1. Opening and welcome
The EAA President
Felipe Criado-Boado opened the meeting by thanking the local organisers and
student helpers for having organised a very successful conference, and welcomed
the attendees. He continued by presenting the proposed long-term plan for the
EAA as outlined in the Framework for EAA Strategic Development, previously
circulated to members, and letters from the President to members published in
TEA and circulated together with the “Framework” document. The President
remembered that the basic aim of the Strategic Development of EAA must be to
find ways to activate all the EAA corporative intelligence in EAA decisions and
policies. Members were asked for approval of the proposed long-term plan and
encouraged to comment on it before mid-October; action plans on governance,
finance, and Secretariat development will include members’ feedback and will be
submitted to members for discussion and approval by the next AMBM in
Maastricht.
Adrian
Olivier remarked that back in 1994 the EAA was founded primarily to publish the
Journal, and has evolved dramatically since. The goal of Olivier’s Evaluation
Report (2015) was to stimulate discussion about that development and its
further direction. The Framework for EAA Strategic Development responds to
different points raised in the Evaluation report in different degree; the
overall extent of reflection is satisfactory and the vision proposed seems
ambitious but realistic. Fulfilling the vision will only be possible through
members’ engagement.
Kristian
Kristiansen and other members present at the Meeting supported the Executive
Board in progressing the EAA Strategic Development and gave their permission to
the Board to proceed with its implementation.
The
President reminded the audience that European Commission published its long-awaited
proposal for the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 with the potential
implications for funding possibilities.
2. Minutes of the AMBM in Glasgow
The minutes
of the AMBM in Glasgow were published in the TEA and there were no comments by
members. The minutes were approved as correct record of the previous AMBM.
3. Matters arising from the
Minutes
There were
no matters arising.
4. Annual Report
EAA
membership has seen extraordinary growth in the recent years, with a peak in
2014 – 2015; this year’s membership will not surmount 2014 – 2015 figures but
attests a healthy membership base.
Chart 1: Number of members per year
The conference
location still influences on EAA membership figures and geographic
representation of membership (categories A and B), and produces a typical peak
in membership numbers in the host country; it is vital that EAA conferences
continue rotating throughout Europe.
Chart 2: Proportion of membership
categories A and B 2012 – 2016
EAA
membership is relatively young, with an average age of 43 years of age, and
students comprise approximately a fifth of the total membership, albeit the
category of retired members is ever increasing.
Chart 3: Proportion of membership types 2010 – 2016
The trend towards early payment of membership fees for a given year indicates tendency towards a more stable membership base over the year; early renewal not only offers the early bird rate, but also ensures that the Journal is sent to members without delays. Most membership fees are paid by credit card on-line or together with conference registration; in view of the new membership database software (iMIS) and future changes in EAA business model, members will have to renew their membership through the EAA portal first before registering for the conference. Credit card off-line payments have been very scarce over the past six years, and in order to optimise EAA’s banking profile will no longer be possible.
Chart 4: Date of membership fee payment 2010 – 2016
The corporate members of EAA in 2016 are: (in alphabetic order):
- ASHA – Agjensia e Shërbimit Arkeologjik
- AÚ – Archeologický ústav AV ČR Praha, v. v. i.
- Historic EnglandHistoric Environment Scotland
- INRAP – Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives
- Institute of Archaeology RAS
- Museum of Cultural History Oslo
- NIKU – The Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research
- OCenW - Rijksinspectie voor de Archeologie
- Römisch-Germanische Kommission
The EAA will start using the membership module of iMIS in the 3rd week of September. The new software will allow increased interaction between members and the various boards and committees, and will provide members with enhanced services in terms of privacy, information search and sharing, and engagement. Implementation of the abstract submission management and conference modules is currently under preparation and should be ready for 2018. However, software customisation reflecting EAA’s particularities are required which makes the process lengthy.
Current EAA’s development has required reinforcement of the EAA Secretariat with Financial Administrator (Krisztína Struhár – Pavlíčková) in 2015, and a temporary assistant (Kateřina Kleinová) since June 2016.
Members present required that future AMBMs are better organised in that information including composition of the different EAA boards and committees is displayed on screen visibly (appropriate font size, screen not hidden behind the stage).
