Technical note
The 2020 AMBM, originally to be held on 28 August 2020 online, was annulled by the decision of the EAA Executive Board due to the inability, for technical reasons, to count the actual quorum in the virtual space, and the impossibility to confirm Members’ votes. For this reason, and to maintain the accountability and transparency of EAA procedures, the EAA repeated the annulled 2020 AMBM and voted again on the important documents that needed to be approved or adopted.
Czech Act no. 191/2020 Coll. (Lex Covid), which applies to EAA because it is legally based in the Czech Republic, stipulates the conditions allowing virtual conduct of business under state of emergency restrictions and beyond the current EAA Statutes, which do not cater for a similar situation. The 2020 AMBM re-run was held per rollam, i.e. voting electronically within a given time-frame and under security settings that ensured a single, verified and anonymous vote per Member. As per the Rules of Procedure, defined by the EAA Executive Board, the per rollam decision-making took place in three steps:
- Informal discussion meeting on Tuesday 20 April 2021: attended by 55 EAA Members, in which representatives of the EAA Executive Board explained the motions presented to Members and discussed Members’ questions. The meeting was recorded and made available to Members on 25 April.
- Per rollam voting on 27 – 29 April 2021: altogether 2766 EAA Full Individual Members were entitled to vote, which meant the 5% quorum equalled to 139 voters. Altogether 331 Members accessed the ballot via their personal voting link and credentials, sent on 26 April; a total of 265 Members completed their votes, while a further 26 started responding but dropped out before submitting a completed vote. The 265 complete votes represent 9.6% of all current voting Members (91.1% completion rate) and the voting was therefore quorate. The average time spent on filling in the ballot was 6 minutes.
- Announcement of the results of the voting of the AMBM on the EAA website and by e-mail to Members before 30 May 2021.
The following report combines the discussion held at the 20 April informal meeting with Members and with the results of the per rollam voting.
Opening and welcome
The EAA President Felipe Criado-Boado opened the informal meeting and welcomed the Members present or viewing the meeting recording at a later stage. He stressed the importance of the re-run of the 2020 AMBM, since it will enhance the transparency and accountability of decisions that the EAA takes. The 2020 AMBM re-run creates a model for future EAA AMBM practice, which will allow Members’ increased engagement and inclusion in EAA matters. The initial failing in performing the 2020 AMBM has therefore helped the EAA to improve its service to Members.
Eszter Bánffy, EAA Incoming President, greeted the audience. She stressed that the 2020 AMBM re-run is a learning experience for the EAA in a world of change conditioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. As archaeologists, EAA is capable of learning from the past and turning challenges into benefits.
Sally Foster, the EAA Secretary, explained the process of per rollam voting, and stressed the importance of approving the proposed amendment to Statutes Art. IX.1, enabling online business and voting until such time as proposals to comprehensively revise the EAA Statutes in accordance with this need, and planned wider democratization of EAA voting, have been approved by the Members.
EAA 2020 Statement on Archaeology and Gender
Maria Mina, EAA Executive Board Member and chair of the task force that drafted the Statement, thanked the task force members (Laura Coltofean-Arizancu, Bisserka Gaydarska, Doris Gutsmiedl-Schümann, Uroš Matić, Enrique Moral de Eusebio) for producing the text, and presented its main points to Members.
The #Metoo and #Time's Up movements acted as catalytic agents in exposing sexual harassment and assault in Archaeology. Despite hard-won battles by past generations of archaeologists, gender inequality has not been dealt with successfully. The time is ripe to push the agenda towards inclusivity and gender equality in our profession.
The aim of the Statement is twofold:
(a) To present the current situation in terms of gender equality in Archaeology.
(b) To promote measures that can ensure equality of opportunity for all archaeologists by preventing continuing acts of sexual harassment, gender and sexuality-based discrimination within the profession.
Prejudice, discrimination, attack, threat or harassment on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, maternity, child-care or gender-related health issues violate fundamental human rights. The EAA denounces any such behaviour among its Members and will seek to promote this policy position within the wider profession.
