Committee Duties
By a vote of 6 to 4 the Standing Committee adopted the following resolution and directed that it be reported to the Business Meeting:
"The Standing Committee feels that, as there is a motion pending ratification to effectively limit the Committee to those duties specified in Article IV, Section 6, of the WSFS Constitution, the Committee believe it is inappropriate to accept the duty to compile the Resolutions of the Business Meeting and suggests that another committee be appointed."
Appendix A: Committee Information
The 1985/1986 membership of the Committee is as follows:
- Appointed by Worldcon Committees:
- Craig Miller (L.A.Con II)
- Jack Herman (Aussiecon II)
- Penny Frierson (ConFederation)
- Colin Fine (Conspiracy '87)
- Elected to serve through ConFederation:
- Donald Eastlake [Chairman]
- Leslie Turek
- George Flynn
- Elected to serve through Conspiracy '87:
- Rick Katze
- Ross Pavlac
- Willie Siros
- Elected to serve through the 1988 Worldcon:
- Kent Bloom
- Jim Gilpatrick [Secretary-Treasurer]
- Ben Yalow
WSFS Standing Committee Cumulative Financial Summary, 1981-86
STARTING CASH BALANCE: $0
Income: Committee Donations $4227.00
Total Income: $4227.00
Expenses: Legal Fees $3722.04
Postage 57.70
Office Expenses 270.42
Local Transportation 6.00
Total Expenses: $4056.16
SURPLUS FOR PERIOD: $170.84
CASH BALANCE ON HAND: $170.84
WSFS Standing CommitteeFinancial Summary, Aug. 22,1985 to Aug. 28 1986
STARTING CASH BALANCE: ($252.20)
Income: Conspiracy '87 $527.00
Lone Star Con $250.00
ConFederation $250.00
CactusCon $500.00
Total Income: $1 527.00
Expenses: Legal Fees $995.00
Postage $ 39.98
Office Expenses $ 68.98
Total Expenses: $1103.96
SURPLUS FOR PERIOD: $423.04
CASH ON HAND, August 28, 1986: 70.84
Submitted by: Jlm Gilpatrick, Treasurer. August 28, 1986
"World Science Fiction Society", WSFS, "World Science Fiction Convention", "Worldcon", "NASFiC", "Science Fiction Achievement Award", and "Hugo Award" are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.
Appendix B: Some Questions and Technical Answers on Service Marks
Below are a number of questions on service marks with answers. For simplicity, these are given with reference to the law in the United States of America. Laws in other nations where Worldcons have been held are generally similar. One exception is that at this time the United Kingdom does not formally recognize service marks, only trade marks for goods. However the UK law is expected to be changed this October to allow registration of service marks. The Standing Committee is looking into legal differences in other countries.
What is a Service Mark?
The Lanham Act, the current US Trademark legislation, defines a service mark as 'A mark used in the sale or advertising of services to identify the services of one person and distinguish them from the services of others.' In this definition, 'person' means a "legal person" and includes associations, corporations, and partnerships as well as individuals.
A service mark is generally no different than a trademark other than the fact that it is associated with services rather than goods. The Lanham Act defines a trademark as "any word, name, symbol, or device or any combination thereof adopted and used by a manufacturer or merchant to identify his goods and distinguish them from those manufactured or sold by others." Examples of well known service marks are Hertz, Avis, PanAm, and McDonald's.
What is Registration?
In the USA and many other countries, rights in service marks (and other kinds of marks) can be acquired only through adoption and actual use of the mark. What is all this about registration then?
If a mark has been actually used in the USA, in commerce that may be regulated by Congress, to exclusively identify some particular provider of a service, it may be registered with the Patent and Trademark Office. Registration confers the following advantages: (1) It creates a legal presumption that the trademark is valid. Thus it puts the burden on anyone trying to use a mark sufficiently similar as to cause confusion to show that they have some right to do so. If the mark was placed on the Principle Register (as all WSFS marks have been so far) then after five years and some more formalities, the mark achieves "incontestable" status, which really means that it can only be attacked on a small number of narrow grounds. (2) In addition, registration on the Principle Register makes available mechanisms to stop infringing imports. (3) Federal registration gives the world "constructive notice" as to the use of the mark. This means that after registration, no one in the US can use ignorance of the use by the owner as an excuse. (4) Federal registration gives a right to sue in Federal courts and obtain nationwide enforcement as well as providing for treble damages in certain circumstances.
What is Abandonment?
The Lanham Act provides that a mark 'shall be deemed to be 'abandoned' ... when any course of conduct of the registrant, including acts of omission as well as commission, causes the mark to lose its significance as an indication of origin.' Usually abandonment consists of the owner no longer using the mark. In the USA, failure to use a registered mark for two years creates a presumption of abandonment but this can be overcome if you can show that there was no intent to abandon the mark. However the provision in the Lanham act also covers the registrant ignoring infringing uses, where the value of a mark as an indication of origin is destroyed by other uses and knowing this the registered mark owner takes no action, and improper licensing as described below.
What is Improper Licensing?
The owner of a service mark can license others to use the mark but only if they retain control of the services offered. Franchises are a typical example of this sort of thing. A license granted without proper controls and safeguards operates as an abandonment of the mark.
To see why this is so, remember that a service mark is defined as 'A mark used ... to identify the services of one person and distinguish them from the services of others.' This can be extended so as to allow licensees to use the mark if they are sufficiently controlled by the mark owner. An improper license, often called a 'naked license,' gives some person the right to use the mark without controls and is thus a "... course of conduct of the registrant ... [that] causes the mark to lose it significance as an indication of origin.' A mark used by two people identifying similar services offered by each of them without common control does not identify the origin of the service. Thus, by definition, ft can not be a service mark and is not entitled to any protection.
