ASA President Sastry Pantula led a board meeting heavily focused on implementing the ASA’s strategic plan July 30–31, during the Joint Statistical Meetings in Vancouver, British Columbia. Here are the highlights:
- Sally Morton presented the report of the 2010 Visibility and Impact on Policy Making Workgroup. The workgroup’s task was to standardize the process for identifying emerging issues and provide timely response in public policy and science policy in collaboration with the ASA director of science policy and other statistical associations. The workgroup made eight recommendations, and staff members were charged with implementing them to the fullest extent possible within the constraints of budget and personnel resources.
- Jeri Mulrow presented the report of the 2010 Membership Growth Workgroup.
- Ron Wasserstein presented the report of the 2010 Public Awareness Workgroup. A primary activity of this group was to develop the ASA tagline, “Promoting the Practice and Profession of Statistics.”
- Jessica Utts updated the board on the progress of the 2010 Education Workgroup. This workgroup was asked to develop a process for a significant discussion among academic units, industry statisticians, and government statisticians about the preparation of statisticians. The workgroup will report to the board in November.
- President-elect Nancy Geller presented nearly final details of her three strategic initiative workgroups for 2011. Specific aspects of three strategic plan areas (education, organizational efficiency, and public awareness) will be addressed by three workgroups. Pam Arroway, Janet Buckingham, and Tom Short, respectively, will chair these workgroups.
- The board received the report of the Committee on Nominations. Among its recommendations were the nominees for the 2011 ASA elections for offices beginning in 2012. Marie Davidian (North Carolina State University) and Jane Pendergast (University of Iowa) will be the candidates for president-elect, and Fred Hulting General Mills) and David Morganstein (Westat) will be the candidates for vice president.
- The board approved the 2011 ASA budget, which had been discussed in detail at the board’s annual budget meeting in June.
- As always, the board heard a report from the treasurer, Keith Ord. He reviewed the ASA’s investment portfolio and discussed how five-year budget projections could be used for planning purposes.
- Vice President Nat Schenker, who is also chair of the Professional Issues and Visibility Council, presented the council’s first annual report. He reviewed the council’s structure and the nature of its committees, then provided a comprehensive look at current and future activities of the committees. Five issues for board consideration also were presented and discussed. Plans for follow-up were made.
- The board heard an update on a request for proposals from publishers to possibly partner with the ASA to publish its journals. A review process involving board and Committee on Publications members has been set up, and recommendations will come back to the board, perhaps in November.
- The board approved a revision to its policy for designating awards as “ASA awards.” The revision was necessary to take advantage of the expertise of the new Awards Council.
- Through a generous gift from William I. Notz, a new annual award has been established for the best paper to appear in the Journal of Statistics Education during each calendar year.
- The board heard a report about the International Statistical Institute from its executive director, Ada van Krimpen. Van Krimpen attended the entire board meeting and provided valuable insight from the international perspective.
- Steve Pierson, director of science policy, updated the board on statistical literacy, research funding, and other advocacy initiatives.
- The board clarified for the record the interpretation of voting procedures with respect to Article XI of the ASA bylaws. This is important because board members who are employed by the federal government are restricted by statute from voting on certain matters.
- The board heard a report and recommendations from the Committee on Meetings and from staff members regarding the site for JSM 2016. Negotiations with two cities will be undertaken, and the Executive Committee of the board will make the final decision soon.
- The board, as it does during each meeting, heard about issues and concerns related to chapters and sections from the respective council governing boards.
- Alan Karr, executive director of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences (NISS), made his annual report to the board. Karr said NISS continues to diversify, grow, and mature with new research projects (including Project TALENT), creation of affiliates clusters, appointment of a second assistant director, and plans for further expansion of its senior leadership and the NISS presence in Washington, DC.
The board next meets November 19–20 in Alexandria, Virginia.
2010 ASA Board of Directors
Sastry Pantula, president
Nancy Geller, president-elect
Sally Morton, past president
Nat Schenker, third-year vice president
Christy Chuang-Stein, second-year vice president
Rod Little, first-year vice president
David Banks, third-year Council of Sections representative
Jeri Mulrow, second-year Council of Sections representative
Jessica Utts, first-year Council of Sections representative
Susan Hilsenbeck, third-year Council of Chapters representative
David Marker, second-year Council of Chapters representative
Tom Short, first-year Council of Chapters representative
Geert Verbeke, international representative
Karen Kafadar, publications representative
Keith Ord, treasurer
Ron Wasserstein, executive director
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