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

Steve Jones sjones at uic.edu
Fri Sep 19 13:45:24 PDT 2003


September 19, 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 This month's report is a little late, and the fault for that is 
entirely mine. I knew for some time, of course, that the point at 
which I would step down from the AoIR presidency was drawing near, 
but it has only been recently that I felt it. This will be my last 
monthly report.

There are far too many people to thank...Andrew Herman and Thom Swiss 
for their 1998 conference at which the AoIR idea was hatched (could 
it have really been five years now?)...Greg Elmer and Stefan Wray for 
encouraging the idea...the numerous executive committee members, 
conference chairs, program chairs, all of the volunteers who have one 
way or another contributed time, energy and ideas to this 
association, indeed all of you who are on air-l whether lurking or 
contributing.

I am quite happy to let go the reins. I hope that I have not held 
them too tightly anyway. I know AoIR will be in good hands, and I am 
very much looking forward to being a member. (Just think, I'll be 
able to attend panels at our conferences!) In my experience there are 
few things as rewarding as the simple act of bringing people 
together, and I think AoIR has brought very many of us together, both 
online and at our conferences. For me that is what AoIR is at its 
core - a means by which those of us interested in internet research 
can associate with one another. May it be a long and fruitful 
association, virtual and real.

2.1.2 The Toronto conference is nigh upon us, and I will look forward 
to seeing as many of you as can make it there. If you have not yet 
registered for the conference or made a hotel reservation I encourage 
you to do so as soon as possible. Due to the growth of interest and 
attendance at our conferences we are this year meeting at a hotel in 
an urban area, and we have to meet the minimum occupancy with which 
we are able to use its meeting rooms - if we do not meet that 
occupancy rate then we'll have to increase the registration fees, to 
cover additional cost of the meeting rooms. I appreciate everyone's 
support of the conference and of AoIR.

2.1.3 For the AoIR logo competition, we had a total of 11 designs, 
four from the executive committee, and seven from member submissions. 
We selected Caroline Haythornthwaite's design and Caroline will 
receive a free t-shirt as the winning prize. Some of the other 
designs were wonderfully creative, and the decision was a tough one, 
but in the end, to keep "brand recognition" we chose a design that 
does not really change our logo.

Merchandise such as t-shirts, mugs, mousepads, bags, etc. are now 
available to both members and non-members from 
http://www.cafepress.com/aoir . Women's sizes and large men's sizes 
are available for the shirts. The merchandise comes with one of two 
logos: The regular AoIR logo, or the AoIR conference logo designed by 
Caroline. We will attempt to have t-shirts available to the 
conference itself but to ensure your size and style, we recommend 
http://www.cafepress.com/aoir .


2.2 Vice President (Baym)

2.2.1 I have been working on getting the next executive committee set 
up. I have also been looking toward the 2004 conference (stay tuned 
for an announcement in Toronto) and even 2005.


2.3 Secretary (Bunz)

2.3.1 I've been busy, working on meeting agendas and schedules, stepping on
various toes to get the t-shirts organized before the conference, and
dealing with conference awards issues while desperately trying to finish
my AoIR paper before the October 1 deadline!

August 11 to September 13, 2003:
This month on the executive list:
.	The exec is finalizing the AoIR t-shirts. There will be general
AoIR t-shirts (available online) and conference t-shirts (available at
conference). More info forthcoming.
.	Providing feedback to program chair Matt Allen on various
program issues.
.	Advising vice president/new president Nancy Baym on transition
issues, such as organizing a Listserve for the newly elected executive
committee (exec-elect) so they can appoint the outstanding open seats
before the conference.
.	The exec discussed procedures for electing a program chair and a
conference chair for next year's conference. The location for AoIR 2004
will be announced at the general meeting in Toronto. We hope to identify
the program and conference chairs before the conference so they can be
announced there.
.	The exec members have also been organizing themselves and their
schedules to plan for the annual face-to-face meetings required at the
conference.


2.4 Treasurer (Bates)

2.4.1 Report -  been handling memberships and conference registrations,
working with Toronto committee and Kagi website, 2002 financial report
for Steve and tax filings.


