A Message from Arthur Brant
I have had several different responses to the annual business meeting , conducted on March 22 , 2017 , at the 47th Annual conference in Chicago . At that meeting , I laid out the case why the Board of Directors believed it was in the best interest of ACUTA to dissolve . After this emotionally charged meeting , I had one person refer to the meeting as a funeral . Another characterized it as losing a best friend . Others stood optimistically suggesting this was an opportunity for a “ reboot ,” and another offered that this was like the ashes of a Phoenix and we should expect ACUTA to soar again .
For me , a shipwreck is a good analogy for ACUTA and the events that occurred on March 22 , 2017 . To begin with , let me offer some interesting parallels between ACUTA and seafaring vessels . First , I suggest that ACUTA , which has been around for 46 years , is like those large ships we observed from our hotel room windows in San Diego . Those large ships appeared to lumber through the bay and took their time as they turned toward the open sea . ACUTA , with its history and years of expectations and traditions , doesn ’ t turn on a dime . Instead , it needs time and space in order to make adjustments or pivot . As I observed in my short two years on ACUTA ’ s Board of Directors , we simply ran out of time and space in order to successfully make a turn or pivot .
Another parallel between ACUTA and maritime vessels is the division of labor . Whether one serves on a naval or merchant ship , the functions of the ship operate 24 hours a day . To oversee these functions , the crew is divided
Shipwreck
A Message from Arthur Brant
ACUTA President 2016-17
into “ watches .” For ACUTA , our “ watches ” last for a year . The Board receives at least three new directors each year , one appointed and two elected . My tenure or “ watch ” lasted the last two years .
When I think about shipwrecks , my imagination focuses on the wooden sailing ships that populated the seas over 200 years ago . I think about the salvage operations that attempt to recover precious artifacts that have
resided on the ocean floor , undisturbed for centuries . I was surprised to find , in doing some research , that despite modern advances in technologies and ship building , each year around 100 shipwrecks are recorded . Many of these wrecks are the result of typhoons or hurricanes . Others are associated with military exercises which take decommissioned ships and use them for target practice . However , a large number of these wrecks occur when a ship strikes another ship or runs aground .
Comparing shipwrecks and ACUTA , I have the following two observations to share . The first
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is that among the 100 or so shipwrecks recorded each year , the vast majority have ship crew or passengers rescued . For the most part , it ’ s the exception that life is lost as result of a shipwreck . I offer this because for the ACUTA members who are “ on board ,” we will survive this shipwreck . We will be rescued . ACUTA ’ s dissolution doesn ’ t mean that all of its members will perish . We ’ ll bare some scrapes and bruises as a result of this process , but we ’ ll be able to walk away from the wreck . Another observation is that of these 100 shipwrecks a year , many of these vessels are “ refloated .” This means that these ships aren ’ t left where they broke down . Unlike the sailing ships of centuries past , today shipwrecks are often refloated and towed away . Many are salvaged for parts , while others are repaired and set to return to service . For ACUTA , I don ’ t know how or when , but I anticipate that ACUTA will be refloated . It may be towed away to be salvaged by another association . It may be salvaged by some dedicated members who desire to reboot the association under a new flag or name . However it happens , I would anticipate that ACUTA members continue to value the community that has been the trademark of this association . I would venture to say that this community is worth salvaging and the sense of community will be the driver for any efforts to refloat the association .
Over the last several days , I ’ ve struggled to accurately articulate what dissolving the association means for the ACUTA members . I hope this analogy of a shipwreck provides a framework to envision what will become of the ACUTA community in the weeks , months , and years ahead . Personally , this has been a traumatic experience , but one I firmly believe was necessary in order to allow all the ACUTA shipmates the opportunity to gracefully and orderly exit the vessel before it becomes completely submerged .
Arthur Brant , Abilene Christian University , branta @ acu . edu .
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The Board has established a Google Groups list to keep the conversations going , and we hope you will join to stay in touch with your colleagues . We have a new name , in part to signify the birth of a new organization and to remember our roots . The new group is called “ ATUCA .”
Please remember the ACUTA listserv will no longer be functional after April 13 . Instructions on how to join the Google Group are listed here . We invite you to help spread the word .
Listserv Email : atuca @ googlegroups . com
Forum : https :// groups . google . com / d / forum / atuca
Subscribe to Group : atuca + subscribe @ googlegroups . com