The Statement presents the current situation in Archaeology in terms of gender equality and proposes a series of measures to remedy gender discrimination in our profession. Disproportion between male and female archaeologists occurs mainly in academic publications, decision-making bodies and leadership positions. Surveys conducted in recent years demonstrate that power asymmetries, harassment and discrimination on gender and sexuality continue unchallenged across the archaeology of Europe. Recommendations to redress and prevent these include adoption of relevant codes of conduct, surveys on gender inequality, reporting of such incidents and creation of an 'Anti-harassment, Assault, Bullying and Intimidation Committee' within the infrastructure of the EAA.
Gitte Hansen raised a question about discrimination based on age and whether it is addressed in the Statement or work of the task force. Maria Mina responded that the present Statement willingly focuses on gender and sexuality discrimination. It also paves the way for further steps and considerations, not least in the EAA Code of Ethics update, where such issues must be included.
Fran Valle de Tarazaga inquired about the specific steps and time schedule planned to update the Code of Ethics. The President clarified that the EAA Executive Board will shortly appoint a task force to define these, and Members will receive information about this via the The European Archaeologist (TEA) newsletter and the 2021 AMBM.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the EAA Policy Statement on Archaeology and Gender as per the document previously circulated to Members.
EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the EAA Policy Statement on Archaeology and Gender as follows: 235 (88.7%) voting Members approved, 5 (1.9%) voting Members did not approve, and 25 (9.4%) voting Members abstained.
Minutes of the 2019 AMBM
The minutes of the 2019 AMBM were previously published in TEA newsletter and the 2020 AMBM Reports Supplement. There were no questions raised and the President proposed to the AMBM to approve the Minutes of the 2019 AMBM, as per the document published in TEA, as a correct record of the Meeting.
EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the minutes of the 2019 AMBM as follows: 208 (78.5%) voting Members approved, 0 (0%) voting Members did not approve, and 57 (21.5%) voting Members abstained.
Financial report
The EAA Treasurer, Esa Mikkola, presented the 2019 financial report. Accounts are divided into two main categories: membership-related activities, and Annual Meeting-related activities. The total revenue in 2019 was higher than anticipated; this was related to the attendance at the AM in Bern and the level of European Journal of Archaeology (EJA) royalties. The grand total for 2019 equalled to 23 950 EUR (609 358 CZK).
Covid-19 impacted the 2020 budget and accounting. Since the presentation of the 2020 estimated budget at the VAM in August 2020, the estimated deficit of over -70 000 EUR turned into a positive result of almost 30 000 EUR. Generous donations made by Members in 2020 were donated to the OMF towards AM participation grants. The 2020 accounting will be presented to Members at the 2021 AMBM in September.
Bisserka Gaydarska asked about the price of the software platform to be used for the Kiel AM. Krisztína Pavlíčková, EAA Finance Manager, clarified that this expenditure is included directly in the AM budget and should be max. 25 000 EUR, depending on the technical requirements and support.
Alessandro Vanzetti wished to learn the detail of the 2020 savings. Krisztína Pavlíčková explained that these were due to multiple factors: the absence of in-person meetings of the EAA Officers and Board; no need for technical support for the VAM organisation; stable Secretariat FTE level; unused contingency; and a change in the invoicing model for EAA services provided towards the organization of the AM.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the 2019 financial statement. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the 2019 financial statement as follows: 222 (83.8%) voting Members approved, 1 (0.4%) voting Member did not approve, and 42 (15.9%) voting Members abstained.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the 2020-2021 budget. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the 2020-2021 budget as follows: 234 (88.3%) voting Members approved, 0 (0%) voting Members did not approve, and 31 (11.7%) voting Members abstained.
Membership fee level for 2021
The membership fee level for 2021 remains unchanged from that of 2020 (and in fact since 2017).
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the unchanged membership fee level for 2021. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the 2021 membership fee level as follows: 222 (83.8%) voting Members approved, 15 (5.7%) voting Members did not approve, and 28 (10.6%) voting Members abstained.
Statutes amendments
The EAA Secretary, Sally Foster, presented the proposed Statutes amendments, which aim to reflect the growth and development of the EAA. The amendments are identical to those proposed already in August 2020, plus an additional proposal enabling holding AMBM per rollam in future. The Statutes amendments had been reviewed and agreed to by the EAA Statutes Committee and EAA Czech lawyers.
