Ron Wasserstein, ASA Executive Director and Board Secretary

On Friday, March 31, ASA President Dionne Price gaveled to order the first 2023 meeting of the ASA Board of Directors. The board met at the ASA office in Alexandria, Virginia, with a few members attending virtually. The board meeting featured the ASA’s first LinkedIn Live event—a conversation with the ASA Board of Directors—Friday afternoon. Other highlights of the board meeting follow.

Actions

• Min-ge Xie, distinguished professor of statistics at Rutgers University, was appointed to a three-year term (2024–2026) as editor of The American Statistician.
• The board asked the Committee on Publications to propose a policy on use of generative AI in ASA journals.
• The board approved a five-year contract extension for the executive director.
• The board made changes to clarify the ASA Code of Conduct as part of the board’s ongoing work to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility (DEIBA).
• Similarly, the board proposed changes to the ASA bylaws. The proposed changes will be published in Amstat News with information about how to comment on them. Action to change the bylaws will take place after review of the comments received.

Reports and Discussions

• Donna LaLonde, ASA associate executive director, provided an overview of ASA DataFest, taking place during late March and throughout April at more than 50 sites. Data for the contest was provided by the American Bar Association.
• Steve Pierson, ASA director of science policy, provided his regular report on the ASA’s advocacy efforts. Pierson updated the board on the status of a data science and literacy bill, science and statistical agency budgets, assessing the health of the federal statistical system, and a variety of other ongoing matters.
• Julia Sharp, chair of the ASA Meetings Task Force, presented a progress report on the task force’s work. Recommendations from the task force are expected at the next board meeting.
• Representatives from the College Board outlined changes being considered in the AP Statistics program.
• ASA Past President Kathy Ensor and Council of Sections Representative Kate Calder reported on meetings with National Science Foundation Division of Mathematical Sciences and Computer and Information Science and Engineering staff. The meetings help the ASA and its community maintain connection and communication with these funders.
• ASA Treasurer Ruixiao Lu reported on the ASA’s investments, noting that portfolio value dipped at about the market rate of decline. She also updated the board on the activities of the Investments Committee, which meets quarterly to review the portfolio.
• Price reported the progress on her 2023 initiatives to promote the practice and profession of statistics, with foci related to professional development, communication, and education. Activities in all three areas are underway.
• Ensor noted continued progress and follow-up on her 2022 initiatives, including expanding the role of the ASA in data science and AI, developing the Leadership Institute, and highlighting the impact of statistics and statisticians.
• The board heard from its partners in The Nova Collective, who are assisting it in its DEIBA efforts, especially regarding the recommendations of the Antiracism Task Force. A policy document audit and plans for meetings with the ASA community were discussed.
• Lu and fellow ASA Board members Ji-Hyun Lee and Alex Hanlon presented plans for developing collaborations with the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Association for Cancer Research.
• ASA Vice President Nick Horton and Membership Council Vice Chair Elizabeth Mannshardt presented the annual report of the Membership Council. For each ASA committee within the council, they reviewed the activities from the past year and future plans and brought forward any concerns these entities have. These council reports are a valuable means of keeping the board and committees in contact.
• Melissa Chiu and Brian Harris-Kojetin from the Committee on National Statistics briefed the board on CNSTAT activities and discussed common interests of CNSTAT and the ASA. They suggested further ways the ASA can engage with CNSTAT.

The board will have its next regular meeting August 4–5 in Toronto, Ontario, right before JSM.

2023 ASA Board of Directors

Dionne Price, President
Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar, President-Elect
Kathy Ensor, Past President
Matilde Sanchez-Kam, Third-Year Vice President
Nick Horton, Second-Year Vice President
Jenny Thompson, First-Year Vice President
Alexandra Hanlon, Third-Year Council of Chapters Representative
Kendra Schmid, Second-Year Council of Chapters Representative
Melinda Holt, First-Year Council of Chapters Representative
Kate Calder, Third-Year Council of Sections Representative
Michelle Shardell, Second-Year Council of Sections Representative
Jana Asher, First-Year Council of Sections Representative
Ingrid Van Keilegom, International Representative
Bin Nan, Publications Representative
Ruixiao Lu, Treasurer
Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director and Board Secretary