The Minutes of the
Asian Studies Association of Australia, Inc.

Web page established: 16 August 1997
Last updated: 16 August 1997

ASIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Minutes of Council Meeting held in the
Arts Seminar Room, Australian Defence Force Academy
15 February 1997

Meeting opened: 9:36

Present: T. Reid, R. Elson, R. Hocking, C. Thayer, J. McKay, J. Ingleson,
L. Edwards, E. Tipton, H. Aveling, H. Creese, M. Gould and J. Grant.

Apologies: P. Cahil, J. Massellos

Minutes

OPENING OF COUNCIL MEETING.

The President welcomed the new Council and thanked members for their
willingness to serve the profession.

Moved Aveling/Elson that Council coopt L. Edwards and E. Tipton as
Councillors for China and Japan, respectively. Passed.

Moved Elson/McKay that UNSW host the 1998 ASAA conference and that John
Ingleson be Conference Convenor. Passed.

Arrangement of Agenda
WIAPS be included under Publication Officer's report.

Minutes of Council 7 July 1996.
Moved that Minutes be confirmed: Aveling/McKay.

Business arising: redistributed to other agenda items.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

Written report tabled.

Approach to government. The Council discussed the current environment of
relations between Asian studies community and government and possible
sources of funding.

Moved Hocking/McKay that report be accepted.

SECRETARY'S REPORT.

The Secretary delivered a verbal report. The Association's files still have
not been transferred.

Moved Reid/Elson that Secretary and Treasurer establish status of
constitution as amended 1987 and Associations Incorporation Act 1981 -
Schedule 3. Amended Model Rules for an Incorporated Association. October
1989.

Moved Creese/Tipton that Secretary's report be accepted.

TREASURER'S REPORT.

Written report tabled including Statement of Receipts and Payments Ending
30th June 1996 and Statement of Receipts and Payments Ending 31 January
1997. The following points were highlighted:

Income from subscriptions in 1996/97 will fall short of the sum received in
1995/96. Many subscriptions for 1996/97 were received prior to ASAA 1996
conference.

Income for year will be boosted by a surplus from 1996 conference of $11,194.99.

Noted that ASAA will contribute $27,500 to costs of one annual volume of
three issues of the Asian Studies Review.

Resolution of outstanding invoice for reprinting of ASR of $1,273 pending.

Membership subscriptions are down slightly .

Moved Aveling/Ingleson that Secretary take responsibility for updating
ASAA's home page and be authorised to expend payment of up to $500 if
necessary to accomplish this.

Accounts audited. Minor error to be amended.

John Ingleson reported that a small amount of money as still held at UNSW
for the SEAP series.

Expenses in attending Council meetings: reimbursement up to $75 per night
for hotel accommodation plus transport (taxi) and advance purchase air
fares.

Membership data base does not allow easy classification of members by
discipline. Figures for membership by geographic area of interest indicate
53.3% South East Asia, 22.6% China/Inner Asia, 13.9% Japan/North Asia; 9.3%
South Asia and 0.7% West/Central Asia.

There was discussion about relationship between ASAA regional and
specialist associations (Modern Language Teachers Association, Japanese
Studies Association etc). The question of joint membership fees for members
or post-graduate students and exchange of ads in ASR and regional
newsletters was discussed.

Moved Ingleson/Aveling that each Councillor make contact with appropriate
affiliated regional association and contact Joan Grant about progress.
Copies of advrertisements to be sent to all members of council for
discussion with all relevant affiliated regional associations.

Moved Aveling/Edwards that Treasurer's report be accepted.

PUBLICATIONS OFFICER'S REPORT.

Of on-going ASAA publications series two going well SEAPS (Tony Milner,
ANU) and South Asia (R Jeffrey, La Trobe) Series. Consistently produced
titles and surplus.

Tony Milner report on SEAPS. President noted there should be reports to Council.

EASeries was no longer a problem, agreement signed with Routledge to pick
up Allen & Unwin series (which has been discontinued).

Comparative Series (La Trobe Univ. Press, no longer publishing, editor no
longer involved). Publication now suspended. Moved Aveling/Ingleson to
reconsider in a year's time.