5. Statutes amendments
EAA Statutes must reflect EAA’s development over the recent past and into the future, and must adjust to legal circumstances in the country where it is registered. In order to ensure qualified discussion, the EAA Executive Board established a Statutes Working Group composed of 5 volunteer members (Elin Dalen, Mark Pearce, Thomas Meier, Axel Posluschny and Karen Waugh), chaired by Alessandro Vanzetti (Executive Board member), and supported by a Czech lawyer and the Administrator. The Statutes Working Group identified necessary Statute changes which have first been submitted to and debated by the EAA Executive Board, and thereafter revised and approved by the Statutes Committee (composed of Harald Hermansen, Kristian Kristiansen and Roger Thomas). Finally, the Statutes amendment proposal was sent by the Secretariat to members more than 60 days before AMBM, for the present discussion and vote.
The proposed Statutes amendments refer to the following topics:
- Necessary matters: legal/technical issues
- Name and definition of EAA
- Minimum compensation for Executive Board Members to enable insurance
- Matters moved from the Handbook and clearer definition of roles and organization
- Handbook quoted in the Statutes
- Better membership definition
- Set EJA Editor as ex-Officio member (as he already in fact was)
- Affiliate Organizations
- Not a form of membership, but a way to increase networking
- Digital environment for meetings and decisions, privacy, transparency
- e-voting and e-meetings
- Minutes accessible to members
- privacy on personal data
- Good governance
- Conflicts of interest
- Due diligence
- Limits on expenditure decisions without Executive Board decisions
- Accurate control on the Nomination Committee activity and decisions
- Rules in order to make possible an appeal against NC decisions
- Appointment of the Statutes Committee: better definition of rules
Members present discussed and approved the proposed statutes amendments by articles with the following points:
- Consistency in use of terms “Annual Membership Business Meeting”, “Full Individual Member” throughout the Statutes
- Art. 1 – approved unanimously
- Art. V – approved unanimously
- art V/9 – can unemployed be added to students and retired – will be taken into consideration for further Statutes amendments
- replace “scholars” to “individuals” (1 vote against)
- affiliate membership is category of partnership, not membership (not to compete with corporate membership) – 5 members of the affiliate organisation must be EAA members and agree to guarantee affiliation of their organisation
- Art VI – approved unanimously
- Art VII – approved unanimously
- Art IX – approved unanimously
- Art X – approved unanimously
- Art XII – approved unanimously
- Art IVX – approved unanimously
- change “election” to “appointment” in § 1
6. Financial Report
Margaret Gowen, the EAA Treasurer, presented the financial report for 2015 and budgets for 2016 – 2018. She commended Krisztína Pavlíčková, EAA Financial Administrator, for her diligence and her significant achievements in her first year of work for the EAA during which she has completely integrated EAA’s book-keeping and management accounting and provided the Treasurer with detailed financial analysis of costs and cost projections. Members are welcome to address any queries about details of the financial report and budgets to them both.
EAA had a healthy income of €211,494 in 2015, generated principally by membership subscription assisted by the success of the 2015 Annual Meeting in Glasgow, EJA Editorial budget and royalties generated by EJA from Maney, and a small concluding payment from the Disco project. Expenditure in 2015 was heavily influenced by the costs of iMIS Module 1 installation, customisation and associated work. In addition, EAA began its strategic development, related to legacy decisions, and this involved payment for the Evaluation Report, additional meetings, plus legal and accounting advice.
In 2015 EAA accounts were in deficit to the value of ‐€32,972. The early part of the year’ expenditure was focused on the results of evaluation, review of that report, consultation with members and progressing strategic development thinking. The number of responses to the Evaluation Report received was disappointingly low. It was stressed that this report and all subsequent reports from the Executive Board to members are live documents requiring members’ engagement.
Chart 5: Financial report 2015
2016 is a year when we anticipate a lower number of conference delegates and members and therefore lower income; this year also EAA goes ‘live’ with its new membership management software iMIS (the greatest item of expenditure in 2016). Estimated income in 2016 is €166,400; estimated expenditure is €220,447; resulting in a deficit of ‐€54,047. The opening balance in 2016 was €71,392. It will decrease to an estimated closing balance of €17,345 at the end of 2016.
Between 2016 and 2018 EAA must further invest in offering more services to its members – in particular securing and developing its administration, managing more (if not all) of its conference organization and abstract handling, developing its strategic planning, and growing and diversifying its income into at least 3 different sources (aim to get max. 60% of total income from membership fees). In addition, EAA must control its expenditure. The three‐year budget demonstrates that EAA’s finances will recover over the three‐year period. The 3‐year budget presupposes a modest increase in membership subscription rates (there has been no increase since 2009) and increase in membership numbers. If EAA can increase its number of members – and its annual income – it will be able to balance its income and expenditure and focus on building up its balance sheet once again, thereby facilitating the development of its executive and administrative capacity. There must however be an alternative action plan if the above goals are not achieved.
