[tex-announce] March 2015 TUG news: election, renewals, conferences

[TeX Users Group]

Dear TeX users,

I have three topics to cover in this early spring newsletter:
the TUG election, membership renewals, and the annual conference.
Let's start with the election, since I received my ballot in my
mailbox this morning.

* Election

For President, we have two nominees: Kaveh Bazargan and 
Jim Hefferon. An election ballot is required, in accordance with
the TUG election procedures.  Details are online at
http://tug.org/election, but in short:

- This year, it is possible to vote electronically in the TUG members
  area, https://www.tug.org/members.
- Paper ballots have been mailed to all current members; they must be
  postmarked by April 27 and received by May 11 to be counted.
- All voting will close on May 11, and results will be announced by May 22.
- All current TUG members, with dues paid for 2015 by the deadlines, are
  eligible to vote.

In addition, for the Board of Directors, the following individuals were
nominated: Pavneet Arora, Barbara Beeton, Karl Berry, Susan DeMeritt,
Michael Doob, Cheryl Ponchin, Norbert Preining, and Boris Veytsman. 
As there were not more Board nominations than open positions, all these
nominees are duly elected to a four-year term. Thanks to all for their
willingness to serve.

Terms for President and members of the Board of Directors will begin
with the Annual Meeting.  Congratulations to all.

Taco Hoekwater, Ross Moore, and Philip Taylor have decided to step down
at the end of this term. We wish to thank them for their service, and 
for their continued participation until the Annual Meeting. I will also
step down at the end of my term.

* Renewals

If you've already renewed, thank you for your continued support!

If you haven't renewed your membership, you have until March 31 to lock
in the $85 regular rate or the $55 student, senior, new grad, developing
country rate. After March 31, the rates will be $105/$75 respectively.
To renew online, or by fax or mail, please see the TUG membership form:
  http://tug.org/join.html
If you may have already renewed (via autorenewal or otherwise), please
contact the TUG office (office at tug.org).

In addition to TUGboat, the TeX Collection DVD, and discounts to meetings
and other materials (see http://tug.org/aims_ben.html), you are eligible 
to vote in the presidential election (see above).

* Annual Meeting

The 2015 Annual Meeting of the TeX Users Group will be held in
Darmstadt, Germany, 20-22 July.  See http://www.tug.org/tug2015/ for
full information.

If you'd like to make a presentation at the conference, please submit a 
title and abstract via email (plain ASCII is fine, or any TeX format, but 
no footnotes, please) to tug2015 at tug.org by May 1, 2015, and also specify 
your affiliation as you would like it listed in the program. Earlier 
submissions are greatly appreciated. Please also write us at that same 
email address for any questions, suggestions, expressions of interest, etc.

Bursary applications are due by April 10. See http://www.tug.org/bursary/
for full details. 

Book your hotel room and flight, and I hope to see you there! 

Other meetings of interest:
- BachoTeX 2015: Various faces of typography, Bachotek, Poland,
  April 29-May 3, 2015.
- ConTeXt 2015, Nasbinals, France, September 14-18, 2015.
   
Happy TeXing!

Steve Peter
TUG President
(on behalf of the TUG Board)