PAGE Statement from the SIGCAPH Chairperso n Karen K . Anderso n P .O . Box 9232 2 Rochester, NY 1469 2 (H) 716-328-5249 (0) 716-427-183 4 SIGCAPH is up for viability review a t NCC '84 in Las Vegas this July . By then a year will have passed since the SIGBoar d recommended that the SIG be placed on provi sional status. The SIGBoard will seriousl y consider the state of SIGCAPH . The board can choose to act, either dissolving SIGCAPH o r returning it to permanent status, or not t o act, leaving SIGCAPH as provisional . Is i t clear from this year ' s activities what th e fate of SIGCAPH should be ? In the Spring, 1983 Newsletter and als o in a separate mailing to members I explaine d the viability criteria for a SIG . I'd lik e to review them at this point, comment o n SIGCAPH ' s progress in meeting them, and urg e you to pitch in and help . The first criterion is that the SIG publish regular newsletters . Ross is stil l struggling to gather enough materials to publish substantial newsletters on a quarterl y basis . He has the publication process down to a science but cannot create a newslette r out of thin air . Very few members contribute . Do YOU have something to share wit h the membership? How about some comments o n the change in direction that Ben Tunkelan g proposed in the last issue? Or additions t o the bibliography being published? Or report s on devices being introduced into the market ? The second criterion is that the SI G conduct a regular technical activity in it s specialty . We are planning our second .consecutive business/technical meeting at th e NCC . Can you plan to attend? We are als o moving ahead with the next joint worksho p with the IEEE TC on Computers and the Handi capped (see the preliminary announcement i n this issue) . Can you volunteer to help or a t least plan to attend ? The last criterion is to maintain admin - istrative and fiscal stability . SIGCAPH's FY '85 budget was submitted and approved and i s presented in this issue . Although some defi cit spending is planned, a reasonable fun d balance should be retained . The fund balanc e as of December 31, 1983 was around $17,500 . The biggest concern in this area remains th e lack of active members, particularly poten tial officers . If SIGCAPH was returned t o permanent status, elections would need to b e conducted by the following spring . Has th e SIG made enough progress to fill a slate o f ten candidates? Ross has been particularl y active in soliciting new members . Ric h Olsen, Diana Pryntz, Rich Walton, and I hav e been working to organize a local SIG i n Rochester and hope to create a pool o f volunteers in the process . Several member s have written explicitly to volunteer to ru n for office . Would YOU be willing to run ? SIGCAPH would be in a strong position t o request return to permanent status if w e could present a sheaf of letters from member s committed to running in the next election an d serving if elected . SIGCAPH remains marginally viable wit h just a handful of active volunteers . If even five more people would emerge to help buil d on the foundation of publications and technical activity that we already have, SIGCAP H could return to permanent status and continu e to play an expanding role in meeting th e needs of the disabled . Keep those cards , letters, and phone calls (AND newslette r articles) coming! Let ' s be prepared for th e SIGBoard review at NCC ' 842!

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