A strategy for the revitalization of the Federation

As the sponsorship of occasional congresses is no longer considered to be an adequate function for the IFAA, the Executive Committee has devised a strategy for the revitalization of the federation which is intended to:-

• ensure that the Federation remains active throughout the intervals between congresses
• encourage the interchange of ideas, information and expertise by improving arrangements for regular consultation between Constituent Societies, Federative Committees and the Executive Committee
• promote teaching and research, taking full advantage of opportunities for collaborative programmes and participation in the organization of meetings which will deal with suitably circumscribed topics whenever and wherever they are required

This strategy was devised at a Meeting of the Executive Committee which was held in Brazil at the Hotel Transamerica in Sao Paulo on Sunday 24th August 1997 and unanimously endorsed at a Meeting which was held in Germany at the Hotel Ibis in Mainz on 17th February 1998.

The Sao Paulo Meeting was attended by Professor DiDio, Professor Thomas and Professor Yates. The chair was taken by Professor Thomas.

The Mainz Meeting was attended by Professor DiDio, Professor Thomas, Professor Yates, Professor Kuhnel, Professor Grignon and Professor Motta. The chair was taken by Professor Thomas.

The formal minutes of these Meetings will be circulated in due course by the Secretary-General. Meanwhile this report is being provided by the Vice President for the convenience of Members of the Federation who require immediate access to precise information about the new strategy for the revitalization of the Federation.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

It was agreed that:-

• the Executive Committee should meetannually; more frequently when necessary
• Federative Committees should be represented at and report to meetings of the Executive Committee
• the Executive Committee should produce an annual newsletter for circulation to constituent societies and display information about the activities of the Federation on the internet
• Constituent Societies should be invited to submit questions for consideration at the annual meetings of the Executive Committee

THE FEDERATIVE COMMITTEES

It was agreed that:-

• Federative Committees should meet regularly, report to and be represented at meetings of the Executive Committee
• Federative Committees should provide concise reports of their activities for inclusion in the annual reports of the Executive Committee
• the next meeting of the General Assembly should be invited to endorse the establishment of a Federative Committee to coordinate the organization of each Federative International Congress. The President Designate of the Congress should serve as the Chairman of the Committee and half of its members should be members of the host institution. The Committee would be responsible for the maintenance and consistency of standards but it would delegate responsibility for the organization of the Congress to a local committee
• a Federative Committee should be established to supervise the distribution of information about the Federation. A designated member of this Committee would edit a Newsletter and another designated member of the Committee would be responsible for a Website
• the character of Federative Committees could usefully be emphasized by designating them as 'Federative International Committees'
• the names of the officers and members of Federative Committees should be published in the Newsletter

NEWSLETTER AND INTERNET

It was agreed that:-

• the activities of the Federation could advantageously be advertised in an attractive, informative and well-illustrated Newsletter, as well as on the internet
• the Newsletter would include reports from the Federative Committees as well as from the Executive Committee
• the Newsletter could conveniently - and perhaps usefully - be circulated at the same time as annual requests for the payment of subscriptions and might help to extract subscriptions from reluctant payers!
• the Newsletter might help to commend the Federation to grant-giving agencies
• a Website should be established, with subsites which would be available to advertise the activities of Constituent Societies that have paid their annual membership subscriptions to the Federation

FINANCE

It was agreed that:-

• Constituent Societies must be made to appreciate their commitment to pay their annual subscriptions on time. It is clear that most Constituent Societies do not do so. In 1990 the annual income of the Federation would have exceeded $10,000 if all of its constituent societies had honoured their obligations to pay the annual subscriptions which had been approved by the General Assembly. Clearly the Executive Committee must either enforce the rate of subscription or ask the General Assembly to revise the rate of subscription and at the same time ask the General Assembly to diminish the scope of the Federation
• the Treasurer should list annually Constituent Societies in arrears as well as those which have paid their subscriptions
• constituent Societies in arrears should be reminded that they are not entitled to participate in Meetings of the IFAA. They can not be represented at Meetings of the General Assembly and are certainly not permitted to vote at Meetings of the General Assembly or at any other meetings organized by the Federation, including meetings of the Federative committees
• it may be necessary for the funds at the disposal of the Federation to be supplemented by grants or other income in order to enable it to function effectively

HANDBOOK

It was agreed that:-

• the Handbook should be revised and circulated within one year of each meeting of the General Assembly. This should presumably continue to be the responsibility of the Secretary General rather than the proposed Federative Committee for the dissemination of information?

Recommendations which are relevant to more than one section have been recorded in each.

The Committee satisfied itself that all of the recommendations which it had made were wholly consistent with the Constitution of the Federation.

The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be held before the end of February 1999.

David Brynmor Thomas,

St Andrews,

28th July 1998.

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