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President: Timothy Pogacar (Bowling Green State U.) (pogacar@bgnet.bgsu.edu)
Secretary: Michael Biggins (University of Washington) (mbiggins@u.washington.edu)
Treasurer: Carole Rogel (The Ohio State U.) (Rogel.1@osu.edu)
Program Coordinator: Veronica E. Aplenc (University of Pennsylvania) (vaplenc@yahoo.com)
Editor, Slovene Studies: Timothy Pogacar (Bowling Green State U.) (pogacar@bgnet.bgsu.edu)
Book Review Editor: Donald F. Reindl (University of Ljubljana) (donald.reindl@guest.arnes.si)
Editor, SSS Letter: David F. Stermole (Toronto, Ont.) (stermole@chass.utoronto.ca)
Webmaster: David F. Stermole (Toronto, Ont.) (stermole@chass.utoronto.ca)
Past President: Metod M. Milač (Syracuse University) (to 1 March 2008) (mmilac@syr.edu)
Marta Pirnat-Greenberg (University of Kansas) (to 1 March 2008) (marta@grapevine.net)
Joseph Derdzinski (U.S. Air Force Academy) (to 1 March 2009) (Joseph.Derdzinski@usafa.af.mil)
Peter Vodopivec (Institute of Contemporary History) (to 1 March 2010) (Peter.Vodopivec@inz.si)
WEB SITE: http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~ljubljan/sss.html
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MISSION STATEMENT. The Society for Slovene Studies (SSS) is a scholarly non-profit organization dedicated to fostering closer communication among scholars interested in Slovene studies, to promoting the dissemination of scholarly information on Slovene studies through the organization of meetings and conferences, and to preparing scholarly works for publication (Article II, Constitution of the SSS, 1973).
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MEMBERSHIP. The Society's ranks are open to all persons with a scholarly interest in any aspect of culture and scholarship dealing with Slovenia and the Slovenes, to students of Slovene language, literature, history, or culture, and to those interested in sustaining the scholarly activities of the Society through contributions, bequests, endowments, and other forms of support. The SSS currently has over three hundred members around the world.
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HISTORY. Founded in 1973 as a society of academics committed to the promotion of Slovene studies in the United States and Canada, the Society for Slovene Studies is today an internationally recognized association of scholars with members in many countries of the world, dedicated to investigating Slovene culture; furthering interest in Slovene culture outside its native realm; generating scholarly research; and integrating the results of that research into broader scholarly syntheses. Initially based at the Institute on East Central Europe of Columbia University (1973-83), the SSS moved to the Center for Slavic and East European Studies of The Ohio State University (1983-90), and then to the Russian and East European Institute of Indiana University (1990-91) and the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures of the same university (1991-95). From 1995-99 the SSS's center was in the Department Modern Languages and Comparative Studies, the University of Alberta, from where it moved for two years to Indiana University (1999-2001), six years at Syracuse University (2001-2007), and now Bowling Green State University (2007-).
Since 1976 the SSS has been affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies (AAASS) and participates in its national and international programs. In 1991 the Society also became an associate member of the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and East European Languages (AATSEEL) and takes part in its conferences and activities.
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ACTIVITIES. The SSS organizes conferences, meetings, and panel sessions at the annual conventions of AAASS, AATSEEL, their regional affiliates, and other scholarly groups. The SSS celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 1998 with special programs at both the AAASS Convention in Boca Raton, Florida, 24-27 September, and the AATSEEL Convention in San Francisco, 28-30 December. The SSS will meet in conjunction with the AAASS in New Orleans, 15-18 November, 2007.
The SSS has a long-term project for establishing a center for Slovene Studies in the U.S. The project is entitled "Bringing Slovenia to North America," an aspiration first espoused by SSS co-founder, the late Rado L. Lencek of Columbia University. Information on the project is available from SSS president Timothy Pogacar.
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PUBLICATIONS. The earlier publications of the SSS included the SSS Newsletter (1973-1978) and four volumes of Papers in Slovene Studies (1975-1978). Since 1979, the Society's principal publishing endeavor has been Slovene Studies: Journal of the Society for Slovene Studies, which is designed to be a forum for the expression of a variety of scholarly viewpoints on problems of Slovene literature, linguistics, history, ethnography, indeed all areas in the Slovene social sciences, humanities and fine arts. In Slovene Studies are also published occasional translations from Slovene to English, and reviews of scholarly books. Volume 29.1-2 (2007), devoted to ethnomusicology, is available in July 2007. Volume 30.1 (2008) is available in September 2007.
The SSS also publishes a twice-yearly newsletter, SSS Letter and materials, including current book reviews, to its website (www.arts.ualberta.ca/~ljubljan/sss.html) on an occasional basis.
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The Rado L. Lencek Graduate Student Prize. This award was established to stimulate interest in Slovene matters among young scholars of any nationality residing outside Slovenia. Papers which were authored while a graduate student, and submitted for consideration within two years of last registration, qualify for this award. The deadline for submission of graduate papers is 15 September of each year.
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The Joseph Velikonja Undergraduate Essay Prize. Students in any discipline at any accredited college or university in the United States or Canada interested in Slovene studies may apply, provided that they are either currently registered as undergraduates at the time of application, or within six months of their last registration as an undergraduate. The deadline for submission of undergraduate papers is 15 September of each year.
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SOURCES OF SUPPORT, ANNUAL DUES, TAX-DEDUCTIBLE STATUS. The Society for Slovene Studies is a non-profit organization, relying for its existence and support wholly and completely on its members. The ANNUAL DUES are $20.00 (students $5.00); payment entitles members to receive all the SSS publications of the year. The Treasurer is Dr. Carole Rogel (Ohio State University), 205 N. Delta Drive, Columbus, OH 43214.
The SSS PRINTING FUND provides supplementary funds for printing scholarly works in Slovene studies. The fund is financed from tax-deductible contributions to the SSS and from the net proceeds from the sale of the publications themselves.
In 1983, the SSS received a bequest from the estate of Mary Molek and a few years later also from John Nielsen; these formed the nucleus of an SSS Endowment Fund, which has since been increased through other bequests.
The SSS has been recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit educational organization. Dues, contributions and bequests to the SSS are tax-deductible according to the provisions of the U.S. tax code.
Please Note: The SSS Fact Sheet was initially prepared at the University of Alberta by Tom M. S. Priestly. Subsequent editions have been prepared by William Derbyshire, David F. Stermole, and Metod M. Milač. Slovene translation is the work of Marta Pirnat-Greenberg.