(organized in the framework of the triennial congress of the International Symmetry Society, August 23-28, 2010)
(Hungarian translation is available.)
The meeting was held at the second scheduled possibility, a quorum not being available for the first appointed time (August 23, 2010). The Agenda was published one month before the congress at the official site of the Society. There was no suggestion to make any change. Thus the meeting followed the Agenda in its published form: http://nagy.symmetry-us.com/2010/07/23/isis-general-assembly/
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by President Denes Nagy, who presented the agenda as published on the website. (Just before the meeting there was an impromptu program in the same room: poetry reading by Veronika Makarova). The actual work of the General Assembly started at 7:45 p.m., thus some late comers were also able to join the meeting.
Veronika Makarova was elected chair of the meeting. George Lugosi was elected to take minutes with Ted Goranson’s assistance.
The following persons were in attendance:Members: Brzezicki, Burt, Giunti, Goranson, Guerri, Huff, Inkler, Izuhara, Jablan, Kizilteppe, Klein, Longuet-Higgins, Lugosi, Makarova, Mecsi, Mezey, Munoz, Nagy, Renner, Schwabe, Takaki. New members (who joined the Society just before the congress): Breen, Behnejad, Hizume, Ishihara, Kalantari, Miura, Pearlman, Ripco-Sipos, Vandoulakis (30 persons). Non-voting observers: Lévai, Piri (students from Zenta). Eight members left early because of a concert in the city at 8:00 p.m. Thus, there were 22 members and two non-voting observers in attendance for the entire session.
1 Opening (and welcome)
Denes Nagy gave some brief welcoming remarks and noted the success of the Congress. All applauded the organizers of the congress-festival.
A roster was circulated for signatures.
2 Report by Ted Goranson (Chairman, Symmetry-US) about the new site
Ted Goranson presented some slides showing the functions of the website he has created under the aegis of an independent sister organization: Symmetry-US. That website can support many of the on-line needs of the society. In order to support these functions, Goranson asked for volunteers.
(Schwabe) There may be copyright issues.
(Goranson) The copyrights will remain with the submitter, but it is the responsibility of the submitter to properly mark the items.
3 Report by Dénes Nagy (President)
Dénes Nagy reported on a forthcoming conference in Israel that may be of interest to members and noted it is not officially sponsored by the Society. He reported briefly on the successes in the legal progress against the former Secretary. He asked for the agenda to be formally approved.
Motion: Gueri, Seconded: Huff
Yes = 17 No = 0 Abstain = (5)
4 Report by George Lugosi (Treasurer)
At the time being the Society has no money in Hungary since the former Secretary emptied its account – the legal process against him is still proceeded (see the Minutes of the previous General Assembly). In the same time, the Australian sister organization (International Symmetry Society-Australia), registered independently in the State of Victory, Australia, has an account.
George Lugosi read the report on the International Symmetry Society-Australia previously posted on the website. It reported cash on hand at 4,821 Australian Dollars after filing expenses, disposition for Vismath and certified auditor as directed in the previous General Assembly.
(Huff, Jablan) How will the conference-related membership fees will be reported?
(Lugosi) Membership fees from the Congress are a block deposit with individuals noted.
(Longuet-Higgins) It is suitably professional to have a regular audit.
(Lugosi) This is fine, but the question is after or before each General Assembly.
Motion by Longuet-Higgins to continue the professional auditing, if in the range of $300-350, but to be done before the general assembly. Seconded: Mezey.
Yes = 22 No = 0 Abstain = (0)
5 The Journals of the Society and the Membership Fee
5.1 Printed journal
The topic was introduced by Nagy. Questions are whether to have a print Journal; what to do about the VisMath electronic journal; and whether this will affect member fees.
Concerning the Print Journal:
(Nagy) The society needs a print journal.
(Lugosi) Postage is prohibitively expensive.
(Makarova) Peer review process is essential.
(Lugosi) Submittal deadlines must be established.
(Huff) Current issue is printed poorly; reproduction quality must improve. Perhaps a quick proceedings can be cheap but the journal of record be higher quality.
(Makarova) An editorial board must be elected.
(Burt) A clear difference must be made between conference proceedings or abstracts and actual journal issues while keeping the e-journal.
