Executive Board Meeting - December 9, 2000

SVU Executive Board, with most of its members present, had its regular meeting on December 9, 2000 at SVU President's house in Rockville, MD. The first part of the meeting was devoted to administrative and fiscal matters. In the spirit of improving the overall management of the Society and communication among the members, the Board has admonished all its officers, centrally and worldwide, including the SVU Local Chapters, to be prompt in responding to all inquiries and requests, whether they come from inside or outside the Society. The Chapters are requested to regularly send reports on their planned activities in order that the events can be posted in a timely fashion in "SVU Calendar" in Zpravy SVU, as well as on the new SVU Web Site. Nobody wants to read outdated activities. If Presidents of Local Chapters are too busy, they should appoint corresponding secretaries for this purpose. 

The Local Chapters are also encouraged to be more pro active and to take part in public events that would bring visibility to SVU. In this connection, special commendation goes to Dr. Marie Bobkova, President of the SVU Moravian Chapter, through whose efforts SVU is now participating in the cultural events of Jewish Moravia - Jewish Brno 2000 which will extend until the end of the next year. Newsworthy events like these can be the basis for SVU Press Releases through which our Society becomes better known to the general public.

Based on the Treasurer's report, and as was reflected in Rechcigl's State of SVU report at the last Annual meeting in Washington, DC, the Society's finances are solid. Blanka Kudej, who handled the Congress finances, also reported that the expenses were within the planned budget and consequently the last Congress can be considered a success from a fiscal standpoint, just as it was successful in terms of its programs. There were a number of SVU members who participated in the Congress at reduced prices although their membership dues were not paid. It is hoped that these members will send their dues payments subsequently. Treasurer Frank Mucha is planning to send his annual notices to all members for payment of their 2001 dues. Prompt response and payment by membership will save the Society costly follow up and time. Apart from paying dues, the Executive Board welcomes additional donations to help finance various worthy SVU causes and new initiatives.

At the suggestion of Secretary-General Frank Safertal, the Board decided to change the appearance and the contents of the SVU application form to make it more appealing to potential members interested in SVU aims but who don't consider themselves artists or scientists. In discussing his role on the Executive Board, Peter Rafaeli expressed interest in assuming responsibility for SVU membership matters.

Based on Rechcigl's report, the Nebraska organizers have made tremendous progress in planning and organizing the SVU Conference to be held at the University of Nebraska 1-3 August 2000. The details appear elsewhere in Zpravy SVU. The program will feature a special Presidential Symposium entitled "The Role of Ethnic Organizations in Preserving Czech and Slovak Heritage in America," with participation of national Presidents of the selected organizations. The session will be concluded with recognition and an award ceremony with participation of Czech and Slovak Ambassadors in the US and Canada and other dignitaries from the Czech and Slovak Republics. All SVU members are encouraged to participate and send in their preregistration forms.

The Board reaffirmed its decision and resolve to rejuvenate the Society with younger members and get them involved in its work. In this connection it welcomed the suggestions from the newly established SVU Youth Advisory Committee, headed by Anna Vysoka from Minneapolis. Anna is now in the process of creating a new database of the young people which will enable a better networking and will be the basis of forming focused interest groups. Effort is made to involve the young people in the forthcoming SVU Conference in Nebraska in August and the subsequent SVU World Congress in the year 2002 in Plzen. They are also contemplating their own Home Page. We are encouraging all our members to get their children of college age involved and contact Anna Vysoka on the following e-mail address: vyos0001@tc.umn.edu

As was announced earlier, the publication of our English periodical Kosmas was resumed with the issuance of the first issue under a new Editorial Board. The subsequent issues should now come out on schedule. The new Editor, Clinton Machann, is presently working on the next issue which will be ready in the spring. David Chroust, who assumed the function of Associate Managing Editor, is in the process of reestablishing a subscription base. By now, all the previous subscribers should have received their copy. Otherwise, they should contact David Chroust via e-mail. His address is:: DCHROUST@lib-gw.tamu.edu

With reference to monographs, two important projects are under way. Dagmar Hasalova White, together with Judith Fiehler, are preparing for print musicological publications of Dr. Zdenka Fischmann. A working bibliography of Fischmann's writings has been already completed. The book is to be published in the year 2001. To this end, the editors have been requested to have the Table of Contents and the manuscript ready by the next Executive Board meeting.

The second project, a volume of poetical writings in exile, honoring Frank Marlow, is also planned for completion in the year 2001. Vera Borkovec, who is the book's editor, is currently working, under the guidance of special editorial board, on the book's contents and the selection of poets.

The next item on the agenda was Rechcigl's report on the status of the SVU project on "Preservation of Czech and Slovak Cultural Heritage Abroad," which he has been coordinating. As part of this effort, SVU initiated a comprehensive long-term survey of historic sites and archival material bearing on the Czech presence in the United States. The first part of the survey was completed in 1999, with the issuance of the report on Czech-American Historic Sites, Monuments and Memorabilia.  Rechcigl reported that he completed a draft of another report, constituting the second part of the survey, entitled Czechoslovak American Archivalia. The report lists US-based archival material and library holdings relating to emigres and exiles from the territory of former Czechoslovakia and relevant holdings on their ancestral land.

Rechcigl also gave a progress report on the new SVU Web Site on which he worked diligently with Jiri Eichler from Prague for the last three months. Details of this project are also described in detail elsewhere in the January issue of Zpravy SVU. The Board members favorably commented on the Web Site which gives SVU worldwide visibility and commended both on their efforts.

The last item on the agenda was a proposal from Andrew Elias to initiate within the Society a special Tolerance Award to be awarded to deserving individuals on a yearly basis. He would contribute $1,000 honorarium which would be presented to the winner with the Award. The Executive Board unanimously approved the idea and applauded Elias for his gesture. The Award would bear the name Andrew Elias SVU Human Tolerance Award.

The next meeting is to take place March 17th.

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