My correspondence with Society for American Archaeology president Joe Watkins

In the wake of a tumultuous week at the #SAA2019 meeting in Albuquerque, during which archaeologist David Yesner showed up at the meeting despite a Title IX judgement against him at the University of Alaska, Anchorage banning him from participation in any activities at which UA students were present, SAA officers have veered sharply between a series of apologies and statements that are blatantly untrue.

I have tried to communicate with SAA officers about the failure to delete or modify these statements, as have many other scholars and activists, but there seems to be no rush on their part to do so. Here is my recent correspondence with SAA president Joe Watkins about this, which he copied to executive director Oona Schmid:

From: Michael Balter >
Date: Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 6:43 PM
To: joe.watkins

Dear Joe,

A lot of people were happy to see your letter to the membership today, because many—although not all—thought it meant that SAA was finally listening to the concerns of the community and the victims/survivors in particular.

When you and Oona called me on Friday morning, I never heard your voice, although you heard mine, and the shock I felt at being banned from the meeting. That shock was genuine, because I felt I had done the right thing after the concerns I expressed to Amy just before 10 am last Thursday seemed to be of little interest to her.

It occurs to me that you may have been misinformed by both Oona and Amy about exactly what happened, the role I played, and even exactly what transpired between me and David Yesner at the end of the morning on Thursday.

If there is even the possibility that I am right about that, it seems that a telephone conversation between us might be constructive. You could ask me any questions you have about what happened, and I would have the opportunity to correct any misinformation you have received.

Given the events of the past eight days, wouldn’t that be a reasonable thing for us to do? I am not asking you to take sides against your staff or favor what I might have to say. I am just asking you to hear what I might have to say.

I hope you agree. I am on holiday on the California coast right now but could easily take out time to talk, even if just briefly, at a mutually convenient time.

Best wishes,

Michael

--

******************************************
Michael Balter

Writer/reporter

Instructor, Hudson Valley Writers Center
Adjunct Professor of Journalism "emeritus,"

   New York University and Boston University

Member, National Association of Science Writers

               Society of Environmental Journalists

Email:  

Tweet: @mbalter
Web:    michaelbalter.com
Book:   http://tinyurl.com/13np9st

****************************************** 

"Lying is done with words and also with silence." --Adrienne Rich

----------
From: Joe Watkins
Date: Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 7:56 PM
To: <michael.balter
Cc: Oona Schmid 

Michael:

Thank you for your email offering to speak to me. I don't have time to speak with you at the moment, but hope to find time next week to do so. I MAY have jury duty next week -- I'll know Monday evening, I think -- and that will take up even more time.

Please let me get back to you after I have a better idea of my time availability so that we can talk.

Joe Watkins

***********************************************************

Joe Watkins, PhD, RPA #10119

President, Society for American Archaeology (2019-2021)

Join us in Austin, TX, April 22-26, 2020, and in San Francisco, CA, April 14-18, 2021!

NOTE: Arizona does NOT go onto Daylight Savings Time. As a result, Arizona is the same time as California. We're 3 hours behind DC; 2 hours behind Dallas; and 1 hour behind Denver. Please consider the time difference before calling.

----------
From: Michael Balter
Date: Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 8:52 PM
To: Joe Watkins
Cc: Oona Schmid 

Joe,

Thanks for getting back.

My wife and I are on a California coast holiday for the next week and a half, but there is plenty of down time so I am happy to try to fit your schedule whenever it's good for you. Just let me know when you have a better idea.

best, Michael

----------
From: Michael Balter <
Date: Sun, Apr 21, 2019 at 4:02 PM
To: Joe Watkins
Cc: Oona Schmid <

Hello Joe,

Since we communicated about this on Friday, I have been giving the matter more thought.

At first I was happy that you were willing to talk to me, and wanted to accommodate your schedule which I know is busy.

However, on the SAA Web site, you continue to provide members and others a chronology of events during the meeting (the “dispelling the rumors” post) which includes totally false information about when SAA staff knew about David Yesner and the reasons he should be banned from the meeting. I am sure you must be aware by now that I fully briefed Amy Rutledge on the matter shortly before 10 am on that Thursday morning, more than 24 hours earlier.

Every day that post stays on your Web site is a day that SAA continues to disseminate false information. I don’t feel that I can be a party to this by agreeing to postpone our essential discussion, no matter how busy you are.

Thus I must ask that we schedule a telephone conversation as soon as possible, given the urgency of the matter and the importance—which I am sure you must understand—of telling SAA members the truth.

I will do my absolute best to make myself available to you at a time that is convenient on your end, despite my holiday travels.

Best wishes,

Michael Balter