IRGO Minutes 31 July 1997
Draft minutes of IRGO business meeting in Chatham, U.K., on July 31, 1997 as posted to OSTRACON October 14, 1997 by the Secretary, Dick van Harten.
Chair: Dr R. Kaesler; Secretary: Dr D. Van Harten; Treasurer: Dr R. Maddocks.
1. Call to order.
The Chair called the meeting to order at 16.00 hrs, approximately 70 members attending. The agenda was included in the third symposium circular.
2. Minutes of the meeting in Prague.
The minutes of the last meeting (Prague, 1994), as included in Cypris Number 13 (1995: 69-71) and disseminated on Ostracon, were accepted unanimously as being a true report.
3. Reports of officers.
Dr S. Crasquin, President of the European Ostracodologists (EO), informed the meeting that she had received a letter from the dean of Cucurova University, Adana, Turkey, confirming the invitation for EOM-4 to be held there in 1999. The Chair announced that the By-Laws Committee that was installed at the Prague meeting was still at work and as yet unable to present their report.
The meeting observed a minute of silence in commemoration of Ephraim Gerry (Israel), Nina P. Kashevarova (Russia), Edith Kristan-Tollmann (Austria), V. Ragothaman (India), Vladimir M. Soboklo (Russia) and Sigrid Scharf (Germany). May our friends rest in peace.
The Treasurer reported on the financial situation. The upshot was that the present balance amounted to USD 2,304.83, the single heaviest head of expenditure (USD 774.13) having been connected with printing the Cypris Newsletter for 1995. The full Treasurer's report is attached to these minutes in the IRGO archive.
4. The future of Cypris.
Dr D. Van Nieuwenhuise moved that IRGO go electronic. The consequence would be for Cypris to appear on a website. He himself, Dr E. Brouwers and Ms J. Slack were prepared to take the necessary steps in preparation. Ms Slack further proposed to provide for a hard-copy edition for those without access to the Internet. Both proposals were unanimously carried.
5. Future meetings.
The Chair proposed that IRGO mesh its future meetings with those of EO on a once-in-4-years basis each. Dr Crasquin expressed consent to this idea on behalf of EO. The Chair's proposal was unanimously carried, the implication being that the next IRGO meeting is to be held in 2001. Dr Crasquin emphasized once more that EO meetings are open to all, not just Europeans.
Four proposals for the next IRGO venue were made from the floor: Brazil (Porto Allegre); China (Beijing); Japan (Shizuoka); US (Denver, Colorado). The open vote resulted in 19 for Brazil, 5 for China, 23 for Japan and 21 for the US. The second vote yielded 21 for Brazil, 26 for Japan and 23 for the US. The outcome of the third and final vote was 35 for Japan against 34 for the US. The next venue, therefore, will be Shizuoka.
The Japanese invitation, as communicated to the meeting by Dr K. Abe, holds that such changes in the format of the symposium as were installed for ISO97 by the British will be basically maintained. It is intended in particular that papers be published in "some high standard international journals but not in a single proceedings volume". The following subjects are tentatively anticipated for the symposium: (i) environmental indicators; (ii) molecular biology; (iii) behaviour and functional morphology; (iv) early evolution; (v) ontogeny and systematics (including speciation problems). The written text of the invitation is attached to these minutes in the IRGO archive.
6. Election of officers for 1997 to 2001.
Drs N. Ikeya and D. Horne were elected without opposition as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively. Drs Maddocks and Van Harten agreed to serve their second term in office.
7. Expression of gratitude to the organizers of ISO97.
On behalf of IRGO and all others attending the meeting, the Chair warmly thanked the organizers for their hard work to make the present symposium the success it was.
8. Other old business.
There was nothing of import to mention.
9. Other new business.
The Chair reported that the Palaeozoic ostracod workers had elected Dr J. Vannier and Dr E. Olemska as their President and Secretary respectively.
10. Adjournment.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 16.45 hrs.
Thus taken on 31 July, 1997, at the meeting in Chatham, U.K.,
Dr D.Van Harten, Secretary IRGO.