To quote just one law text: 'Under the Lanham Act and at common law a licensor must exercise control over the nature and quality of the product or service for which the mark is licensed or lose its rights to the mark." An Intellectual Property Primer, copyright 1975 Earl K. Kintner.
Appendix C: Chicago International Film Festival Material
INTERCOM, a division of the annual Chicago International Film Festival, is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt educational and cultural organization, devoted to the discovery and exhibition of fine film and
videotapes from ail over the world.
The Hugo Awards
The Hugo - an award symbolic of discovery.
Gold Hugo - Grand Prix of the Festival, presented to the outstanding entry in each of the major categories.
Silver Hugo - presented to the second place winner in each major category.
The Hugo was designed by sculptor Zeida Wemer.
[Photograph of] Kunai Sen accepts the Gold Hugo Award for his father. Mrinai Sen's film, "THE RUINS", awarded Best Feature Film of 1984.
Plaques: Gold and Silver Plaques may be awarded to winners in each sub-category. Certificates of merit will be offered to quality productions that do not receive other awards. The juries have the right to recommend duplicate awards in case of equal merit and also to recommend that no awards be given in a category or sub-category, if no entries are of award caliber.
HUGOThe Symbol of Discovery. Grand Prix of INTERCOM and the Chicago International Film Festival. A non-profit organization.
The Oscar and Emmy Getz Award:
A specially designed award given to the best First Feature Film in the competition.
Appendix D.1: First Letter to "World SF"
10 August 1985
"World SF" Sam J. Lundwall
10 Fitzwilliam Square President, "World SF"
Dublin 2 Storskogsvagen 19
IRELAND S-161 39 Bromma
SWEDEN
Dear "World SF",
I hope that I have the right names and addresses on this letter. If not, I trust that it will be forwarded appropriately.
I am writting in my capacity as Chair of the Standing Committee of the World Science Fiction Society® (WSFS®). The primary duty of this committee is the protection of the marks used by or under the authority of WSFS.
It is the unanimous opinion of the committee that the name under which you are operating, "World SF", directly infringes on the name World Science Fiction SociEty. In the minds of most people "SF" and "Science Fiction" are virtually synonymous. Furthermore, such words at the end of an organization's name as "Society", "Association", "Incorporated", etc., are frequently confused or dropped. Thus from the point of view of name recognition, "World SF" and World Science Fiction Society are the same name.
(My personal experiences in attending the annual World Science Fiction Convention (r) and (the Woridcon (r), sponsored by WSFS) and in biddIng for and running one such convention bear this out. Everything from the huge letters on the Phoenix, Arizona, Convention Center marquee in 1978 saying "Welcome, World SF", through the way that facilities reservations and the like made carefully under the correct full name of our organization frequently get corrupted to "World SF Association" or "World Science Fiction" or sometimes "World SF", to the SF professionals who have started showing up at the annual WSFS Business Meeting expecting a meeting of your organization, confirms that you chose a name that clearly and directly infringes on the name World Science Fiction Society.)
You should also consider the following additional factors: (1) The name World Science Fiction Society has been in continuous use since 1955 while it is our understanding that "World SF" was only formed in 1979. (2) The World Science Fiction Society is an organization open to all persons while it is our understanding that "World SF" is an organization limited to SF professionals. (3) World Science Fiction Society and WSFS are among the registered service marks of the World Science Fiction Society.
In summary, the WSFS Standing Committee is of the unanimous opinion that the name under which you are operating, "World SF", directly infringes on the name World Science Fiction Society. Therefore, I was directed by the Standing Committee to write to you and inquire, in light of the World Science Fiction Society's longer use of the name, its special statue as the owner of a registered service mark in its name, and its open membership policy contrasted with your restrictive policy, what steps "World SF" recommends should be taken to eliminate this name conflict.
As far as I am aware, this name conflict is the only point of contention between WSFS and "World SF". It is my personal opinion that these organizations are complimentary and there is great potential for mutually advantageous cooperation between them.
Sincerely Yours,
Donald E. Eastlake, III
Chair, WSFS Standing Committee
cc, Frederik Pohl
Vice-President, "World SF"
855 South Harvard Drive
Palatine, IL 60067
Appendix D.2: Second Letter to "World SF"
5 September 1985
'World SF, An International Association of Science Fiction Professionals Cambidge, MA 12142
10 Fitzwillam Square United Stares of
Dublin 2
IRELAND
Sam J. Lundwall
President, World SF,
An International Association of Science Fiction Professionals
Storskogsvagen 19
S-161 39 Bromma
SWEDEN
Dear World SF,
At its 1985 Annual Business Meeting held in Melbourne, Australia, the World Science Fiction Society (r) voted that the name "World SF, An International Association of Science Fiction Professionals" does not infringe on any of its marks. Please ignore my letter of 10 August 1985 as it might apply to the name "World SF, An International Association of Science Fiction Professionals".
Sincerely Yours,
Donald E. Eastlake, II
Chair, WSFS Standing Committee
cc: Frederik Pohl
Vice-President, World SF,
An International Association of Science Fiction Professionals
855 South Harvard Drive
Palatine, IL 60067
Minority Report of the Standing Committee
In connection with Section 8 of the 1986 Standing Committee report to the World Science Fiction Society Business Meeting:
The minority of the Standing Committee agrees with the Business Meeting that the Standing Committee is the most effective available body to accomplish the task of compiling, maintaining, and distributing the Business Meeting resolutions. This is a continuing task of a straight forward clerical nature. Under the WSFS Constitution, any other body assigned this task would have to @)e renewed at each Business Meeting.
