The 2001 Annual Meeting, held at Saginaw Valley State University, was one of our best Fall conferences.
There was beautiful weather, good attendance, stimulating sessions and a well-received keynote address by Joyce Miller Iutcovich, president of Keystone University Research Corporation.
The theme of "sociology and the community" was examined in a wide spectrum of presentations from how sociologists can gain "fame and fortune" working with communities, government and business to calls for community action to bring about the restructuring of society.
AWARDS:T.R. Young was given the Charles H. Cooley Award for distinguished scholarship.
Jay Weinstein became the first person to have won both of the major MSA awards. Having already won the Cooley Award, he was given the Marvin Olsen Award for outstanding service to sociology in Michigan. Jay, who is on the faculty of Eastern Michigan University, is the editor of Michigan Sociological Review.
OFFICERS ELECTED:Timothy Diamond, Western Michigan University, was elected president of MSA. Linda Rynbrandt, Grand Valley State University, was re-elected vice president. Sarah Smith, Delta College, was elected secretary. (The other offices were not up for election this year.)
Both the Friday reception and the conference dinner following the business meeting may have had record attendance. The reception, held at the conference hotel, Bay Valley Hotel and Resort, was sponsored by Delta College. Bay Valley's service and facilities were widely praised. The dinner at the Hello Sushi Japanese restaurant was equally enjoyable. While not everyone ate raw fish (as Bill Whit did), just about everyone praised the food. And the conversation (with a little gossip mixed in) was a final highlight of the weekend.
To get a glimpse of what it was all like, click below to view photos from the conference and to look over the program.