THE WORLD'S LARGEST ORGANIZATION DEVOTED 
TO  THE SCHOLARLY STUDY OF FILM AND MEDIA
February 2018 - In This Issue

Important Dates

February 28
2018 SCMS Election ends

March 14-18
2018 SCMS Annual Conference in Toronto

April 6-7
2018 SCMS-U Conference at Wilfrid Laurier University

Thank you to everyone who voted in the Cinema Journal name change referendum. The turnout was phenomenal with 1,085 members weighing in. 

78% voted in favor of the name change (841 out of 1,085), while 22% voted against (244 out of 1,085). 

Therefore, we will be changing the name of the journal to JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, beginning with issue 58.1 (Fall 2018). Along with the new name, we will introduce a new cover design for JCMS.

Please rest assured that all SCMS members will continue to have access to back issues of Cinema Journal through Project Muse, and there will be database continuity between Cinema Journal and JCMS with Project Muse and other online search tools. 

Thank you again to everyone who participated in the SCMS forum discussion, Facebook Live event, and the vote itself. And please consider JCMS for future article submissions!

Executive Director's Note
Dear SCMS Members, 

I am looking forward to seeing you soon in Toronto! This year's conference is shaping up to be a memorable one packed with compelling content. We will also be introducing a few new things this year with the aim of maximizing your conference experience as much as possible.

We have restructured this year's Thursday morning Members Business Meeting so that it will be a listening session rather than a presentation. You will receive an email from the Home Office the week of March 5 that includes a PowerPoint presentation of the regular Board reports as well as a couple of key topics we will discuss in the meeting. Those topics are changes to the 2019 Seattle Conference, and the rollout of the upcoming name and cover design changes for Cinema Journal. We urge you to look at the presentation and either respond to us via email with any questions and/or comments prior to the meeting, or raise them in the meeting itself. The Members Business Meeting serves as an avenue for you to communicate directly with the Board, and we encourage your participation.

The 2018 roster of special events provides something for just about everyone with topics ranging from silent cinema to Indigenous-themed discussion and screenings. The Saturday night Host Committee event at the TIFF Bell Lightbox offers a real treat featuring renowned filmmaker, artist, and lecturer Guy Maddin and the screening and live narration of his film My Winnipeg.

The conference program is now available for viewing on the SCMS home page here

I wish each of you safe travels. We look forward to seeing you in Toronto!

Best wishes,

Jill Simpson
SCMS OFFICE STAFF
Executive Director

Financial Analyst

Program Coordinator 

Program Assistant 
SCMS EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
OFFICERS
President, 2017-2019

Paula Massood

President-Elect, 2017-2019

Secretary, 2015-2018

Bambi Haggins
Treasurer, 2017-2020

BOARD MEMBERS
Miranda Banks
2017-2020
2017-2020

2015-2018
2017-2019
2015-2018

2016-2019

2016-2019

NON-VOTING MEMBERS 
Cinema Journal Editor, 2018-2022

Past-President, 2017-2019

Web Content Manager

Director of Conferences and Events

Representative of SCMS Institutional Home

Executive Director

As you prepare for your trip to Toronto, be sure to check out the 2018 Host Committee recommendations!  Plenty of useful information is included in their guide, from transportation tips, to dining options, and nightlife spots.  Check out the Host Committee Guide here:



Tuesday, March 13: 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Tuesday hours for name badge and conference program pick-up only (pre-registered attendees)

Wednesday, March 14: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Thursday, March 15: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM

Friday, March 16: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Saturday, March 17: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Sunday, March 18: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Reminder: Please keep your name badge with you at all times. Replacement name badges will only be printed during registration hours above.



Online conference registration still available!
2018 Toronto Late Registration Rate:  $230.00 
Student Rate: $150.00 

Prices are in USD and can only be paid by credit card. Your credit card provider will automatically convert the USD amount into your local currency.

Conference attendees who are registering late are encouraged to register online prior to arriving at the registration area (Concourse Level).  The onsite registration process is the same as the online registration process.
 
If you choose to register onsite, please allow 20 minutes to complete the process. 

If you are registering at the student rate, please be prepared to show your valid student ID. 

Replacement conference programs will be available for $20, subject to availability.


Conference Name Badge Policy
Your conference name badge is your proof of registration. It is required for entrance into a meeting, session, or an event.

Replacement conference name badges will be available at the registration area for $5.  


