Annual Report (2003)
ARLIS/NA South Regional Representative

Submitted by Laura Schwartz, South Regional Representative, ARLIS/NA
lauras@mail.utexas.edu
512.495.4476
512.495.4490 (fax)

My first full term as South Regional Representative began at the Post-Conference Executive Board Meeting in Baltimore, MD on March 26, 2003.

Meetings attended:

• Annual ARLIS/NA meeting, Baltimore MD, March 20-26, 2003.
• ARLIS/NA Mid-Year Executive Board Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 25-26, 2003.
• South Regional Meeting ARLIS/Texas-Mexico and ARLIS/Southeast, New Orleans, LA, November 13-16, 2003.

Chapters:

All of the chapters in the South Region are very active in the Society:

·         ARLIS/DC/MA/VA was the host chapter of the 31^st ARLIS/NA Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD, March 20-26, 2003.  The conference was deemed a success in many respects.

·         ARLIS/Texas-Mexico has begun to plan the 33^rd ARLIS/NA annual conference in Houston, TX, March 30-April 7 2005.

·         ARLIS/Southeast will be hosting the 35^th ARLIS/NA annual conference in 2007, specific dates to be determined.

Committees:

Public Policy.  This committee hosted a point/counterpoint session “The Digital Millenium Copyright and Copyright Term Extension Acts” at the Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD.  The committee drafted a resolution on the war in Iraq.  The committee recommended that ARLIS/NA sign on to other documents pertaining to the war in Iraq and cultural property.

Issues:

To continue outreach efforts to our friends south of the border, ARLIS/Texas-Mexico requested funding from the Executive Board to have select chapter web pages translated into Spanish.  This request was granted.

The issue of bank accounts and fees came up in both chapter business meetings of Texas-Mexico and Southeast.  Other Regional Representatives have said this is an issue for their chapters as well.  I think this is something that should be considered by the Executive Board.

Some of the chapters have also expressed a concern with finding volunteers to serve as chapter officers.  I know this relates back to recruitment, membership and retention.  I also hope this is something the Executive Board will continue to discuss this year.