Charter

CHARTER OF THE BIOMETRICS SECTION


Revised 2000

(Reviewed and Approved 2007)

Article I. NAME

The name of this organization is the Biometrics Section of the American Statistical Association (hereafter called the Association).

Article II. SCOPE AND PURPOSE

The objective of the Biometrics Section is to serve Association members with special interests in:

  1. The development and application of biostatistical and biomathematical methods.
  2. The formulation of biomathematical models, whether deterministic or stochastic, to describe and explain underlying mechanisms and modes of action of fundamental processes.
  3. The interpretation of quantitative data in the biological sciences, including agriculture, biology, health, medicine, and related fields.

The Biometrics Section will represent these interests within the American Statistical Association and cooperate with groups outside the Association, most notably with the North American region of the Biometric Society, the Statistics Section of the American Public Health Association, and Section U of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in effectively furthering common purposes. In addition, it embraces and will strive to promote the objectives of the parent Association as they apply to its special sphere of interest.

Article III. FUNCTIONS

To support the interests specified in Article II, the Biometrics Section shall perform any or all of the following functions, together with such others as are appropriate to its scope:

  1. Assist in the advancement of knowledge in the biological sciences, including agriculture, biology, health, medicine, and related fields, by fostering wider and more effective use of statistical techniques.
  2. Plan and support, in cooperation with the Association, appropriate sessions and continuing education activities at annual or regional meetings of the Association.
  3. Plan and support, either under Section auspices alone, or in cooperation with organizations interested in biological sciences, joint sessions or meetings on statistics in these sciences, special seminars, workshops, or continuing education activities.
  4. Produce separate publications, (e.g., proceedings, monographs, or periodic bulletins), as may be needed, with the approval of the Association. Maintain a Web site that publicizes Section activities and promotes communication.
  5. Stimulate the preparation of articles and books dealing with biological statistics for publication under Association auspices.
  6. Establish and maintain liaison and cooperation with other scientific and professional organizations and other Sections of the Association.
  7. Aid, by whatever special ways appropriate within the Section, the general development of statistics and of the Association.

Article IV. ORGANIZATION

  1. Membership. Membership in the Biometrics Section shall include all members of the Association who have paid Biometrics Section dues, as collected and recorded by the central office of the Association. The Section may establish differential dues, for example, regular and student dues. The right to vote and to hold office in the Section shall be limited to members of the Section.
  2. Officers. Elected officers shall consist of the Chair, the Chair-Elect, the Secretary/Treasurer, and the Section's Representative(s) on the Council of Sections of the Association. Appointed officers shall consist of the Program Chair(s), the Program Chair (s)-Elect, the Publications Officer, and the Continuing Education Committee Chair. The officers, elected and appointed, together with the most recent Past Chair, as well as the Chair-Elect-Elect, shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Section.
  3. Terms of Office. The term of office for the Chair shall be for three years, one as Chair-Elect, one as Chair, and one as immediate Past-Chair, to begin on January 1 following election. In addition, the Chair Elect-Elect chairs the Nominating Committee and makes other appointments as specified in Article IV, Section 5(c). Terms of office for Program Chair(s) and Program Chair(s)-Elect correspond to the planning period and time of the specific professional meeting. The term for the Secretary/Treasurer and Publications Officer shall be two years and begin on January 1. The term of the Continuing Education Chair shall be at most three years with the length agreed to by the person appointed. The term of office and time of taking office for the Section's Representative(s) on the Council of Sections are as provided by the Charter of that Council.