The 2015 financial report and budgets for 2016 and 2017 were approved by members present.
Chart 6: Budgets 2016 – 2018
7. Membership fee level for the next year
The Treasurer proposed an increase of €10 for A category membership fees; members present approved the increase (2 against, 4 abstained). The Treasurer proposed two options for B category membership fees: either an increase of €5, or not increasing the membership fees for B category; members present approved the increase of €5 (5 against, 8 abstained).
The Treasurer proposed to extend B category membership fees to Portugal and Greece starting from 2017; members present approved the extension (0 against, 2 abstained). Eligibility for B category membership fees will be reviewed every 3 years. Members present approved that students who renew for three years will receive a discount to the value of €5 annually, whether or not their student status changes within the three years (0 against, 1 abstained).
The existing ‘early bird’ discount of €5 annually for all renewals prior to 31 March of the year of payment will be maintained. The new membership fees as of 1 January 2017 will be:
Chart 7: Membership fees as of 1 January 2017
8. OMF report
Eszter Bánffy, Chair of the OMF Board of Trustees, presented the OMF report. At the time of its establishment in 2013, the OMF was mandated to
- act for the benefit of the Association,promote the development of archaeological research and the exchange of archaeological information in Europe,
- promote the management and interpretation of the archaeological heritage of Europe,
- promote proper ethical and scientific standards for archaeological work,
- promote the interests of professional archaeologists in Europe,
- support and serve the membership of the European Association of Archaeologists.
- The Trustees (Eszter Bánffy, Carsten Paludan Müller, and Peter F. Biehl) and the Auditor (Adrian Olivier) recognised that there is a completely revised understanding of the financial situation and prospect for the EAA and consequently for the OMF, as compared to what was originally envisaged. Not only can no additional funds from the EAA for the OMF be expected over the next two years at least, but OMF may need to support EAA actions that later may result in a surplus, which can be placed at the OMF and used then for the benefit of members. While preliminary plans have been discussed with the EAA Executive Board, members‘ comments or suggestions are welcome.
9. EJA Progress Report
Robin Skeates, EJA Editor, summarised the development of the Journal over the past year, and thanked the Editorial Board – and the stepping down members in particular - for their work.
Following a tender and evaluation of four bids received, Cambridge University Press was selected as EJA publisher from 2017 onwards. The Editor and Deputy Editor, Cate Frieman, are working closely with CUP and continue to receive high number of new submissions, which results in a healthy 50 – 60% rejection rate. EJA articles are frequently cited; out of 146 archaeological journals, EJA ranks 12th.
10. THEMES monographs
Eszter Bánffy and Kristian Kristiansen, THEMES Editors, recalled that two volumes (Assembling Çatalhöyük edited by Arkadiusz Marciniak and Ian Hodder, and Trypillia Mega Sites and European Prehistory, 4100-3400 BCE edited by Johannes Müller, Knut Rassmann and Mikhail Videiko) have been published since the establishment of the monograph series in 2015. A third volume (Going West? The appearance of Neolithic innovations between Bosporus and Carpathians edited by Agathe Reingruber, Zoi Tsirtsoni and Petranka Nedelcheva) is currently in print, and there are six further publication projects in the pipeline.
Taylor&Francis continue as THEMES Publisher until 2018. The current series publication plan with Taylor&Francis conforms to the Editors‘ vision of 1 - 2 high-quality volumes per year. The Editors will aim to identify themes that are unique and marketable (and hence generating revenue for the EAA). Taylor&Francis committed to produce cheaper paper-back version after 18 months of the publication of hard-cover.
11. TEA report
Katharina Rebay-Salisbury and Roderick Salisbury summarised their first year as TEA Editors and plans for TEA future. While the newsletter must keep the achievable PDF version, it should become more interactive, allowing, for example, comments on TEA articles. The iMIS system and new website will facilitate this effort. Members are urged to contribute reports and opinion pieces on events, and to consider political essays, etc. The proposed debate topic for 2016/2017 is Open Access and the ownership of archaeological information. The deadline for submissions to the Winter issue is 15 January.