As I understand it, the majority of the Standing Committee and a number of other persons are very concerning that additional duties will be assigned to the Standing Committee in a thoughtless manner just because the Committee is there.
Since 1981 the Standing Committee and its predecessor ad hoc committees have been assigned only World Science Fiction Society mark registration and protection. The task of compiling, maintaining, and distributing the resolutions of the Business Meeting is the first additional continuing task that has come up for possible assignment in that five year period so I do not personnel believe this is much of a problem.
Still, if there is a concern about careless delegation of duties to the Standing Committee, I believe that it should be addressed directly. Meaningless name change amendments to the Constitution or resolutions attempting to reject the mandate of the Business Meeting in assigning a continuing clerical task which is particularly appropriate to the Standing Committee do not directly address this question.
The Business Meeting is the general governing body of WSFS and it should take a clear prohibition in the Constitution to thwart the Business Meeting in giving a task to any committee it chooses. There is no such clear and direct prohibition in the Constitution now nor will there be if the amendment to change the name of the Standing Committee is adopted. Even if this Business Meeting interprets the name change to be a restriction on assigning tasks to the Standing Committee, because there will still be no clear prohibition anywhere in the rules, future Business Meetings will have no trouble taking a different interpretation if they feel like it.
Therefore, I propose the following amendment to the Standing Rules so that the Business Meeting may actually restrict new assignments to the Standing Committee if it wishes to do so:
Short Title: Cautionary Motion
MOVED, to amend the Standing Rules for the Governance of the World Science Fiction Society Business Meeting by adding the following new rule:
"It shall require a two-thirds vote to assign any new tasks to the Standing Committee."
If this rule is adopted then, if a possible third task for the Committee comes up, the rule will be there in the Standing Rules, having been published annually all along, giving notice that special consideration and an extraordinary vote should be required to assign new tasks to the Standing Committee.
Donald E. Eastlake, III
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1986 -Preliminary Business Meeting
Attachment 1 - AGENDA
- Item I passed on from Aussiecon: Program Book, p.112
- Item 2 passed on from Aussiecon: Program Book, p.112
- Item 3 passed on from Aussiecon: Program Book, p.112
- Item 4 passed on from Aussiecon: Program Book, p.112
- Item 5 passed on from Aussiecon: Program Book, p.112
- Item 6 passed on from Aussiecon: Program Book, p.112
- Report of Special Committee on Worldcon Site Selection and Rotation
- Committee to Research Business Meeting Resolutions
- ConCom Financial Reporting Act (Ann Broomhead, Jill Eastlake)
Moved, to amend the WSFS Constitution by striking the second sentence of Article I, Section 7, and inserting the following in its place:
"Each Worldcon Committee shall submit an annual financial report, including a statement of income and expenses, to each WSFS Business Meeting after the committee's selection through the first or second Business Meeting after its Worldcon, at their option, to which it will also submit a cumulative final financial report."
- Special Exclusion (Lewis H. Wolkoff, Kurt Miller)
- Best Cover Art; Best Interior Illustration (Lewis H. Wolkoff, Kurt Miller)
- Best Non-Fiction Book (Lewis H. Wolkoff, Kurt Miller)
- Notification of Hugo Nominees (Craig Miller, Dalroy Ward)
Moved, to add to Article II a new Section, between current Sections 18 and 19 as follows:
"Notification and Acceptance: Worldcon Committees shall use reasonable efforts to notify the nominees in each category, either by telephone or by mail, prior to the release of such information. Each nominee shall be asked at that time to either accept or decline the nomination."
- Out-of Rotation Sites (Robert E. Sacks, Brian L. Burley)
To amend the WSFS Constitution by adding a section to Article III.
"An out-of-rotation site in North America may be selected by a three-quarters (3/4) vote of all voters except those voting "No preference."
- Definition of North America and Treatment of Moving Sites (Robert E. Sacks, Brian L. Burley)
To amend the WSFS Constitution by adding to Article III
"North America shall consist of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, St. Pierre et Miquelon, the continental United States, Mexico, all countries in Central America between Mexico and Panama inclusive, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all islands of the Caribbean. A cruise ship or other moving site in port in North America shall be considered part of North America, and part of the region or regions it is in port in."
- Rules Distribution Amendment (Donald E. Eastlake III, Charles J. Hitchcock)
Moved, to amend Article IV, Section 8, of the WSFS Constitution by striking the words "printed in the Worldcon Program Book, if there is one" and inserting in their place the words "distributed to all WSFS members in attendance at the Worldcon upon registration."
- Copies Clarification Act (Donald E. Eastlake, III, Alexis Layton)
Moved, to amend Rule 5 of the Standing Rules for the Governance of the WSFS Business Meeting by
(l)striking the words 'requiring a vote' and inserting in their place the words 'for non-privileged new business' and
(2)moving the last two sentences of Rule 5 to the end of Rule 4.
Note: The Report of the Standing Committee has been postponed, by request of the Chair of the Standing Committee, until the Saturday Business Meeting.
[Preliminary Business Meeting - Attachment 2] - REPORT OF THE ROTATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO CONFEDERATION
This document is the report of the committee appointed at Aussiecon 2 (1985) to study changes in the Worldcon rotation system. The committee consists of Ben Yalow (chair), Colin Fine, Jack Herman, Bob Hillis, Tony Lewis, Craig Miller and Ross Pavlac. Copies of all correspondence of the committee have been filed with the Secretary of the Business Meeting.
