The Council members gathered for dinner in the Colony Room of the Somerset Hotel at 6:00 p.m. The meeting was called to order at 7:20 by Charles Y. Glock, President. Present also were Ralph Wendell Burhoe, N. J. Demerath, III, James Dittes, Benton Johnson, Samuel Z. Klausner, Edgar Mills, and Benjamin Nelson. The Council invited the president-elect (Joseph Fichter) and the vice-president-elect (Paul W. Pruyser) to participate.

Minutes of the previous meeting of the Council, held at New York on May 11, 1969, were accepted without correction.

The Secretary announced that Daniel Callahan and C. Eric Lincoln have been elected to the Council.

The report of the Executive Secretary was then presented. Mr. Klausner told the Council that he has finally been able to hire a very capable Administrative Assistant. Moreover, Journal advertising has been doubled this year thanks to the efforts of a new advertising representative.

Mr. Klausner expressed concern over the declining rate of membership growth. He feels, however, that interest is high among the membership. More people have paid their dues on time this year and more have voted in the Society's elections than ever before. After several questions concerning his written report, Mr. Klausner reviewed the policies he had pursued since he took office in 1963. These policies have aimed at building a large nationwide professional society. But they have also run the Society increasingly into debt. Gifts and subventions have been few. Membership growth leveled off in 1967. Last year the Council raised dues and subscriptions and cut the budget. A subscription drive has brought a good response, but costs have risen sharply, membership gains have been abnormally small and the deficit has increased.

Several suggestions were made for increasing membership but no action was taken.

Mr. Mills moved that the Executive Secretary's report be accepted, and that the Council extend its appreciation to Mrs. Klausner for the work she has done for the Society, Motion seconded and passed.

Mr. Burhoe then presented the Treasurer's report. The Society's deficit has increased from $11,000 to about $15,000 during the past year. Moreover, the General Fund deficit stands at about $22,000.

The Treasurer's report was accepted without a formal vote.

Mr., Dittes presented the Editor's report. The printer may withhold the fall issue of the Journal until he has been paid for the spring issue. Mr., Dittes has made every effort to keep the operating expenses of his office below the amount allocated in the budget,

Mr. Burhoe moved that the Council accept the Editor's report and commend the Editor for his work. Motion seconded and passed,

Mr. Glock then reported on efforts to obtain financial support for the Society, The University of Pennsylvania has declined to help, and so have all the foundations that have responded to his appeal,

Two people have agreed to be candidates for the position of Executive Secretary, from which Mr. Klausner is resigning in a few months, One candidate is Paul Gustafson of Hiram College, and the other is William D'Antonio of the University of Notre Dame, Hiram College would provide the Society certain facilities. Notre Dame would pay for that portion of Mr. D'Antonio's time spent on Society business, and might provide a subvention as well.

A lengthy discussion of policy options for the Society then took place, Some felt the Society should dispense with an Executive Secretary and offer only the Journal and the annual meeting, There was little support for this position. Mr. Nelson said that many have complained of the poor quality of papers read at the annual meeting. Some felt merger or closer ties with other societies in the field of religious studies would provide financial solvency and better annual meetings. But Mr. Klausner questioned whether a large number of members of other societies were interested in the scientific study of religion. It was generally agreed that the Society would not seek new ties with other societies at this time.

Mr. Glock reminded the Council that Mr. Dittes' term as Editor expires in 1971. He appointed Mr. Demerath chairman of a committee to suggest candidates to succeed Mr. Dittes.

Mr. Mills made several suggestions:
(1) that Executive Secretaries be appointed for a specified term of years,
(2) that they be assisted in policy matters by a special committee,
(3) that members of the Council agree to bear some of the burdens formerly borne by the Executive Secretary.
The Council was generally agreeable to these suggestions, but no formal action was taken.

It was agreed that the proposed operating budget for 1969-1970 would have to be cut. A special committee, consisting of Messrs, Glock, Fichter, Burhoe, Dittes, and Klausner, was constituted to bring recommendations to the Council prior to the annual business meeting on October 26.

