News from the President

The annual meeting is fast approaching. Janet Speyrer and Rennae Daneshvary have lined up a terrific program. If you have not yet indicated your interest in presenting a paper or participating in the poster session, now is the time to do so! Host institutions Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, and The University of Arizona eagerly look forward to welcoming you to the Grand Canyon state.

Nominations Are Now Open
Each year, AUBER elects four members to serve two-year terms on the Board of Directors. Directors who are in their first year of service include Andrew Brod, Fred Carstensen, Jeff Collins, and Stephen Smith. Completing their second year are Rennae Daneshvary, Bruce Kellison, Paul Zelus, and Phyllis Isley (who was appointed to complete Warren McHone’s term). Those completing their second year may serve a second term if elected. AUBER also selects an individual to serve as vice president; this individual will become president of the association two years hence.

Here is the process as set forth in the association’s bylaws:

“The Nominating Committee will prepare a slate of candidates for the AUBER Board of Directors. Representatives and [research communicator]- representatives of both regular and affiliate members can serve on the AUBER Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee will consider the service of the nominees, their years and degree of involvement with AUBER, and the constitutional requirement relative to [research-communicator]-representatives serving on the AUBER Board of Directors. Once the Nominating Committee has made tentative nominations for any open office or positions on the AUBER Board of Directors, the President shall invite comments concerning the slate from the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall review its slate and make a decision on the ballot to be submitted to the membership in the light of these comments. The Nominating Committee shall carry out the election so that voting is done by mail [e-mail], with space for write-in votes, and sufficiently in advance of the annual meeting date to permit the ballots to be opened and the results to be announced at the annual business meeting.”

Please send your nominations for board members and vice president to me, Nominating Committee Chair, Marshall Vest, along with a copy to AUBER Secretary-Treasurer, Rich Wobbekind . Self-nominations are welcome. Nominations will close on August 31.

Recognition
Many individuals have contributed in numerous ways to our organization over the years. AUBER seeks to recognize these individuals with three special recognition awards. The Honorary Membership category was created in the late 1970s to recognize individuals who made significant and sustained contributions to AUBER. Recognition includes lifetime membership that provides an opportunity for those who are no longer members of an organized research center to continue to be involved in AUBER (and attend annual meetings!). Honorary members may serve on committees but are not eligible to vote or hold an elected office. Election is made at the time of voting for AUBER officers. Twenty-eight individuals have been so recognized, the most recent being long-time supporter from BEA, Hugh Knox. See AUBER.org for the entire list.

Please send your nominations for Honorary Membership to Jerry Conover, Membership Committee Chair, with a copy to AUBER Secretary-Treasurer, Rich Wobbekind . Nominations will close on August 31.

The Commendations Committee recently created two new recognition awards for individuals—Fellow and the R. Thayne Robson Award. The committee, along with input from the board, is finalizing criteria, nomination forms, and a selection process for each, all of which will be available soon. Look for more information via e-mail.

Membership
Please join me in welcoming the following new members to our association:

The Center for Regional Development
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina
Paul Evans, Director

School of Management
University of Michigan-Flint
Mark Perry

Duncan Meldrum, Chief Economist (individual membership)
Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.

A Final Word
This is my last written communication as president, and I’d like to thank members of the Executive Committee for their efforts during the past year. The board has made significant progress in strengthening the association and enhancing value for all members. New initiatives include a redesigned and vastly expanded web site engineered by the University of West Florida, an updated “guide for operating a center” (forthcoming), a new online annual membership survey, and a bibliography of member publications. Web site improvements are numerous and include Google search capability on each page, a tool for surveying membership on special topics, a “press page” featuring notable items from AUBER members, an events calendar, and much more. Plans also are being made for an online regional outlook survey of AUBER panelists. To be sure, this has been a very active board, and these efforts provide a springboard for future AUBER initiatives.

I’d also like to recognize and thank the University of Colorado at Boulder for its truly outstanding support to the association in hosting the Office of Secretary-Treasurer. Finally, a very special thanks to Cindy DiPersio, who does so many things so well, and with uncommon humility and grace. She has made my term as president so much easier.

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