Article I. Name
The name of this organization is the Section for Statistical Programmers and Analysts of the American Statistical Association (hereafter called the Association).
Article II. Scope
The principle interests of the Section are to:
1. Encourage a broad discussion of programming concepts, theories, and techniques that are used for statistical analysis
2. Encourage discussion of cross-functional activities and pre-analysis (e.g. data management) activities that affect statistical programming work.
3. Encourage discussions on career paths for members.
4. Establish and maintain liaison with other Association sections as appropriate.
Article III. Functions
The Section will perform functions that will support the areas of interest specified above. These will include:
1. Sponsorship or joint sponsorship with other sections or organizations, of meetings, seminars, and courses which involve statistical programming.
2. Publishing a newsletter for members of the Section.
3. Planning, in cooperation with the Program Committee of the Association, sessions on statistical programming at the annual or regional meetings of the Association.
4. Joint sponsorship of existing listservs that focus on issues relevant to members, including opportunities for professional development.
5. Sponsorship or joint sponsorship with other sections or organizations, of documentation of computer programming and algorithms of special interest to members.
Article IV. Membership
Membership in the Section shall include all full members of the Association who pay dues to the Section. The membership year for each member of the Section shall coincide with that member's membership year in the Association.
Article V. Officers
The officers of the Section shall consist of elected officers and appointed officers. The elected officers shall be the Section Chair, the Section Chair-elect, the Past-Chair, the Program Chair, the Program Chair-elect, the Secretary, Treasurer, the Publication Officer, and the Section Representative(s) to the Council of Sections. The appointed officer(s) shall be the Section Member Representative(s).
The officers' roles are as follows:
Section Chair: (1) Take a leadership role in the development and growth of the membership, (2) lead business meetings, (3) keep committee officers informed about opportunities and the Section's responsibilities to the Association, and (4) prepare the Section Chair-elect for the Section Chair position.
Section Chair-elect: (1) Assist the chair as needed and (2) Organize invited session for the annual meeting of the Association.
Past-Chair: (1) Chair the nominations committee and (2) assist the chair as needed.
Program Chair: (1) Propose, develop, and implement committee-approved programs and events that relate to the scope of the Section, (2) prepare the Program Chair-elect for the Program Chair position, and (3) work with the Treasurer to address financial matters related to the implementation of programs or events.
Program Chair-elect: Assist the Program Chair as needed.
Treasurer: (1) Work with the Association to learn the appropriate procedures for maintaining financial accounts related to the business of the Section, (2) tracking income and expenses, (3) prepare and distribute a treasurer's report at business meetings or when requested, and (4) work with the Program Chair to ensure appropriate funding for programs and events is in place.
Secretary: (1) Track action items and decisions that are made by e-mail and (2) take and distribute the minutes at business meetings.
Publications Officer: (1) Work with committee officers and ASA technical staff to ensure that materials are reviewed and published in a timely matter and (2) notify membership regarding material posted on the website.
Section Representative(s) to the Council of Sections: (1) Attend Section Meetings, (2) Attend Council of Sections meetings where you will represent the Section and its interest, (3) Report on information and activities discussed at the Council of Sections as it relates to the Section, (4) Establish and maintain liaison with other Association sections as appropriate by attending the events or meetings of other Association sections.
Section Member Representative(s): (1) Attend Section meetings, (2) Provide feedback to the Executive Committee regarding the needs and interests of the Section membership, and (3) support Section programming and events as needed.
The first slate of officers shall be determined by those who are interested in holding an officer's position. During the first year of operation of the Section, a slate of officers shall be put forth to the ASA office for election via the usual ASA election procedures. These officers shall then serve for the second year of operation (or longer, as their terms dictate; see Article VII); the first chair-elect shall move uncontested into the chair position for the second year of the operation of the Section.
Article VI. Nomination and Election
The Past-Chair of the Section shall serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee. Other members of the Nominating Committee shall include the immediate past Section Chair, the immediate past Program Chair, and two (2) members of the Section who shall be appointed by the Section Chair-elect.
Each year the Nominating Committee shall submit to the Secretary of the Association and the Section Chair at least two candidates for the Section Chair and two candidates for the Representative to the Council of Sections Governing Board, and candidates for other offices if their terms are up. The Association's general deadline for submission of nominations shall apply. In addition, any section member nominated by petition of 25 or more members of the Section shall also appear on the annual ballot, provided that the petition is presented to the Secretary of the Association and the Section Chair by the deadline required by the Association.
Voting shall be by standard mail, electronic mail, or web-based ballot as part of the Association's annual election of officers.
Article VII. Terms of Office
Terms of the Section Chair, Section Chair Elect, Program Chair, and Program Chair-Elect shall be one year. Terms of the Secretary, Treasurer, and Publication Officer shall be two years. The Section Representative for the Council of Sections Governing Board shall be elected for a three year term. The Section Member Representative(s) shall be appointed by the Section Chair for a three-year term. No officer shall be eligible for immediate re-election to the same office except the Secretary, Treasurer, and Publication Officer.
The Section Chair-elect and the Program Chair-elect shall automatically succeed the Section Chair and Program Chair, respectively, at the annual change of officers, which shall occur on January 1.
Article VIII. Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers and appointed Section Member Representatives, for a total of eleven (11) members. In the first year of the operation of the Section, the Executive Committee will consist of 8 officers and one Section Member Representative, for a total of nine (9) members.
The Executive Committee shall manage the affairs of the Section. Actions taken by the Committee during the year and plans for future activities will be presented for discussion at the Section's annual business meeting.
Article IX. Meetings
The annual business meeting of the Section shall be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association and shall be announced in advance, preferably in the printed program of the annual meeting. Business may also be conducted by mail, email or phone.
Article X. Dues
The schedule of dues for the Section shall be set each year by the Executive Committee.
Article XI. Amendments
This charter will be reviewed periodically. Amendments to this charter may be proposed by the Executive Committee or proposed to the Executive Committee through a petition signed by at least 25 members of the Section. The proposed amendment shall be submitted to the Council of Sections for approval and then submitted to the Section's members for ratification in conjunction with the annual election of officers. If approved by a majority of voting members of the Section, the amendment shall be effective immediately, unless otherwise specified in the amendment.