Vice President’s Report to ASOR Members

September 2026

Dear ASOR Friends,

I hope you all had a wonderful summer, perhaps having had the opportunity to get into the field, and hopefully some kind of relaxing break. As many of us gear up to return to school (and some in the United States already have), I have been filling out various “Doodle Polls” and setting up meetings with various committees leading up to the Annual Meeting in November.

One of my roles, as Vice-President of ASOR, is to lead the Chair Coordinating Council (CCC), which is explicitly charged with “monitoring the activities” of ASOR’s standing committees. While this is technically true, I prefer to think of the CCC as a means of facilitating conversations between the different committees, and an opportunity for each committee chair to share the exciting and important work that ASOR members are doing. It is a real privilege to chair the CCC, and I have a difficult time limiting our monthly meetings to just the one hour I promise everyone. The reports and discussions are so interesting and there is just so much good work that goes on.

Volunteering through one of the eight standing committees is one of major ways that ASOR members can play a role in the organization. In thinking about my own participation in ASOR, I remembered how I had been encouraged by other members throughout my career. As an undergraduate, David Hopkins and Larry Herr asked me to compile an index for Biblical Archaeologist, Tim Harrison suggested that I become more involved in ASOR Canada, Jeff Blakeley reached out to me to become a monographs editor, and Chuck Jones nudged me to take over as chair of the Publications Committee and then follow after him as Vice President. I am not sure that it ever would have occurred to me to volunteer for any of this work without having been explicitly asked by another member. So, I thought I would write to all of you, to give all of you a nudge to consider volunteering for one of the standing committees.

The committees really do very different kinds of work, and it may not be clear to all ASOR members what that work is, or even that these committees exist. More information about these committees, including current chairs and members, can be found on the ASOR website. Beyond these standing committees, ASOR also benefits from the work of affiliated research centers, our overseas committees, ASOR Canada, boards of our various publications, and ad hoc committees that are established by the President to achieve specific goals.

If you read ASOR’s newsletters (and if you are reading this, you probably do), or follow our social media, you’ll notice periodic requests for volunteers for these committees. If service on any of these sounds interesting to you, please answer those calls. But you also don’t have to wait for such a call. If you want to get more involved with ASOR, please reach out to any of the committee chairs, or to me as Vice President, either over email or in person at the Annual Meeting. Different bylaws and mandates govern the committees, some of which also include instructions on membership. Reaching out directly is really helpful, since even if there isn’t room on a committee at the moment you express interest, there likely will be soon.

I hope that you will consider participating in one of these committees. We are always looking for people with different kinds of experiences, backgrounds, and specialization. Regardless, I look forward to seeing you all at the Annual Meeting in Chicago this November.

With best wishes,

Kevin McGeough
Vice President

President’s Report to ASOR Members

July 7, 2026

Dear ASOR Friends,

As we move into the summer months with time for our excavations, research and relaxation, I wanted to bring you some updates on what is going on, as our committees have been hard at work.

The Taskforce on the Revision of the Code of Professional Conduct has paused its meetings for the summer. As a reminder, the Code was last approved by the Board in 2015 and amended in 2019. Since then, it has become clear that we need to provide clearer guidance to committees and our membership on complicated issues, in a manner that would be consistent with our new Strategic Plan and our Values Statement. The Taskforce, which is comprised of researchers from various areas where we work and have overseas members, have discussed a rough draft of two sections of the current Code: III.A Education and III.B Stewardship. Some of the work was reorganizing these sections of the document, some was trying to move to more positive language about what ASOR members should and could do to fulfill the Strategic Plan, especially “ASOR’s place in the world”, by supporting high-quality academic research, cultivating partnerships in our educational and outreach efforts and in our combined efforts to protect cultural heritage. As the Taskforce discussed section III.B Stewardship, we took our first pass at discussing the complex issues of how we should approach site protection, artifact storage and data management; how we study archaeological heritage and cultural heritage especially in areas of open conflict; and how we respond to the problem of looting. It is very clear that our discussions need to be grounded in the knowledge of current international law and conventions, so that will be the focus of our first fall meeting(s). But it is also very clear that the process of updating the Code will need time, thought, and lots of discussion, which I hope you will join.

