The Southwestern Social Science Association

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SSSA is governed by the SSSA Council, which is made up of two parts, the Executive Committee, elected by the membership as a whole, and Affiliate Representatives, elected from each affiliate.

2010-11 SSSA Council

2012 Boycott Discussion Documents

In 2008 the SSSA Council voted to hold our 2012 meeting at the Manchester Grant Hyatt in San Diego. Through no fault of our own we now find ourselves in a difficult situation, namely a request to join a boycott of the hotel. This stems from the hotel owner’s financial support of California’s Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that declared that only heterosexual marriage was valid (it did not concern domestic partnerships). There are a number of considerations to this issue, documents about which are posted on the association’s Web site.

The Executive Committee has decided that we should honor our contract with the Manchester Grand Hyatt and carry out our 2012 annual meeting as originally planned. The reasons include:

1.      As an economic issue, breaking our contract would cost the association well over $100,000.

2.      The action at hand is not a traditional boycott in that there have been no specific demands to be met, conditions that could be fulfilled to end the boycott, or communication/negotiation with Manchester or the organization. Therefore it is not a true boycott at this time.

3.      Part of the rationale for the boycott is that there exists a labor dispute with the Manchester Grand Hyatt because it engages in unfair labor practices. This is incorrect. There are no labor actions underway against the hotel at this time (April 2010).

4.      The burden of moving the meeting away from the Manchester Grand Hyatt would be borne by the association, its members, and the employees and representatives of the Hyatt corporation, none of whom are parties in the dispute.

In conjunction with this, the Executive Committee proposes that the situation become a teaching and research opportunity relevant to the social sciences by having the association and its affiliates organize sessions on issues such as sexuality and sexual discrimination.

Documents

1.       SSSA Boycott Discussion Memorandum

2.       Original Boycott Letter to SSSA Leaders: SWTRP Doc - sssaletter.pdf

3.       Claims of Boycott-based Meeting Relocations and endorsements:  SWTRP Doc -BoycottRelocations Claims.pdf

4.       Manchester Hyatt's response to the boycott allegations: Hyatt Letter 7.23.09-_FINAL_LGBT.pdf

5.       Email string between SSSA Exec. Director and Hyatt regarding boycott allegations: Email String

Other 2012 Boycott Related News and Association Statements

APA Letter.pdf

CAHSAH Letter Prop8 Q & A.pdf

MESA Statement.pdf

AHA article.pdf

AHA Protest Jan 2010.pdf

AALS 2009 Annual Meeting Statement.pdf