Linguistic Legacy Club




You too can make a linguistic legacy your lasting gift! The goal of the Linguistic Legacy Club is to establish an endowment that will secure the financial future of the Linguistic Society of America so we can continue to support the development, dissemination, and application of linguistic scholarship for the advancement of knowledge and betterment of society through research, practice, and teaching.

Frankly, in spite of all of our best efforts – including cutting costs, building a new website, establishing new automated membership outreach campaigns, changing staffing models, securing a new publishing partnership, and launching two highly successful Annual Fund campaigns – the LSA is still not on firm financial ground. 
 
The LSA used to get about one-third of its revenue from the Annual Meeting. Due to the vastly increased cost of holding an Annual Meeting, and the constraints on travel funds so many linguists are facing, the Annual Meeting now breaks even in a good year. While we will continue to search for ways to cut expenses, a real solution for our society is going to depend on establishing new revenue streams.

An endowment of $2,000,000 would produce enough revenue on an annual basis to replace the revenue that we used to receive from our Annual Meeting. It would put the LSA on a firm financial footing, and it would allow us to adapt and grow along with the changing needs of linguists and the rapidly changing realities of our national and global context. 

Linguistic Legacy Club Members are people who have let us know that they have recognized the LSA in their estate plans. Some Linguistic Legacy Club members may designate a percent of their estate, others may designate a specific amount.  Every donation, no matter the size, will help us assure the future of linguistics and the LSA.

If you are interested in becoming a Linguistic Legacy Club member, or want to learn more about this initiative, please send an email to lsa@lsadc.org with the subject line "Linguistic Legacy Club.  
 


Linguistic Legacy Club Members

Mark Aronoff
Andries Coetzee
Jon Coltz
Susan Fischer
Heidi Harley
Brian Joseph
Jay Keyser
Terry Langendoen
Joan Maling
Sally McConnell-Ginet
Frederick Newmeyer
Susan Steele
Tom Wasow


Statement from Susan Steele, Linguistic Legacy Club Member

I’m in the process of revising my will – for the third time.  The first one was written when our kids were young and their future needed to be secured; the second one was written after they were on their own, but not yet fully established.  At this point in their lives – and mine –  I can think about the financial security of other entities to which I am committed. My plan for my third will is to divide my estate into thirds – one third to each child; one third to my other commitments.  A major component of the last third is the Linguistic Society of America.  I have made regular contributions to the LSA for roughly fifty years, to acknowledge its value to me. By including the LSA in my will, I hope to ensure that it will continue to be a valuable part of the lives of future linguists.