MINUTES FOR RJA ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING, February 22, 2025
Opening:
The meeting was called to order by Tim Hunt, RJA President, who noted the following changes to RJA’s leadership group:
- Aaron Yoshinobu, having concluded his term as RJA President, becoming an ex officio member of the Advisory Board as the immediate past President, replacing his predecessor James Karman in this role
- James Karman as the ex officio member of the Advisory Board representing the Tor House Foundation replacing John Varady
- Louise Economides continuing on the Advisory Committee, having been reelected to a new term.
Attending:
Diane Campbell, Gere diZegera, Tim Hunt, Jim Karman, Paula Karman, James Phillips, Charlie Rodewald, Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts, John Sanders, Bruce Smith, Josie Turner
Minutes:
The minutes for the October 2023 RJA Business Meeting were moved for approval, seconded, and approved with one abstention.
Reports: Finances and Membership (Dale Stieber, Treasurer):
- RJA has a budget surplus of some $25,000.00, primarily from donations in past years that we’ve carried forward that is available for judicious investments in RJA programming.
- RJA’s operating expenses (accounting expenses, web hosting, etc.) are approximately $3,500.00. The current pattern of annual dues income is sufficient to cover this, but leaves little left over for program initiatives.
- The active membership of RJA (15 lifetime members plus individuals who have paid dues at least once since 2020) remains stable at approximately 140 individuals.
Reports: Jeffers Studies and RJA Website (Tim Hunt)
- The first issue of Jeffers Studies as an open access digital publication is expected this fall and will be hosted/distributed/indexed by Bepress at no cost to RJA through the sponsorship of Illinois State University.
- The new Editor is Tim Hunt (appointed by Aaron Yoshinobu in consultation with the RJA Advisory Board). A staff has been recruited, and an Editorial Board has been established.
- Starting with the fall 2025 issue the journal will have several new content features.
- A detailed account of these developments and plans for the journal are include in the Editor’s Annual Report, previously reviewed by the RJA leadership and distributed to the membership.
- Dale Stieber noted that the Bepress site for Jeffers Studies should have a redirect link on the top page to the archive of back issues on the RJA website until the full backlog of the journal is archived and searchable on the Bepress site.
- Dale Stieber also noted the need to develop a plan for how institutions could help support Jeffers Studies (especially those with substantial Jeffers archives).
- Gere diZegera emphasized the need to ensure that the new mode of publication and distribution of the journal would provide robust access to general readers, students, and researchers. The Bepress system should actually expand access while also making keyword searching available, as should the future step of archiving the journal as part of the ProQuest service.
- The technical overhaul of the RJA Website from several years ago when the site was migrated to its current hosting service remains stable. The so-called backend is, that is, in good shape. The navigation of the site needs attention, and the site needs expanded content. We need a coherent, robust set of materials that support the teaching of Jeffers as well as additional content to serve readers new to Jeffers and those researching his work.
Reports: 2024 RJA Programming (Tim Hunt)
Our 2024 programming was less robust than our 2023 programming, perhaps in part because the person responsible for initiating programs has been wearing multiple RJA hats. Now that Jeffers Studies is set up on the Bepress system, there should be at least somewhat more time for organizing program sessions. The target for the coming year:
- More Poem Club sessions (goal: six gatherings)
- Webinars (at least two)
- An on-line RJA research-focused RJA conference, or should there be insufficient members with research to present, at least two research-focused roundtables, seminars, and/or lectures.
- Initiating during 2025 at least one Jeffers-related panel at a national meeting (MLA, WAL, ASLE, etc.) for 2026.
- The possibility of creating a Program Committee to help with the planning and delivery of program sessions was raised in the ensuing discussion.
Discussion Items:
Bylaws revisions: Those attending supported in principle the proposed revisions to the RJA Bylaws. Several edits were recommended, and several details that were noted that would benefit from clarification. An ad hoc committee comprised of Jim Karman, Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts, Dale Stieber, and Josie Turner was formed to finalize the revisions to then be reviewed by the RJA leadership and Advisory Board before being shared with the RJA membership to start the thirty day review period before voting on the revisions.
2025 RJA Programming: This topic was covered in the discussion following the report on 2024 RJA Programming noted above.
RJA Funding Priorities: RJA has several mechanisms for providing support to researchers and to help underwrite travel expenses to present Jeffers-related researchers at academic conferences. These have not been utilized, at least in part because few people are aware they exist. The possibility of RJA undertaking an informational campaign to publicize the availability of these opportunities, its resources, and its programming was discussed and referred to the Leadership and Advisory Board to consider best strategies as well as feasibility.
New Business: none.
Adjournment:
The 90 minute meeting was adjourned by President Hunt