In case you haven’t heard, ASOR’s Committee on Archaeological Policies (CAP) was able to award $128,000 – thanks to generous donors from our membership – to 46 people who applied for excavation scholarships, project grants or research fellowships. We understand in the era of rising airline costs that these scholarships are important means of augmenting other research funds. Please reflect on whether you are able to help, especially younger scholars who need ASOR’s support!

The awardees will be working in a variety of areas of ASOR’s remit: Iraq, Greece, Tunisia, Egypt, Spain, Cyprus, Türkiye, Kurdistan, Jordan, Armenia, and Chicago and Philadelphia (on legacy records), as well as to ASOR-affiliated excavations.

Judging from the preliminary schedule of the 2026 Annual Meeting developed by the Program Committee, there will be a panel for your interests, whether you are a teacher of K-12 or in higher ed; interested in cultural heritage issues; interested in new technologies (I am looking forward to “How to Prepare for when Disaster Strikes”); or if you want to catch up on the latest research in the Bronze Age, Iron Age, different materials, or various regions where ASOR members excavate and research – this is just a meager mention of the riches that will be available in Chicago, or if you prefer, online. I will be working with the Program Committee to set aside a time and place for an informal place for you, ASOR’s officers and other interested Board members to meet and talk. I hope you can stop by!

A number of members and friends of ASOR just came back from a trip to Cyprus, where we were treated to site visits led by directors of ASOR-sponsored excavations. These visits were a real highlight of the tour, culminating in a delightful dinner at CAARI, hosted by Lindy Crewe, where we got to relax and spend time talking with CAARI staff, fellows and our archaeologist friends working in Cyprus.

With best wishes,

Jane DeRose Evans
President

President’s Report to ASOR Members

May 18, 2026

Dear ASOR Friends,

May was an exceptionally busy month for ASOR’s Board and Committees. I write this letter as part of an on-going plan to keep you up to date on decisions made by the ASOR Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, a request made by many of our members who wish to have a broader understanding of ASOR’s focus and accomplishments. Going forward, you can expect to hear from me on a regular basis.

One of the more important decisions we made was to adopt a Values Statement and a Strategic Plan, which were drafted by the Taskforce on the Strategic Plan and passed unanimously by the Board. In a complex and sometimes chaotic world, it is important to state our shared values and strategic direction as an organization. I really appreciate the members of the Taskforce and Trustees who worked creatively over the course of a year to crystallize our shared sense of purpose. While you can find both the Values Statement and the Strategic Plan prominently displayed on the website, you can get a sense of both below, even as I urge you to read the statements in full.

Values Statement
ASOR is a broad community of individuals who are committed to upholding the following values with integrity as we pursue ASOR’s mission.

Curiosity: To sustain ASOR’s intellectual vitality by advancing excellence, exploring new ideas, skills and methods of research, and disseminating evidence-based knowledge.

Collaboration: To create a welcoming, open environment that respects disparate viewpoints while fostering a sharing of opportunities and resources.

Stewardship: To work with all stakeholders with dignity, courtesy, and fairness; to maintain financial discipline; and to support the responsible management, preservation, and protection of cultural heritage and the communities we work with and within.

Transparency: To communicate openly and honestly; to share conscientiously and often with stakeholders across the scholarly and public landscape.

Strategic Plan 2026 – 2030
ASOR’s Place in the World: ASOR encourages the study of the past through archaeological, historical, art historical, linguistic, and cultural research, along with conservation by fostering conversations about our members’ research and the impact of our studies on the contemporary world. ASOR members promote the preservation of cultural heritage as it relates to global history. Over the next five to ten years, ASOR will undertake the following initiatives to demonstrate our conception of our role in the world.

1. Support high-quality academic research in various venues, giving space for innovative, paradigm-shifting contributions, for example in ASOR’s publications, annual meeting sessions and workshops, and early career scholars and Friends of ASOR activities.

2. Cultivate partnerships in all educational and outreach efforts through the work of ASOR committees and overseas centers.

