The Future of WAIS

     WAIS is a going concern, and it must keep going even after I go. Bringing together people all around the world, representing the gamut of political and religious views, but united in a serious interest in world affairs, it make a contribution to peace which will grow as WAIS grows.
     WAIS takes time and money. I can work on it full time since I am emeritus, and our webmistress Astrid keeps the home page going. I pay the expenses out of my modest resources, but that too will end with me. This is the time of year when I invite WAISers to contribute to the WAIS development fund which will help guarantee its future. Checks should be made out to WAIS or World Association of International Studies and mailed to me at the Hoover Institution, Stanford, CA 94305-6010. Unfortunately, fund-raising is one of the many talents I do not possess. If any WAISer wants to take on that task, I would be delighted to know. Anyone with knowledge of foundations and a willingness to deal with them could also help.
     Here is my dream. In theory WAIS could be run from anywhere, but it is well established in all its complexity at Stanford, and it is not a good idea to uproot a growing tree. To replace me there should be a professor in any one of various departments (communication and political science come to mind), and he should have an affiliation with the Hoover Institution and the Institute for International Studies. The Hoover tie should be continued since it promotes the original mission of the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace. The appointee should be computer literate, and the webmaster (for the time being a part-time job) could be a member of a department such as Communication or, as at present, someone working for a Silicon Valley firm.
     I would greatly appreciate your response to this message. Ronald Hilton.

Ronald Hilton - 11/6/99