The following resolutions were approved at the August 17th Business Meeting.

Resolution 1: Service Sociology

Resolution 2: Unsolved Homicide Cases

Resolution 3: Expression of Gratitude

RESOLUTION 1: Service Sociology

Submitted by Gillian “Jill” Niebrugge-Brantley and Patricia Lengermann

Whereas, the history of sociology in the United States has been made in part by citizen sociologists seeking to do service or public or applied sociology;

Whereas, SSSP since 1991 has presented the Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award with an attendant honorarium of $1000 to a not-for-profit doing service sociology in the local area hosting the annual meeting and has reserved a session at the Annual Meeting for a presentation by that group;

Whereas, SSSP in 2011 took as its Annual Meeting Theme “Service Sociology”;

Whereas, many students today leave academic sociology with a terminal B.A. or M.A and go on to do work in non-profit or voluntary organizations engaged in service sociology and report feeling most satisfied in their work as it lets them practice sociology;

Whereas, such committed practitioners of sociology are often overlooked or left feeling professionally homeless–a loss to both their own growth and the discipline;

Therefore be it resolved that SSSP reinforce its organizational commitment to the concept of Service Sociology by the following steps: (1) tasking the Chair of Chairs to encourage the Division Chairs to highlight Service Sociology practitioners in their planning efforts, suggesting they try to include Service Sociology practitioners in sessions at the Annual Meeting; (2) tasking the Membership and Outreach Committee to consider a strategy for targeting B.A. and M.A. sociologists encouraging them to find a home in SSSP; (3) tasking the Program Committee with devising a way to highlight in the publicity for the Annual Meeting sessions involving citizen sociologists and the B.A. and M.A. sociology graduates working professionally in Service Sociology, and (4) taking as a goal having the Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award become widely known for what it now in fact is–one of the most prestigious awards given by the discipline of sociology, and by incorporating past Award recipients in current Annual Meeting plans.

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RESOLUTION 2:  Unsolved Homicide Cases

Submitted by Michael L. Radelet, Department of Sociology, University of Colorado (on behalf of Families of Homicide Victims and Missing Persons)

Whereas Unsolved Homicide Cases are a growing menace to public safety in the U.S. and in Colorado; since 1970 there have been nearly 1,500 murders and 100 disappearances in Colorado for which no one has ever been prosecuted and the total of these cold cases grows each year, and nationally the proportion of homicides cleared by arrest has declined from over 90 percent in 1960 to just over 60 percent today;

Whereas many of the families and friends of these cold case victims suffer a complicated grief and post-traumatic stress disorder that does not disappear over time;

Whereas many of those who took the lives of these victims walk among us without having been held accountable for their crimes, they live in our neighborhoods, and some threaten our families and/or intimidate witnesses;

Whereas a Bill passed by the Colorado legislature in 2007 by a 99-1 vote calls for a Cold Case Team of Investigators at Colorado Bureau of Investigation to augment efforts of local law enforcement to examine these cases, but that Cold Case team never materialized due to an absence of funding;

Be it therefore resolved that the membership of the Society for the Study of Social Problems is encouraged to be mindful of the social problems surrounding unsolved murders, including their impact on family and friends of the victims as well as the need for specially trained investigators to assist local law enforcement in addressing these difficult cases;

Be it further resolved that the SSSP shall officially endorse the full funding of the Cold Case Team of Investigators envisioned in the 2007 legislation and communicate their endorsement to both houses of the Colorado legislature and the State’s Governor;

Be it further resolved that SSSP communicate its support for Families of Homicide Victims and Missing Persons, Inc. (“FOHVAMP”) in its ongoing efforts to find, support, and empower family members and friends suffering from a loved one’s unsolved homicide or from their long-term, suspicious disappearance.

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RESOLUTION 3:  Expression of Gratitude

Our sincere appreciation is expressed to all of the officers, committee chairs, and members who have made this program possible and whose efforts maintain the vitality of the SSSP.  First, we thank President Wendy Simonds for her outstanding leadership in developing the 62nd Annual Meeting and its theme: The Art of Activism.  We also thank this year’s Program Committee: Co-Chairs: Heather M. Dalmage and Tanya L. Saunders and committee members Ashley Currier, Michael T. Maly, Nancy Michaels, and Chavella T. Pittman; and Local Arrangements Committee Chair Lisa M. Martinez.  We thank the staff of the Grand Hyatt Denver Hotel for fine accommodations and we particularly want to recognize the efforts made by Megan Pool, Convention Services Manager and Elizabeth Taylor, Catering Assistant.

The Society wishes to express its gratitude to Past President A. Javier Treviño for his years of leadership; Vice-President Wendy L. Chapkis for managing the resolutions process; Glenn W. Muschert for his service as Secretary; and Susan M. Carlson for her service as Treasurer.  The Society also thanks R.A. Dello Buono, President-Elect; Tracy L. Dietz, Vice-President Elect; Board of Directors: Valerie Leiter, Nancy Mezey, Marlese Durr, Elisabeth A. Sheff, outgoing members Sarah Jane Brubaker, Barbara Katz Rothman, Claire M. Renzetti, Mandy Frake-Mistak (outgoing) and Patrick K. O’Brien, student representatives of the Board; Stephani Williams, Chair of the Council of Special Problems Divisions (outgoing); Becky Pettit, Editor of Social Problems; Brent Teasdale, Editor of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter; David L. Levinson, outgoing Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Chair and committee members Patrick Donnelly, Paul D. Steele, and Susan M. Carlson; David A. Smith, Editorial and Publications Committee Chair and committee members Marjorie L. DeVault, Lara Foley, Suzanne Vaughan, Nancy C. Jurik, JoAnn L. Miller, Becky Pettit, Brent Teasdale, David L. Levinson, and Ted Chiricos; the University of Tennessee and the Department of Sociology for hosting the SSSP Administrative Office; the College of Arts & Sciences, the Department of Sociology, and the Gerontology Institute of Georgia State University for their contribution to program activities; and to the University of California Press for its financial contribution to the registration bags.

The Society wishes to thank Executive Officer Héctor L. Delgado, Administrative Officer & Meeting Manager Michele Smith Koontz, Administrative Assistant Sharon Shumaker, and Graduate Research Associate & Webmaster Lisa East for continuing to make the organization run and do all that it does year in and year out.

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