3. Further develop relationships and collaborative research with local stakeholders and especially affiliated overseas centers, in order to enhance the understanding, preservation, and viability of cultural heritage related to our members’ research and local needs.

4. Assist members in the practical and financial aspects of international research through enlargement of our ongoing grants programs as well as creating and furnishing venues for providing expert information and counsel.

Looking Outward: We aspire to be a leader, communicator, and supporter of innovative, high-quality, forward-thinking scholarship, education, and partnerships related to the study of the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, from Europe to the African Sahel.

1. Strengthen existing platforms and media and activate new fora for scholars and the public alike to enlarge the impact of our members’ contributions to the study of the past as an essential aspect of solutions to issues of today.

2. Increase collaborative educational initiatives geared towards the public and primary and secondary education classroom settings.

3. Develop clear strategies and policies for public-facing outreach and clear communication strategies for access, including translations of materials, for members and other interested parties.

Preparation for the Future: ASOR seeks to continue to expand the audience for its work beyond traditional academics to enhance public understanding of the past and its impact on the present. We aim to support question-based research in the production and preservation of knowledge in the world. ASOR supports diversity that broadens the fields of archaeology, history, art history, linguistics, cultural research and conservation beyond traditional academic careers, by mentoring and supporting early career scholars and scholars in partner countries, and by providing archaeological and technical training for a broad range of interested individuals. ASOR will continue to create and foster support from a broad range of sources to maintain ASOR’s financial stability and resources for our growing membership.

1. Continue expanding and engaging ASOR’s membership, including efforts to increase membership and engagement from groups underrepresented in the field.

2. Foster opportunities through mentorship and skills development to prepare members for diverse fields in a rapidly-shifting social and economic environment. Harness the experience of ASOR’s membership to guide members along their chosen paths.

3. Enhance funding relationships to accomplish our mission and strategic goals.

New Board Trustees
Kiersten Neumann, a Membership-Elected Trustee, was elected an Institutional Trustee, class of 2026, moving into a slot vacated by Eric Cline, President of the W.F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research (AIAR), who retained his other seat as Overseas Institute Trustee.
Sarah Costello became a Membership-Elected Trustee, class of 2026.

Cultural Heritage
ASOR has an extraordinary ability to bring together scholars from archaeology, art history, history, science and other fields to protect and study cultural heritage and share its importance with the public. This is especially important as sites are being threatened or destroyed.

ASOR has become an organization that our overseas partners look to as they seek to begin, enhance or find help for their cultural heritage work. Through the hard work of our CH staff, ASOR has been the recipient of several grants, some through the US Department of State, to:

• partner with Libya’s Department of Antiquities to document and repair flood damage at the archaeological sites of Cyrene, Ptolemais and Tocra;
• work collaboratively with the Department of Antiquities of Sudan to strengthen site security and rebuild infrastructure at the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum;
• sign Memoranda of Understanding with the National Heritage Institute (INP) in Tunisia for work in-country, the University of Lausanne for work in Syria, and the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield for protection of cultural heritage world-wide.

Policy Discussions
Over the past year, the Programs Committee, the Committee on Archaeological Research and Policy, and the Committee on Publications have asked the Executive Committee and Board for guidance on issues outlined in ASOR’s current Code of Professional Conduct. The Board, after much deliberation and discussion, concurred that some of the language should be updated and revised. I have convened a taskforce to re-examine and rewrite the Code to provide clearer direction for members and committees. This taskforce is in the earliest stages of work, which will be complex and guided by ASOR’s recently approved Values Statement. Trustees would like to hear from you and I would appreciate your help by participating in a committee or contact me at president@asor.org.

As a corollary to this discussion, the Board affirmed that, as an apolitical organization, ASOR will not publish political statements coming officially from the Board.

Committee Participation
To make your voice heard, please consider joining a committee to help shape ASOR’s future. Reach out to the chair of the committee you are interested in serving on; get to know committee members at the Annual Meeting; watch the announcements for committee openings. Much of ASOR’s work is accomplished through committees – ASOR is you!

Best regards,

Jane DeRose Evans
President