Abstract
Western Political Science Association (WPSA)
Joel Olson and WPSA Endowments Created
The WPSA Executive Council approved a set of policies at its April meeting in Seattle, Washington, to enable the association to accept donations and to create endowments. There is now a page on the association’s website dedicated to accepting donations. In addition, there will be an opportunity for members to donate to the association when they renew their membership or register for the annual conference. Along with adopting these policies, the Executive Council approved the creation of two endowments. The first of these endowments is for an award honoring Joel Olson, an associate professor of political theory at Northern Arizona University and a longtime WPSA member. The award is for activist-scholars whose work is at the creative intersection of radical political theory and practice. The award will be funded entirely by the endowment, so your support is appreciated. The second endowment is the WPSA Endowment Fund. The purpose of this fund is to help protect the long-term financial position of the Association and to provide funding for special projects. To find out more about these funds and to make a donation, please visit the WPSA website at wpsanet.org.
2015 WPSA Meeting
The 2015 meeting of the WPSA will be held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, from April 2 to 4. Louis DeSipio, University of California, Irvine, is serving as Program Chair for this meeting. Mark Lutz and Tiffiany Howard, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, are serving as the Local Arrangements Chairs. The participation form and information regarding the conference, its theme, and the list of section chairs is available on the WPSA website: www.wpsanet.org. The deadline for proposals is September 15, 2014.
The annual meeting not only presents an opportunity for traditional research presentations and panels but also a place for interested groups to schedule special events and workshops. On the Wednesday right before the conference begins, there is space available to accommodate groups who wish to hold workshops or offer short courses. In addition, if you are part of a research community that is interested in holding a meeting in the spring, we may be to accommodate your group by coordinating a conference within the conference. There is also the opportunity to host receptions, business meetings, and special events. For information about these opportunities, please contact Richard Clucas, WPSA Executive Director, at
New Editors of Political Research Quarterly
Jason Maloy and Jeanette Mendez, Oklahoma State University, will be taking over as the new editors of Political Research Quarterly on July 1, 2014. The two new editors were approved by the WPSA Executive Council at its August 2013 meeting in Chicago, Illinois. After July 1, please send all correspondence regarding journal business to the new editors at
New Officers and Council Members
Future officers of the WPSA were elected at the Business Meeting held in April 2014, in Seattle, Washington. Julie Novkov, University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY), was elected to the position of Vice President and Program Chair 2015–2016. She will oversee the program for the 2016 meeting in San Diego, California, and will serve as President of the Association during the subsequent year. Michael Bowers, University of Nevada Las Vegas, was elected to serve another three-year term (2015–2018) as Treasurer. New members elected to the Executive Council for the term 2015–2018 are as follows: Region A: Jane Junn, University of Southern California, and Jennifer Wilking, California State University, Chico; Region B: Tiffiany Howard, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and Region C: Teena Gabrielson, University of Wyoming. These new council members will assume their positions just prior to the April 2015 meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Western: The WPSA Newsletter
Contributions to the WPSA newsletter, The Western, should be directed to either Stephen J. Stambough or Valerie R. O’Regan, California State University, Fullerton. They can be reached at