July 28, 2023, APSA Council Meeting
PRESENT:
Lisa Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, President
John Ishiyama, University of North Texas, Past-President
Mark Warren, University of British Columbia, President-Elect
Andy Aoki, Augsberg University, Vice President
Maria Escobar-Lemmon, Texas A&M University, Vice President
Ashley Leeds, Rice University, Vice President
David Lublin, American University, Treasurer
Council members: Khalilah Brown-Dean, Quinnipiac University; Jason Casellas, University of Houston; Pearl Dowe, Emory University; Terry Gilmour, Midland College; Catherine Guisan, University of Minnesota; Nancy Hirschmann, University of Pennsylvania; Nahomi Ichino, Emory University; Mary McHugh, Merrimack College; Susan McWilliams Barndt, Pomona College; Tamara Metz, Reed College; Sara Mitchell, University of Iowa; Ido Oren, University of Florida; Costas Panagopoulos, Northeastern University; Aseem Prakash, University of Washington; Christina Schneider, University of California, San Diego; Erica Townsend-Bell, Oklahoma State University
APSA Staff: Steven Rathgeb Smith, Michelle Allendoerfer, Nathan Bader, Dan Gibson, Casey Harrigan, Kim Mealy, Karima Scott, Steve Stoupa, Ashley Vande Bunte
INTRODUCTION
APSA President Lisa Martin calls the 2023 APSA Summer Council Meeting to order.
DISCUSSION ON 2023 ANNUAL MEETING
An update is provided to the Council on the 2023 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. In particular, it is noted that the union has conducted rolling strikes at dozens of Los Angeles-area hotels, including the J.W. Marriott—one of two venues hosting annual meeting panels and events—and multiple hotels where APSA has room blocks. In addition, APSA leadership has made concerted efforts to communicate with the union and hotel management. The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)—the second venue hosting annual meeting panels and events—is not a part of the current labor dispute and is not facing a strike. It may be possible to move panels and events from the J.W. Marriott to the LACC. A complete cancellation of the meeting would be costly, complicated, and potentially open to litigation.
The Council discusses the myriad of views that APSA members and annual meeting attendees hold in regard to the situation. Council members express support for unions and for the right of workers to unionize. Council deliberates on how the different options of how to move forward would affect various constituencies within the association. Continuing the discussion on the impacts of various actions, Council discusses the financial implications of moving events out of the J.W. Marriott. A motion is made to hold the APSA Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. The motion is seconded, and following discussion, it passes with 19 ayes, 4 nays, and 0 abstentions. A Council member moves that APSA commit to moving as many events as possible out of the J.W. Marriott. The motion receives a second, and Council deliberates. A Council member moves to amend the motion to say that “APSA commits to moving as many events as possible out of the J.W. Marriott to alternate sites not involved in the dispute.” The motion to amend is seconded and receives unanimous consent. Following discussion, a Council member moves to amend the motion to say that “APSA will move as many events as possible out of the J.W. Marriott to alternate sites not involved in the dispute.” The motion is seconded and receives unanimous consent. The motion as amended passes with 21 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. Council discusses next steps, including communications to the APSA membership and annual meeting attendees.
The meeting is adjourned. ■