2.5 Open Seats (Silver, Wellman)

2.5.1 Silver: No report.

2.5.2 Wellman: Kibbitzing on the Exec Committee. Talking up AoIR 
conference at various
other conference venues (Finland, Atlanta, Haifa, Oxford, Amsterdam). 
Arranging current Exec. committee Last Supper. Arranging for multiple 
volunteers for Toronto conference.


2.6 Appointed Seats (Allen, Shade)

2.6.1 Allen: Working on the conference program - need i say more? :)

2.6.2 Shade: Will also be at Oxford Internet Institute in September 
for symposium and will
talk up AOIR in general. Waiting with bated breath for the Annual so I can
start the index.


2.7 Student Seat (Klastrup)

2.7.1 No report.

2.8 Publications Officers (Hunsinger, Breindahl)

2.8.1 Hunsinger: I did the usual stuff, here and there, whatever was 
needed, some server maintenance, some email stuff, some member 
support, etc.

2.8.2 Breindahl:  I did the usual stuff.


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

2.9.1 Dr Liss Jeffrey: The Aoir Toronto 2003 is looking great, and 
needs your support. Stay at the
Hilton, come early and join the pre conference workshops, register and take
full part in this event. Thanks to the hard working local committee,
notably our new coordinator, Lisa Morgan (lmorgan at ecommons.net) and our
really hard working hotel coordinator who is also picking up the technical
side, Rhiannon Bury. The great new volunteers have really made a
difference, and thanks Olivia Robertson for your hard work on this front.
Christie Hurrell, that web site looks fabulous. We are doing this
conference on next to no funds, so I do hope that you will be patient when
you come to town, and pitch in where you can. We will broaden the band
indeed, and we are looking forward to welcoming all of you to Toronto
October 15 - 19. Go check www.ecommons.net/aoir for up to date information.
See you all very soon at the Hilton downtown. Looking forward to hearing
your papers and seeing everyone unwind at the gala event. Liss Jeffrey,
PhD, director, McLuhan global research network, and senior researcher,
KMDI, University of Toronto.

2.9.2 Mitchell: No report.


2.10  AoIR Ethics Working Group (Charles Ess, Chair)

2.10.1 There has been some discussion on the ethics list regarding a 
recent case
study involving differing conceptions of harm and who is responsible for
remedying it, based on a case brought to the chair and Steve Jones for
discussion earlier this year.
Ethics chair Charles Ess participated in the "New Research for New Media"
conference at the University of Minnesota, Sept. 4-5.  My presentation
focused on the AoIR guidelines for online research and their use in
resolving common ethical dilemmas encountered by researchers.  A particular
highlight for me was to learn from a number of conference participants that
they found the AoIR guidelines indeed useful in their own work - in fact,
one researcher was given the guidelines by her IRB as a starting point for
her reflection and development of her proposal for submission to them!

Our pre-conference workshop on Internet research ethics - scheduled for
October 15, 2003 - is now fully organized and in place.  The conference
features presentations from prominent researchers and ethicists who've been
at the forefront of developing online research guidelines, including AoIR
and AoIR ethics committee memb,ers Elizabeth Buchanon, Jeremy Hunsinger,
Michele White, Leslie Tkach Kawasaki, and Klaus Bruhn Jensen.
The workshop focuses on real-world ethical issues encountered in Internet
research - and ways of addressing and resolving these.  Workshop
participants are encouraged to contribute their particular issues and
experience to the multiple opportunities for shared discussion.
Please see <www.itu.dk/~chess/AoIREthicsConference.html> for more
information.

See you in Toronto!


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

2.11.1 The first volume of the Annual is being typeset at the publisher's-- we
expect page proofs soon. A general call has gone out to all presenters for
the upcoming conference, announcing the second annual, and setting a
deadline of October 31 for submission of papers for possible inclusion in
the second volume. Submissions should go to Matt Allen, and general
questions should go to Mia Consalvo. We are still working out details such
as page limits, style, etc, and that information will be distributed
shortly.


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

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




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