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Highlights of the July 2011 ASA Board of Directors Meeting

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2011 ASA Board of Directors
Nancy Geller, President
Bob Rodriguez, President-elect
Sastry Pantula, Past President
Christy Chuang-Stein, 3rd-Year Vice President
Rod Little, 2nd-Year Vice President
Mary Mulry, 1st-Year Vice President
Jeri Mulrow, 3rd-Year Council of Sections Representative
Jessica Utts, 2nd-Year Council of Sections Representative
John Bailer, 1st-Year Council of Sections Representative
David Marker, 3rd-Year Council of Chapters Representative
Tom Short, 2nd-Year Council of Chapters Representative
Bonnie LaFleur, 1st-Year Council of Chapters Representative
Ray Chambers, International Representative
Karen Kafadar, Publications Representative
Keith Ord, Treasurer
Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director

Under the leadership of ASA President Nancy Geller, the ASA Board worked through an interesting and important policy agenda during its meeting from July 29–30 in the Loews Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida. Here are the highlights:

  • Based on recommendations of the Current Index to Statistics (CIS) management committee and the Committee on Publications, the board approved the appointment of Hadley Wickham as database editor of CIS, effective immediately and continuing through December 31, 2014.
    • Robert Starbuck was appointed to the Committee on Nominations for 2012–2013, serving as chair in 2012.
      • ASA Treasurer Keith Ord updated the board on the status of ASA investments. As of the end of the second quarter, the ASA’s portfolio had a market value of about $10 million. Ord said the balance among various types of investments was closely adhering to the association’s guidelines for its portfolio.
        • The board approved the 2012 ASA budget.
          • The board approved a recommendation to select either Baltimore or Philadelphia for JSM 2017. Negotiation with these cities is under way, and a final selection will be made later this year.
            • The ASA provides support for several small conferences hosted by other societies. The board continued a discussion about how to improve our process for doing so.
              • The board received the report of the Committee on Nominations, chaired by Stephen H. Cohen. The following individuals will be candidates for senior board positions in the 2012 elections:
                President-elect:
                – Nathaniel Schenker, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC
                – Stephanie Shipp, IDA Science & Technology Policy Institute
                Vice President:
                – Roxy Peck, Professor Emerita of Statistics, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
                – James Rosenberger, Penn State University
                • As he does at each meeting, ASA Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson summarized the many actions and activities of the ASA in promoting the practice and profession of statistics with Congress, government agencies, and other entities.
                  • The board took the following two policy actions:
                    – The board endorsed the six recommendations related to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) made by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in its Report and Recommendations for the Reauthorization of the Institute of Education Sciences.
                    – Given the important role statisticians play in climate change research, the board endorsed the AAAS June 28, 2011, statement, “Regarding Personal Attacks on Climate Scientists.” The personal attacks have become most concerning for scientists working on climate science, but the board noted this statement pertains to researchers in all scientific disciplines.
                    • The board approved the ASA’s involvement in the declaration of 2013 as the International Year of Statistics. Much more about this will appear in Amstat News soon. The International Year will promote the importance of statistics through the combined energies of statistical societies and organizations worldwide. Goals include the following:
                      – Increasing public awareness of the power and impact of statistics on all aspects of society
                      – Nurturing statistics as a profession, especially among young people
                      – Promoting creativity and development in the science of probability and statistics
                      • Vice President Mary Mulry presented the annual report of the Professional Issues and Visibility Council, which is the umbrella for more than a dozen ASA committees whose work focuses on the statistics profession. Recent activities, cross-committee collaborations, plans for the future, and matters of concern were addressed in Mulry’s report.
                        • After many months of deliberation, the board decided to disband the Committee on Student Pro Bono Statistics. The board strongly supports the work of Statistics in the Community and like groups, but a committee was not the best way to do so. Staff will assist in setting up another organizational structure if there is interest.
                          • Board member Tom Short presented the results of the ASA’s highly successful 2011 Public Awareness Initiative (the “YouTube initiative”). Thirty-three videos were submitted, and three were selected by a committee as winners.
                            • President-elect Bob Rodriguez reported that workgroups have been formed to support the four initiatives he plans for the coming year. Rodriguez will report on these initiatives in upcoming Amstat News issues.
                              • As it does at each meeting, the board heard reports on the status and well-being of the sections and chapters from the board representatives of those bodies. Both the Council of Chapters and Council of Sections governing boards meet regularly by conference call to manage issues of importance to the chapters and sections, and they meet in person at JSM and again in the winter to provide support and leadership.
                                • The board held an extended workshop-style discussion about the diversity of our membership with respect to the field of statistics and type of employment. The ASA is the “big tent for statistics,” and the board worked to develop a better understanding of the diversity of statisticians (Who is in our big tent, and is it big enough?), how to meet the needs of the diverse statisticians in the big tent so they call it home, and how to make the tent a place where sectors can develop partnerships. Board members agreed we want to be an inclusive organization (a big tent with room for more) and there are many we are not reaching who could be included. This discussion will inform future board actions.
                                  • Alan Karr, director of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences (NISS), presented his annual update to the ASA Board regarding the activities of NISS.
                                    • The board heard a report regarding the excellent work being done by the Friends of Australasia outreach group in its first year of existence as an ASA entity.

                                        • The board next meets from November 18–19 in Alexandria, Virginia.

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