TASA SGM 2009

Vice President’s Report

Conferences

The TASA Conference is being held at ANU this year. Dave Marsh and Mary Hapel are the convenors and Conference Solutions is the Professional Conference Organiser.

  • The theme is the Future of Sociology
  • 126 papers were received for the refereed proceedings
  • Submission date for abstracts is 28 September
  • Early Bird rates close 13 October
  • Health Day, the Postgraduate Workshop and Environment Day are being held the day before the Conference

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with MacquarieUniversity for the 2010 Conference. The conference convenor is Selvaraj Velayutham.

Awards

Postgraduate Scholarships (conference) – we have received 15 applications

Sociologists Outside of Academe Scholarships (conference) – no applications received

Jean Martin Award (Best PhD) – 22 applications received

Public Lectures

Due to unprecedented interest in hosting the 2009 TASA Public Lecture, TASA funded two Lectures.

  • The first lecture was hosted by FlindersUniversity on August 18 - Professor Riaz Hassan on: Suicide Bombings: Homicidal Killing or a Weapon of War?
  • The second lecture will be hosted by the Crime and Governance Thematic Group on September 24 - Professor Kerry Carrington on: Offending Youth: Youth, Sex and Crime.

Both lectures also received broader Faculty and University support (Flinders and QUT) which helped to make them a success.

Grievance Policy

TASA developed a Grievance Policy earlier this year. Details are on the TASA website at

Review of the Strategic Plan

During the year we conducted a systematic review of the TASA Strategic Plan 2004-2008.

  • More than 90% of the goals in the 2004-2008 Strategic Plan have been met
  • Achievements include:
  • the development and expansion of Thematic Groups,
  • enhancing the postgraduate experience within TASA (especially the conferences),
  • celebrating outstanding achievements of our members through the creation of two new awards,
  • providing sociology ‘news’ to members through the e-list,
  • providing opportunities for sociologists outside of academe to participate more fully in TASA events.
  • We are currently setting new goals for the short and medium term.