The results of the voting by the committee did not result in a majority report. Three members of the committee (Fine, Hillis and Lewis) proposed that no change be made to the current rotation system. Four members proposed that changes be made. However, no two proposed changes were the same. Therefore, the committee is unable to produce a majority report, but is producing five minority reports: one proposes no change, the other four each propose different changes.
The committee also recommends that it be dissolved, and that the matter be resolved by this Business Meeting. This is the third year that a committee has been studying this matter, and we believe that no further useful work can be done by a committee. We also note that, upon reporting, the original motion referred to the committee at LAcon will disappear. Inasmuch as it received no support on the committee (although some members did indicate that it was a possible second choice), it is not being brought out of the committee.
Inasmuch as no proposal received a majority vote of the committee, we are not introducing any motions. However, we will provide the motions proposed by the four members proposing changes. Notice of these motions is provided by this report, and may be introduced by being seconded by any member of WSFS. Any motion so seconded will then be added to the agenda as new business.
The four change proposals are listed by author, and are given a short title is required by the standing rules. They are:
- Herman (No zone rotation system)
Moved: To amend Article III of the WSFS Constitution by deleting all of Section 6 except the last sentence, and replacing the part of the second sentence of Section 7 after the word "NASFIC" with "in North America".
Effect: This would delete the entire North American rotation system. Any site would be eligible to bid at any time, except for those sites within 60 miles of the site at which selection occurs.
- Miller (Three North American zones with 1/3 non-North America rotation)
[There's a note saying "See attached for Current wording", but nothing seems to be attached.]
Moved: To amend Article III, section 6 of the WSFS Constitution by replacing the words "Western, Central, Eastern region" in the next to the last sentence with the words "Eastern, Western, non-North American, Central, Eastern, Non-North American, Western, Central, non-North American", and adding the following proviso to the section "Provided that this rotation takes effect with the selection of the Eastern Worldcon to be selected at the 1989 Worldcon".
and
To amend Article III, Section 7 by replacing the first two sentences with "NASFiC sites shall rotate in the order Eastern, Western, Central region", and adding the following proviso to the section "Provided that this begins with the Worldcon to be selected at the 1991 Worldcon".
Effect: This would add non-North America to the rotation. There would be a 9 year cycle, containing 3 non-North American Worldcons. Each North American zone would hold 2 Worldcons and a NASFIC during a cycle. The provisos used would synchronize to the current rotation as soon as possible. The earliest this could be ratified would be 1987, by which time the 1988 candidates (race for 1991) would have filed. The 1989 and 1990 elections (1992 and 1993 sites) would be for the same zones under the current and proposed new rotation.
Since this would place non-North America in the rotation, the NASFIC, if it is to be continued as a rotating convention, needs its own rotation, since there would be no "skipped" region. By starting the NASFIC selection with the Eastern region for the first NASFIC to be selected (in 1991), this would result in no zone holding a Worldcon and a NASFIC in successive years, This could be changed by changing the starting region in the rotation.
- Pavlac (Floating zone rotation system)
Moved: To amend Article III, Section 6 of the WSFS Constitution by replacing the last two sentences with, "A site shall be ineligible if it is in the same region as the site at which selection occurs."
and
To amend Article III, Section 7 by adding the following to the end of the first sentence "except in those years when the selection would take place in a site outside North America", and by replacing the second sentence after the word "NASFIC" with "in any region of North America except the same region as the site at which the selection occurs".
Effect: This would result in the world composed of four regions: the three North American regions and the non-North America region. Any region of the four except for the administering region would be eligible to hold the Worldcon. The NASFIC could be held in any North American region except the administering region.
- Yalow (Two North American regions rotation system)
Moved: To amend Article III, Section 6 of the WSFS Constitution by replacing all of the section starting from "three (3) regions" with "two (2) regions as follows: Western: Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and all states and provinces westward and Eastern: all states and provinces of North America not contained in the Western region. Worldcon sites shall rotate in the order Eastern, Western.", and adding the following proviso to the section "Provided that this rotation takes effect with the selection of the Eastern Worldcon to be selected at the 1989 Worldcon"
Effect: This will split North America into two regions instead of three. Non-North American bids will continue to be eligible at any time. With a three year voting lead time, and a two zone rotation, voting will never take place in the same region as is being selected, so the 60 mile exclusion is removed. The 1992 Worldcon will be selected in the old Eastern region and take place in the new Eastern region, the 1993 Worldcon will be selected in the old Western region and take place in the new Western region, the 1994 Worldcon will be selected in the old Central region and take place in the new Eastern one, and starting with the 1995 (Western) Worldcon, all selections will be in the other region.
[Preliminary Business Meeting - Attachment 3]
Short Title: Concom Financial Reporting Act
MOVED, to amend the WSFS Constitution by striking the second sentence of Article I, Section 7, and inserting the following in its place:
"Each Worldcon Committee shall submit an annual financial report, including a statement of income and expenses, to each WSFS Business Meeting after the committee's selection through the first or second Business Meeting after its Worldcon, at their option, to which it also submit a cumulative final financial report."
Submitted by: Ann A. Broomhead, ConFederation Member #74-A
Treasurer, Boston in 1989 / Noreascon III
Seconded by: Jill Eastlake, ConFederation Member #l 23-A
Treasurer, Boston in 1980 / Noreascon II
Explanation: The present financial reporting provisions require a report 90 days after the convention and a final report within a year. This is frequently unrealistic. With large US Worldcons there are frequently large expenses in dispute with convention centers or contractors that are just getting finally settled a year after the convention. Furthermore, the expansion of Worldcon lead time to three year gives more opportunity for some financial reporting in advance of the convention as provided by this amendment.