We have been working to get as many people in the conference hotel as possible. At this time, the Sheraton Centre Toronto no longer has availability. However, there is still an option if you need accommodations in Toronto: 

SCMS is working with A Room With a View to help secure accommodations at designated overflow hotels. This is a free service for all SCMS conference attendees. A Room With a View will secure the lowest available rates at the best available hotels within walking distance of the Sheraton Centre Toronto. Right now, they have extremely competitive rates at the Doubletree, Hilton and Marriott. 

Something important to note-reservations processed by A Room With A View are automatically on a wait list for rooms at the Sheraton Centre Toronto should cancellations occur within the SCMS group block. 

Please call:
A Room With A View 
1-800-780-4343 
Monday - Friday * 9AM - 5PM, CST 
International attendees can reach them at reservations@aroomwithaview.net

As always, if you are having problems, please contact us at hotel@scmsconference.com. Let us know if there is anything you need assistance with - we are looking forward to SCMS 2018. Thank you!


Canada's new entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air.  

Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid visa. Eligible travellers can apply online for an eTA. Travellers will need an eTA before they can board a flight to Canada.


2018 SCMS Election
We encourage you to VOTE! As always, SCMS leadership is determined by its members, so please take the time to participate in this very important activity, one of the key privileges and responsibilities of your SCMS membership.

As per the SCMS Bylaws, we are requesting that all regular members cast votes for Secretary and two members of the Board of Directors. In addition, we are asking student members to vote for Secretary. (Student members may not vote for regular members of the Board of Directors, since they have their own representative as a member of the Board.)

Secretary Candidates (Vote for one):



Timothy Havens, University of Iowa




Shanti Kumar, University of Texas at Austin

Board of Director Candidates (Vote for two):



Elizabeth Evans, University of Nottingham




F. Hollis Griffin, Denison University




Carly Kocurek, Illinois Institute of Technology




Juan PiƱon, New York University


Cast your ballot by February 28, 2018, 11:59 PM EST. 
Thank you for participating in the 2018 SCMS election!


New Scholarly Interest Group: Libraries & Archives SIG

The SCMS Board of Directors unanimously approved a proposal for a new Scholarly Interest Group - the Libraries & Archives SIG.

Mission Statement:
Libraries & Archives Scholarly Interest Group (LASIG) stimulates and advances research, pedagogy, and discussion relating to cinema and media studies libraries and archives.

Rationale:
Librarians and archivists working with cinema and media studies programs represent a large and growing population within the academy, yet people working in this field have no clear organizational home. Other groups such as the American Library Association and the Canadian Library Association serve a wide variety of library professionals; therefore, the conferences and publications hosted by these groups tend to lack scholarly focus and professional relevance sought by cinema and media studies librarians/archivists. SCMS also does not have a SIG related to libraries and archives, although many members currently work in these types of institutions and/or have a deep interest in libraries and archives. 

Further diversifying and broadening the SCMS membership is a second, equally important, reason for establishing this SIG. At a time when landing a tenure-track teaching job seems nearly impossible for many cinema and media studies graduate students, bringing more members into the society with "non-traditional" academic careers will help new generations of scholars expand their career horizons. The 35 founding members of this SIG (see list below) also represent a diverse set of institutions such as museums, corporate libraries, and archives. Bringing these voices into SCMS enriches the conversation by exposing cinema and media studies scholars new and useful research connections. 

In the last few years, librarians and archivists have popped up in numerous SCMS annual conference panels and workshops, sharing our expertise with issues of importance to scholars and librarians/archivists alike, such as scholarly communications, open access, and questions of research and user access in libraries and archives. Creating this SIG formalizes the relationship between the Society and cinema and media studies librarians/archivists, and would give this group at least one face-to-face annual meeting wherein discussions could take place regarding future conference presentations/events, trends within the profession, developing best practices, and many other issues relating to our unique field.

SIG Name Change - Critical Media Pedagogy

Additionally, the SCMS Board of Directors unanimously approved a name change for the Media Literacy and Pedagogical Outreach SIG.  As of January 25th, the SIG will now be the Critical Media Pedagogy SIG.  

