Minutes of the Vergilian Society General Meeting
January 7, 2005
Boston MA
Officers: Patricia Johnston (Editor of Vergilius), Peter Knox (President-Elect), Holly Lorencz (Secretary), Alexander McKay, Alden Smith (President), Phillip Stanley (Treasurer)
Others: Philip Barnes (Director), Barbara Boyd, Thomas Burgess, Paul Burke, Caroline Caswell, Louise Clark, Julia Dyson, Philippa Goold, George Houston, Barbara McManus, Sally Morris, Christopher Nappa, Steven Ostrow, George Perko (Director), Jennifer Roberts, Franco Sgariglia, Marilyn Skinner, Kathyrn Thomas, Steven Tuck (Director), John VanSickle
Alden Smith called the meeting to order at 2:34 p.m.
I: Minutes
Alden Smith asked for the approval of the minutes, and Kathryn Thomas seconded. Vote was unanimously passed.
II: President’s Report
Alden Smith delivered the President’s Report.
- Establishment of Order
- "maior nascitur ordo"? Infighting is hereby banned.
- Election of Officers
President: Alden Smith (2005-2007)
President Elect: Peter Knox (2005-2007)
Secretary: Holly Lorencz (2005-2008)
Directors at Large:
Three year term (2005-2008): Craig Kallendorf and Steven Ostrow
Two year term (2005-2007): Sally Morris and George Perko
One year term (2005-2006): Chris Nappa and Steven Tuck
- Redefinition of the Vergilian Society
- What not to keep? 1. Petty rivalries; 2. destructive gossip; 3. sense of being too ingrown; 4. spirit of non-Vergilian-ness; (put positively, we need to reassert the humanitas of the poet in the society’s leadership); 5. bylaws that are simply not adequate; (we need to revise our bylaws;, under Craig Kallendorf’s leadership in this area, are already working on this.)
- What to keep? 1. Sense of community of scholars on all levels of the academy; 2. our commitment to the villa and the Sgariglia family; 3. existing programs; 4. trying harder than ever before, especially to increase our numbers.
- What to add? 1. New programs that take advantage of the Villa in new ways; 2. new programs that acknowledge superior teachers of Vergil 3. new programs that facilitate the dissemination of Vergilian scholarship.
- How to accomplish this? (See III. And IV. Below).
- Membership, Recruiting and Gear
- Membership had shrunk to all time lows. We are now rebuilding it and have had over two hundred new members join the society. Others, admittedly have quit in disgust. But this year will prove to be an a amazing year for growth.
- Recruiting: It is up to you to help us to recruit new members.
- Vergilian Society Gear. Gear? Yes, you can get VS gear. VS t-shirts cost $20 and are a gift with any donation of $25 or more to the fundraising drive. Totebags cost $25 and are free with any donation of $30 or more to the fundraising drive. A gift of $50 or more will get you both.
- New Initiatives
1. The Vergilian Society Fellows Program.
VS Fellows receive a modest stipend and substantial discounts to stay at the Villa and conduct their research during a one to ten month stay. Successful applicants will pursue projects culminating in publication or related to the development of a worthy pedagogical project in the field of classical studies.
2. Vergilian Society Visiting Scholars. Scholars with shorter projects can apply for Visiting Scholar status at the Villa for up to one month.
3. Vergilian Society Distinguished Lecturers.
Each year, selected "Vergilian Society Distinguished Lecturers" will visit hosting scholarly institutions to give a presentation in their field of expertise on a topic related to Vergil.
4. Vergilian Society Excellence Awards.
a. The Vergilian Society Prize for Excellence of Recitation and Declamation. This prize will be given to a high school student who presents 25 to 50 lines of Vergil from memory, as tape recorded by his or her high school or preparatory school teacher and judged on pronunciation, metrical precision, and dramatic flair.
b. The Vergilian Society Prize for Excellence of Translation. This prize will be given to a high school student for 25 to 35 lines of entirely original translation of Vergil’s work.
c. The Vergilian Society Prize for Excellence in High School Latin Programs. This prize will be given to the best high school Latin program that involves Vergil in any way.
5. Poet/Artist/Musician-in-Residence Programs.
Subject to application, artists or musicians may reside at the Villa for a minimum of 3 weeks per annum and contribute to the vibrant intellectual climate at the Villa. The program also seeks to draw local Italians and provide a forum for cultural contact and exchange.
- Fundraising Tiers and the "Circle of Honor"
Tier 1: Circle of Honor ($1000 to $4999)
1. A dated plaque will be set up in the Villa’s salon with this fundraiser’s donors’ names, with particular notation of those in the Circle of Honor.
2. All those in the Circle of Honor receive a Vergilian Society tote bag, t-shirt and a voucher for a free dinner at the Villa.
3. A toast and a reading of the names of the "Circle of Honor" at the APA reception mentioned in this letter.
Tier 2: Circle of Honor, cum laude ($5000 to $9999)
All of the above, plus a free month’s stay at the Villa.
Tier 3: Circle of Honor, magna cum laude ($10,000 to $14,999)
All of the above, plus a three-month stay at the Villa, or if it would be preferable and can be arranged, possibly a two months at the Villa and one month in Lucca at the apartment of VS benefactor Dr. Frank Burke.
Tier 4: Circle of Honor, summa cum laude ($15,000 and up)
All of the above, plus a facsimile of the Vergilius Vaticanus.
- Where to go from here? We can not go anywhere except up.
There is a gate at near the building that houses Classics at Penn that reads
Inveniemus viam aut faciemus.
Let us make that the bearing whereby to chart our course for the future.
