HomeVolume Spring 2007
Message from the Secretary

Lou Burnett

SICB Web Site. We are now well on our way to having a new SICB web site. The redesign and reorganization of the SICB web site has been a major task and we have been careful and deliberative in taking appropriate steps in the process. Not only will the new web site have a modern look and be more easily navigated, but it will serve as the main vehicle for the storage of archival information for the society. You can get a preview of the new "look" by going to http://new.sicb.org/.

The steps we have used in the process of developing the new site are listed below. Ruedi Birenheide, the SICB Webmaster, has been involved in all phases of this process and he is now busy implementing the changes. The steps below refer to "format" or the organization of information and "design" is the look of the site.

1. A survey was developed to elicit feedback from divisional secretaries and SICB Executive Committee (July 2006).

2. The survey was completed by divisional secretaries and SICB Executive Committee (August - September 2006).

3. A new web page format was developed based on survey results and sent to divisional secretaries and SICB Executive Committee (September 2006).

4. The web page format was modified based on feedback and given to Ruedi Birenheide for input on implementation.

5. A web design was developed with initial input from the SICB primary officers and with the help of an outside web designer. Three layouts were sent to divisional secretaries and the SICB Executive Committee for preferences (November 2006).

6. The SICB Webmaster will implement both format and design, consulting where necessary with divisional secretaries. He will present a draft of new web pages for review in the spring of 2007.

7. The new SICB web page is targeted to go on-line in the spring or summer of 2007.

I especially want to acknowledge the hard work of Claudia deGruy, Ruedi Birenheide, and the divisional secretaries in this long process.


Elections. One of the challenges of having officer turnover in any society is keeping track of when elections should take place. This can be a daunting task for SICB since we have society-wide officers and divisional officers. During the past year and with the help of the divisional secretaries, we have developed a schedule for all elections through the year 2014. This election schedule now exists in the form of a spreadsheet and available for all members to inspect on the SICB web site at http://sicb.org/elections/.

We have a full slate of candidates for the society-wide offices of secretary-elect, program officer-elect, and member-at-large. The Nominating Committee this year was chaired by Ken Halanych who was joined by committee members John Long, Stacia Sower, and Tom Wolcott.