Dear
CBMR Friends and Supporters,
Many
of you will attend the joint annual meetings of AMS, SMT, and SEM next week in
New Orleans. If you plan to attend, we invite and urge you to drop by the
CBMR’s Hospitality Reception, which will be held on Friday, November 2, 5–7
p.m., in the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel, Grand Ballroom C.
As
you know, the past months have been very difficult for the CBMR. During the
college’s recent prioritization process, many programs and budgets were reduced
and in some cases eliminated entirely. It was initially recommended that the
CBMR be among those units that should be permanently closed, but the letters of
support that many of you sent to the college’s administration helped to reverse
that plan. That development was heartening, but the CBMR’s budget has been
slashed by 75% over the past three years and during the past year, five
positions have been eliminated, including Director of Research, Associate
Director of Research, Head Librarian and Archivist, Publications Manager, and
Administrative Assistant. The CBMR remains open, but its activities have been
drastically cut and its future is far from certain.
Sadly,
much damage has already been done nationally and internationally to the CBMR’s
reputation and credibility, thus adversely affecting memberships and material
and monetary donations. We have had to withdraw several funding proposals, since
we could not demonstrate adequate sustaining support from our host institution,
and a major capacity-building grant from a local foundation was tabled by our
program officer. This is long-term damage that will require years to rectify.
We
hear reports that some think that the CBMR has already closed or that its
closure is imminent. We have even heard that an organization/publisher is
circulating that the CBMR is in fact closed. Some contributors of archival and
research collections that form the nucleus of the CBMR Library and Archives are
understandably fearful for the safety and security of their materials and for
the continued intellectual access to those materials. Please note that all
archival collections are and will continue to be completely safe and
professionally maintained and that the CBMR will continue to provide and foster
public accessibility.
Now,
more than ever, the Center needs the support of an engaged extended
constituency. I encourage you to come express your continuing support of the
CBMR’s mission by dropping by our reception and by urging your colleagues and
students to do the same. Please spread the word.
We
look forward to greeting you, to renewing and strengthening existing
relationships, and to developing new constituents and supporters.
CBMR
Hospitality Reception
Friday,
November 2, 5–7 p.m.
Astor
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Grand Ballroom C
739
Canal Street (at Bourbon)
New
Orleans
If
you will not be attending the conference, you can still help re-invigorate and
sustain the CBMR by beginning or renewing an associate membership, by
subscribing to Black Music Research Journal, and by making material or
financial contributions. Please visit www.colum.edu/cbmr
to take any of these actions and to get more details about the CBMR’s status.
We
look forward to greeting you in New Orleans.
Monica
Hairston O’Connell
Executive
Director
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