The amendment also requires that the reports be given to the Business Meeting which is probably the only body that could really do anything, even if it is just to pass a resolution calling on Worldcon committees to do the right thing.
Finally, the independent accountant requirement is eliminated since it is somewhat pointless without requiring any qualifications of the accountant and an accountant selected and replaceable at the sole discretion of a Worldcon committee can't be very independent anyway.
[Preliminary Business Meeting - Attachment 4]
The Hugo Awards: A Discussion With Proposals by Lew Wolkoff
Here, as promised, is the piece* on revising the Hugos.
The Hugos (as yet unnamed) were first given at the 1953 Worldcon in Philadelphia. They went over so well that the next year's committee didn't give any. However, fannish clamor brought them back in 1955, and, they've been with us ever since. In fact, according to the Constitution of the World Science Fiction Society, the sole functions of the Worldcon are the Business Meeting and the awarding of the Hugos.
The Hugos have been around for over thirty years. And they've been tinkered with any number of times since then in an effort to get them right. This is another such effort. I'm going to try to consider three areas which have been discussed regarding the changing of the awards: a limit on repeat winners, the Pro Artist Hugo, and the Non-Fiction Hugo. After each discussion, I intend to make a proposal about how the awards should be changed. These proposals, like this essay as a whole, are intended to provoke discussion- But they are also intended to provoke action. I would like to take any agreed upon language concerning one or more of these proposals into the ConFederation Business Meeting for first vote. (Amendments must be approved at two successive Worldcons.)
[This paragraph is a footnote.] * This appears as a separate piece from my zine in LASAPA for several reasons. First, so that it can be considered on its own merits. Second, so that it can, if I wish, be distributed without having to edit out any apa comments. Third, because I'm working at it at different times from when I work on my zine, and I may finish one well before the other. [End footnote]
REPEAT WINNERS
A lot of suggestions about repeat Hugo winners have been made through the years, some of them (even of the printable ones) were from non-winners. The fact remains that some writers are better than others. So long as such people turn out work, the quality of that work will be recognized by nomination. Some are also more popular than others, getting nominated for the body of their work, rather than for a particular piece. The "Bob Smith" phenomenon that ensures a lesser book by a well known author even getting bought simply because of his/her name probably also applies to getting a nomination. In any event, the list of Hugo nominees is generally crowded with repetitions from earlier years.
Eliminating one name from the list either because he/she won last year or has won X number of times in the past is not going to keep all of the repetition off of the list of nominees. Nor should it be expected to do so. The only valid reason would be that it will allow for deserved recognition for other authors/artists/editors; especially for newer additions to the list who may not even have been nominated in previous years. Deserving, creative people who got crowded out of a nomination because Harlan*, Kelly*, or Charlie* are more popular or better known.
[Another footnote] *I enjoy and have, in fact , voted for the works of these three men. I use their names here merely to illustrate a point without begrudging any of them the awards that they have received (and earned) . [End footnote]
For the record, the following individuals and magazines have won the Hugo** five or more times:
[Another footnote] ** This does not include Hugos for Best Dramatic Presentation (e.g., the movie 2010 doesn't count towards Arthur Clarke's Hugos. Nor does it include one-time special Hugos as Ellison got for editing both Dangerous Visions and Again Dangerous Visions. (Note: If his Hugo for Best All Time Series, an award given only once, were to be counted, Isaac Asimov would also be on this list.)[End footnote]
ANALOG/ASTOUNDING Prozine 1953, 1955-570, 1961-62, 1964-65
Poul Anderson Short Story 1961,1964
Novella 1972,1982
Novelette 1969,1973,1979
Ben Bova Editor 1973-77, 1979
Charlie Brown/ LOCUS Fanzine 1971-2, 1976, 1978, 1980-83
Semi-Prozine 1984-5
Harlan Ellison Short Story 1966, 1968-69, 1978
Novella 1974-75
Ed Emshwiller Cover Artist 1953
Illustrator 1960,1962
Pro Artist 1964-65
Kelly Freas Pro Artist 1955-56, 1958-59, 1970, 1972-76
F and SF Prozine 1958-60, 1963, 1970-72
Dick Geis / SFR Fanzine 1969-70, 1974-5, 1977, 1979
Fan Writer 1971, 1975-78, 1982-83
Tim Kirk Fan Artist 1970, 1972-74, 1975
Fritz Leiber Short Story 1976
Novella 1970-71
Novelette 1965,1968
Novel/Novella 1958
Larry Niven Short Story 1967,1972,1975
Novelette 1976
Novel 1971
Michael Whelan Pro Artist 1980-85
It's worth noting that most of the names on the list have won at least five times. (Dick Geis leads the count with 13 Hugos.) It would not be inappropriate, I think, to declare these people "Grand Masters" or some other such title and remove their names from further consideration (except for special awards which is a separate issue). A problem with this concept is that most of the individuals are still relatively young. There is no way to tell that their best works may not yet be ahead of them. To remove their names from consideration is to remove their work from consideration, and this is unfair to both the man and the work involved. While these "Hugo Laureates" are deserving of some special recognition, I don't think that such recognition should take the form of excluding them from any further consideration.
How then to handle multiple-year winners? By at least dealing with the possibility of the having same winner in successive years. Such recognition is the positive. What is the negative? First, that an author might not write in a given year because he/she isn't eligible for the Hugo. This may be true, and it may be a good reason for rejecting the concept of completely eliminating an author following a pre-set number of wins. However, where the rule is only that a person may not receive a Hugo two years in a row in a single category, I don't think that the impact would be to stop an author from writing, an artist from working. First, because a writer writes and a painter paints for a lot of other reasons than to win an award. They do their work to communicate, to teach, or, prosaically, for the money. And these are three drives that would continue regardless of eligibility for an award.
