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>Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 10:01:15 -0600
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: SHA dues
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Several people have made important points about SHA dues payments,
>publications, etc.  As president presumptive of SHA, come January, let me
>asure everyone that comments such as these will be given due
>consideration--in fact, many of the suggestions have already been discussed
>and studies are in progress that will provide the board with
>recommendations for eventual implementation.
>
>Alastair's point about mailing getting to Europe, Australia, and elsewhere
>slowly has been recognized for some while.  The fact is that we do not
>charge members outside the U.S. higher dues, though the cost of mailing to
>those addresses is substantially higher and is subsided, in effect, by all
>members.  Unfortunately, it would cost even more to send things by express
>mail, which is the only way to make timely delivery of printed matter.
>Certainly the SHA will be moving more into on-line publishing over time,
>and increasing the role of the SHA Web site, but many factors must be
>considered in these times of rapidly changing technology and
>communications.
>
>I must point out, though, that SHA dues were not increased last time to
>subsidize sponsorship of the Register of Professional Archaeologists.  That
>dues increase, as I recall, was already a done deal when a membership vote
>approved sponsorship of the Register.  In fact, some supporters of the
>Register feared that the coincidental timing of those events would be
>interpreted wrongly and doom the proposal.  The sponsorship fee, which is
>not a major expense in the greater scheme of things, came out of annual
>operating funds, which obviously resulted in adjustments being made to
>other committee activities, etc., but I don't think it fair to draw a
>direct linkage between that dues increase and sponsorship of the Register.
>Moreover, its characterization as a "regional" organization is a bit
>understated.  Today, the Register is sponsored by the SHA, the Society for
>American Archaeology, the Archaeological Institute of America, and the
>American Anthropological Association, all of which ahve memebrs all over
>the world.  I am aware also that leadership of the European Archaeological
>Association (I hope I have that right) have made several overtures to the
>Register about matters of mutual concern and possible formal relationships.
>The Register leadership, I am told, is also hoping to form relations with
>Canadian societies, since a good number of those currently registered are
>from that country.
>
>As Bob Schuyler suggests, no society can attend to the needs of all its
>varied constituencies with every action.  Certain SHA activities, like
>lobbying the U.S. Congress, will have greater benefit for some than others.
>Likewise, our efforts in conjunction with the UNESCO convention on
>underwater heritage, may have greater impacts in Europe and the Pacific
>nations than the American Midwest where I live.  Nor is it true that all
>members contribute equally to the resource base.  Students, by
>long-standing policy, pay lower dues for the same benefits as regular
>members, whereas those who attend the annual conference effectively
>subsidize the entire membership with whatever is left as revenue once the
>bills are all paid.
>
>Dues increases are never popular, nor are they ever implemented without
>considerable deliberation of costs, benefits, and impacts.  The board is
>always mindful of the need to control costs (and introducing more on-line
>functions may be an important way to reduce certain costs while increasing
>efficiency), but we are always swimming against an inflationary tide.  New
>technology greatly cut the cost of producing of journal, for example, but
>the cost of paper more than doubled in the past several years.  The cost of
>doing business simply tends to go up over time.
>
>Many of the SHA board look in on HISTARCH from time to time, but be assured
>that we invite direct comments and suggestions that might improve service
>members.  You should feel free to contact the incumbent president or any
>board member with your idas and concerns.  We welcome and value your input.
>Contact information can be found at the Wed site <www.sha.org>.
>
>
>Vergil E. Noble
>SHA President-Elect
>******************************************************************************
>
>Vergil E. Noble, PhD, RPA, Supervisory Archeologist
>Midwest Archeological Center, National Park Service
>Robert V. Denney Federal Building, Room 474
>100 Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 68508-3873
>Phone: 402.437.5392x108     Fax: 402.437.5098
>office email address: [log in to unmask]
>******************************************************************************


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