2002 president’s letter

President’s Report

24 October 2002

I would like to offer particular thanks to Mary Ellen Lamb, who is completing her fifth and final year as EMW secretary; to Susanne Woods, who served as Treasurer through summer 2002; to Abby Zanger, chair of the Awards Committee; and to Mihoko Susuki, chair of the Nominating Committee. EMW is much indebted to them.

We would like to welcome Nancy Guiterrez, current Treasurer, and Jane Couchman, who will be assuming the position of secretary in January 2003. Both positions are appointed by the officers in consultation with the EMW Board.

Karen Nelson has taken over EMW website from Sheila ffolliott. The magnificent new site is at the most appropriate URL of www.ssemwg.org. Many thanks to Karen for obtaining the URL, designing the site, and keeping it up to date. Karen also represented EMW at a conference on Renaissance computer applications.

The Awards Committee chair for 2003 will be Amy Froide. To nominate a work published in 2002 for the 2003 awards please submit 3 copies of the work 15 March 2003 to the chair of the EMW Awards Committee: Dr. Amy Froide, History Department, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610 (Afroide@clarku.edu)

The Nominating Committee chair for 2003 will be Elspeth Whitney. Please send suggested nominations for EMW officers and committee members to Elspeth Whitney, Department of History, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 89154. (Elspeth@nevada.edu)

The list of duties for officers and committee members was updated in consultation with the officers and committee chairs. A copy is attached.

MLA affiliation. I submitted a formal application for affiliated status with the Modern Language Association Modern Language Association in August 2001. This summer we received received affiliated status. We have been given a cash bar/business meeting on 28 December from 5:15-6:30 in Naussau, in the Hilton. (It will really be a social occasion and celebration; “business meeting” was included in the MLA program to discourage stray bar hoppers.) Beginning with the 2003 convention in San Diego EMW will be eligible to arrange two sessions per MLA convention. We can decide what the sessions will be used for reading papers, a business meeting, or a social event.

Other disciplinary affiliations. Betsy Perry has offered to seek affiliation with AHA. We are still looking for volunteers to seek affiliation with other appropriate disciplinary organizations and conferences.

Sponsored sessions: EMW continues to sponsor sessions at two interdisciplinary conferences, the Sixteenth Century Studies Conference, our home conference during non ATW years, and the Renaissance Society of American Conference. Next year the Executive Committee meeting, general membership meeting, and plenary session of EMW will be held at the Attending to Women conference at the University of Maryland, 6-8 November 2003.

Attending to Women 2003

  • In 2001 the EMW Board voted to donate five scholarships of $200 each to support travel to the next Attending to Women conference, at U Maryland in November 2003. That money has been donated.
  • In addition ATW has requested that EMW provide the same support that it did for ATW 2000, $1500 contribution plus providing a reception in conjunction with our plenary session (@$1000)

Journal. EMW officers and Jane Donawerth as a representative of the Center for Renaissance and Baroque Studies at the University of Maryland have been discussing the possibility of starting an EMW journal. Jane Donawerth will present some possibilities to the Board.

It has been a real pleasure to serve as the president of EMW. I am happy to report that EMW continues to prosper, with a membership of more than 200, a growing visibility in academia, and a healthy fiscal balance.

Respectfully submitted,

Margaret P. Hannay, President
Society for the Study of Early Modern Women

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