There are many things happening for us as 2001 arrives – some visible, others less so, some intangible, but all overwhelmingly positive. With the continued activity of the officers, executives, committee chairs, and members, the new millenium will treat us well. Consider these happenings: Most visible are the changes regarding publications. The flurry of volumes of JPMS recently released, the new editorial collective and affiliation with Taylor and Francis to publish the journal all point to our growing vitality and stature as an intellectual association. Starting now the Journal Of Popular Music Studies will be a quality biannual affair. Also visible is the success of our conferences, both autonomous and in conjunction with other music oriented societies. The quality of work on view at IASPM meetings continues to be stunning.
Less visible is the nearly completed process of non-profit incorporation. Gaining 501 (c) (3) status will allow us to operate as a bona fide business entity that can accept tax deductible contributions. This will lead to capital campaigns, beginning an endowment to add to the prestige of our awards and the unquestioned sustainability of any other programs we choose to pursue. We are no longer completely a non-hierarchical collective, but we are still aggressively egalitarian, transdisciplinary and self-governing.
The one area we must rededicate our efforts to improving is membership. We have doubled our size in the last handful of years, and need to do it again. With another wave of growth, our chapter and its future will move to a new level of security, financially and organizationally. We all have friends, colleagues, end even relatives who have reason to be IASPM members. We need to encourage them to join and give them the information they need to do so promptly and easily. Let me urge all of you not to let your membership lapse, not even for a year. This call goes out especially to those of you whose primary affiliation is to another association--we understand your need for breadth. Don't forget that IASPM-US is still on the fringe and needs you continuous support. Besides, you'll miss too much. Two journal issues, several newsletters with chapter news and compiled Call For Papers relevant to Popular Music Studies, and access to the national and international conferences every year delivers real value. Continued growth is an important foundation of a healthy future.
Our next conference is a bit early, September 13–16 in Iowa City, so the Call For Papers is in this issue. The "Musical Intersections" conference in Toronto was impressive with nearly 3000 people from fifteen associations attending. With IASPM - Canada, our contributions to the program were engaging, topical, well attended, and well remarked upon. It was important for us to have been on that scene. Having interested parties from other associations attend our sessions and come away impressed raises our profile. It is also good that we are returning in 2001 to a solo, campus-based meeting. I believe we will benefit from getting a clearer sense of ourselves that way and being more accessible to newer faculty and graduate students both geographically and financially.
Speaking of finances, don't be shocked that dues have gone up a bit – all this activity and vitality does come at a cost. Conference fees may go up a bit before too long as well, but we will continue to deliver value.
Next year will mark the chapter's twentieth year and we hope to offer some special events to commemorate the occasion. IASPM-US has been an important innovator and supporter of popular music scholarship in the United States in its formative years. As the significance and value of our field becomes evident to a broader spectrum of the academic population we will continue to benefit from its success. It has been my pleasure to have been active with IASPM-US for seven years now. It has been an irreplaceable source of intellectual stimulation and professional support. It is now my role to insure that all of its members continue to enjoy its benefits over the next two years. That will be my pleasure too. Hope to see you in Iowa City.
- Paul Fischer