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CERF Members can read the latest edition of Estuaries and Coasts on-line.

The times are a-changin’ for ERF; your Governing Board has tried to respond to the changes; and you are being asked to contribute to the response.  The changes have come in three contexts for ERF: changes in the rules and regulations of non-profit organizations, the broadening of the Federation’s scope, and the impacts of electronic publishing. 

The first context is legal.  Our constitution and by-laws were written in the 1970’s during simpler, less litigious times.  New laws and interpretations require that we make revisions in both documents.  We have employed the law firm of Venable LLP, which has a long history of serving non-profit organizations, to aid us. 

The revisions are generally minor but numerous.  They are important to comply with regulations over non-profit and tax exempt organizations, especially those incorporated in South Carolina as we are.  However, the Federation will largely run as it has.   Daily operations will be conducted by Headquarters with oversight by the Presidents.  Review and strategic matters are addressed through the Governing Board. 

The membership’s responsibilities to elect Board members and officers and determine changes to the constitution are unchanged.  This summer you will have the opportunity to meet your responsibilities by casting your votes for a new President-elect, Secretary and two Members-at-large to the Governing Board.  You will also be asked to vote on the proposed changes to the constitution and by-laws.

Coasts and estuaries of the world are the Federation's focus.  The second context includes the increased scope of our membership, member activities and our desire for better and more international recognition.  You may remember that there was considerable discussion about changing our name in the ERF Newsletter (see June 2005 (3 articles) and December 2005 for details), at Affiliate Society meetings, on the web site (http://www.erf.org/abouterf.html) and at a town hall meeting during the ERF 2005 conference.  We solicited your comments, had straw polls and had a good airing of the topic (at least I think we did). 

In a nutshell, the main reason for wanting to change the name is so it will be more inclusive and more representative of who we are and what we do.  Most everyone agreed with this.  In 2006 we added the word “Coasts” to the name of our journal, and we proposed to add “Coastal” to the name of the Federation.  Much of the discussion that followed was over where this word would be in the name rather than whether it should be included.  The consensus was to place it at the beginning.  Thus, we propose to you that the “Estuarine Research Federation” become the “Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation” – CERF.  You will have the final say on this proposal.  Your ballots this summer will include a place to vote on this suggested new name for the Federation.

The third context is the information age and our need to adapt to it.  The times of self-publishing a paper, professional journal are truly changing.  Recent ERF Newsletters (see 2005 and 2006 NL for details) have presented these changes, and perhaps some of you have been following other discussions about electronic publishing, open access, bundling of subscriptions, etc.  We have been focused on these issues for a while. 

An ERF Publications Committee, chaired by Susan Bell, has spent many hours on your behalf reviewing the changes, interacting with consultants, and considering our options. In fall 2006 they recommended to the Governing Board that we foster electronic publishing of Estuaries and Coasts and give authors a choice about open access.  They also recommended that we solicit proposals for co-publishing.  The Governing Board accepted these recommendations.

We moved quickly on the Publications Committee's recommendations.  A Request for Proposals was released in winter with the aid of a consultant in scholarly publications, Morna Conway.  Eight proposals for co-publishing were received and reviewed, and 4 were chosen for further consideration by the Committee.  A small meeting was held to interview representatives of the 4 publishing houses, and the Committee recommended that we enter an agreement with Springer to co-publish Estuaries and Coasts. 

The Governing Board accepted this recommendation during its spring 2007 meeting beginning with the 2008 volume.  We are currently in negotiations with Springer to establish a contract that positively positions the Federation for the new publishing environment. 

I will not belabor the details of how the new publishing arrangement will impact you; but I assure you that the Federation will be able to offer you increased publication options and opportunities, and the accessibility of your current and future papers in Estuaries and Coasts will be expanded dramatically.  The Springer team will be present at the ERF 2007 conference in Providence to show off their wares and to meet the Federation's community of scholars.  I encourage you to check out the new offerings that we will be able to provide within this new partnership.

So hopefully you know why I started with a quote from Bob Dylan.  Response to the first two changes requires your action. The last change does not require a vote or action on your part.  But it does demonstrate how busy people have been working for the Federation and for you as a member.  Your “senators, congressmen” have heeded the call.  When your ballot arrives this summer, don’t stand in the hall.  Please take the time to vote!