The following is the rationale for the change:

Over the past few years of SIG meetings we have learned that most members are involved in the SIG because of their interest in thinking through how to bring media studies theories into practice in their classrooms. This focus has been of increasing concern to our members due to the dramatic changes in media during recent years. At each meeting, participants have expressed confusion around the SIG name: they often mention that they found the SIG "by accident" because they really had no idea what "pedagocial outreach" means. Further, many members were also initially wary of the SIG because the phrase "media literacy" is a loaded term that encompasses contentious and conflicting histories and meanings. At last year's SIG meeting in Atlanta, we had a lengthy discussion about the SIG name. Several alternative names were proposed and ultimately the group voted for the name CRITICAL MEDIA PEDAGOGY. We feel that this name better represents our mission as a SIG. We also feel that is is easier to say and remember. We believe we will be much more likely to draw new members in the coming years with a name that more clearly articulates the goals and values of the SIG membership.

COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS

EPISODE 41: HELD TOGETHER BY AN AMPERSAND 

February 04, 2018 

There's a new editor at Cinema Journ-- um, we mean, The Journal of Cinema and Media Studies. Chris talks with Caetlin Benson-Allott about her plans for the next five years and what SCMS members can expect from the journal formally known as CJ. Then Alisa Perren and Charlotte E. Howell converse about their relationship as advisor and advisee, providing insights into what makes for a great mentoring experience in grad school and beyond. Finally, Chris and Michael put out the call for YOUR stories of teaching in the age of Trump. Check out the call here and send your stories to us here.

Listen here:  http://www.aca-media.org/


Popular Culture Association Susan Koppelman Award Winners

Congratulations to current board member Linda Mizejewski and former ex officio board member Victoria Sturtevant!  Their anthology, Hysterical! Women in American Comedy, has been selected as the winner of the Susan Koppelman Award for Best Anthology, Multi-Authored Book, or Edited Volume in Feminist Studies in Popular and American Culture!  
 

The morning of February 12, U.S. President Donald Trump released his Presidential Budget Request for FY 2019, which again calls for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Humanities along with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Department of Education's International Education Programs, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and the Institute for Museums and Library Services. 
The request also calls for the elimination of federal funding for the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars. 

This is an assault on humanities research, education, and programming - all of which are essential to the cultivation of our national heritage and civic culture. 

Congress will ultimately be responsible for writing the bills that fund the federal government. 

Last year, we sent a forceful message to Congress that we oppose the administration's efforts to eliminate humanities funding. While the appropriations process for FY 2018 has not yet been completed, Congress has rejected Trump's proposals at every turn. 

Now is the time for U.S. scholars speak out to ensure that Congress rejects these proposals for FY 2019. Let your Members of Congress know that you support the NEH

Click here to urge your Members of Congress to oppose these proposals! 

Click here to take action on behalf of other humanities programs! 

Want to do more? U.S. Citizens can join us on Capitol Hill for Humanities Advocacy Day in March! Non-US advocates are welcome to attend the NHA Annual meeting on March 12. The Annual Meeting will include discussion about advocating for the humanities in a variety of settings. Learn more about the Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day here.

You can read more about the proposal and our campaign here

National Humanities Alliance 



Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows Program - 2018 Fellowship Competition

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to announce the eighth annual competition of the Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows Program. This initiative places humanities PhDs in substantive roles in diverse nonprofit and government organizations, demonstrating that the knowledge and capacities developed in the course of earning a doctoral degree in the humanities have wide application beyond the academy. The fellowship carries an annual stipend of $67,500, health insurance coverage for the fellow, a relocation allowance, and up to $3,000 in professional development funds. In 2018, ACLS will place up to 25 PhDs as Public Fellows in various organizations and roles.  

Further information about the application process, eligibility criteria, and this year's fellowship positions is available at www.acls.org/programs/publicfellowscomp. All applications must be submitted through ACLS's online application system (ofa.acls.org) by 9 pm EDT on March 14, 2018

Questions about this program may be directed to publicfellows@acls.org.


ACLS Humanities E-Book Newsletter

We have over 65 manually curated Pinterest Boards to help you browse our collection by subject area. Invigorate your research and freshen up your syllabi by exploring these subject-specific selections within the larger HEB collection.

Check out the collections and more in HEB's monthly newsletter: 

Digitizing Hidden Special Collections Q&A Webinars

Join us for a Q&A webinar on Digitizing Hidden Collections:
Wednesday, February 28, 2:00PM EST

No registration is necessary. The session URL will be open to visitors at about 1:45 ET. All webinars are on filled on a first-come basis. If you are unable to attend the webinar or if the room is at capacity, a complete recording of each session will be posted on the applicant resources page (URL below). 

For more information and to learn about other proposal planning resources, visit https://www.clir.org/hiddencollections/applicant-resources/