The Council adjourned at 11:20 p.m.

The Council reconvened at 9:00 a.m. on October 24 in the Colony Room after a group breakfast.

Mr. Klausner told the Council of a proposal by David Moberg to establish a data retrieval system for religious research to be located at Marquette University. He moved that the Society write Mr. Moberg a letter expressing interest in the project. Motion seconded and passed.

Mr. Glock then reminded the Council of its decision last May to join the newly formed Council for the Study of Religion. Mr. Demerath opposed cooperating with the CSR on a joint newsletter. Mr. Dittes moved that the Society offer the CSR's newsletter to its members at a small annual charge and that the new president and vice-president appoint an associate editor to provide the CSR with information for its newsletter. Motion seconded and passed. Mr. Demerath then moved that the Society no longer publish its own newsletter. He urged that news of the Society be published in the Journal. Motion seconded and passed.

Paul Gustafson, candidate for the position of Executive Secretary, was then invited into the meeting, After a lengthy discussion Mr. Gustafson retired from the meeting.

Mr. Norris, of the University of California Press, was then invited into the meeting. An agreement has been reached for the Press to take over printing of the Journal. The Press will charge the Society $1.50 per member / subscriber per year. It will bill the members annually. Mr. Norris agreed to put in writing that ownership of stocks and reprint rights will vest in the Society. The Journal will be published quarterly. The Press will not bill the Society until the end of each fiscal year and will not insist on payment for an additional year, The Press would consider a one-year initial contract with a penalty provision if the contract were not extended. Mr. Norris then withdrew from the meeting.

The Council agreed to accept Chicago as the site for the 1971 annual meeting, The new president and vice-president will select the program chairman for the 1970 meeting,

There was considerable discussion of the desirability of the Society's participation in the proposed International Congress to be held in Los Angeles early in September, 1972. No decision was reached on the matter.

The Council adjourned at noon.

The Council reconvened at 3:15 p.m. on October 25 in room 231 of the Somerset Hotel,

William D'Antonio, candidate for the position of Executive Secretary, was invited into the meeting, He told the Council that the president of Notre Dame is enthusiastic about being host to the Society. The president will try to find a donor who will provide a subvention. After considerable discussion Mr. D'Antonio withdrew from the meeting.

The Council then discussed the two candidates. It was agreed to ask Mr. D'Antonio to become Executive Secretary. The two candidates were then invited back into the meeting and Mr. Glock informed them of the Council's decision.

Mr. Nelson and Mr. Dittes were selected as the Society's representatives to the Council for the Study of Religion.

The Council adjourned at 5:30 p.m.

The Council reconvened at 10:00 a.m. on October 26 in room 231 of the Somerset Hotel.

Mr. Glock informed the Council of a proposal by Morton King and others to assign to the Society the royalties of a book they are preparing. The Council authorized the president to act on behalf of the Society in arranging the publication of the proposed book in a hardback edition.

The special budget committee then presented its recommendations for cutting the 1969-1970 budget. The committee is assuming that the new Executive Secretary will take over on March 1. The membership will be informed of this and other changes in a final newsletter. Expenses in the second half of 1969-1970 should be considerably below what they have been in the past.

A general discussion of ways to raise money followed. It was agreed to include a plea for special contributions with the regular dues notices. Special contributors will be known as friends of the Society.

Mr. Burhoe moved that regular membership dues be raised to $16 and that student dues be raised to $8, Motion seconded. Mr. Glock moved an amendment to increase both subscriptions and regular dues to $15. Amendment seconded and passed. The main motion then passed.

It was announced that only 280 people have registered for the annual meeting. This is the smallest registration since 1964. It was generally felt that the usual "walk-in" -- divinity students and local clergy for the most part -- had decided to attend the American Academy of Religion's meeting instead of ours.

It was moved and seconded that Mr. Dittes' salary be increased to $1,000. Motion passed, Mr. Burhoe expressed the hope that an additional increase might soon be possible,

After considerable discussion and some adjustment in the proposed figures the revised budget was accepted.

