Minutes of the Business Meeting Charles Sanders Peirce Society: Thursday February 19, 2015 Hilton St. Louis At the Ballpark St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Following the annual scholarly meeting, with papers by President Demetra Sfendoni-Mentzou and Essay Contest winner Aaron Wilson, President Sfendoni-Mentzou called the meeting to order.

1. Call for approval of the previous year’s minutes

Demetra Sfendoni-Mentzou asked whether there were any objections to approving the minutes of the 2015 business meeting. Hearing none, Bob Lane moved and David Pfeifer seconded the approval of the minutes. Passed.

2. Report from the Executive Committee Meeting

Demetra Sfendoni-Mentzou reported on the Society’s accomplishment in 2014:

• • International Centennial Congress held, with over 200 Peirce scholars from around the world.

• • Extremely well-attended open forum at International Centennial Congress on the future of Peirce scholarship – standing-room-only audience and a panel of distinguished international scholars.

• • Ad Hoc Constitution Committee formed and recommendadtions submitted to Executive Committee.

• • Monument Committee formed to consider erection of appropriate memorial monument at Peirce’s grave.

Sfendoni-Mentzou then verbally relayed the following minutes of the Executive Committee meeting earlier in the day:

• Minutes of the Peirce Society Executive Committee meeting, February 19, 2015, At the Ballpark Hilton, St. Louis, Missouri, 2:30–4:30 p.m.

• Present: Demetra Sfendoni-Mentzou (President), Ivo Ibri (Vice-President), Shannon Dea (Secretary-Treasurer), Richard Atkins (At-Large Executive member), Cornelis de Waal (Executive member), Nathan Houser (Peirce Foundation President), André De Tienne (PEP Director).

• Regrets: Ahti Pietarinen, Daniel Campos, Jérôme Vogel. Recorder: Shannon Dea

1. Constitution Committee recommendations

Atkins summarized the Ad Hoc Constitution Committee’s recommendations for constitutional amendment, and some of the rationales for those recommendations. The two main goals of the amendments are continuity of leadership, and increased internationalization. Members discussed pros and cons of proposed amendments, and some alternative approaches.

ACTION: The Executive Committee will continue to consider the recommendations, and will aim to bring its response to the membership, if appropriate with a vote to be taken, by the 2016 AGM. If the executive is still working on the report at that time, it will bring an interim report to the general membership at the 2016 AGM.

2. Future AGMs: where to hold them, and how to increase attendance

Members discussed pros and cons of various meeting locations and schedules, including various APA divisional meetings, SAAP, and international venues. Sfendoni-Mentzou suggested that having a second Peirce session at the meeting at which the AGM occurs could attract more Peirce scholars to the AGM. Dea suggested inviting essay prize shortlisted authors to present on such a panel.

ACTION: Next year’s AGM to be held at the APA Eastern. We will hold two sessions – the usual AGM, plus a second session, where the 2nd and 3rd place essay prize authors will present alongside a more senior Peirce scholar. We will therefore need to change the cfp for the essay prize, both to alert authors to the additional chances to present at the APA, and to make the deadline earlier, in accordance with the APA Eastern meeting dates.

ACTION: The new executive will form an ad hoc subcommittee to investigate the feasibility of future international conference partnerships, and similar opportunities.

3. Policies/procedures for financial subventions, including travel subventions and a/v charges

The Society has been making decisions about financial subventions and incidental costs on a case-by-case basis. More systematicity is required. As well, it may be desirable to provide additional funds for conference travel for junior colleagues who are both meritorious and in financial need. It may also be desirable in the long-term to begin providing financial resources besides travel subventions for Peirce scholars who do not have access to adequate resources (for instance, access to the manuscripts or to the Transactions).

ACTION: Atkins will share with the new executive some of the research the Ad Hoc Constitution Committee did on possible financial policies and procedures. As well, the executive will consult the Royce Society constitution, which has an excellent financial section that could serve as a useful model. The new executive will in the coming months continue...