President Paul Ingram called the meeting to order as lunch was in progress, at approximately 12:30 pm. He gave an attendance count for the meeting: 85 pre-registrants and 31 on-site registrations. [Final registration total was: 124] They were not delineated along membership lines. Fifty-four papers and two book discussion panels were presented in 17 sections over the three days.

Doug Clark thanked the many PLU folk who contributed to the success of the meeting organization: Paul Ingram, Jeff Staley, Patricia O'Connell Killen, Kim LaRouche, Mary Rose, Carolyn Lindsay, the Conference Office staff, the library, the bookstore, and many student assistants

Greg L. Glover, SBL Associate Executive Director was attending the meeting and was recognized. Miscellaneous announcements were shared, a revised motel van shuttle schedule posted, and some minor paper changes noted.

The minutes of the 1998 business meeting were presented (available as a handout during registration). There were no comments or corrections. A motion and second were entertained and the minutes were approved as submitted.

The financial reports for fiscal year ending 28 Feb 99 were distributed with the minutes. No questions or comments were noted. There was a motion and second to receive the financial reports as submitted. The motion passed. Norm Metzler gave an Audit Committee Report, indicating the financial matters appeared to be in order. The Audit Committee is composed of the President-Elect and a member at large.

Mike Williams gave a brief overview of the full report on the "Religion in the News" conference held during July 98 at the University of Washington. The full report was distributed for members' use.

Gary Chamberlain, Student Paper Competition Chair was unable to attend the meeting. Linda Shearing read his report to the members. Fewer papers were received this year: six SBL undergraduate, 3 SBL graduate, 9 AAR undergraduate, and 1 AAR graduate. The more refined criteria developed last year helped eliminate extraneous paper entries. We will continue to need the services of eight readers. Gary was unanimously reaffirmed as Chair. The following volunteers will serve as the readers for 2000: (AAR) Doug McGaughey, Susan Bratton, and Mary Kaye Nealen; (SBL) Francis Landy, Scott Noegel, Ehud Ben Zvi, and Walt Pilgrim.

Hank Keeton gave a brief report on the Student Liaison program for the AAR, and Linda Shearing outlined the SBL overtures for students in the academy.

Criteria are being refined for the SBL Regional Scholars Program. Potential candidates are encouraged to interact with the combined chairs of Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Archeology.

There were no new Section Chairs to present. As new Chairs emerge they will be announced.

Hank Keeton, Jon Taylor and Doug Clark gave a Website Committee report. The AAR Regional Development Grant has been administered by the committee, and resulted in almost half of the meeting registrations being electronically submitted. There are plans for a media button to link volunteers and their specialties with inquiring media types. The goal of having individual profiles, including information deemed appropriate by each individual member, and linked to other academy-wide WebPages, is progressing nicely and should be implemented by the end of the summer. Please check for this feature, and use it as fully as you choose. We hope to link your personally entered data with the academy database, to speed access for all members. Please use the Website as often as you like. It will only become what we contribute to it.

The AAR Board Report was presented by Hank Keeton. Please see the attached details.

Linda Schearing gave the SBL National Report, and details of her recent attendance at the SBL Regional Secretaries meeting. At that meeting there was discussion about mentoring, racial & ethnic minorities participation, alternative career paths for recent graduates, the possibility of Associate SBL memberships for laity & non-academics, the increasing concern about legal identity, and the possibility of revising the membership dues schedule.

Doug Clark gave a report on the joint Archeology and Bible Section this year. It was scheduled for a time between Hebrew Bible and New Testament sections. Karen Barta and Mary Boyd will be co-chairs for 99-2000.

A joint meeting with ASOR members has been proposed. Doug Clark spoke about the possible arrangements. At the National level there are no formal ties, but ASOR has informally agreed to meet in the same venue as the ARR-SBL Annual Meeting. Doug discussed the various relationships between other regions and ASOR. There is a broad spectrum of relations, with no uniformity. The Pacific Northwest has 56 ASOR members in the area, of which 34 already hold some type of membership in AAR-SBL. A motion & second was entertained that the Executive Committee explore the possibilities for relations with ASOR, and report to the membership. The motion passed.

The current meeting cycle and a proposal for modification was reviewed. Jeff Staley has suggested that we change the current four-year cycle (Western Oregon, Western Washington, Eastern Cascades, Canada) to a three-year cycle (Western Cascades, Eastern Cascades, Canada). There was lively discussion and a motion was made and seconded that the issue be presented to all members by mail ballot. The motion passed.

The suggestion concerning a Regional Archivist was delayed. Further information will be printed in the Fall mailing.

Scott Noegel, University of Washington, announced that the UW Department of Comparative Religion was planning a 25-year anniversary celebration next year. They will submit an AAR Regional Grant proposal to support a seminar associated with the celebration.

David Sutter presented a request from a former Pacific Northwest scholar, presently living in Virginia, who desires to find a position in the Northwest again. Please contact David for details.

Future meeting dates and venues were discussed. Please see the attached summary.

Paul Ingram announced the scheduled 6th International meeting of the Society of Buddhist Christian Studies, to be held next year at Pacific Lutheran University.

Carol Dempsey, Nominating Committee chair announced the committee slate: Patricia O'Connell Killen for Vice-President, and Mark Lloyd Taylor for Recording Secretary-Treasurer. Nominations were opened from the floor. No additional nominations were received A motion and second were received to accept the committee nominations, and elect the officers. The motion passed.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 1:40 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Hank Keeton
Recording Secretary-Treasurer

1999-2000 OFFICERS
Pacific Northwest Region
American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Studies