Section on Statistical Education Responsibilities of the Secretary/Treasurer

The Secretary/Treasurer serves as a member of the Executive Committee and is responsible for the minutes of all meetings of the Section and the Executive Committee. The Secretary/Treasurer also assists in preparing the annual budget, monitors the Section’s dues collections and expenditures, and prepares an annual report on the financial condition of the Section.

More specifically, responsibilities include:

August:

• Attending and taking minutes for the Executive Committee meeting and Business Meeting at the Joint Statistical Meetings. If you have a conflict, you must arrange for another individual to take minutes at these meetings.
• At these meetings, present a report on the Section’s financial activities (entire previous year and through July 31 of current year). Recently, the report to the Executive Committee has also included details of budget expenditures and revenues, as well as an overview of all Section business that transpired over email between the Joint Statistical Meetings. A more general description of Section activities can be given orally at the Business Meeting.

September:

• After review by the Chair (and other Executive Committee members if desired), the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting should be distributed to all members of the Executive Committee and the ASA Executive Director, within four to six weeks after the meeting.
• After review by the Chair (and other Executive Committee members if desired), the minutes of the Business Meeting should be distributed to all members of the Executive Committee and the ASA Executive Director, and submitted to the Section web editor for posting on the Section webpage. They may also be sent to the publications officer for possible inclusion in Amstat News.
• By September 30, submit the budget to ASA through Amstat Online. This should include any anticipated expenses, especially if they are not carried over from previous years.

Next August:

• Past practice has included providing hard copies of the minutes at each meeting at the following JSM for additional review and comment (approximately 20 copies for the Executive Committee and 100 copies for the Business Meeting). Reimbursement for copying can be submitted to the Section or absorbed by the officer’s home institution.

Throughout the year:

• Submit all requests and approvals for reimbursement to the appropriate ASA officer (Chapters and Sections Coordinator).
• Maintain a notebook with hardcopies of minutes as well as a current Section roster (available from Amstat Online), the charter of the Section, contact information for all members of the Executive Committee, updated descriptions of the duties of each officer, all Section correspondence, copies of receipts and written agreements, and other relevant Section documents and reports.
• Keep track of Section membership counts, including whether the Section maintains over 1000 members (for a second Council of Sections representative).

Note: The COS recently approved a financial guideline that the Section should maintain less than two years’ cash-on-hand and have a written plan for spending down any surplus by the end of the year.

Return to Section on Statistical Education Home Page.