Highlights of the July 31–August 1, 2026, ASA Board of Directors Meeting 

On Friday, July 31, ASA President Jeri Mulrow called the JSM 2026 board meeting to order. The board met at the Westin Boston Seaport District Hotel. Joining the board for this meeting was Sarah Cumbers, chief executive officer of the Royal Statistical Society. 

Actions

The ASA Board of Directors …

• Accepted the 2025 audit report, thanking Derek Curtis, ASA director of finance and administration, and his team for another clean audit and for modernizing the ASA’s financial systems 
• Approved the 2027 ASA budget, subject to final review at the board’s November meeting 
• Approved a plan for use of the proceeds from the sale of the ASA building  
• Recommended selecting San Francisco as the site for JSM 2031, subject to final negotiations with the city 
• Approved the formation of an ad hoc committee—based on a recommendation from Dave Hunter, ASA representative to CSAB—to explore the development of criteria for accrediting baccalaureate-level statistics programs through the CSAB/ABET accreditation process 
• Approved a plan to reorganize the ASA’s Education Council and to form a working group to follow through on implementation 
• Approved the launch of a public communication initiative focused on how statistics informs some of today’s most consequential and widely discussed issues 

Reports and Discussions

• Susan Paddock, ASA vice president and chair of the Membership Council, presented the council’s annual report. The committee councils are the primary means by which the board stays connected with the committees. The annual reports allow the board to address pending issues and anticipate developing issues. 
• Curtis II updated the board on the status of the ASA’s finances as of the end of the second quarter of FY26. He said the year is tracking with the budget. He also noted that the sale of the headquarters building strengthened the ASA’s cash position and eliminated its mortgage debt.  
• Amanda Malloy, ASA director of development, reported on 2026 fundraising results to date. She said we’re ahead of last year at the comparable time. She also updated the board on corporate support, 2026 Giving Day, and the ASA GivesBack program. 
• The board continued its work on the development of an AI strategic plan for the ASA. The board revised the original draft plan based on community feedback. Staff and board leadership are further updating the plan based on the board’s discussions. The plan is expected to be finalized in early fall. 
• Mulrow updated the board on the Communities in Action initiative, a grassroots ASA initiative that invites members to use statistics to strengthen their own communities. She described the development of toolkits and other activities as the initiative gets fully underway. 
• Past President Ji-Hyun Lee’s initiatives, under the theme “Building Bridges,” included the Nature Medicine Statistical Advisory Panel, the StatsForward cohort, and the clinical trials certificate program. She noted that the certificate program will launch next month, and that Nature Aging wants to develop a similar program to the successful panel launched by Nature Medicine. Lee also highlighted a program to advance best practices in clinical trials, supported by funding from Arnold Ventures. 
• President-Elect Brian Millen’s two initiatives will connect to his theme for JSM 2027: “People powered. Science driven. Future ready.” They are the following:  
  1. The Leadership Edge, which will develop a curriculum aimed at developing leadership behaviors that enable statisticians and data scientists to establish critical influence and maximal impact in collaborative, multidisciplinary environments.  
  2. Safeguarding Our Future, a focused advocacy effort to address distrust of science, with commitments to develop public statistical literacy, celebrate science, and promote accountable, ethical reporting. 
• The board broadly discussed financial plans for the ASA over the next few years, including the development of new revenue sources and metrics to evaluate the success of new ventures. 
• The board continued to develop ideas for the 2027 Dionne Price Public Lecture, including plans to broaden the pool of potential lecturers. The board will select the 2027 Price lecturer at its November meeting. 
• Steve Pierson, ASA director of science policy, updated the board on the ASA’s advocacy efforts. He discussed science and statistical agency budgets, the proposed rule on grantmaking by the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Commerce Department’s disclosure avoidance rule, ongoing work to modernize the federal statistical system, and developing a vision for renewing the National Center for Education Statistics. 
• Cumbers updated the board on the activities of the Royal Statistical Society. She said the RSS’s priorities are enabling a strong, diverse profession, facilitating innovation and growth, championing the public interest, and supporting public understanding and engagement. She discussed the impending relocation of the RSS headquarters, the governance revision process underway, and an audit of the RSS brand. 
• The board received and discussed the report of the ad hoc Committee on the Future of Statistical Publication. Monnie McGee, chair of the Committee on Publications and member of the ad hoc committee, reported the committee’s recommendations and answered questions from the board. Further discussion and action are expected after the board receives the Committee on Publications’ recommendations. 

The board’s final meeting of 2026 will be November 20–21 at the ASA headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.