SIGCAS Computers and Society

1. SIGCASComputers and Society Our mission is to provide a forum to discuss, debate and research all issues pertaining to the social implications of computing, including ethical and philosophical concerns, for the computing profession. Executive Committee: Flo Appel, Chair Diana Burley, Vice Chair Mark Perry, Member at large Tom Jewett, Past Chair Information Director: Chris Harr 2010 Program Review

2. Financials • Fund balance as of June 2009 - $58,496 • Reflects DL benefits and savings due to online-only publication • Membership • Currently 477 – (gradual 12% decline since ‘06) • Very interdisciplinary • Last call for nominations (2008) resulted in ~20 responses

3. Member Benefits • Online newsletter Computers & Society • For past two years, supported by 6-member editorial board; editorial responsibilities rotate (see challenges…) • Scholarly articles, conference announcements & reviews, interviews, essay contest winners • Special issues • Website • Recently redesigned • In-cooperation conference benefits • Nine conferences in 2009 • Four to date for 2010

4. SIGCAS Awards • Award recipients reflect the highly interdisciplinary nature of our membership & community • Making A Difference • 2009: Cem Kaner • Recent recipients: • Jim Thatcher, Barbara Simon, Simon Rogerson • Outstanding Service • 2009: Flo Appel • Recent recipients: • Herman Tavani, Keith Miller, Chuck Huff • Past award recipients were recognized in interviews in the 40th Anniversary issue of Computers & Society

5. Community Involvement • SIGCAS strives to contribute to policy decisions relating to the social & ethical impact of computing, and to support their implementations • Service to ACM • Education Council • Carol Spradling, SIGCAS liaison • Wrote social/ethical impact of computing curriculum guidelines in IT & IS • Invited to contribute to ontology project • IFIP TC9 (Technical Committee on Computers & Society) ACM/SIGCAS representative • Don Gotterbarn • USACM leadership & liaison • Gene Spafford, Chair & Alan Rea, Council member (elected positions) • Collaborations • SIGCSE – rewrote keywords regarding social/ethical impact & professional practice, BOFs, Special Session on SIGCAS 40th • INSEIT / CEPE – biennial publication of selected CEPE works • CCSC regional computer ethics workshops • In-cooperation agreements

6. Challenges & Future Plans • Challenge #1:Membership/community is very diffuse; difficult to establish and maintain an organizational focus/agenda for a majority of members • Most members are over-committed to other organizations • Collaborations with kindred & related organizations are extremely important What to do? • Pursue collaboration with IEEE SSIT (much overlap in membership); possibly co-sponsor ISTAS (overture made by SSIT) • We must cultivate a healthy mixture of younger & “more seasoned” members; we need more continuity at the leadership level • Challenge #2:Newsletter is not peer-reviewed, making it unattractive as a publication venue for younger, non-tenured faculty What to do? • Face-to-face meeting of editorial board to designate an editor-in-chief • Discuss proposed changes to the publication – consider a mixture of invited, reviewed & other contributed articles • Sponsor a student essay contest – could address both challenges: increase involvement & add to newsletter content