1 SIGCAS Computers and Society 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 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.

2 Financials Fund balance as of June $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

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 40 th 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 40 th –INSEIT / CEPE – biennial publication of selected CEPE works –CCSC regional computer ethics workshops –In-cooperation agreements

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); p ossibly 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 d esignate 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 6