The proposed Statutes amendments concerned the below articles; changes and new introductions are marked in red italics and wording to be deleted is in grey and underlined.
Art. I.2 was proposed to be amended with an insertion to cater for the difference between registered office and seat of the Secretariat:
“The registered office and seat of the Secretariat of the Association (as defined in Art. III.5) shall be located where the Executive Board decides. Since January 2005 the registered office and seat of the Secretariat are located at Archeologický ústav AV CR, Letenská 4, 118 01 Praha 1, Czech Republic.“
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. I.2. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. I.2 as follows: 238 (89.8%) voting Members approved, 3 (1.1%) voting Members did not approve, and 24 (9.1%) voting Members abstained.
Art. III was proposed to be amended in line with the current or future EAA activities:
Art. III.1: “Publish a journal to be called The European Journal of Archaeology and other periodic and non-periodic publications.”
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. III.1. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. III.1 as follows: 256 (96.6%) voting Members approved, 2 (0.8%) voting Members did not approve, and 7 (2.6%) voting Members abstained.
Art. III.3: “Organise an Annual Membership Business Meeting and Conference Annual Meeting and European Archaeology Fair, as well as and other conferences and seminars relevant to the aims of the Association.”
Fran de Valle de Tarazaga asked whether mention of the European Archaeology Fair in the Statutes means that the Fair becomes a mandatory annual activity. Felipe Criado-Boado answered that the Fair is a development of the exhibition, held at each past Annual Meeting in any case. Sally Foster interpreted the Statutes amendment as reference to the full range of EAA activities, which, however, are not mandatory every year.
Alessandro Vanzetti and Ariane Burke suggested that the wording of Art. III.3 is improved: “Organise an Annual Membership Business Meeting and Annual Meeting as well as European Archaeology Fair and other conferences and seminars relevant to the aims of the Association.” Sally Foster stressed that since the voting is per rollam, no changes must be made to the version circulated to Members, and therefore the wording could be revised at a future occasion.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. III.3. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. III.3 as follows: 256 (96.6%) voting Members approved, 3 (1.1%) voting Members did not approve, and 6 (2.3%) voting Members abstained.
Art. III.4: “Function as a monitoring and advisory body on issues relating to the European and global archaeology of Europe.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. III.4. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. III.4 as follows: 233 (87.9%) voting Members approved, 25 (9.4%) voting Members did not approve, and 7 (2.6%) voting Members abstained.
Art. III.5: “Establish a Secretariat to carry out the activities of the Association and provide services to members”.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. III.5. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. III.5 as follows: 261 (98.5%) voting Members approved, 1 (0.4%) voting Members did not approve, and 3 (1.1%) voting Members abstained.
Art. VI was proposed to be amended in order to clarify existing EAA structure (listing EAA constituents and defining the position of the Vice-President):
Art. VI.1: ” The Association constituents are:
a) The Members and the Annual Membership Business Meeting. It decides on the business activity and direction of the development of the Association.
b) The governing body of the Association shall be the Executive Board (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Board’). The Board shall supervise, control, and direct the affairs of the Association, its committees, and publications.
c) The President shall be the statutory body of the Association.
d) Statutory Committees include: Nomination Committee, Appeal Committee, Statutes Committee.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. VI.1. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. VI.1 as follows: 239 (90.2%) voting Members approved, 2 (0.8%) voting Members did not approve, and 24 (9.1%) voting Members abstained.
Bisserka Gaydarska asked what is the purpose of the Appeal Committee? Sylvie Květinová, EAA Senior Manager, clarified that the purpose of the Appeal Committee is twofold: 1) candidates nominated by members in the EAA election, rejected by the Nomination Committee, may appeal to the Executive Board and if accepted, to the Appeal Committee (Statutes Art. VII.4); b) appeals against removal from Membership (Statutes Art. VIII.3).