A second reason for not adding a restriction is that it prohibits the honoring of a deserving work. A writer, so the argument goes, won the Best Novella Hugo two years in a row because he/she WROTE the best novella two years in a row. Individual judgement here is subjective, so let's look at the historical record. Below are a list of the 58 cases in which someone won a Hugo (in any single category) in two successive years. In the four cases where the back-to-back wins were for a work of fiction, I'm also including the nominees who lost when that individual won the successive Hugo(s).
- Name Years -Category (Other) Nominees in Second Year
- ASTOUNDING 1955-57 Prozine N/A
- Kelly Freas 1955-56 Pro Artist N/A
- Kelly Freas 1958-59 Pro Artist N/A
- F and SF 1958-60 Prozine N/A
- "Twilight Zone"' 1960-62 Dramatic Presentation N/A
- Ed Emshiller 1961-62 Pro Artist N/A
- ANALOG 1961-62 Prozine N/A
- ANALOG 1964-65 Prozine N/A
- IF 1966-68 Prozine N/A
- Jack Gaughn 1967-69 Pro Artist N/A
- Harlan Ellison 1968-69 Short Story
- "The Dance of the Charger and the Three" Carr
- "The Steiger Effect" Curtis
- "The Beast that Shouted Love..." Ellison*
- "Masks" Knight
- "All the Myriad Ways" Niven
- SFR/ALIEN CRITIC 1969-70 Fanzine N/A
- F and SF 1969-72 Prozine N/A
- Fritz Leiber 1970-71 Novella
- "The Region Between" Ellison
- "Beastchild" Koontz
- "Ill Met in Lankhmar" Leiber*
- "The World Outside" Silverberg
- "Thing in the Stone" Simak
- LOCUS 1971-72 Fanzine N/A
- Kelly Freas 1972-76 Pro Artist N/A
- Tim Kirk 1972-74 Fan Artist N/A
- Ben Bova 1973-77 Editor N/A
- Harlan Ellison 1974-75 Novelette
- "That Thou Art Mindful of Him" Asimov
- "Adrift Off the Islets of Langerhans..." Ellison*
- "Midnight by the Murphy Watch" Leiber
- "After the Dreamtime" Lupoff
- "Extreme Prejudice" Pournelle
- "A Brother of Dragons, A Companion of Owls" Wilhelm
- "Nix Olympica" Wolling
- SFR/ALIEN CRITIC 1974-75 Fanzine N/A
- Richard E. Geis 1975-78 Fan Writer N/A
- Spider Robinson 1977-78 Novella
- "A Snark in the Night" Benford
- "The Wonderful Secret" Laumer
- "Aztecs" McIntyre
- "Stardance" Robinson* (& Jeanne Robinson)
- "In the Hall of the Martian Kings" Varley
- Rich Sternbach 1977-78 Pro Artist N/A
- Phil Foglio 1977-78 Fan Artist N/A
- Bob Shaw 1979-80 Fan Writer N/A
- Michael Whelan 1980-85 Pro Artist N/A
- LOCUS 1980-83 Fanzine N/A
- Ed Ferman 1981-83 Editor
- Victoria Poyser 1981-82 Fan Artist N/A
- Richard E. Geis 1982-83 Fan Writer N/A
- Alexis Gilliland 1983-81 Fan Artist N/A
- LOCUS 1984-85 Semi-Proz. N/A
- Mike Glyer 1984-85 Fan Writer N/A
The final tally is:
Novelette 1 Pro Artist 15
Novella 2 Dramatic Presentation 2
Short Story 1 Fanzine - 8
Editor 6 Fan Writer 6
Prozine 11 Fan Artist 6
Total: 58
Most of the arguments given about not having any sort of exclusion seem to center on the unfairness of such a rule to SF writers. Yet, only a very small percentage of all the repeat cases have involved fiction. Th e great majority of these repetitions involve bodies of work, rather than individual efforts. They are the equivalent, if you will, of voting a Best Professional Writer award. (In point of fact, a nominee may not even have needed to have been active in the year nominated. He/she need only have been popular enough to get a nomination.)
I, therefore, suggest the following addition to the rules:
ARTICLE II, Section 22: Special Exclusion: Except for those categories which recognize a single titled work, an individual or publication may not be nominated for any category for which that individual or publication received the Hugo in the previous year.
This would allow for repeat Hugos for Novel, Novelette, Novella, and Short Story. If the suggestion that I will shortly be making about the Pro Artist Hugo is followed, the proposed Best Cover and Best Interior Illos Hugos could also have a repeat winner. But no other category could. Please remember, too, this exclusion would only be for one year.
THE PROFESSIONAL ARTIST HUGO
If there’s a category that deals with body of work, rather than a single work during the year in question, it would have to be Professional Artist. Again, I’m not attacking the work of any of the winners or the fact that they have won. (Taste in art, like taste in anything else, is subjective.) What I am suggesting is that it might be more appropriate to honor two specific categories of SF art, the cover piece and the interior illustration. These are the two types of art that most of us see. Indeed, part of the poor reputation that SF has is due to its cover art, the infamous "BEMs and Broads" illos. Also, although no Hugo has ever been won for interior illustration, it should be noted that the first art Hugo in 1953 (jointly awarded to Ed Emshwiller and Hannes Bok) was for Cover Artist.
