American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division
Thursday, March 29th, 2001
Raphael, Parc 55 Hotel, San Francisco, California

CALL TO ORDER: President Brian Skyrms called the meeting to order at 12:09 pm.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: The agenda was approved without dissent.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 6, 2001: The Minutes were approved without dissent.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: President Skyrms read the names of members of the Association who had passed away since the last Business Meeting. A moment of silence was observed in their memory. Secretary-Treasurer Anita Silvers took special note of the achievements of her predecessor Oliver Johnson, who had passed away in the preceding year.

REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE: On behalf of Nominating Committee, Chair Fred Schueler put the names of Richard Wollheim (for Vice President) and Julia Annas (for Executive Member-At-Large) in nomination.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS: The nominees were elected unanimously.

REPORT OF THE PACIFIC DIVISION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Chair Joseph Tolliver reported that the Division will meet in Seattle in 2002, with Fiona Cowie as program chair. Nick Smith and Leslie Francis will be program chairs in the succeeding years. San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Portland, Las Vegas, and San Diego all are possible sites for the 2003 meeting.

The Executive Committee has adopted the following policy: "The Pacific Division will not meet in states with antisodomy laws but no mitigating laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."

The Pacific Division will have a published standard to the effect that those submitting papers warrant the work is original and that, where appropriate, acknowledgement of the contributions of others has been made.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER: The Secretary-Treasurer reported that the Division’s balance as of March 21th, 2001, was $215,315. This included convention income but did not reflect the Division’s liabilities, namely, this year’s convention expenses and the need to transfer $6000 donated to the Kavka Prize fund to the National Office. The cash reserve is in compliance with divisional policies. The number of exhibitors is slightly less than usual because of the comparatively small size of the Parc 55 ballroom. Registration will be more than 1100 people, thereby making this the largest Pacific Division meeting that has been held.

Room prices for this meeting are higher than members have paid previously. However, they are $55 per night lower than any other downtown hotel in San Francisco was willing to quote. The Secretary-Treasurer projected that operating expenses for 2000-2001 would be greater than revenues for several reasons: the price of every service at the hotel is almost twice as much as in other cities, the program committee planned many special centennial and seventy-fifth birthday events (as authorized by the Executive Committee), and the limited size of the ballroom restricted the number of exhibitors (although divisional services to exhibitors remained at the same levels)

Nevertheless, the Division will have sufficient cash reserve to address this unusual annual shortfall.

The Secretary-Treasurer reminded those present that APA prizes would be presented at a divisional reception beginning at 5:30 pm that day, and that the winners of graduate student prizes would be introduced at that event.

REPORT FROM THE APA BOARD OF OFFICERS AND NATIONAL OFFICE: APA Board Chair Jerry Schneewind expressed his gratitude to Richard Bett for his work as Acting Executive Director of the Association and his appreciation of Elizabeth Radcliffe for accepting appointment as the new Executive Director.

Schneewind and Bett explained that there had been an oversight in respect to last year’s constitutional amendments. These had been endorsed by the Pacific Division 2000 Business Meeting but no mail ballot was sent out to Pacific Division members. This year the National Office will add these amendments to the mailing on a new constitutional amendment that will go to Pacific Division members.

Schneewind gave the background of the new constitutional amendment. The APA Board of Officers has created a new committee, the Inclusiveness Committee, that will supplement and coordinate with the work of the diversity committees. The Board also proposes to make the Inclusiveness Committee a standing committee, which will place its chair on the Board. This latter action requires a constitutional amendment, and such amendment was being brought to the divisional meeting for possible endorsement before being sent to mail ballot.

The constitutional amendment was endorsed unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS: A resolution expressing gratitude to and admiration for Program Chair Laurie Shrage and the 2001 Program Committee was adopted unanimously. It was announced that further celebration of their work would occur at the Prize Ceremony Reception scheduled for later that afternoon. A resolution expressing thanks to Linda Smallbrook and the National Office staff for their facilitation of the convention was adopted unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT: President Skyrms adjourned the meeting at 12:44 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Anita Silvers

Secretary-Treasurer