Dear XXX

Good morning! A few points of interest from the BSA Office:

1. Announcing the BSA Monthly Email Newsletter
2. BSA Membership Renewal
3. BSA Grant Opportunities Newsletter
4. Open Access Publication (please read)
5. Bush and Kerry Offer Their Views on Science.

1. Announcing the BSA Monthly Email Newsletter
In an effort to improve communication across our Society we are beginning a "monthly" newsletter. The format will include BSA News, Sectional News, Conference Updates, and Public Policy Issues. I'd appreciate your feedback on the concept as well as any news/information you feel is worth communicating to the membership.

In the October edition we will include a means of removing yourself from the email newsletter list if you wish. Please note: the BSA does not provide any organizations with our membership mail or email lists.

2. BSA Membership Renewal
We are pleased to open the 2005 Membership renewal process. All members will also be receiving a membership renewal form in the mail. The form will be filled in with the details we have on file for you. I would, however, like to recommend your use of the online membership renewal form at: https://secure.botany.org/secure/default.asp?lType=2. The system is Verisign-approved as a secure site and can be considered a safer option than sending your credit card details through the mail. There are also considerable savings to the Society in doing so. (Life and Corresponding members, you will be automatically renewed.)

For your convenience in entering the secure renewal system, your Username is: XX

It's also a great time to invite prospective new members to join the Society. In joining now they receive instant access to the American Journal of Botany online (an extra 3+ months)! As a reference, you can find a list of the membership benefits on the BSA website at: http://www.botany.org/newsite/membership/benefits.php.

The website link when inviting people to join the BSA is: https://secure.botany.org/secure/JoinRenew/Page_1.asp?New=Yes

3. BSA Grant Opportunities Newsletter
The first edition of the BSA Grant Opportunities Newsletter is now available online as a (fairly large) PDF file. It can be found at: http://www.botany.org/newsite/announcements/grantnews-8_9-2004.pdf. Over the coming months we hope you will view the additional issues as one of the significant benefits the BSA offers to its members. The first issue is freely available on the BSA website, with subsequent issues being posted as a secure item accessible via your member login.

4. Open Access Publication.
As you may be aware there is an ongoing discussion regarding the future of access to scientific literature. The issue has the potential to affect the BSA (and similar, non-profit societies) in its current operational form. As such we provide you with a link to the Nature Publishing Group's website hosting a debate on the topic in an effort to provide you with information.

The heart of the debate appears to focus on various models (economic) for publication and dissemination of NIH-funded research, and the pros and cons each brings to society as a result. The concept of "free access" sounds wonderful and will no doubt make a nice political sound-bite, but please consider the ramifications of such a model and how it may impact on the BSA.

The website can be found at: http://www.nature.com/nature/focus/accessdebate/.

As a point of reference: our mission indicates our desire to ensure research and the dissemination of information in a sustainable manner. Our current model appears to be working well. As a Society we are supporting botany, professional and student development in a variety of ways. The cost of our journal is very reasonable. We are also working diligently to maximize the ability for all people to find, and easily access all of our published research (and all of the online resources that have you have provided). Much of our current content is freely available. Please take some time to consider the implications of the proposed policy, which would federally mandate free and open access to all scientifically published research.

5. Bush and Kerry Offer Their Views on Science.
Science has consolidated the debate over scientific policy by inviting each candidate to lay out his views on a dozen important issues. View the article at: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1104420v1?etoc

Have a great weekend and thank you for your time!

Sincerely,

Bill Dahl
Executive Director
Botanical Society of America
4475 Castleman Ave.
PO Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166
Phone: (314) 577-9566
FAX: (314) 577-9515
www.botany.org