Cover and interior illustration are, I think, different types of work, with different criteria and constraints. It is no less valid to consider them separately than to separate the fiction Hugo award into four separate categories. Splitting the single Hugo (for body of work) into two Hugos (for specific pieces) would, I think, lead to a better consideration of what is good SF art. It would change the question that the nominators are answering from "what artist do I like" to "Which pieces of art did I like?". If the Hugos are to honor achievement (and their proper title is the "Science Fiction Achievement Awards"), then they should be awarded for the two categories where the efforts of most SF artists are seen and may be compared. (I would consider SF calendars as collections of cover art and place them into that category.)
This change in the Artist Hugo would be best made, though, by making the new categories Best Cover Art and Best Interior Illustration, rather than Best Cover Artist and Best Interior Illustrator. To emphasize the work rather than the artist, is important. To do otherwise simply trades one general artist popularity contest for two more specific artist popularity contests.
To those who suggest that it might be difficult to go back through the year’s works and pick particular nominees, I point out that this is exactly what is done in every Hugo category. The number of voters for the Pro Artist Hugo is about the same as for the fiction categories. This suggests that there may well be sufficient interest in SF/Fantasy art to justify changing the Hugo to a pair of more specific awards. If these large numbers represent a mass of uncritical voters engaged in no more than a popularity contest, then -- to make an elitist statement -- it might be valid to make the categories more rigid. (It’s worth noting that the three fan Hugos, the most esoteric categories, got between 956 and 1030 ballots in 1984 and between 284 and 287 ballots in 1985.)
[In 1984, between 1097 and 1363 ballots were cast for the various Fiction Hugos and 1211 for Pro Artist. In 1985, there were 345-395 ballots for fiction Hugos and 330 for Pro Artist.]
The question has been raised in other discussions of the Art Hugo as to how voters are to see what they are voting for. The same question might well be asked for any of the Hugo categories. However, the solution is more readily at hand for the two proposed art Hugos. The nominees could be reproduced within the Progress Report distributed at the time of the voting. I realize that there are two problems with this: (1) the additional costs, especially if the cover art is to be reproduced in color; and (2) the fact that this would entail what amounts to a free distribution of the art, possibly affecting both its value and the security of the copyright.
I readily admit to having no solution to the question of cost. Whether or not the expense was approved would be up to each committee, although there might be the weight of precedence from previous years. This could create an unwanted expense at a time when monies might be better spent elsewhere. My only suggestion is that the cover art might be able to be worked as black and white.
The copyright problem is not, I think, so bad. As I understand it, an artist has all the rights that anyone can think of to his or her work. It may well be -- and this is a question for fandom’s lawyers -- that we need only define a new category, Hugo Ballot Reproduction Right, to solve this problem.
I, therefore, propose that:
1. ARTICLE II, Section 9, of the Constitution of the World Science Fiction Society be replaced with the following:
Section 9: Best Cover Art: Any cover illustration for a book or magazine dealing with science fiction or fantasy or any calendar dealing with a science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time within the previous calendar year.
Section 10: Best Interior Illustration: Any illustration appearing within the pages of a book or magazine dealing with a science f iction or fantasy appearing for the first time within the previous calendar year.
2. The remaining Sections of Article II shall be appropriately renumbered.
I have not included any language regarding the reproduction of nominated works in these amendments. I leave this to the individual committees, although the Business Meeting might pass a resolution suggesting that such reproduction be done.
THE NON-FICTION HUGO
The Non-Fiction Hugo is relatively new, having been first awarded in 1980. However, throughout the thirty plus years of the Hugo awards, a number of individuals and non-fiction works have been honored.
Science Fact
Year Category Winner
1953 Excellence in Fact Articles Willy Ley
1955 Feature writer Willy Ley
1963 science articles in F&SF Isaac Asimov Special Award
1967 "The 21st Century" TV show CBS-TY Special Award
History Criticism of SF
Year Category Winner
1956 Book Reviewer Damon Knight
1962 Handbook of SF and Fantasy Donald R. Tuck Special Award
1963 book reviews in ANALOG P. Schuyler Miller Special Award
1973 L'Encyclopedie de l’Utopie Pierre Versins Special Award
1975 Reference Guide to Fantasy Films Walt Lee Special Award
1976 Alternate Worlds: An Illustrated History of SF James Gunn Special Award
Nominations for the award are open to "(a)ny non-fiction work relating to the field of science fiction or fantasy." Considering the range of represented by the winners (let alone the nominees), the field of science fiction or fantasy has some rather distant relations. The six winners to date are:
1980 The Science Fiction Encyclopedia Peter Nicholls
1981 Cosmos Carl Sagan
1982 Danse Macabre Stephen King
1983 Isaac Asimov: the Foundation of Science Fiction James Gunn
1984 encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy Donald Tuck
1985 Wonder Child: My Life in Science Fiction Jack Williamson
These are all good books, though the connection to SF or fantasy is rather tenuous for Sagan's book. If we are to include science fact books in this category, then the language in the WSFS Constitution should say so. My premise here is that the category should be limited to books that DEAL WITH science fiction and fantasy, rather than simply have some loose connection to the genre. This restriction would include histories of the genre or of fandom; biographies of writers, editors, or artists; works of literary or artistic criticism; sociologic studies of SF or of fandom, etc. This is hardly a restrictive list. The purpose, though, would be to encourage such works by the fact that they are specifically honored.
Aside from the six winners, what is the nature of the other nominees?
a. one fanzine, WARHOON 28, a special collection of the work of its editor, Walt Willis;
b. one work, The Faces of Science Fiction, is no more than the pictures of a number of writers;
c. several books, Barlowe’s Guide to Extra Terrestrials, DiFate’s Catalog of Science Fiction Hardware, After Man, and The Grand Tour, are picture books with a science fiction theme. The High Kings is a similar work with more of a fantasy orientation;
d. Art books by Mike Whelan, Leo and Diane Dillon, and Rowena have been nominated;
e. both half’s of Asimov’s autobiography have been nominated, as has Platt’s The Dream Makers;
f. books related to a single work, The Dune Encyclopedia and The World of the Dark Crystal, or to a single author, Fear Itself: the Horror of Stephen King, have also been on the list; and
g. finally, there have been a number of books of history or criticism such as LeGuin's The Language of the Night.
