Highlights of the April 2013 ASA Board of Directors Meeting

Ron Wasserstein, ASA Executive Director

ASA President Marie Davidian led the board through a tightly packed agenda during the first meeting of the year from April 5–6 at the ASA Office in Alexandria, Virginia. Here are the highlights of the meeting:

• The board approved the recommendations of the respective search committees and the Committee on Publications for the following editorial appointments:

  –JASA Theory and Methods co-editors: Nicholas Jewell, University of California at Berkeley, and David Ruppert, Cornell University. Term: 2015–2017, with full year of transition beginning in 2014.

  –JASA/TAS Reviews editor: David van Dyk, Imperial College, London. Term: 2014–2016, transition to begin mid-2013

  –SBR: José Pinheiro, Johnson & Johnson. Term: 2014–2016, transition to begin mid-2013

• The board approved the appointment of Steven B. Cohen to serve as chair of the ASA Nominating Committee for 2014.
• The board approved funding for five proposals received from the Member Initiative Program.
• Treasurer Keith Ord reviewed the status of ASA investments, noting they have done well as compared against relevant benchmarks. Associate Executive Director and Director of Operations Steve Porzio reviewed 2012 financial reports for the ASA, and the board accepted the 2012 audit report, thanking the staff for yet another clean audit.
• The board also participated in its annual training session on how to read and understand non-profit financial statements. The purpose of the annual training is to help board members fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities effectively, both for the ASA and for any other volunteer boards on which they might serve.
• A recommendation from the Finance Committee to refinance the mortgage on the ASA office building to take advantage of better interest rates was reviewed and approved.
• The board conducted its annual review of journal subscription rates and set the rates for 2014.
• The 175th Anniversary Steering Committee updated the board on its progress in planning for the ASA’s anniversary celebration next year.
• The board endorsed the recommendations of the 2012 strategic workgroup on master’s degree outcomes. (See Preparing Master’s Statistics Students for Success: ASA Board Approves Workgroup Recommendations)
• As part of its regular strategic planning activities, the board heard and discussed the initiatives being considered by President-elect Nat Schenker for 2014. Board feedback is used to further shape and define these initiatives, which will be announced later in the year.
• The board heard a report on follow up from the 2012 strategic workgroup on the future of electronic publications.
• A recommendation to start a new electronic open-access journal on statistical issues in public policy was adopted in principle by the board, with details to be worked out by the Executive Committee for final board approval.
• Vice President Jim Rosenberger presented the annual report of the Membership Council. These committee council reports are one of the ways the board stays connected with its committees.
• As always, the governing boards of the Council of Sections and Council of Chapters updated the board on the activities of the councils.
• Steve Pierson, ASA director of science policy, updated the board on ASA advocacy activities, particularly with respect to the role and position of statistics within the National Science Foundation. Issues related to data sharing and reproducibility of research also were discussed.
• The board received a report from Executive Director Ron Wasserstein on the status of the International Year of Statistics. Wasserstein gave examples from all over the world, illustrating the success of the effort. He also reported on a capstone research workshop to be held in London in November, and the Board committed partial financial support for that workshop.
• ASA Public Relations Coordinator Jeff Myers led the board through exercises designed to build skills in interacting with the media.

The board next meets on June 14, 2013, at the ASA Office in Alexandria, Virginia, for its annual budget review meeting.

2013 ASA Board of Directors
Marie Davidian (President)
Nat Schenker (President-elect)
Bob Rodriguez (Past President)
Mary Mulry (3rd-Year Vice President)
David Morganstein (2nd-Year Vice President)
Jim Rosenberger (1st-Year Vice President)
John Bailer (3rd-Year Council of Sections Representative)
Janet Buckingham (2nd-Year Council of Sections Representative)
Dick De Veaux (1st-Year Council of Sections Representative)
Bonnie LaFleur (3rd-Year Council of Chapters Representative)
Nick Horton (2nd-Year Council of Chapters Representative)
Mary Kwasny (1st-Year Council of Chapters Representative)
Ray Chambers (International Representative)
David Banks (Publications Representative)
Keith Ord (Treasurer)
Ron Wasserstein (Executive Director)