Executive Board Meeting - August 2, 1997

The SVU Executive Board met in President Mila Rechcigl's residence in Rockville, on August 2nd. Sufficient number of members were present to constitute a quorum.

One of the items on the August 2nd agenda was a report by Mila Rechcigl on the SVU Texas Conference and the accompanying meeting of the SW! General Assembly, on which we reported in detail in previous issues of Zpravy SVU. With the approval of the Executive Board, the Proceedings of the Conference will be published under the editorship of Clinton Machann. The joint SVU - SPJST Proclamation on the Preservation of Our Cultural Heritage in America, which was previously approved by the SVU General Assembly in Texas, was also subsequently approved by the Board of the SPJST.

A brief report was also given by Vera Borkovec on the SVU Tabor Conference organized by the SVU Local Chapter in Prague. A detailed account of this conference appeared separately in the previous issue of Zpravy SVU.

Next item on the agenda were the SVU periodicals. Zpravy SVU and Kosmas. Moving the newsletter Zpravy SVU from New York to Washington Metropolitan area not only lessened our costs but also speeded up its distribution. All individuals involved in the distribution of the newsletter agreed to the new guidelines issued by the Executive Board, according to which the overall distribution process has been streamlined with the set target dates. In order for this to work it means that all news items will have to reach the Editor
before a set deadline. The news items that will not come in time will be held for future issues or not published at all, depending on the nature of the news item.

With reference to the periodical Kosmas, there have been some delays since it was necessary to change our printer, which also necessitated the signing of a new contract. The current plan is to publish the next issue in November 1997 and the subsequent issue in March or April 1998.

The last item on the August 2nd agenda was the forthcoming SVU World Congress in Bratislava. Executive Vice President Jan P Skalny gave an update on the current discussions with Prof. Tkac concerning the local arrangements. The Executive Board reaffirmed its decision to hold the Congress in Bratislava during 5-10 July, 1998. The Bratislava organizers' proposal to hold the, meeting at SUZA was accepted, with the comment that the Board would still give preference to having the meeting at some university. The overall
organizing committee wil be comprised of Mila Rechcigl, Jan P. Skalny. Congress Treasurer (to be appointed by the Executive Board), Alexander Tkac, and two more individuals from Bratislava who will coordinate local arrangements and the program, respectively. The overseas program committee will include Ian P Skalny (chair), Juraj Slavik, Dagmar Hasalova White, Mila Rechcigl (ex officio) and possibly others.

The central theme of the Congress "Science and Arts on the Eve of the 21st Century', as proposed by Prof. Tkac, was accepted with the understanding that the overseas members will have a broad latitude and will be able to present papers on topics of their interest. With reference to the official opening, the Executive Board recommended that the Bratislava organizers follow the Brno and the Prague model, including the academic procession of rectors, deans, and professors in their academic gowns, the trumpets, national anthems, brief addresses and greetings of important personalities, a short music program, and lunch. In the afternoon there would be a plenary session on timely topics, including the commemoration of the 40 years of SVU existence. The subsequent days would be devoted to a varied academic program organized into specific sections, discussion panels, symposia, workshops, etc. The evenings will be reserved for various social and cultural events. Of several suggested excursions, the Board gave preference to the Devin-Smolenice-Modra combination. 

~~~

SVU HOME PAGE, EXECUTIVE BOARD