Art. VI.3: “The Board shall consist of three or four Officers (President, Incoming President, Treasurer, and Secretary) and six Ordinary Members. The Board shall elect a Vice-President from its voting membership. The Vice President will serve as an Officer and will remain in the position until the end of his/her elected mandate, and can be re-elected to a second term.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. VI.3. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. VI.3 as follows: 240 (90.9%) voting Members approved, 5 (1.9%) voting Members did not approve, and 20 (7.2%) voting Members abstained.
Art. VII.2 was proposed to be amended to increase the number of supporters for candidates to the Nomination committee:
“Names of candidates for election to the Nomination Committee, supported by at least five ten Full Individual Members, must be submitted to the Secretariat at least 150 days before the Annual Membership Business Meeting. Names of the candidates for election to the Board, supported by at least ten Full Individual Members, must be submitted to the Secretariat at least 150 days before the Annual Membership Business Meeting, for consideration by the Nomination Committee.”
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. VII.2. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. VII.2 as follows: 226 (85.6%) voting Members approved, 18 (6.8%) voting Members did not approve, and 21 (7.6%) voting Members abstained.
Art. IX.1 was included among the proposed Statutes amendments on advice of the lawyers to enable holding AMBM per rollam to cater for situations like the Covid-19 pandemic. The existing Statutes require votes to be cast in person at the AMBM, so they neither acknowledge virtual voting, nor do they allow all Full Individual Members to perform their right to vote in EAA matters. The current voting per rollam is only possible thanks to a temporary emergency Czech legislation (Lex Covid). The quorum changes from 15% (or 2/3 in case of Statutes amendments) of those present at the AMBM to 5% of Full Individual Members. The proposed amendment, if approved, will allow holding AMBMs virtually and democratically. Wider Statutes amendment to regulate the virtual AMBM and voting will be proposed for approval at the 2021 AMBM. A similar structure was adopted by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) and the Society for American Archaeology (SAA), to whom EAA is grateful for inspiration. Approval of the present amendment to Art. IX.1 is critical for the operation of the EAA.
“The Annual Membership Business Meeting of the Association shall be held at such time and place as the Board shall determine, including voting per rollam, the Rules of Procedure of which are specified by the Board; the voting per rollam option only applies until the present Statutes are amended to allow holding virtual AMBM. Notice of the Meeting shall be given to all Members not less than sixty days prior to the date thereof. The notice shall be sent to Members electronically. All documents for the Annual Membership Business Meeting will be sent to Members electronically at least fifteen days before the Meeting.”
Alessandro Vanzetti suggested that the 5% quorum should be mentioned in the Statutes amendment. Sally Foster clarified that the per rollam AMBM operates in line with the Rules of Procedure, which are defined by the Board, including the 5% quorum. When a wider Statutes amendment regulating the virtual AMBM and voting is proposed, it will refer to a defined quorum.
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. IX.1. EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. IX.1 as follows: 247 (93.2%) voting Members approved, 2 (0.8%) voting Members did not approve, and 16 (6.0%) voting Members abstained.
Art. XII.3 on EAA capital fund investment was proposed to be removed as it is not used:
“Payments made by Corporate Members and such other monies as may from time to time be designated for that purpose shall constitute a Capital Fund which shall be invested in the name of the Association. The Board may direct the transfer of monies from the Capital Fund to the Working Fund.”
The President proposed to the AMBM to approve the amendment to Art. XII.3 EAA Full Individual Members voting per rollam approved the amendment to Art. XII.3 as follows: 213 (80.4%) voting Members approved, 2 (0.8%) voting Members did not approve, and 50 (18.9%) voting Members abstained.
Discussion
Felipe Criado-Boado thanked all Members attending and appreciated the opportunity to greet those who would for different reasons not be in position to attend an in-person AMBM. He invited Members present to raise questions or comment on EAA matters.
Margaret Gowen-Larsen pointed out the need to mobilise Members to vote, as the attendance at the informal meeting would not suffice to meet the quorum. Sally Foster and Eszter Bánffy agreed that Members must be alerted to participate in the per rollam voting.
Since there was no other business to be discussed, Felipe Criado-Boado closed the informal meeting by stating that the EAA is in good shape thanks to the engagement of its Members, who help the Association face challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic.
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