Newsletter

Cervantes Society of America

January 2000

Greetings from east central Kansas & our belated but warmest best wishes for the New Year. There is a fair amount of news to report, given that, at the recent Executive Council meeting in Chicago, several important items were discussed and some new structures and policies concerning the journal were approved. So, herewith the minutes and reports from the December 1999 Chicago meetings:

Minutes of the Executive Council meeting, 27 December 1999.

     Present were C. B. Johnson (Pres.), Ed Friedman (V.P.), Nina Davis, Dan Eisenberg, Pat Kenworthy, Joe Ricapito, and Wm. Clamurro (Sec.-Treas.).
     The meeting was called to order at 2:50pm by Carroll Johnson. The minutes of the two previous meetings were read. D Eisenberg moved to approve and E. Friedman seconded; minutes approved unanimously.
     The problem of attendance by members of the Executive Council at the annual meetings was discussed, and this issue opened up the related question of how we might in future include some non-USA based members on the Executive Council. It was suggested that we try to hold the meetings by electronic (e.g., e-mail) and/or teleconferencing modes, but various objections —e.g., the cost and other logistical factors— were raised. It was decided that the CSA would continue to hold the annual Executive Council and Open Business meetings in their present, more conventional form.
     W. Clamurro gave the Treasurer's Report for the calendar year 1999 (attached at the end of this Newsletter). In the course of commenting on the report, Clamurro noted the cost of the Membership Directory ($517.13 plus the subsequent postage), and this brought up the idea of putting the CSA membership list on the Internet, as a part of the CSA web page. It was decided that this issue would be brought up at the Open Business meeting (on Dec. 29th). D. Eisenberg suggested that the Membership Directory could be included in one of the two yearly issues of the journal and might be published every other year. It was agreed that we would do this in future rather than having a separate publication done by the Secretary-Treasurer. Concerning the CSA's funds, it was suggested that a portion be placed in appropriate interest-bearing accounts, and it was agreed that the Council would urge the next Sec.-Treas. to do this, provided that this did not complicate our income tax status with the State of Maryland (where we are incorporated).
     Prof. McGaha's Editor's Report was then read (in absentia, since Prof. McGaha could not be at the meeting):

     “This year eighteen articles were submitted to the journal, exactly the same number as in the previous year. On the advice of the Editorial Board, I have rejected six of those articles, accepted three, and invited the authors of seven of them to resubmit their articles after substantial revision. I am still awaiting the evaluations of the Associate Editors on the remaining two. With a total of 411 pages, volume XIX was the largest one we have published to date. It contained fifteen articles —contributed by scholars in the U.S., Japan, Mexico, Spain, and Italy— two notes, fourteen book reviews, a review essay, and a stimulating discussion in the Forum section between Henry Sullivan and Howard Mancing on the question of whether it is appropriate to apply psychoanalysis to literary characters.
     “It has been an honor and a pleasure to have served as Editor of CERVANTES for the past twelve years. I am delighted that the Executive Committee has appointed Daniel Eisenberg as my successor, and I feel confident that the journal will achieve even greater excellence under his direction.
     “We still need to address the problem of storage of back issues. When Tom Lathrop stopped publishing and distributing the journal at the end of 1988, he sent me all the copies he had on hand of issues published until then. Since then, I have been receiving the remainder of each issue from the printers, after copies have been distributed to our subscribers. I have supplied copies as needed to the Secretary-Treasurer so that s/he can fulfill orders for back issues. I now have a room full of boxes of back issues. Dan Eisenberg informs that he has no place to store them. I wrote to the new Secretary-Treasurer, Laura Gorfkle, to ask whether she could store them, but have received no reply to my letter. I can continue to store them until next summer, but I would prefer that someone else take on the responsibility after that. I await your advice on this matter.
     “Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all the many people who have so generously helped and supported me during my years as Editor, particularly the Secretary-Treasurers, Book Review Editors, and members of the Editorial Board.”
     Respectfully submitted,
     Michael McGaha

