I. Call to Order

A regular meeting the American Political Science Association Council was held in Chicago, Illinois, on April 14, 2012. The meeting called to order at 9:06 a.m. by President Powell. President Powell declared a quorum present.

II. Welcome and Report of the President

President Powell welcomed new and returning council members. He noted his recent travels to and talks at APSA's related associations: Southern Political Science Association, Western Political Science Association and at the APSA Teaching and Learning Conference. He thanked vice president Morris Fiorina for representing APSA at the National Conference of Black Political Scientists and Gail McElroy for representing APSA at the UK Political Studies Association. He noted his upcoming travel to the Canadian Political Science Association, which is celebrating its centennial this year, and the International Political Science Association.

III. Consent Agenda

After his remarks, President Powell moved “that the council approve the consent agenda, which includes the minutes of the August 31, 2011, council meeting and the 2011 all-member business meeting, an amendment to the bylaws, and the 2012 rules?” The motion was accepted.

IV. Report of the Executive Director

Dr. Brintnall reviewed the role of the APSA Council as the association's board of directors, and provided a brief overview of board responsibilities drawing on resources from BoardSource. He summarized major responsibilities and duties of board service including duties of care. He reviewed the status of the association noting the building upgrades, the need for new auditors, international initiatives, RBSI fundraising, changes to the supplement, possibility for another competitive elections movement, and the upcoming graduate student webcast.

V. Executive Director Search

President Powell and President-Elect Mansbridge presented an update on the executive director search committee and work. They noted that they have approached several people to serve on the committee, and the final composition of the committee would be presented to the council after the meeting. President-Elect Mansbridge noted that the committee would first draft a job description and, after discussion among the council, the committee would also consult with several executive search firms and consultants. In response to questions about how the final selection would work, Dr. Brintnall said that the council has the final responsibility.

VI. Finance Report

Treasurer Benjamin-Alvarado thanked Ms. Chavis for her swift and accurate work with APSA's finances. Ms. Chavis presented the financial report. She noted the Teaching and Learning Conference's deficit has narrowed the gap between revenues and expenses, due to efforts to cut costs by Lauren West and Kimberly Mealy, and strong attendance in Washington. She said the new contract with Cambridge University Press for publication of APSA journals provides us increased revenue. And she highlighted that an ongoing priority is to reduce overhead costs, which are quite lean to begin with.

VII. Audit Report

Ms. Chavis reported on behalf of the audit committee that APSA received a clean audit that did not require a management letter. The audit committee has met independently with the auditors and has nothing further to report. APSA has worked with its current audit firm for a number of years, and the audit committee has authorized staff to initiate a request for proposals for a new audit contract (the current auditor will be eligible to bid under direction of a different partner). The audit committee will review the submissions and issue a new audit contract promptly. The council received the audit report from the committee.

VIII. Building Upgrade Financing

Dr. Brintnall updated the council on the progress to replace the HVAC system in the building and construct a larger conference room. He recommended that the construction loan be financed by packaging it with the loan on the 18th Street building, which will bring the total package of financing down. Dr. Benjamin-Alvarado also reviewed the loan options and noted that this is the most sensible way to proceed. The council approved this option pending learning further financial terms; Dr. Brintnall noted that the exact figures are being calculated now, and he would reintroduce the loan for the council's consent once the loan documentation and figures are complete. (Council voted and approved new loan on 6/20/2012– Michael Brintnall.)

IX. Membership Report

Dr. Brintnall reported on current membership status of the association, noting the report in the council materials from membership director Sean Twombly. Overall, APSA is seeing a small decline in membership numbers, comparable to numbers similar associations are facing. Overall annual membership has declined by about 450 members. He noted it is difficult to pinpoint exact areas or categories of decline because APSA, like other associations, encounters significant “churn” in membership with more than 3,000 members each year cycling in and out of membership, depending on whether they will be attending the annual meeting that year or for other reasons. The council discussed possible causes and solutions to membership decline, including whether annual meeting participation rules limit opportunities to present papers; they asked APSA staff to analyze this situation and report in the future. Dr. Brintnall said the association also is working on a member survey that should shed light on membership trends.

