Sorry to be dense, but just trying to figure out what was decided about the AGM tomorrow? Where should I go at 10.30 tomorrow morning? Is there an up-to -date agenda?
Thanks,
Miranda x
In message <F812F3BED0B04D5383702E4BDFFCEA16@timw0e3cvytoc1> The Black and Asian Studies Association <[log in to unmask]> writes:
> I think we should stick to the original date, 8th Oct and hold it at the Docklands as Sean suggested, linking in with Arthur's Windrush event.
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> I agree with (a) negotiates for the original AGM/Conference to continue to take place at the Museum of Docklands programming in the other event on 8 November and including space to enable a preliminery discussion on its proposal to change the organsiation;
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> Donna P S
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: SEAN CREIGHTON
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 1:09 AM
> Subject: BASA AGM 8 November
>
>
> Dear all,
>
> I think the decision of the Committee to change the plans for the AGM/Conference and to turn BASA into an editorial organisation are regrettable.
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> 2007 saw BASA reach a high point in its influence as an association through providing a support network to members to be more effective than they would otherwise be as isolated individuals. The amazing range of events on slavery and abolition in Musuems, Archives and Libraries would not have happened without the work started by BASA's Ethnic Minority Archives Conference in 1999, and without the involvement of so many BASA members in advising and working on projects. Additionally we would not have had the influence on the changes in the history curriculum without the debate that supported Martin Spaffiord's role on the QCA Committee. I think that BASA can also take a little bit of credit (along with particularly the London Socialist Historians Group that gave it is first major showing at its CLR James/Black Jacobins Conference) in providing encouragement to the work of the creators of the Black History timeline which has been serialised by the Guardian this week. And would Claudia Jones be commemorated on a new stamp without the work of Marika and others?
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> Now that we have reached a new level of puiblic engagement and understanding of black history in Britain, BASA continues to be needed as a debating, lobbying and support network organisation, partly to ensure that the next stage of serious work to integrate black history into mainstream understanding of British history, to encourage the production of good quality resources, and to argue against any rolling backwards. And to see the opposition we still face have a look at the Telegraph's diatribe against Jones' inclusion on the new stamp: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/08/22/do2206.xml
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> Caz's email notificiation of the AGM/Conference at the Museum came round on 30 September.
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> Arthur Torrington's email about his event came round on 8 October.
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> Caz does not explain how the Museum allowed itself to get involved in a double booking.
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> Arthur's event starts at 1pm, so why can't BASA's AGM now suggested for 10.30-12.30pm at UCL not be at the Musuem?
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> It is doubtful that many people from outside London will want to come just to an AGM for the morning ending at 12.30pm and then have to dash across London for the start of the event at the Musuem of Docklands for 1pm; is it even physically posisble to do so? Indeed I am not sure that many Londoners will want to either.
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> As Arthur's event is not yet advertised on the Museum website it is not clear how long it will take. But if there are two speakers, are we talking about 2 hours?
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> If so why cannot the AGM be in the morning, then the Arthur's event be from say 1-3pm, and then the BASA 2007 debate be from 3-5pm?
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> The alternative is to re-schedule the BASA AGM/Conference to another date and find a venue which can be relied upon not to double book.
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> To turn BASA into a editorial group would be a major step backwards. The issues involved in the Committee's proposal would be much clearer if it was to propose winding-up BASA and propose the establishment of an Editorial Collective for a new initiative in publishing on Black and Asian History in Britain. An Editorial Collective can be a small self-appointed group that does not need to have a membership only seek subscribers.
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> BASAJISC contains many members who are not members of BASA and many members of BASA are not members of BASAJISC. It is not right to run BASA's constitutional arranagements via BASAJISC. But as there is no seperate BASA elist, and since the Committee has chosen to use BASAJISC to set out its proposal, I have no option but to respond via BASAJISC in order to communicate with those BASA members who are on BASAJISC.
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> There is no need for the proposal because the BASA Constitution only requires the Committee to meeting 4 times a year, and it already provides for an Editorial Board with the Committee setting editorial policy:
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> '9.3 Editorial Board. An Editorial Board may be established by the Management Committee to take responsibility for the Association's publications.
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> (a) The Management Committee will be responsible for editorial policy, and giving directions to the Editorial Board.
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> (b) An Editor shall be appointed by the Management Committee and need not be a member of the Management Committee.
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> (c) The Management Committee shall appoint one of its members to be the Chair of the Editorial Board; the Chair cannot also be Editor.
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> (d) The majority of the members of the Editorial Board need not be members of the Management Committee.
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> (e) The Editorial Board may act under delegated powers from the Management Committee.'
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> What is being proposed is a major change to the Constitution. On making changes the Constitution states:
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> '15. Alterations to the Constitution
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> 15.1 The Management Committee may propose alterations to the Constitution as long as the wording of the amendment and an explanation is sent to members with the notice calling the Annual or other General Meeting at which it is to be considered.
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> 15.2 A resolution from a member proposing to alter this constitution shall be received by the Secretary of the Association at least 42 days in advance of a General Meeting, as long as the wording of the amendment and an explanation is sent to members with the notice calling the relevant General Meeting being asked to consider the amendment.
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> 15.3 An alteration to the constitution shall require the approval of two-thirds of members present and entitled to vote at a General Meeting.'
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> The Constitution also states:
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> '6.2 Notice of the Annual General Meeting. The time, venue and business to be transacted shall be send to members by the Secretary with 28 clear days notice.'
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> Emailing communciation about BASA's AGM around BASAJISC is not communicating with members. Therefore the notification is invalid. Notice should be posted to members in accordance with timescale set out in the Constitution.
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> This may seem like nit-picking, but one of the functions of Constitutions is to protect organisations from over hasty decisions and to protect the interests of members.
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> I therefore propose that the Committee withdraw its proposal for 8 November, that it either:
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> (a) negotiates for the original AGM/Conference to continue to take place at the Museum of Docklands programming in the other event on 8 November and including space to enable a preliminery discussion on its proposal to change the organsiation; or
> (b) re-schedules the AGM/Conference to another date, and sends out a notice to all members in the post in accordance with the Constitution and including either:
> (i) proposed changes to the Constitution to effect its proposal, or
> (ii) a proposal to wind BASA up in accordance with the dissolution clause of the Constitution.
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> On the basis that the AGM approves (ii) then the core group of people who wish to be an Editorial Collective should convene a seperate meeting to start at the end of the AGM in order to establish the Collective.
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> Yours in regret at the situation that has arisen.
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> Sean Creighton
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Miranda Kaufmann
Christ Church, Oxford, OX1 1DP
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