     The council then turned to items on the agenda provided by Pres. C. B. Johnson. The first item was the suggestion that the CSA provide financial assistance to the journal editor or other officers when they attend conferences at which they would transact business for the CSA (this was done, as indicated in this year's Treasurer's Report, for Dr. Eisenberg). The council agreed in principle that we should try to provide this sort of support. Pres. Johnson suggested that there be one specified amount (e.g. $200); it was agreed that the editor or other officer should apply for such aid to the President of the CSA, who would then contact the Executive Council for their approval, and if so approved, the President would then direct the Treasurer to make the stipulated payment. The exact amount would be determined at the discretion of the President and Treasurer, as the funds and accounts of the CSA allowed.
     The question of the CSA web site was discussed. The council commended Prof. Fred Jehle for his excellent work in setting up and maintaining the web site (http://www.h-net.org/~cervantes/csapage.htm); Prof. Clamurro especially praised Prof. Jehle's role in putting the newsletters on-line through the web page.
     A proposal for a CSA “logo” was brought up; the council looked at and considered the proposed design, but it was decided not to adopt a logo at this time.
     W. Clamurro presented a preliminary list of candidates for the new CSA elections (there needs to be an election for a replacement for Prof. Gorfkle, in the SE region; a new Vice President, to assume the office in January of 2001; and the election of new At-Large members). Some names were suggested as additions and it was then agreed upon that we would open the floor to such nominations at the Open Business meeting on the 29th.
     D. Eisenberg, the incoming editor of the journal, then brought up several issues relating to the running of the journal. First, he requested that the council give its permission for him to deal with requests (e.g., from the Copyright Clearing Center) to make available photocopies of articles from Cervantes. Dan explained the context and implications of this question. The council's consensus was that, at a request for reprint permission, the Editor would consult with the President and Treasurer, who would then consult, as needed, with the Executive Council, for such copyright permission and also to determine a suitable fee to be charged.
     The question of the institutional annual rates was discussed and it was suggested that we raise this rate, to begin with the calendar year 2001. This would be done after the editor provided a brief report on comparable subscription rates for similar academic journals, at which time the new rate would be determined by the officers and the Executive Council.
     Dan then proposed that the CSA add to the journal the position of Managing Editor. Since this position is neither mentioned nor prohibited by the CSA Constitution, it was agreed that this could be done, at the Council's discretion. Dan then suggested that the Managing Editor serve for a renewable fixed term of two years, at the pleasure of the Editor, and he then nominated Prof. Fred Jehle to be the first incumbent in this new post. E. Friedman moved that we accept this nomination, P. Kenworthy seconded, and the council approved the motion unanimously.
     D. Eisenberg then raised the question of the journal's Associate Editors and terms of office for said associates. Much discussion ensued. Dan then moved that there be an Editorial Board (to replace the category of Associate Editors) whose members would serve for renewable fixed terms, and that the Editor would determine a list of names for this new body, along with a suggestion for each one's length of term, and bring this list to the Executive Council for approval. J. Ricapito seconded this motion, and it was approved unanimously. Dan Eisenberg announced that the journal will henceforth conform to the MLA Handbook (manual of style).
     The topic for next year's CSA session (at the December 2000 MLA meeting in Washington DC) was then discussed. E. Friedman proposed the theme of the impact of cultural studies on Cervantine scholarship. The following topic was then formulated (and has subsequently been sent to the MLA):

CERVANTES AND CULTURAL STUDIES

“We are inviting submissions on the impact of cultural studies —broadly defined— on Cervantes scholarship. We are looking for applications of specific theoretical models to texts by Cervantes. Please send 8-10 page papers or detailed abstracts to Edward H. Friedman, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Ballantine Hall 844, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7103, by March 15.”

     The meeting was adjourned at 4:45pm.

Minutes of the Open Business Meeting, 29 December.

     Pres. Johnson called the meeting to order at 8:35am. W. Clamurro presented the Treasurer's Report and Prof. McGaha's Editor's report. When the question of putting the CSA membership directory on the web page was brought up, E. M. Gerli suggested that the e-mail addresses be included as “links” to facilitate sending e-mail messages. C. B. Johnson summarized the changes and suggestions made at the business meeting of the Executive Council (see the above minutes). The upcoming elections were announced, as was the proposed slate of candidates. Additional nominations were taken from the floor, and two names were added to the list for the position of Vice President, Alison Weber and Diana de Armas Wilson (who subsequently declined).
     Pres. Johnson announced the topic for the CSA session for next year's MLA and Ed Friedman commented on it. Finally, speaking on behalf of the other officers and the CSA in general, Prof. Friedman expressed the society's appreciation to outgoing editor Michael McGaha and the outgoing Secretary-Treasurer, Wm. Clamurro.
     With the administrative business of the meeting concluded, Pres. Johnson introduced Prof. Robert ter Horst, who gave the plenary address, “A Cervantine Poetics of the Novel.”

