From the Minutes of Network Council Meeting, Leuven, Belgium, 7 August, 1999
President Huenermann gave a brief review of the history of the Network since its foundation during the 1996 COCTI meeting at Sherbrooke in 1996. The following societies able to send representatives to this meeting were unanimously accepted as ordinary members of the Network Council: Societe Canadienne de Theologie and Sociedad Uruguaya de Teologia.
Budget: a minimum of $1000 (USD) for operating expenses (especially the Internet) annually, with an ideal of $4000-5000 annually. The ideal figure will allow the steering committee to meet in the years between Network Council meetings. Fund raising will be needed to make this ideal budget possible, but the advantages of having a face-to-face meeting of the officers annually were recognized.(cf. budget)
Statutes: The revisions that were necessary for registering the Network as a non-profit organization with the German government were unanimously approved. In the discussion it was recognized that in case of necessity it will be possible to conduct votes on important decisions by electronic means. (cf. new statutes)
Internet: First, the layout will be improved and the navigation made easier. English will be the main language used, but important pages will also be available in other languages. The homepage will include a collection of metapages and search-engines (links). Second, a "bulletin board" will be available to members of Network Council societies for quick posting of messages of appropriate length. Access to the bulletin board will be moderated by the webmaster and messages will be posted for some weeks. Third, a "mailing list" or "list serve" will be provided to the presidents and officers/executive boards of member societies through "egroups.com." Fourth, each member society will be asked to update its data page annually.
Elections: The Steering Committee members (Peter Huenermann, President; Marcio Fabri dos Anjos and Anne E. Patrick, Vice-presidents) were unanimously elected to a second term of three years in their respective offices. In the discussion the delegates recognized the need for stability during the Network's formative period as well as the desirability of providing for a smooth transition to new leadership in the future.