Mr. Fichter announced that Paul Gustafson has agreed to be program chairman for 1970.

The Council invited Mr. Johnson to remain an additional year as its Secretary, and he agreed to do so.

Mr. Klausner then withdrew and Mr. Burhoe read a statement of appreciation for his services to the Society as Executive Secretary. Mr. Mills then moved that a statement of appreciation of the services of Mr. Klausner and his wife be drafted for presentation at the business meeting, that Mr. Klausner be given up to $100 as a gift and that the Council reaffirm its intention to pay all the salary it owes him. Motion seconded and carried.

The Council adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Benton Johnson
Secretary

The meeting was convened in the Board Room of the American Council of Learned Societies in New York.

Present: Charles Y. Glock, President; Benjamin Nelson, James Dittes, Peter Berger, Ralph Burhoe, Joseph Bram, Nicholas J. Demerath, Samuel Klausner recording.

Charles Glock reported on the state of negotiations with the University of Pennsylvania. No word has yet been received from the Merrill Trust to the University's application for a subvention for SSSR. Samuel Klausner has written to the Vice Provost asking for interim support in the form of the cancellation of debt to the computer facility and to the mailing office.

Charles Glock reported on the meeting just concluded which established a Council of Societies for the Study of Religion. The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion is represented on this Council by Charles Glock, James Dittes, Benjamin Nelson and Samuel Klausner. The SSSR is a participating and founding society. Plans were discussed at the meeting of the Joint Council for development of a joint newsletter.

Samuel Klausner reported on a meeting on May 9th with representatives of other societies involved in the development of an International Congress of Societies for the Study of Religion, to be held in Los Angeles in 1972. Over 40 overseas members of the society have applied for a share of the subventions allocated to the Congress by the American Council of Learned Societies.

Ralph Burhoe moved and Joseph Bram seconded a motion that the stipends of the editor and associate editor of the Journal be increased in the manner recommended in the budget submitted to the Council in Montreal and that this increase be made retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal year September 1969. James Dittes asked why the budget for the Journal seemed to be decreasing over time while that for the central office was increasing. Samuel Klausner replied that there was no plan to that effect, but that day-to-day expenses arising in managing the central office were being met on the basis of administrative decisions.

A new budget was presented by the Executive Secretary taking into consideration the actual income and disbursements through April 30, 1969. The Treasurer, Ralph Burhoe examined and then moved the adoption of this budget. Benjamin Nelson seconded the motion and the budget was approved unanimously (copy appended).

The Executive Secretary expressed his desire to be relieved of office as early as convenient and feasible for the Society. He noted that if a move of the society was involved, it might best be accomplished during Summer. The Executive Secretary agreed that if a subvention was forthcoming from the University of Pennsylvania, he would remain in a nominal supervisory role while someone else assumed the duties of the Executive Officer.

There were discussions on the offer from Hiram College and the possibility of asking Ivan Vallier at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Nicholas Demerath expressed doubts that the University of Wisconsin would be able to provide any subvention. Samuel Klausner and Peter Berger expressed reservations at the idea of the Society moving to a small institution such as Hiram College. James Dittes and Charles Glock felt that such a solution would be viable for the Society. Charles Glock asked members of the Council to explore other possibilities and to think systematically about possible candidates for the office of Executive Secretary. Joseph Bram suggested that one might look at a school instead of a man, for instance thinking of the New School as a possible site. Peter Berger was not confident that the New School would provide the necessary support but agreed to make inquiries. The Council mandated Charles Glock to return to the Boston meeting with a suggestion for a new Executive Officer. Charles Glock will also appoint a search committee for a successor to the Editor and the Associate Editor to the Journal whose terms expire in two years. The President and the Journal Editor were authorized to sign a contract with the University of California Press for publication of the Journal beginning in 1970.

Respectfully submitted

Samuel Z. Klausner
Executive Secretary, Recording