Highlights of the November 2013 ASA Board of Directors Meeting

ASA President Marie Davidian led the board’s final meeting of 2013 November 22–23 at ASA headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. As usual, to assist with the transition to board service, incoming 2014 board members also joined the meeting as active (but non-voting) participants. Here are the highlights of the meeting:

• Keith Ord gave his final report as ASA treasurer, after five years of distinguished service to the board and association. He said the ASA is in good shape financially, but encouraged the board to continue to exercise due caution in the face of the reduction of some revenue sources. Davidian gratefully acknowledged Ord’s wise guidance over the past five years and welcomed Ming-Xiu Hu, who will replace Ord, to the board.
• The board made minor changes to the ASA’s investment guidelines to adjust to long-term changes in the real estate market. Ord reported that the ASA’s investments have continued to do well when compared to benchmarks.
• The board hired Stanton Communications to serve as the association’s public relations firm in 2014, to assist with the launch of a major campaign aimed at encouraging young people to consider careers in statistics. The campaign will be part of the ASA’s 175th anniversary activities.
• Board members also met with a representative from Campbell and Company, a firm the ASA has engaged to help it improve its fundraising efforts. On a related note, Executive Director Ron Wasserstein reported to the board that the 2013 Annual Fund Drive was going to set yet another record. (Details will come in a future issue of Amstat News.)
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)

2014 Board of Directors
Nat Schenker (President)
David Morganstein (President-elect)
Marie Davidian (Past-President)
Martha Gardner (completing Morganstein’s term)
Jim Rosenberger (2nd-year Vice President)
Jeri Mulrow (1st-year Vice President)
Janet Buckingham (3rd-year Council of Sections Representative)
Dick De Veaux (2nd-year Council of Sections Representative)
Cynthia Long (1st-year Council of Sections Representative)
Nick Horton (3rd-year Council of Chapters Representative)
Mary Kwasny (2nd-year Council of Chapters Representative)
Dan Jeske (1st-year Council of Chapters Representative)
Ming-Yen Cheng (International Representative)
David Banks (Publications Representative)
Ming-Xiu Hu (Treasurer)
Ron Wasserstein (Executive Director)

• Speaking of fundraising, more than $36,000 has been raised for a Lingzi Lu Memorial Award, named in honor of the Boston University master’s student in statistics who was killed in the Boston Marathon bombing. The award will provide support for a master’s degree student or recent graduate to attend the annual ASA Conference on Statistical Practice.
• The board discussed a draft version of an ASA statement on value-added modeling in education and provided generic ativan online feedback to inform a final version for the board to consider in the spring.
• ASA Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson discussed activities in Congress regarding Census Bureau surveys, including the American Community Survey.
• The board reviewed and offered comments on a draft statement prepared by the ASA-MAA Joint Committee on Undergraduate Statistics regarding the qualifications needed to teach introductory undergraduate courses in statistics. The board’s Executive Committee will update the draft statement based on these comments and send them to the MAA for further consideration.
• The board heard a proposal from the Caucus on Women in Statistics and the ASA Committee on Women in Statistics to increase the number of women giving plenary addresses at JSM. The ASA will follow up on the proposal with other JSM societies.
• The formation of a new outreach group, the International Community of Russian-Speaking Statisticians, was approved.
• Publications Representative David Banks reported that the first issue of the ASA’s new open-access journal, Statistics and Public Policy, is on track for release at the end of 2013.
• As it does each year, the board reviewed the ASA’s Strategic Plan and the effectiveness of its implementation. Board members observed that the plan, now completing its fifth full year of operation, has been extremely helpful in providing guidance to the board and staff and has led to many successes. The board also observed, however, that we need to grow much more effective in communicating and celebrating those successes.
• Speaking of the strategic plan, the board heard reports from all four groups working on 2014 strategic initiatives. All are making great progress. Details about these groups will be given in Amstat News in the coming months.
• The board approved minor changes to the policy and procedure associated with individual renewal of ASA accreditation after five years. In addition, the board approved the creation of a Graduate Statistician (GStat) status, which will serve as a means to mentor statisticians who ultimately intend to achieve Accredited Professional StatisticianTM (PStat©) status.
• The councils of sections and chapters made their reports to the board. Among other activities, the Council of Sections Governing Board will conduct its biannual review of the allocation of invited sessions, and the Council of Chapters Governing Board is looking at broadening the reach of the traveling course program.
• The board heard the annual report of the Education Council, presented by Vice President Mary Mulry. These reports help the board stay connected with its network of committees, helping the organization be more efficient and make the best use of the volunteer time that is so critically important to the success of the ASA. Mulry reported on the successes and concerns of each of the entities represented by the council, as well as the council’s plans for the future.

The board next meets April 4–5, 2014, at the ASA office in Alexandria.