- The Executive Committee of the LSA will be holding its Spring meeting on 9-10 May, 2008, in Washington, DC. For further information, contact Katha Kissman.
- Nominations for the Leonard Bloomfield Book Award are due 1 June, 2008.
- Nominations for the LSA's "Linguistics, Language and the Public" Award will be accepted until 1 June, 2008.
Advisory to Programs
2008
Background
Established in 1992 as the Advisory Committee to Linguistic Programs. Its name was changed in 1995 to Program Advisory Committee and in 1996 to Departmental Advisory Committee. Current name adopted in 1997.
The need for this Committee flows from the current financial crisis in higher education, which has led to the recent closure, or threatened closure, of several departments of linguistics. While we have no illusion that the opinion of the Society (which is hardly a disinterested party in such matters!) is likely to be an ultimate deciding factor, it seems reasonable that the Society should do whatever is possible to make its resources available to programs needing information to bolster their case for an on-campus presence for the field and even, when circumstances warrant, to appeal directly to the relevant administrators.
Responsibilities
The Committee acts only when approached by particular departments or programs. Its function is to gather information about the situation and advise the Executive Committee, which, after reviewing the material presented to it, may choose to take appropriate action in the name of the Society. Under no circumstances will this Committee or the Society as a whole concern itself with specific personnel decisions or disputes. The Committee may consult broadly in gathering information and may seek information from several sources (in the case of disagreements over policy or implementation of policy). LSA is not in a position to rank or evaluate specific programs or departments.
Membership
The Secretary-Treasurer as Chair and 3 other members serving staggered three-year terms.
Committee Members (all terms run through the end of the year in parentheses)
Paul Chapin, Chair, Santa Fe, New Mexico (2012)
Edward Finegan, University of Southern California (2009)
Rachel Hayes-Harb, University of Utah (2009)
Susan Steele (2008)
Wendy Wilkins, University of North Texas (2008)
