[Air-l] May, 2003 AoIR Executive Committee Report

[Steve Jones]

May 18, 2003
Report of the a(o).i.r. executive committee
Prepared by Steve Jones



AoIR Executive Committee
President: Steve Jones
Vice-President: Nancy Baym
Secretary: Ulla Bunz
Treasurer: Benjamin Bates
Open Seats: David Silver and Barry Wellman
Appointed Seats: Matthew Allen and Leslie Shade
Student Seat: Lisbeth Klastrup
Publications Officers: Jeremy Hunsinger and Charlie Breindahl
2003 Conference Chair: Liss Jeffrey
2003 Conference Program Co-Chairs: Matthew Allen and David Mitchell
Ethics Working Group Chair: Charles Ess
Elections Working Group Chair: Mia Consalvo
Net Resources Working Group Chair: Charlie Breindahl


1.  Introduction & General (Jones)

Below is the monthly report from AoIR executive committee members. If 
you aren't reading this...well, you ought to be. I know it can get 
lengthy, and it can get detailed, but it's the single best way to 
know what AoIR is up to, and to find ways to get involved with it (in 
any number of ways from contacting the people who report to 
volunteering to work on something you see mentioned to making 
suggestions to...).


2.  Executive Officers' Reports

2.1 President (Jones)

2.1.1 Short, simple but important - elections are upcoming for AoIR 
executive offices. A call for nominations will be distributed in the 
coming days, and I urge you to consider running for office as well as 
to consider nominating others for office.


2.2 Vice President (Baym)

2.2.1 Met with Steve Jones f2f to discuss business aspects of 
tranferring presidency/running aoir and future conferences. Helping 
get next round of elections up and going. I echo Steve in urging you 
to please consider running and/or nominating those who have insight 
and energy to help make AoIR all it could become.


2.3 Secretary (Bunz)

2.3.1 This month on the executive list:

April 15 - May 15, 2003
This month on the executive list:
-	Following the recommendation of the Election workgroup, the 
new election procedures will include a discussion board (online 
forum) for candidates to interact with the public. The exec has been 
testing this system, and has been discussing general questions each 
candidate should have to answer in the election process. The exec has 
also been discussing whether members-only or everyone can post 
questions (at this point: everyone), and whether you should be able 
to post anonymously (at this point: yes [but it is not encouraged - 
Sj]). The exec has also been updating the vote call that will go out 
to air-l, and a nomination notification email. In addition, the exec 
has been setting the election schedule.
-	The exec has advised Matt Allen on the acceptance/rejection 
notices that have already gone out, and on the first drafts of the 
conference program.
-	The exec has tested the conference registration website.
-	The exec has been discussing and monitoring the SARS 
situation in Toronto. At this point, we don't see it threatening our 
conference in October.
-	In response to an inquiry, the exec has been discussing the 
archiving of conference papers. Our policy is to encourage people to 
provide their papers or extensive notes, though archiving them on the 
AoIR website does not really constitute a publication.
-	The exec has been discussing a bid for the 2004 conference 
and is very favorably inclined toward it. Final decisions will be 
announced after more communication with the site in question.

Ulla Bunz
Secretary


2.4 Treasurer (Bates)

2.4.1 Been keeping up with memberships, and sending out a batch of 
reminders. Created new database for the conference fees/info.


2.5 Open Seats (Silver, Wellman)

2.5.1 Silver: working a bit on elections yet other than that nothing to report.

2.5.2 Wellman: Spent a good deal of time keeping abreast of SARS 
situation (and media scare elsewhere), and advising the Exec 
Committee and the Program Chair. Contributed to the ongoing 
deliberations of the Executive Committee.


2.6 Appointed Seats (Allen, Shade)

2.6.1 Allen: No report.

2.6.2 Shade: Nothing to report.


2.7 Student Seat (Klastrup)

2.7.1 Nothing to report.


2.8 Publications Officers (Hunsinger, Breindahl)

2.8.1 Hunsinger: worked on election materials
worked on election system
worked on stopping spam
helped with treasurer stuff
assorted other things

2.8.2 Breindahl:  I am rejecting ever-rising amounts of spam. 
Otherwise I have the rather modest goal of finishing my 
dissertation... [Go Charlie! -Sj]


2.9 2003 Conference (Liss Jeffrey, Chair; Matthew Allen, David 
Mitchell, Program Co-Chairs)

2.9.1 Dr Liss Jeffrey: No report.

2.9.2 Mitchell: No report.


2.10  AoIR Ethics Working Group (Charles Ess, Chair)

2.10.1 The committee has received a paper on Internet research ethics 
that provides
a current overview of the field; happily, the work of the committee and
committee members figures prominently in the report.
The chair and Steve Jones have received occasional queries over the past few
months from aoir members who have specific questions regarding current
research projects and local IRB requirements.  In at least one instance,
consultation with us has helped an aoir member meet IRB questions and
objections, and move forward with a proposed research project.
The committee encourages aoir members to consult with us in this way -
and/or to forward any issues, insights, developments, forthcoming
literature, etc., that will help us keep up to date in our discussions of
Internet research ethics.


2.11 AoIR Research Annual Working Group (Mia Consalvo, Chair)

2.11.1 The volume has been delivered to the publisher for copy-editing. I have
completed various production forms and gathering of other information. We
are waiting for the corrected version to come back from the publisher so
that we can begin final revisions.


2.12 AoIR Net Resources Working Group (Charlie Breindahl, Chair)

2.12.1 There has been no activity in the 'Net WG.