SSAISB AGM 2000: Minutes

---------------AGM 2000 MINUTES BELOW -----------------------------------



 Minutes of AISB AGM, April 2000, Birmingham University (AISB'00), Birmingham
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== 1. Committee members present 
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John Barnden, David Bree, Ian Gent, Rudi Lutz, Geraint Wiggins,

== 2. Apologies for absence 
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Martin Oliver, Frank Ritter, Blay Whitby, Chris Reed

== 3. Minutes of last AGM 
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These were accepted by the meeting.

== 4. Chair's report 
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Geraint reported on the fact that AISB was currently going through quite an
exciting period, but there was a need for the membership to become more
involved, especially on the committee. He urged members to stand for the
several vacant committee places.

Many thanks to John Barnden for making AISB'00 such a success.

He reported on the fact that AISB has been forced by financial circumstances
to only have 2 issues of AISBQ this year. However, due to David Bree's 
success
at stabilising our finances, it is hoped that the situation will improve.

Mike Brady and Richard Young have been mad Fellows of AISB.

== 5. Membership 
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The number of members has stabilised at about 330 ordinary members.
The student membership campaign has been successful and we have about
doubled our student membership numbers to about 100.  This probably has to
be run every year because there is a significant number from the places
where board members explicetly advertise.  The student members are now,
however, joining as regular members very often.  The main reasons for
increasing student membership are (a) to support students, (b) turn them
into full members, and (c) increase the print run on the fixed costs we
have on the bulletin and on the quarterly.

Getting the bulletin out is important to them, as well as AISBQ.

We have also picked up some further unusual students (e.g. South Africa and
Israel) and are thus now a more international society.

== 6. Treasurer's report 
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David Bree reported on the accounts for 1999. In summary we have a healthier
surplus (up about 5K pounds), but it is slightly worrying that our income is
actually down about 3K pounds. This is mainly because our membership income
was down (1998 was artificially high due to reclaiming unpaid dues), but
luckily this was partly compensated by increased workshop income (AISB'99 was
very good, thanks to Geraint Wiggins).

Despite a drop in income, our surplus has increased due to cost-cutting
measures. Thus our expenditure has dropped by about 8K pounds, achieved by
reducing CASA expenditure (down 5K), newsletter costs (down 1K, partly
achieved by only having 2 rather than our current norm of 3 issues). A 
further
1K was saved by not making any travel awards.

Looking at our actual balance, this is up about 6.5K as a consequence of all
this, leaving us with about 9K cash in the bank.

David Bree warned that we should not expect as good a performance in 2000!

Finally the meeting was reminded that AISB had been set up as a company with
limited liability in 1999 and hds been operating as such from 1/1/00.


== 7. AISB'01 and AISB'02 
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The membership was invited to make suggestions about possible 
sites/organisers
for the next 2 workshops.

== 8. General Discussion 
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There was a lot of discussion about the need for more members to
become actively involved, in particular by becoming committee
members (some nominations were actually taken at the meeting!). AISBQ was
discussed as well, and members were urged to volunteer to be special issue
editors.