WIAPS.  A mounting deficit grew rapidly in 1995/96 and a series of accounts
was prresented without any warning. In 1996 the publication series was
susppended pending reorganisation and satisfactory outcome of finances.
Approximately $8,000 owed to Allen & Unwin for printing, correction of
proofs, and related publication matters. The Council discussed whether the
ASAA should pay and how to prevent similar occurrence in future. This
matter was discussed at last Council and lst Executive meeting. Bev Hooper
had agreed to try to sort out this matter. John FitzGerald as Treasuer
undertook to discuss this issue with the publishers to reach arrangement
about unpaid bills. Allen & Unwin to forgo bills if series continued under
new editorial board. Question of other unpaid bills ($9,000 paper debt to
ASAA) and deficit discussed. Series appears viable under new editorial
board.

Louise Tipton tabled a WIAPS discussion paper. Authors provide CRC and
their own indexes. John Ingleson spoke to differences between SEAPS which
provided CRC and WIAPS. The former provided camera ready copy to the
publisher. The latter submitted manuscript to publisher for editing, copy
editing and authors made special arrangements with publisher for
corrections, photographs and illustrations. These practices led to increase
in costs.

Moved Ingleson/Grant that ASAA appoint Louise Edwards as editor of WIAPS
series, and she form an editorial committee and report back to Council.
WIAPS to follow publishing procedures and contractual arrangements
previously followed by SEAPS, and the Treasurer be authorised to release up
to $3000 per volume.

Council discussed the question of whether of not there were any manuscripts
submitted to WIAPS about which a decision to publish or not is still
pending. It was hoped that obligations can be clarified within the next
month by the new editor.

Lunch  break: 12:25pm - 2:05pm

Guidelines for Council Publications Officer, Author, Series. John McKay to
draw up draft, circulate to persons previously and currently involved,
circulate to members of Council, and Executive to ratify.

Journal (Asian Studies Review). Leon Comber to take responsibility for
recording books received and then farm them out to present editors who will
arrange reviews. Harry Aveling to take responsibility for Southeast Asia.
Dennis Woodward to be approached to take responsibility for China and if
not available to approach Antonia Finnane.

Bids by commercial publishers, Carfax and Blackwell, to take charge of
producing Asian Studies Review.

Manuscript preparation                   Publisher
book reviews/editing                     subscription matters
articles        $27,500                  marketing
themes                                   advertising
review/refereed  $10,000                 printing
editing         $8,000                   layout (large task)
ASAA matters                             liaison with printer
reflective material                      distribution

newsletter type material                 best done electronically/www
preparation/editing
put on www

Carfax                                  Blackwell
4 issues 128 = 512                      2 x 128pp + 2 x 160 = 576 (+64)
Subscriptions $50, $55, $60 (2002)      $60 (no phase in, flat rate)
Institutional subscription              Australia $120; UK/US £80; PGs $35
Editorial assistance $4,000 cash        -
Royalties >350 we are paid 7.5%         w/600 subscribers, $1,184
journal's net income                    >350 subscribers 20%
                                        electronic publishing

Moved: McKay/Aveling that we accept Blackwell bid. John McKay be given
carriage to negotiate with Blackwell a lowering of initial cost to ASAA.

Move to commence producing flagship journal in the 1998 calendar year.

Moved Elson/Hocking that Council appoint Tony Reid (Chair), John Ingleson,
John McKay and Louise Edwards as search committee to recommend to Executive
appointment of an ASR editor, for two years, so work on January 1998 issue
can commence in 1997.

Moved Reid/Edwards that ASAA contribute up to $5000 per year to ASR
editor for performance of tasks.

Copyright Agency Ltd. has written offering to handle copyright clearances
for publication of ASR articles in textbooks. John McKay to raise issue
with Blackwell.

Letter received from Ebsco Publishing regarding preparing abstracts/indexes.

Moved Elson/Ingleson that ASAA individual subscription fees be raised to
$85 from 1st July 1997 and current Publications Officer, in consultation
with Treasurer and President, examine financial situation of journal in
light of Blackwell offer and make a recommendation to Council on
subscription fees for period beginning 1st July 1998. Concessional rates in
range of $25 and $35 (student and pensioner) to remain.  Institutional
rates be increased to $60 from 1st July-31st December 1997 after which
Blackwell will assume responsibility for institutional subscription rates
based on a calendar year.