Some of these nominations are not, I think appropriate. For example, because the various "picture books" mentioned in c. are premised on a science fiction idea (ETs, war or travel in space, the extinction of mankind), they might almost be considered fiction, rather than non-fiction. And, while it was interesting to see what particular writers actually looked like, I wouldn’t consider ' The Faces of Science Fiction to be an "Achievement" of 1964. I, therefore, propose that ARTICLE II, section 6, be revised to read (revision in LARGE type)
Section 6: Best Non-Fiction Book: Any non-fictional work WHO’S SUBJECT IS the field of science fiction or fantasy OR FANDOM appearing for the first time in book form during the previous calendar year.
This stronger language, I think, should better serve.
This material will, I hope, be given as wide a distribution as possible. Permission hereby is given to reproduce the material as needed for such distribution. Anybody wishing to write me regarding the ideas expressed herein can reach me at 920 Grand Street; Harrisburg, PA 17102. (Please write with any results this material gets from being distributed elsewhere.)
Summary Page
Motion 1:
The following shall be added after Article II, Section 2l of the WSFS Constitution:
ARTICLE II, Section 22: Special Exclusion: Except for those categories which recognize a single titled work, an individual or publication may not be nominated for any category for which that individual or publication received the Hugo in the previous year.
Motion 2:
Article II, Section 9 of the WSFS Constitution shall be replaced with the following:
1. ARTICLE II, Section 9, of the Constitution of the World Science Fiction Society be replaced with the following:
Section 9: Best Cover Art: Any cover illustration for a book or magazine dealing with science fiction or fantasy or any calendar dealing with a science fiction or fantasy appearing for the first time within the previous calendar year.
Section 10: Best Interior Illustration: Any illustration appearing within the pages of a book or magazine dealing with a science f iction or fantasy appearing for the first time within the previous calendar year.
Motion 3:
Article II, Section 6 of the WSFS Constitution shall be revised to read (revisions in CAPITALS), as follows:
Section 6: Best Non-Fiction Book: Any non-fictional work WHOSE SUBJECT IS the field of science fiction or fantasy OR FANDOM appearing for the first time in book form during the previous calendar year.
Attachment 5: PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD SCIENCE FICTION SOCIETY
Short Title: Notification of Hugo Nominees
Move to add to Article II, Science Fiction Achievement Awards, a new section between current sections 18 and 19 as follows:
Notification and Acceptance: Worldcon Committees shall use reasonable efforts to notify the nominee in each category either by telephone or by mail prior to the public release of such information. Each nominee shall be asked at that time to either accept or decline the nomination.
Attachment 6: OUT-OF-ROTATION SITES
To amend the WSFS Constitution by adding a section to Article III:
An out-of-rotation site in North America may be selected by a three quarters (3/4) vote of all voters except those voting "No Preference".
DEFINITION OF NORTH AMERICA AND TREATMENT OF MOVING SITES
To amend the WSFS Constitution by adding to Article III
North America shall consist of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, St Pierre & Miquelon, the continental United States, Mexico, all countries in Central America between Mexico and Panama inclusive, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all islands of the Caribbean. A cruise ship or other moving site in port in North America shall be considered part of North America, and part of the region or regions it is in port in.
Attachment 7: Short Title: Rules Distribution Amendment
Motion:
MOVED, to amend Article IV, Section 8, of the WSFS Constitution by striking the words "printed in the Worldcon Program Book, if there is one" and inserting in their place the words "distributed to all WSFS members in attendance at the Worldcon after registration".
Maker.
Donald E. Eastlake, III
ConFederation Member #122-A
Seconder.
Charles J. H
ConFederation Member #108-A
Explanation..
Members of the Society need to have a copy of the rules in order to know their rights and to be able to effectively participate in the Business Meeting. It should be the obligation of each Worldcon committee to give a copy of these rules to each attendee (including those who join late or at the door and who have not gotten the rules copy that is distributed with the Huqo nomination ballots). There is nothing wrong with accomplishing this by printing the rules in the Program Book if it is properly distributed in time. However the obligation should be independent of a committee's Program Book schedule.
Short Title.
Copies Clarification Act
Motion..
MOVED, to amend Rule 5 of the Standing Rules for the Governance of the WSFS Business Meeting by
(1) striking the words "a vote" and inserting in their place the words "for non-privileged new business" and
(2) moving the last two sentences of Rule 5 to the end of Rule 4.
Maker.
Donald E. Eastlake, III ConFederation Member #122 A
Seconder.
Alexis Layton
ConFederation Member #99-A
Explanation..
The present Standing Rules are unnecessarily confusing in that Rule 5 can easily be read to say that you need six copies of ALL motions including amendments to main motion, motions to postpone or commit, etc. In fact the somewhat burdensome copy requirements in the rules should apply only to non-privileged new business for which the cut off is given in Rule 4 and this is the way they have been interpreted thus f ar.
Most of Rule 5 is concerned with the copy requirements. However, the next to the last sentence relates only to the deadline for new business and belongs in Rule 4, the basic deadline rule. With that change, the last sentence of Rule 5 reads better when moved to the end of Rule 4.
Pat McMurray pat@cooky.demon.co.uk
Last Update: January 2000