meeting
\nAmerican Literature Association Conference, Boston
\nMay 25, 2013
\nMinutes<\/p>\n
Attending: Julia Eichelberger, Sarah Ford, Bruce Jorgensen, Emily Magruder, Pearl McHaney, David McWhirter<\/p>\n
President David McWhirter called the meeting to order at 11:00. The minutes of the May 2012 business meeting were approved without amendment.<\/p>\n
President\u2019s report, David McWhirter<\/p>\n
McWhirter announced the results of society elections: Julia Eichelberger will be the new Vice President and Michael Kreyling will continue in his position as secretary\/treasurer.<\/p>\n
McWhirter then gave a report on \u201c\u2018Everybody to their own visioning\u2019: Eudora Welty in the 21st Century\u201d The conference was a success with 45 scholars presenting papers. Jill McCorkle gave a reading, and David Kaplan, Brenda Currin, and Phillip Fortenberry presented \u201cA Fire Was in My Head\u201d adapted from \u201cMusic from Spain.\u201d The society presented Forrest Galey of the Mississippi archives with an award and a Welty photograph (made possible by the generosity of the Welty Foundation). McWhirter read a thank-you note from Galey to the society. The society also presented the 2012 Phoenix award to Suzan Harrison.<\/p>\n
McWhirter announced that he and Sarah Ford would be editing a special issue of the Eudora Welty Review made up of papers from the Welty conference. The issue will include slightly expanded versions of conference papers (12-18 pages) as well as Michael Kreylng\u2019s interview with Jill McCorkle. McWhirter will send out a notice to conference participants with due dates soon.<\/p>\n
2013 Awards:
\n–Ruth Vande Kieft Award \u2013 there were six submissions this year for the award. The committee (Sarah Ford, Suzanne Marrs, and Ruth Weston) selected the winner: Jacob Abner\u2019s \u201cA Collision of Visions: Montage and the Concept of Collision in Eudora Welty\u2019s \u2018June Recital\u2019. Abner is a graduate student at the University of Mississippi. The submission deadline for the 2014 award is July 1st.
\n–Graduate Student Travel Award \u2013 there were no applicants this year for the award. Society members, however, agreed to split the award between the two graduate students (Travis Rozier and David Smith) who presented papers at the ALA conference.<\/p>\n
Conference announcements:
\nThe ALA is hosting a symposium on American literature and war, October 13th in New Orleans. Rebecca Mark will be chairing a session. A cfp will follow.
\nBill Phillips is chairing a session, \u201cApproaching Insight in Welty\u2019s Fiction,\u201d for SAMLA, November 13th in Atlanta.
\nRebecca Harrison is chairing a Welty session for the Southern Studies conference, February 14th at Auburn University. <\/p>\n
Treasurer\u2019s Report \u2013 David McWhirter for Michael Kreyling
\nUS Bank checking account balance as of May 7th, 2013: $6786.77. Kreyling reports \u201cI have filed the 990-EZ form with the IRS for the tax year 2012. We have a total of about 40 current dues-paying members.<\/p>\n
Welty conference:
\nConference income:
\nRegistration fees: $2970
\nSupport for conference: $5500
\n($1000 from TAMU English department, $1000 from Baylor University, $2500 from TAMU Glasscock Center for Humanities Research, $1000 from TAMU Academy for Visual and Performing Arts)
\nConference expenses:
\n\t$200 Suzanne Marrs (Welty photo print for Forrest Galey)
\n\t$1000 David Kaplan (towards the performance of \u201cA Fire Was in My Head\u201d)
\n\t$313.97 David McWhirter (Phoenix Award plaque; conference programs, etc.)<\/p>\n
Webeditor report, Sarah Ford
\nFord is making information updates as needed but reports that IT people at Baylor have suggested rewriting the website in a more current program. She will continue to investigate what costs might be involved in updating the website.<\/p>\n
Other Business
\nThe society discussed measures for timely membership renewals and agreed to go to a yearly renewal for all members (other than those who may have already paid for several years in advance). A yearly renewal in April will allow the treasurer to send out a notice to the entire membership, and members will not need to keep up with whether they have paid for one or two years.<\/p>\n
The next election will be January 2015. McWhirter reported that the election procedure went smoothly this time but that the society needs to continue thinking about how to contact the membership to set up a vote.<\/p>\n
The society discussed working with MDAH on digitization of the Welty archive and agreed to ask Mae Miller Claxton to head up a subcommittee to work with the archives. <\/p>\n
The society agreed to continue giving the Ruth Vande Kieft award. The committee for the 2013 award will be Julia Eichelberger, Harriet Pollack, and Michael Kreyling.<\/p>\n
Calls for Papers \u2013 Sarah Ford
\nThe society discussed possible panel topics for 2014 ALA in Washington D.C. May 22-25 and SSSL, Arlington, VA, March 27-29.
\nFor ALA the society proposes three sessions: Welty and African American Writers, chaired by Harriet Pollack, Extravagant Welty: Gothic\/Baroque\/Sublime\/Magical Realism, and a joint session with the Faulkner society. McWhirter will check with Alfred Benedixon to see if ALA will let us have three sessions.
\nFor SSSL the society proposes two sessions playing off the conference theme of \u201cOther Souths\u201d by using \u201cOther Weltys\u201d with possible topics such as extrasouthern Weltys, queer Weltys, digital Weltys, poor white Weltys, ethnic Weltys, transnational Weltys, non-fiction Weltys, undead Weltys, and altogether new Weltys.
\nMcWhirter will send these suggestions out to the larger society on the listserv to get feedback on these topics and to see who might be interested in chairing or presenting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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