X. DC Nonprofit Corporation Act

Dr. Brintnall noted that APSA is incorporated in the District of Columbia under an early DC corporation law. The district has passed a new corporation law that has some features attractive to the association. We will become subject to the new law in 2010, and, drawing on advice from our counsel, Brintnall said it is warranted to adopt the new law at this time, to allow naming of a registered agent. The council approved adoption of the new 2010 law.

XI. New Organized Section Proposal

Dr. Brintnall presented a proposal to form a new APSA Organized Section on Migration and Citizenship; he noted that the proposal was duly approved by the organized section committee. After discussion, President Powell moved “that the council approve the organized section.” The motion was approved.

The council continued with discussion of the effects of approving additional section on panel allocation at the annual meeting, acknowledging both that emergence of new sections keeps the association flexible in recognizing emerging fields of work within the discipline, and also may reduce opportunities for work in important existing core areas. APSA staff were to review these issues for a future report.

XII. Development Report

Dr. Brintnall presented the development report noting the success of the fundraising for APSA Distinguished Teaching Award and the overall increase of the value of donations to various APSA awards and scholarships.

XIII. CQ Press/Sage Teaching Innovation Award

Dr. Brintnall noted that APSA is planning to defer offering the CQ Press/Sage-sponsored award in 2012 in order to highlight APSA's new teaching award. Council members encouraged APSA to continue the Teaching Innovation award in future years but look at alternative venues to present the award, such as at the Teaching and Learning Conference.

XIV. 2012 Teaching and Learning Conference Report

Dr. Mealy presented the 2012 Teaching and Learning Conference report. She noted that there were more than 300 participants, an increase from last year. The conference featured 14 working groups or tracks. Dr. Kathleen Hall Jamieson, University of Pennsylvania, was the Pi Sigma Alpha keynote speaker. Meeting sites for 2013 and 2014 conferences are currently being sought.

XV. 2012 Annual Meeting Update

Dr. Vavreck updated the council on the 2012 Annual Meeting. She noted that there were 9,211 total proposals submitted, of which 7,823 were paper proposals. The program committee has put together an exciting program of more than 800 panels spanning 51 divisions and 74 related groups. The overall acceptance rate was 44% with a paper acceptance rate of 41%. The 2011 Annual Meeting paper acceptance rate was 43.53%.

XVI. 2012 Annual Meeting Siting Statement

Dr. Brintnall reviewed the background by which the APSA Council in 2008, as part of the package of siting decisions made at that time, had committed to sending a letter to Louisiana public officials addressing the difficulty that state law on same-sex partnerships posed for the association in meeting in the state. He presented a draft of such a letter for council review. Dr. Brintnall said he would refine the letter, send it for review by the status committees, and present the final letter for the council's approval later in the summer. (The council discussed distribution and recommended that APSA make this letter a public letter, send it broadly to state officials in Louisiana and, promptly afterwards, release it to the media and interested parties in the area.)

XVII. Political Science Research Journal Proposal

Dr. Brintnall provided the background for a proposal for a new APSA journal focused on short articles reporting research findings that had been discussed in general terms by the council in previous meetings. Dr. Arthur Lupia, at previous meetings when he served on the council, had been asked with a group of colleagues to draft a proposal for such a journal. Dr. Adam Berinsky, who was part of this drafting group, presented a draft proposal to the council. The articles would be posted online on a rolling basis with regularly printed volumes.

Widespread council discussion followed. Many council members expressed the concern that council action on this specific proposal was premature. Key issues for future development of the proposal related to the business plan, how to assure that the journal is seen as welcoming to diverse fields and approaches, how to address reviewer fatigue, and the possibility of soliciting a broader range of member opinion about the need for, and nature of, a new journal.

Dr. Rogowski moved “to refer this proposal to the publications committee, where they will review and report, and possibly ask to accept other proposals.” The motion was approved.

