For many years I was bothered by the tone of the MLA, although it was useful for interviews. A few years ago I just stopped going and missed our meetings. I'm overjoyed to think we might move, as have some other Renaissance types (various puns on "types" occur to me, but I spare you. Thanks, Anne

Dear members of the International Spenser Society,

 Over the past several years, various members have requested that the International Spenser Society consider changing its annual gathering (Spenser Luncheon and business meeting) from the MLA to another venue. In response, after studying the matter over the last several months, the officers and executive committee have agreed to experiment with a venue change—for an initial trial period of three years only—for the annual business meeting and luncheon of the Society from the Modern Language Association (MLA) to the Renaissance Society of America (RSA) conference. This proposed change also includes the annual Hugh Maclean Memorial Lecture, traditionally given at the Spenser luncheon. This three-year trial has been voted on and approved by the executive council in September 2019; if approved, the change would commence at the RSA in 2021 and continue through 2023. In keeping with the bylaws and constitution of the Society, we are giving formal notice of this trial to the general membership and requesting an electronic vote by all eligible members. (See below for details on this process).

This proposal has arisen from the following concerns about the MLA:

• ·       The MLA’s scheduling rules present difficulties for the ISS.
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•        Historically, the ISS had two dedicated sessions as an affiliate of the MLA. That has since been reduced to one.
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•        The MLA will not allow publication of the ISS luncheon and Hugh Maclean Memorial Lecture in the official printed program. 
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•        The MLA will not consider, when scheduling the dedicated ISS panel, our tradition of holding our annual business meeting and Hugh MacLean Memorial Lecture on the Saturday of MLA during lunch from 12 – 2.
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•        As one response to these difficulties, the Executive explored alternative times for this year’s annual business meeting and luncheon. The additional cost of events held either at dinner or in the evening, however, made this option an unattractive one. Finally, there remain scheduling conflicts, as the MLA schedules panels and various social events until 8:30 pm.

·      MLA attendance has dropped dramatically as interviews happen increasingly online and fewer delegates have the travel budget to attend.  Because of the combination of the above factors, attendance at the annual meeting and luncheon is dwindling.

After much deliberation, the executive council voted in favor of moving our annual business meeting and lecture to the Renaissance Society of America for the following reasons:

•       The number of Spenserians who attend the RSA regularly is increasing.
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•       Spenser scholarship increasingly connects the poet to a wide range of early modern contexts and conversations that come together at the RSA.
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•      Our affiliate status guarantees us three dedicated sessions per conference, thereby allowing the Society greater visibility.
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•      Since 2017, we have been co-sponsoring a well-attended social hour with the Milton Society of America and hope to expand this with other affiliate groups.
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•      As of 2020, the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women will be holding its annual meeting, plenary, and reception at RSA, and their panels draw a large and diverse crowd of scholars. 
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•       Other societies, such as the Milton Society of America, are considering relocating from the MLA to the RSA, in keeping with a broader shift in conference attendance patterns due to funding and scheduling.

 It is important to keep in mind that the ISS will continue to have a presence at MLA: we renewed our affiliate status for five years with the MLA in 2017, and the Executive Committee has a dedicated member who manages the MLA panel. Thus, even if we move our annual meeting, we will still have our dedicated panel session at the MLA. It should also be noted that approval for this trial does not exclude the possibility of exploring other venues in the future.

 As we are not proposing a change to the bylaws, and in order to enable all members to participate, we will hold an electronic vote. On November 15, an email link to vote via SurveyMonkey will be sent to dues-paying members; voting will remain open until December 15. If you wish to vote on this decision, please be sure that your membership is current by November 11. You can register here: 

https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/spenseronline/register/

 You can review the Society history, constitution, and bylaws here:

https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/spenseronline/iss/history-and-constitution/

The Officers and Executive Committee realize that this is a complex decision that comes freighted with a long institutional history of affiliation. But we would also like to recognize the current dynamism of Spenser studies, which showcases the centrality of our poet to many intellectual, cultural, social, and political currents in the early modern world. We thank you for taking the time to consider and cast your vote. If you have concerns about this process, please email me directly off list at [log in to unmask]. I’m grateful to everyone for their time and attention to this important decision.

With regards,

 

Tiffany Jo Werth

President, International Spenser Society

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Tiffany Jo Werth, Associate Professor
University of California, Davis
Dept. of English, 214 Voorhies Hall
One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 

Co-Founder: Oecologies Research Cluster 

President: International Spenser Society

Author: The Fabulous Dark Cloister: Romance in England After the Reformation 

Co-Editor: Premodern Ecologies in the Modern Literary Imagination

 

 

 

 

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