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President's Address
SAAL 21st Annual General Meeting Preamble Dr Ho Wah Kam, SAAL Patron, A/P Anne Pakir, SAAL Adviser, Dr Teng Su Ching, SAAL Financial Adviser, members, colleagues, and friends, On behalf of the SAAL Executive Committee, I welcome you to the 21st SAAL AGM. I leave you to read the details of what SAAL did in the last year (1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006) in the Secretary's report. Let me however highlight a number of key activities we were engaged in. Executive Committee Meetings The SAAL Executive Committee elected at the 19th SAAL AGM (14th August 2004) for the period 2004-06 are:
[* Lakshmy Bhaskar stepped down in December 2004 and Peter Tan was co-opted as the Hon. Secretary (with effect from January 2005) by email agreement. Christian Chia also tended his resignation with effect from 30 July 2005. Lee Chien Ching was co-opted to serve as Assistant Treasurer at the 20th AGM held on 29 July 2005. Similarly, Larry Zhang was co-opted to serve as an exco member at the 20th AGM.] The SAAL Exco slate as confirmed at the 20th AGM in July 2005 is as follows:
The EXCO met 4 times during the period 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006 (September, November 2005, February and April 2006), completing the 175th meeting of the EXCO since SAAL's inception in 1985. At the meetings, we planned, organized and reviewed SAAL activities; discussed matters relating to SAAL research and publications, finance and membership, and outreach. SAAL's 20th Anniversary Celebrations We marked SAAL's 20th Anniversary in 2005-2006 with a series of academic and social activities:
Other Events In addition to these activities, on 22nd February 2006, SAAL again co-hosted a talk given by KC Lee entitled, "Tracing ideas from a pre-writing discussion session to individual drafts". 20 people attended this talk. In doing all of the above in 2005-2006, our members' support has been the central factor in determining the successful outcome of each of these events. The SAAL Exco thanks all of you for supporting our effort in promoting academic and social networks within Singapore. In 2006, the SAAL Exco began thinking seriously of reviewing SAAL's strategic position as a viable association in Singapore. To this end, select members of the Exco met up with our advisers on 21 January 2006 for a strategic review (6 attended). It was decided that SAAL should proceed systematically to effect change internally and externally. That meeting was followed by a Balance Score Card Meeting on 19 April 2006 with Dr Teng Su Ching (6 attended). It was agreed at the April Meeting that SAAL should first determine the needs of the current membership and other interested stakeholders in the community. We held a Focused Group Discussion on 30 May 2006 (9 attended), and that resulted in the production of a survey questionnaire that will be distributed to members and non-members alike. This survey aims to identify concerns and issues that will help to direct a new SAAL programme in the new term and, if relevant, beyond. SAAL has tried to actively engage all members in taking on these initiatives in 2006. It is our hope that these efforts will go some way in shaping a sound programme for SAAL as we begin a new decade in SAAL history. SAAL Quarterly The SAAL Quarterly was co-edited by T. Ruanni F. Tupas and Beatriz Lorente. 4 issues (SQ71-74, August 2005-May 2006) were brought out during this period. We thank members who have contributed to the Quarterly and we encourage all of you to continue to send your short articles their way. The two editors have worked creatively to introduce new features in the Quarterly each year, the latest being an interview section profiling prominent applied linguists. We are confident that as we develop the Quarterly further, the SQ will be a pride among members. AILA Matters The AILA Review Volume 18, 2005 was received and distributed to all our members recently. In March 2006, the AILA account was officially closed and the amount of about S$118,000 was transferred into the existing SAAL account. S$100,000 was placed in a fixed deposit account from March 2006 to March 2007. In addition, earlier this year, US$1,000 was donated to AILA in support of the AILA Solidarity Awards. AILA President Prof Susan Gass has thanked SAAL for the generous contribution. Looking Ahead In this coming year, internally, I hope the SAAL exco will work towards a more accountable system of governance by implementing the balance score card system. This system will enable us to track the Exco's progress in developing SAAL in accordance to membership needs. We have taken note of members' call for SAAL to help facilitate academic and social networking among applied linguists, teachers and interested members of the community. Future Excos must find ways to conduct relevant activities that will answer this need. We should also try to make fuller use of the SAAL website in providing online discussion forum, share our research papers, and so on. The SAAL Exco comprises of only a dozen members at any one time. Though I have been blessed to have worked with very competent and committed Exco members in all my years with SAAL, I am fully aware of the strain on Exco members' time and energy in organizing events and helping me implement various policies. In the year ahead, SAAL should continue to create relevant avenues for members to interact and share their work; and look into creative and cost-effective ways of 'outsourcing' some of this work externally so as to ease the Exco's burden. Much work lies ahead of us, but I am confident that with the in-coming Exco for 2006-2008 and the many ideas we have buzzing in our heads, the new term will be an exciting time for all. Thank Yous It leaves me now to thank various individuals who have supported me and SAAL in the last year. First, the SAAL Exco 2004-2006—in particular the five office bearers Low Ee Ling (Vice President), Lim Beng Soon (Treasurer), Lee Chien Ching (Assistant Treasurer), Peter Tan (Secretary), and Jackie Teo (Assistant Secretary), and the five exco members, Beatriz Lorente, Chris Nur, Lawrence Zhang, Radhika Jaidev, and Ruanni Tupas—this was a team I had the privilege to work with. In addition, special thanks to our able and efficient webmaster, Alvin Leong for maintaining the SAAL website for us, on a voluntary basis. Beng Soon, Radhika and Chris are leaving the exco this year -- our best wishes to them in their endeavours, and of course, our sincere thanks for their contributions. SAAL has been ably guided by our Patron Dr Ho Wah Kam, our Adviser A/P Anne Pakir and our Financial Adviser Dr Teng Su Ching. I add them to my already over-long debt list. In addition, SAAL has been fortunate to have the staunch support of various individuals and institutions. In particular, we thank Assoc Prof Robbie Goh, (Head, English Language and Literature/NUS) Assoc Prof Lubna Alsagoff (Head, English Language and Literature/NIE), Dr Wong Lian Aik (Director, CELC/NUS), Mrs Tay Sor Har (Director, RELC). Assoc Prof Lai Phooi Ching (Head, LCC/HSS, NTU)—the support they have given to SAAL is much appreciated. Finally, I must record my gratitude to our auditors Dr Alvin Leong and Assoc Prof Vincent Ooi, and most of all, to you, our members who have made everything possible. Thank you all for your continued support and hard work. I hope the next board will enjoy even greater levels of support from you.
A/P Chng Huang Hoon
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