XVIII. American Political Science Review Board Appointments

Dr. Ishiyama offered nominees for the upcoming APSR board. He explained his and the co-editor's methodology for nominating members to the board. Council members noted that some subfields appeared to be represented quite narrowly and suggested that the editors consider adding some additional members. Dr. Ishiyama welcomed the suggestions and said he would be happy to canvass council members and others for additional suggestions.

Dr. Gronke moved “that the council approve the proposed APSR board, and the editors should identify and nominate additional members to fill any deficits.” The motion was approved.

XIX. Update of the American Political Science Review Editor

Dr. Rogowski gave a short APSR editor's update and acknowledged the work of his editorial team. He noted that the transition is moving smoothly.

XX. Report of the Perspectives on Politics Editor

Dr. Isaac reported on the journal's progress and activities. He acknowledged the work of this editorial team. He spoke about the upcoming issue themes and its Annual Meeting panel.

XXI. 2013 Annual Meeting

Dr. Mansbridge spoke about the meeting's theme “Power and Persuasion” and her nominees, Catherine Boone and Archon Fung, for program co-chairs.

President Powell moved “to approve the Catherine Boone as voting member and Archon Fung as non-voting member of the 2013 program co-chairs and the committee.” The motion was approved.

Dr. Brintnall also informed the council of the potential labor issues at the Chicago Annual Meeting site, and he will keep the council informed if any issues arise.

XXII. Ad Hoc Committee on Workable Solutions to Advancing Women in the Profession Recommendations

Dr. Diascro presented the committee's recommendations. Council members discussed the report at length. Among other concerns, council members suggested that the list of best practices be further developed, that the committee focus on other obstacles to women's advancement in addition to work-family conflicts, and that the intersection of sex and gender with other categories of marginalization including race and sexuality be addressed.

Dr. Isaac moved “to refer the report to the committee on the status of women in the profession.” The motion was approved.

XXIII. Siting and Engagement Committee Update

On behalf of the committee, Dr. Super noted the various activities it has planned for the Annual Meeting in New Orleans, which includes Rep. Barney Frank as a plenary speaker and a roundtable on Katrina.

It was noted that some council members may not be attending the meeting in Louisiana and consideration of whether they might be able to participate in the council meeting by distance was discussed.

Dr. Isaac moved “to make provisions available to allow non-present council members to participate in the council meeting in New Orleans.” The motion was approved.

XXIV. Ad Hoc Committee on the Public Understanding of Political Science Report

Dr. Diascro, on behalf of the committee, presented the committee's recommendations. Council members discussed the report at length and provided comments on the report's recommendations for the committee.

President Powell moved “that the ad hoc committee continue its work and report again at the council's next meeting.”

XXV. Ethics Committee Review of Data Access and Research Transparency

Dr. Super presented the committee's recommendation to amend the ethics guide to include guides on data access and transparency. Council members asked for additional review from the membership before it is adopted.

Dr. Brintnall moved “that the council accept the proposal as policy and, after consultation with the membership, be proposed for inclusion in the ethics guide.” The motion was approved.

XXVI. Task Force on Democracy, Economic Security, and Social Justice

Ms. Karpowicz introduced the report and noted the task force's future activities.

Dr. Powell moved “that the council receive the report.” The motion was approved.

XXVII. Middle East and North Africa Workshop Fundraising Update

Dr. Super updated the council on APSA's efforts to secure funding for this project.

XXVIII. NSF Dissertation Proposal and Award Process

Dr. Brintnall briefed the council on the prospect that APSA present the NSF a proposal to manage its dissertation awards. Dr. Brintnall noted that APSA will draft a proposal and present it to NSF by the end of the summer.

XXIX. New Business

Dr. Hix presented the election committee's report of the previous election. He noted that 4,529 members or 34.1% of eligible voters participated in the election, which was the highest participation number and rate in recent years.

No new business was brought to the attention of the council.

XXX. Adjournment

With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.