At its January meeting, the AHA Council approved a new membership dues rate structure that will take effect July 1, 1994. The Association's dues structure was last revised in 1989, and the Council concluded last May that some increase would be necessary to meet increasing inflation-driven costs and avoid budgetary deficits in upcoming years. The dues adjustment was not prompted by concerns about the costs of moving the 1995 annual meeting from Cincinnati but was well underway before the Council learned of the action by that city's voters.

The Council began by surveying the dues structures of other humanities and social science organizations, noting that the American Sociological Association, the one closest in size to the AHA, has an automatic cost-of-living increase in dues each year, setting its top rate in 1994 at $165. The Council did not opt for increasing the dues to that high a level but did decide to restructure and add new income categories and to increase dues progressively across categories, from as little as $5 per year for students and part-time faculty to a $35 increase in the highest category. The proportioning of the dues increases—rather than a flat across-the-board increase—reflects the Council's commitment to an equitable adjustment that will take into account salary differentials while not imposing an undue burden on any one category.

Beginning July 1, the following dues schedule will be in effect:

Description—Fee (U.S. Funds)

Over $70,000—$120.00

Over $55,000—$100.00

Over $45,000—$90.00

Over $35,000—$75.00

Over $20,000—$65.00

Under $20,000—$35.00

Students & Part-time Faculty—$30.00

K–12 Teacher (AHA/OHT/SHE)—$45.00

K–12 Teacher with Review—$70.00

Joint–Spouse/Partner of Member—$35.00

Associate Member—$45.00

Life Member—$1,600.00