By Paul Raeburn (for Secretary Laura van Dam)
President Joe Palca announced that the new NASW constitution had been approved.
Joel Shurkin reported that the freelance committee is proceeding with a survey of freelancers. The committee also plans to look into the proposed purchase of book distributor Ingram by Barnes & Noble, a move that threatens competition in the publishing industry and has been widely criticized by many writers and writers' organizations.
Joe appointed Vice President Paul Raeburn to head a committee to consider the future of the NASW newsletter. Treasurer Deborah Blum was named head of the workshop committee and will be assisted by Carol Cruzan Morton. Lee Hotz and Secretary Laura van Dam were appointed heads of the membership committee. Carol was also named to the diversity committee, which will work closely with the membership committee.
Paul Lowenberg will be back next year as organizer of the NASW workshops held in conjunction with the AAAS meeting.
The board approved funds to send Joe to Budapest later this year for a worldwide meeting of science writers. In taking this action, the board stressed the importance of American science writers being represented at the meeting.
Joe noted that the board had decided that the NASW Science-in-Society Award, which for some years has been presented at the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing's "New Horizons in Science" briefing, will be presented next year at the NASW banquet, held during the AAAS meeting.
NASW Webmeister Bob Finn reported that NASW Online had another good year, and that the job listings were especially popular.
Deborah Blum reported that A Field Guide for Science Writers is now earning royalties for NASW. A paperback edition came out in November, and the publisher reports that a second edition is likely.
Mariette Di Christina reported that the NASW mentoring program at AAAS went well again this year. She asked that volunteers who wish to participate in next year's program e-mail mentor@nasw.org.
Joe thanked immediate past president Richard Harris, in absentia, for completing the seemingly impossible task of producing a new NASW constitution. Members in the audience heartily applauded. Joe then announced that he would present the first and only Henry Clay Award to Richard for his work on the NASW constitution. Joe reminded us that Clay's statesmanship delayed the start of the Civil War.