(Guerri) An editor needs to be selected first. This is a lot of work, based on experience.
Motion by Mezey that there be a print journal, that Nagy and Lugosi remain as editors and that the Board address these concerns. Seconded: Burt
Yes: 13 No: 1 Abstain: (8)
5.2 E-journal
(Jablan) An electronic journal has no postage problems, can reproduce color and video, has little limit on page count and provides for greater access.
(Jablan) The VisMath (Visual Mathematics) name is attached to the Society E-Journal. Only three papers from the Society were submitted in the past three years. The Society needs to pay to support the E-journal for the next three years at $3,000 Euros (the preferred solution) or change the status. The suggested status change is to take the papers to another server but allow Jablan and his institution to keep the registered name “VisMath.”
(Nagy) The options are unreasonable.
(Jablan) The matter should be decided immediately.
Motion by Nagy to allow the Board to settle this issue. Seconded Mezey.
Yes = 17 No = 0 Abstain (5)
Concerning the Member Fees:
(Lugosi) The current fee is not sufficient for the postage.
(Klein) Leave the fee as is or slightly increase.
(Huff) If members are expected to pay for postage, at least in the US, the cost will be very high because the high cost of transferring small sums overseas.
(Nagy) Perhaps the postage can be collected every three years.
Motion by Klein to keep the fee as is for the time being but to allow the Board to increase it slightly as required to cover postage. Seconded Goranson.
Unanimous
6 The establishment of the Youth Organization of the Society
Motion by Nagy to allow the Board to create a youth organization, beginning with Elvia Sipos and students of Serbia. Seconded Goranson.
Yes = 22 No = 0 Abstain = (0)
7 Deciding the location of the next Congress of the Society in 2013 and other events
(Nagy) We have a proposal from Ioannis Vandoulakis to host the Congress in Greece.
(Vandoulakis) It would be in Crete and have to be in September to get reasonable rates.
(Huff) Provision for disabled access is essential. This has not been handled well in the past. Clear affirmation is required.
(Burt) Is there a university sponsor? Can you deliver?
Motion by Nagy to allow planning for the next Congress in Greece, providing that good sponsorship is solid and that disabled provisions are explicit. Seconded Goranson.
Yes = 18 No = 0 Abstain = (4)
8 Revision of the Acts Articles of the Society
The Society is registered in Hungary, which country became a member of EU, and thus the old Acts require some revisions accordingly
(Nagy) Because of the acceptance of Hungary into the EU, our charter needs to change in several ways to come into compliance with EU law. None of the changes are fundamental, but they are numerous and must be made in Hungarian.
(Klein) Concern that Goranson’s Symmetry-US may take over the Society.
(Goranson) That is not the intent.
Motion by Goranson to allow the Executive Board to work through these and make the changes as required. If something fundamental is encountered, the membership will be consulted. Seconded Makarova.
Yes = 17 No = 0 Abstain = (5)
9 Election of Officers
Motion by Goranson to re-elect the current Executive Board of Denes Nagy President, George Lugosi Secretary Treasurer and Attila Kovacs member. Seconded Longuet-Higgins.
(Huff) Kovacs does not seem engaged.
(Nagy) He meets frequently in Budapest on Society business and was in Buenos Aires. He also sent his work for the exhibition of this congress-festival.
Yes =10 No = 1 Abstain = (11)
Motion by Nagy to elect to the Supervisory Committee: Ted Goranson (Chair), Paul Mezey and Yoshinori Teshima. Seconded Lugosi.
Yes = 16 No = 0 Abstain = (6)
Motion by Nagy to remove replace Julie Tolmie and Ami Korren – who became busy with other matters and have no time for the business of Society – with Shozo Ishihara and Seyed Behnejad in the Advisory Board. Existing members continue: Oleh Bodnar, Beth Cardier, Veronika Makarova, Janusz Rebielak, and Dmitry Weise. Seconded Lugosi.
Yes = 15 No = 0 Abstain = (7)
10 Others
Honorary Members: Motion by Nagy to make Werner Schulze, Micheal Burt and Koryo Miura honorary members. Seconded Wolf Pearlman.
Yes = 17 No = 0 Abstain (5)
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.