Noted: question of whether ASR Editor should be co-opted to membership on
Council be delayed until receipt of John McKay's report (Guidelines for
Council Publications Officer, Author, Series).

1998 ASAA Conference. Council acknowledged receipt of Robin Jeffrey's
report on 1996 ASAA conference and conference surplus of $11,194.99.
Secretary to write thank you letter to Robin Jeffrey for organising
conference and for writing such a comprehensive report.

Ingleson: Conference must be held in late September 1998, a common week
break, due to availability of facilities. Conference to be held over period
from Sunday to Thursday. The UNSW will not provide a cash subsidy. ASAA
would have to pay for some space on campus, estimated at $2,500-3,000.
Waldron & Smith, who did La Trobe conference, proposal requested. Cost
$65/delegate.

Moved Ingleson/Thayer that Waldron & Smith be appointed conference
organisers. Regional Councillors take charge of regional panels. There
should be a panel on education. Conference organisers take responsibility
for general panels. Plenary sessions to remain in program. DFAT sponsored
visitors must be submitted through Secretary. Organiser have responsibility
for vetting proposals for conference papers.

Melissa Gould left meeting 4:45 pm.

Internationalisation of Asian Studies being pushed by Association for Asian
Studies (US). No real progress made about exchanging membership. Planned
joint conference in the Netherlands between IIAS-AAS planned for 1998. IIAS
Newsletter really informative. Joint AAS-ASAA meting in is Singapore under
consideration.

Moved Reid/Edwards that C. Thayer represent ASAA in discussions with AAS
concerning internationalisation at the AAS March 1997 annual meeting in
Chicago.

ASAA-Monash Asia Institute joint display. MAI Publications Officer does not
think this would be worth while. There is also the option of ASAA
undertaking to take responsibility (expensive due to registration fee).
SEAPS-UH are co-publishing and they distribute a publications list.

After Secretary has created ASAA home page, Monash Asia Institute to be
notified to set up hyper text link to our publications list.

ASAA PRESIDENT'S PRIZE.

A copy of a draft letter to be sent to Vice Chancellor of all Australian
universities was tabled. Various amendments made. Reid to submit short
article to ASR.

In ASAA conference years the ASAA should invite finalists to present their
findings to a panel chaired by President.

COUNCIL VACANCIES.

Cooptation of Councillors for West Asia and General Councillor.

Executive to approach David Christian and determine his interest.

The names of the third General Councillor were discussed.

Executive to make recommendations.

APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT RE SUPPORT FOR ASIAN STUDIES.

Radio Australia. Moved Ingleson/Grant that President write submission to
government and/or Parliament opposing government's decision to shut down
RA.

How the ASAA might position itself to sustain Asian studies in Australia
was discussed. In past Education sub-committees reported to Council. They
have all lapsed. Last Council discussed what to do and directions for
future. One suggestion was to hold a workshop on lobbying government.

The possibility of appointing new sub-committee to sustain these past
initiatives and develop new strategies to promote Asian studies was
discussed. Such committees would need to obtain relevant data, find out
what the problems are, and suggest policy options for the ASAA.

Moved Reid/Thayer that sub-committee be chaired by Vice President and to
include John Ingleson, Bev Hooper, Helen Creese, David Goodman, and Hugh
Clark. Terms of Reference to include the implications of termination of
government funding for National Asian Language Scholarships Scheme (NALSS)
and Australian Awards for Research in Asia (AARA), and alternates which
might be funded.

Developments since first Ingleson Report were discussed. Ernest & Young
Report on National Asian Language Scholarships Scheme (NALSS) and
Australian Awards for Research in Asia (AARA) data seem to indicate growth
in numbers of Australians spending isx months or more in Asian countries
while they are studying at an Australian institution. Need to have accurate
data. What are we arguing about DEET argues back. DEET does not have data
today comparable to that which was available in 1988.

OTHER BUSINESS.

Survey of Publications and Theses. Data on PhDs and MAs (by research),
except ANU, are now on ABN. Need manager to create a profile for ASAA on
www. Need information on how to access this data. Monash librarian has
written draft which can be revised for publication in ASR.

Vietnamese language at ANU. Details of proposed cuts noted.

Next council meeting also to be AGM August 9th, Saturday. Canberra.