     During the course of the MLA Convention there were, in addition to Prof. ter Horst's plenary address, three presentations on the CSA-sponsored panel (“Cervantes's Algerian Plays: Toward Freedom from Performance,” Kenneth A. Stackhouse; “Cervantes's Critique of Verisimilitude as Intertext of the ‘New Comedy,’” Vincent Martin; and “The Arrows of Love and War: Unnatural Women, Gender, and Homosociality in La casa de los celos,” Iluminada Amat) and one included in the session on Italo-Hispanic Literary and Cultural Relations (“The Presence of Italy in Cervantes's ‘La señora Cornelia,’” Joseph V. Ricapito).

     In other news, we are informed that our colleague Krzysztof Sliwa's book, Documentos de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra has recently been published by the Universidad de Navarra.
     On behalf of the Asociación de Cervantistas, Dan Eisenberg reports that in the elections for the officers of the Asociación, José María Casasayas was elected President and José Carlos de Torres became Vice President, the other candidates for these offices having withdrawn. The vocales elected were (in alphabetical order): Carlos Alvar, Antonio Bernat, Aurora Egido, Daniel Eisenberg, Santiago López Navia, Augustí Redondo, and Eduardo Urbina. Alternates: Luis Larroque, Jean Canavaggio, and Francisco Márquez Villanueva. Casasayas appointed Bernat as Secretary and Larroque as the “Delegado para Relaciones Institucionales.”
     Preparations continue for the IV Congreso Internacional de la Asociación de Cervantistas (CINDAC) to be held in Náupactos (Lepanto), Greece, 1-8 October 2000. The Presidentes de Honor will be SS.MM. los Reyes de España, and the President of Greece will also be present. There are some 400 persons interested in presenting papers, of which only about 110 can be accepted. The Asociación is also exploring the possibility of holding a conference in Havana in 2001.

     Finally, we would be egregiously remiss in our fiscal duties if we did not remind all of you to check the number to the right of your name on the mailing label of this newsletter. It should read '00 or later (e.g., '01 or '02, etc). In a short time we will send out letters to those not paid since '97, and if the situation of dues in arrears cannot be resolved, we will have to move those names to the “inactive” list. The short fall from dues unpaid by members who nonetheless still receive the journal and the newsletters, etc., is significant, and the society cannot continue to operate prudently with the added expenses (mailing of newsletter and journal, etc.) for those who are not holding up their end of the obligation. We therefore implore you to check the date on the label and to bring your dues status up to date promptly. If you have any questions about the date indicated, or any other question about your status, please do not hesitate to contact us, by mail or e-mail (clamurrw@emporia.edu). We thank you in advance for your interest and kind attention in this matter.

Balance Brought Forward			$21,582.79
1999 Income
Subscriptions, etc.			$14,976.55
Account adjustment (+)			42.15
1999 Expenditures
S.F. MLA meeting room charge	$250.00
Honorarium for R. ter Horst	500.00
Travel support for editor, D. Eisenberg	200.00
Typesetting V19, #1 (balance)	1,827.80
Printing/mailing V19, #1	2,211.58
Typesetting V19, #2	3,091.70
Printing/mailing V19, #2	3,185.55
Typesetting V19, #1 (deposit)	1,050.00
Postage to send negatives (McN & Gunn)	67.48
download V14, #2 & V15, #1 (Bookmasters)	231.55
CELJ dues for 1999	30.00
Printing, mail, & office expenses at ESU	1,550.11
(Postage, etc.       876.09 Printing Newsletter 156.89 Membership Directory 517.13)
Total Expenses		14,195.77
Balance (December 17, 1999)			$22,405.72
Members:                       299      Libraries: 224

Cervantes Society of America
c/o William H. Clamurro
Division of Foreign Languages
Emporia State University
Campus Box 4024
Emporia, Kansas 66801-5087
<clamurrw@emporia.edu>