I agree with Julie's comments about the practicalities of internationalism in ISAC -- but the membership figures only go so far. One of the big reasons for joining ISAC is that you get a substantial discount on Congress registration fees if you are a member. More non-US members might join if meetings were more accessible to them and they felt there was a possibility that they might be able to raise the money to attend ..... As it is now, with meetings half the time in the US and the Ieadership very often American, it does seem on the surface as if the Society sees itself as primarily an American society (despite protests to the contrary). ISAC leadership does try to be open to membership opinions -- but I do believe that the open meeting at the Congress in San Diego was notable for lack of an opportunity to discuss many issues relevant to the members. For example, there was no discussion of how to increase membership and, in fact, no report on the membership figures at all until those numbers were requested from the floor. There was no discussion of how to increase student membership -- although this is reported to be an ongoing concern and the open meeting might be one of the few occasions when students themselves would have an opportunity to tell the leadership what they think. There was no detailed discussion of the overall health of the journals -- although at the previous meeting this was presented as a major issue; we weren't told whether things are, now, better or worse. And there was no discussion of the location of the Congresses nor of the increasing costs of attending them (and whether we are supporting students and young scientists sufficiently). I am sure others would add other issues to this list. So, I am somewhat cynical. I realize that ISAC leaders and committee members work very, very hard -- and I commend them for the tremendous effort involved in putting on a wonderful Congress -- but the two issues that concern me most (increasing non-US members and increasing student members) don't seem to have been addressed in any open forum and therefore I have no way of knowing whether they are being addressed at all (perhaps someone will tell me that I would be better informed if I paid more attention to the ISAC website....). Certainly, I believe the opinions of students and non-US members should be solicited directly at open meetings (because, at the present time, they are under-represented in the inner group of ISAC committees). Well, in a letter that started out to commend Julie, I certainly have gone on a bit. I can't wait to hear in just what many ways you all will disagree with me. Alice Alice L. Givan Englert Cell Analysis Laboratory of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center Dartmouth Medical School Lebanon, New Hampshire NH 03756 tel 603-650-7661 fax 603-650-6130 givan@dartmouth.edu
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