Kathryn Thomas suggested to Alden Smith that the Society consider forwarding
information about the Poet-in-Residence program to various Creative Writing
departments.
III. Treasurer’s Report
George Perko delivered a report on the revenues and expenses of the Vergilian Society.
(i) MEMBERSHIP: There has been a massive influx of memberships, and many
have paid their 04-05 dues in advance. The Vergilian Society has received $36,600 in dues (03-04 $23,900 and 04-05 $12,700)
(ii) TOURS: Last summer, the Vergilian Society ran two tours. "Roman Villa and Gardens" received $2,400 as donations, and Cumae III produced $13,300 of net profit ($3,300 over budget).
(iii) VILLA: There was a net profit of $58,555 (67% over the budgeted $35,000). This number, however, does not include repair expenses.
(iv) REPAIRS: The Society paid $15,000 for immediate repairs to the ceiling last year. However, the repairs to the structural elements and the chapel are estimated at $125,000-$140,000.
George Perko also delivered a report on the 2004-05 budget. He stressed that the budget
PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2004-05
(1) The projected budget deficit approved by the Executive Committee is $11,600. It is based upon the following assumptions:
- The Society will negotiate sufficient long-term leasehold provisions such that repairs of $125,000 to $140,000 can be capitalized as a leasehold improvement.
- Funding of $137,600 of repairs is raised as follows: $77,600 of cash is raised internally (the Unrestricted Fund borrows $30,000 from the Endowment Funds, uses the $23,600 in the Villa Fund, and uses $24,000 of Unrestricted Fund cash) and $60,000 is borrowed externally at 6%.
- A villa repair surcharge of euro 5 per night, payable solely to the Vergilian Society, will be added to all future room charges. Since most of the 2005 reservations must be honored at rates previously quoted, the revenue effect for 2004-05 is estimated to be $3,250.
(2) Engineers in Italy have advised the Society that extensive repairs related to disintegration of roof and chapel elements are urgently needed. An initial estimate of 97,340 euros was received in October 2003. Depending on how much of the repair cost is subject to Italian value-added tax (IVA) of 20% and the exchange rate at the date the repairs are financed, the Treasurer's office estimates that the U. S. dollar cost may range from $125,000 to $140,000. The Society has limited assets, and the Unrestricted Fund can only finance about $77,000 of this cost internally, primarily by borrowing from the General Endowment Fund, at an approximate interest cost of 2.07% for 2004-05 (the first year's estimated interest expense related to the Endowment Funds would be about $600.)
Phillip Stanley then discussed fundraising and measures the Society needs to take.
The Society has received $30,000 in donations for the Villa Repair Fund. The Society can take about $24,000 from the Unrestricted Fund and possibly $30,000 from the Endowment Fund, created to maintain and preserve the villa. This would give the Society about $84,000 for repairs.
(i) INCREASE REVENUE: The Society needs to increase its membership, and ensure its members are clear about the membership year (October 1 – September 30).
(ii) IMPROVE TOURS: Here, Phillip Stanley suggested a more aggressive advertising campaign. He mentioned that there are good tours for 2005 and some in place already for 2006. He also suggested that the Society start looking at running tours/cruises in the winter and off-season for people who are either retired or on sabbatical.
Phillip Stanley ended by thanking all the members who have made contributions.
IV: Villa Management Committee
Alexander McKay started by stressing the Villa Management Committee’s concern for the villa and its occupants. He discussed that the Society should not look at the summer months alone for tours, and that it should lend its support to off-season programs.
He also stressed how necessary it was that the Society maintain the villa, and that many of the Villa Management
Committee members had visited the villa and seen the repairs.
V: Tours 2005 and 2006
Alden Smith quickly broke down the schedule of tours for this summer:
(1) Turkey – Paul Burke and Harriet Harris
(2) Travellers in the Campi Phlegraei – Alexander McKay and Raymond Clark
(3) Greek Island Tour – Phillip Stanley and George Perko
(4) Cumae II – John Wonder
(5) Cumae III – Ann Koloski-Ostrow and Steven Ostrow
Phillip Stanley listed the tours for 2006.
(1) Sicily – Beverly Berg
(2) Libya – Karl Galinsky
(3) Gardens in Roman Britain - Phillip Stanley and George Perko
(4) Cumae II
(5) Cumae III – Ann Koloski-Ostrow and Steven Ostrow
(6) Ten day tour of Egypt in January (Phillip Stanley)
VI: Vergilius
Patricia Johnston reported on the activities of Vergilius
The proofs for volume 50 have arrived and will soon be printed. One thousand copies will be ordered. The cover will be golden and dedicated to Sandy McKay. A flyer would be included for those members who are not current.
VII: Symposium
Patricia Johnston reported on the upcoming symposium. The topic is "Early Latin Comedy and Satire in Magna Graecia and Rome." She mentioned that all information was now on the website (http://www.vergil.clarku.edu/sympos.htm), and that she already has some good submissions.
Kathryn Thomas at this point asked whether past issues of Vergilius were available or not. Patricia Johnston reported that there were indeed many,
and Phillip Stanley suggested that a list of the available volumes be put on the web.
VIII: Old Business
(i) Ratification of the actions taken at the meeting at CAMWS 2004: Phillip Stanley put forth this motion, and someone seconded (anybody remember?). These were the results of the vote:
Yes (present) = 20
Yes (proxy) = 5
Opposed = 0
Abstained = 0
IX: New Business
(i) Bylaws: The revised bylaws (already reviewed by a Parliamentarian) will be posted on the website to encourage members to offer their advice and expertise, and sixty days notice will be given for a special meeting at CAMWS to ratify the revised bylaws.
Alden Smith adjourned the meeting at 3:28p.m.