12. Reports from the Working Parties, Committees and Round Tables
Nurcan Yalman, EAA Vice-President, introduced reports from the below EAA Working Parties and Committees:
- MERC (Dries Tys)
- Professional Associations in Archaeology Committee (Mark Spanjer)
- Committee on Archaeological Legislation and Organisation in Europe (Maria Pia Guermandi and Jean-Paul Demoule)
- Working Group on Archaeology and Gender in Europe (Nona Palincas)
- Working Party integrating the Management of Archaeological Heritage and Tourism (Annemarie Willems)
- Archaeology and the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (Karen Waugh)
- Political Strategies for the EAA Committee (Sophie Hüglin and Rai Karl)
- Committee on the Teaching and Training of Archaeologists (Rai Karl)
- The Nearch (New scenarios for a community-involved archaeology) Project (Kai Salas Rossenbach)
Two Working Groups have not reported at the AMBM:
- EAA and EAC Working Group on Farming, Forestry and Rural Land Management
- Working Group in Public Archaeology
Working Parties and Committees are urged to submit reports to TEA and to actively use their web page in iMIS. A pre-conference session of Working Parties and Committees representatives will be held in Maastricht. The EAA Executive Board has stated within the Strategic Plan that it intends to use the Working Parties and Committees expertise more effectively in informing its decisions.
13. Election results
According to the Statutes, the EAA Executive Board consists of (max.) 10 elected members: 3 Officers, an Incoming President elected one year before the term of office, and 6 Ordinary Members (one of them appointed as Vice-President). This year, the posts of Treasurer, two Ordinary Executive Board members, and a Nomination Committee member become vacant. The period of service is 3 years and the elected candidates will serve from 2016 to 2019.
The Nomination Committee (composed of Tim Darvill, Arkadiusz Marciniak and Margarita Díaz-Andreu) met on 6 May and divided the nominations received in groups based on gender and country. Personalised election materials were circulated via e-mail on 7 July. The 413 valid votes (332 received on-line, 79 at the conference ballot box, 2 by e-mail, none by post) were counted by EAA Secretary Marc Lodewijckx, Nomination Committee member Margarita Díaz-Andreu, TEA Editor Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, and EAA Financial Administrator Krisztína Pavlíčková. The elected candidates are shown in bold below.
TREASURER
Gowen, Margaret: 390 received votes
23 abstained
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER 1
Gurova, Maria: 143 received votes
Lazar, Irena: 107 received votes
Yalman, E. Nurcan: 141 received votes
22 abstained
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER 2
Briggs, Stephen C.: 118 received votes
Potrebica, Hrvoje: 154 received votes
Salas Rossenbach, Kai: 124 received votes
17 abstained
NOMINATION COMMITTEE MEMBER
Arnold, Bettina: 233 received votes
Scarre, Chris: 167 votes
13 abstained
The EAA congratulates the successful candidates, and thanks those who were not elected for standing and for their continuing interest in the work of the Association.
14. New appointments
The following appointments were made in 2016:
EJA Editorial Board
Daniela Hofmann
Eileen Murphy
EJA Reviews Editor: Marta Díaz-Guardamino
EJA Deputy Reviews Editor: David Orton
Heritage Prize Committee: Marie-Louise Stig Sorensen
15. Welcome to the new Board and Committee Members and thanks to the outgoing Board and Committee Members
The EAA welcomed the newly elected and appointed Board and Committee members and thanked the outgoing ones:
EAA Executive Board: E. Nurcan Yalman
Nomination Committee: Tim Darvill
EJA Reviews Editor: Estella Weiss-Krejci
EJA Editorial Board: Arkadiusz Marciniak, Necmi Karul
Heritage Prize Committee: Carsten Paludan-Müller
16. Location of future Annual Meetings
The next conferences will be held in the following cities:
23rd: 2017 Maastricht, The Netherlands
24th: 2018 Barcelona, Spain
25th: 2019 Bern, Switzerland
17. Announcement of the next Annual Meeting
Gilbert Soeters invited all EAA members to attend the 23rd EAA conference in Maastricht, to be held on 30 August – 3 September 2017. The conference web page is live at www.eaa2017Maastricht.nl and provides all necessary information. Call for session submissions will open in October 2016.
The themes of the 2017 conference will be:
- Twenty five years after Maastricht: Archaeology and Europe’s future
- The Valletta Convention: the next twenty five years
- Transdisciplinary approaches to archaeology
- The third science revolution in archaeology
- Archaeology, art and artefacts
- Comparing regional archaeologies
- Other submissions
Session organisers decide how to fill their timetable, session formats will include:
- Key note speakers
- Traditional 20 minutes
- 10 minutes talk
- 6 sheets, 6 minutes
- Pecha kucha
- Round tables
- Poster sessions
The social programme will include an Annual Barbecue to replace the Annual Dinner and make it affordable for more delegates, a range of excursions and side events.
18. Any Other Business
Since there was no other business, the Meeting was closed.
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