    No Chair completing a full term shall be eligible for immediate re-election to the office of Chair-Elect. The Secretary/Treasurer and Section Representatives on the Council of Sections are ineligible for immediate re-election to the same office after serving one full term. All appointed officers may serve consecutive terms.
  4. Vacancy in Office. In case of a vacancy in the office of Chair, the Chair-Elect shall become Chair. In case of vacancy in the office of Chair-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, or Section Representative on the Council of Sections, the vacancy shall be filled as promptly as possible by the Executive Committee of the Section, a majority vote being required. The individual so chosen shall serve for the remainder of the current term, with the Chair-Elect becoming Chair in the succeeding year. Names of officers thus newly selected shall be announced in the next issue of a news bulletin.
  5. Duties of Officers and of the Executive Committee.
  6. Chair. As the chief officer of the Section, the Chair shall:
    1. In connection with the annual business meeting of the Section membership:
      1. Set the time of the meeting in consultation with the Association so as to avoid conflict with any session sponsored by the Section and with any general sessions.
      2. Draw up the agenda for the meeting.
      3. Make sure that the time and place of the meeting are included in the Preliminary Program printed in a news bulletin and that a written notice of such meeting is a part of any general mailing to members made by the central office of the Association.
      4. Preside at the meeting.
    2. Establish and appoint any committees necessary to transact the business of the Section.
    3. Appoint a substitute to perform the duties of the Secretary/Treasurer or Section Representative on the Council when the incumbent is temporarily unable to perform them.
    4. Organize and preside at Executive Committee meetings.
    5. Keep the Executive Committee and the membership informed of Section developments.
    6. Establish, with the help of the Executive Committee, the schedule of Section dues, and announce any new schedule through publication in a news bulletin.
    7. Transmit to the Section's depository in the office of the Association copies of any items of permanent importance to the Section.
    8. Transmit to the incoming Chair all records and correspondence of continuing interest to the Section or copies thereof.
  7. Chair-Elect. The Chair-Elect shall assume temporarily the duties of the Chair in case the Chair is unable to perform them.
  8. Chair-Elect-Elect. The individual who is elected for the office of Chair serves as Chair-Elect-Elect following the election and until the beginning of the next calendar year when the individual becomes Chair-Elect. The Chair-Elect-Elect shall:
    1. Chair and appoint a Nominations Committee.
    2. Appoint the Program Chair for the annual meeting of the Association held in the year the Chair-Elect-Elect serves as Chair.
    3. Appoint Program Chair(s) for other meetings in which the Section participates held in the year the Chair-Elect-Elect serves as Chair.
    4. Appoint the Publications Officer in even years.
  9. Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
    1. Keep the minutes of the business and Executive Committee meeting(s) and transmit copies to the members of the Executive Committee and submit these to the Association after approval by the Executive Committee.
    2. Transmit copies of resolutions of the Section to appropriate persons and groups.
    3. Assist in Section budget preparation, submit it to the Association, and monitor financial reports prepared by the Association.
    4. Report the financial status of the Section to the membership at the time of the annual meeting.
    5. Perform other duties of record keeping and correspondence as requested by the Chair.
    6. Transmit to the incoming Secretary/Treasurer all records, ledgers, and correspondence of continuing importance to the Section, or copies thereof.
  10. Section Representative(s) on the Council of Sections. The Representative(s) on the Council of Sections shall:
    1. Attend all meetings of the Council of Sections of the Association.
    2. Report to the membership at the time of the annual meeting of the Section on important developments of the Council meetings and bring up for discussion important issues currently before, that body, requesting formal expression of opinion by the membership if needed.
    3. Bring before the Council matters of interest to the Section when so requested by the Executive Committee or by vote of the members, and transmit to the Council the views of the Executive Committee and of the members on issues before the Council.
    4. Perform all other duties of Representatives as stated in the Charter of the Council of Sections.
  11. Publications Officer. The Publications Officer shall:
    1. Prepare and coordinate news articles about Section activities to be placed in AmStat News, on the Section's Web page, and elsewhere as appropriate.
    2. Coordinate activities related to proceedings and publications sponsored by the Section.
  12. Program Chair(s). The Program Chair(s) shall:
    1. Arrange and coordinate invited and contributed paper sessions sponsored or co-sponsored by the Section at the Annual Meeting of the Association, Biometrics Society (ENAR) Spring meeting, or other appropriate meetings.
    2. Attend meeting(s) of Program Chair(s) that are held for planning meeting programs.
  13. Continuing Education Chair. The Continuing Education Chair shall:
    1. Appoint other members to the Continuing Education Committee as necessary.
    2. Arrange and coordinate continuing education activities sponsored or co-sponsored by the Section at the annual meeting of the Association or other appropriate meetings.
  14. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Chair-Elect-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Publications Officer, appointed Program Chairs, Representative(s) to the Council of Sections, Continuing Education Chair, and the most recent Past Chair. The Executive Committee shall:
    1. Fill vacancies in the offices of Chair-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer or Representative, as indicated in Article IV, Section 4.
    2. Conduct any business of the Section requiring action at Executive Committee meetings or during the period between annual meetings and not otherwise provided for. For this purpose, meetings or consultation of the Executive Committee by mail or other means may be called for by the Chair or by any Committee member. Actions taken are to be reported to the membership in a news bulletin or at the annual meeting or both. A member serving on the Executive Committee in more than one capacity shall have only one vote.
    3. Prepare a Section budget.
  1. Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee, chaired by the Chair-Elect-Elect, shall make nominations for the elected officers of the Section.

    The nominations shall be reported to the Chair of the Section and to the Association prior to the date prescribed by the Association.
  2. Methods of Nomination and Election. The Section shall submit to the Association at least two nominations for each position to be filled. The nominations are to be included in the Association's annual mail ballot for the election of officers. All balloting procedures for Section officers shall conform to those used in balloting for Association officers.
  3. Other Committees. Such other committees as are deemed necessary to carry out the work of the Section may also be established. "Establishment" of a committee shall include the prescribing of its functions and the method of appointment of its members. Such committees shall continue in existence at the discretion of the Executive Committee except as may be otherwise provided at the time of establishment.
  4. Meetings. Except as provided in Article IV, Section 10, Section business is to be conducted by the members in attendance at the annual meeting of the Association. The annual business meeting of the Section shall be held in connection with the annual meeting of the Association, and shall be announced in the printed program of that meeting. A quorum shall consist of those members present. The Executive Committee will also meet at the annual meeting.
  5. Conduct of Business Between Annual Meetings. The Chair may, when necessary, call a meeting of the Executive Committee at any of the regional meetings sponsored by the Section or hold meetings by conference call. The Chair and the Executive Committee shall manage the business of the Section during the rest of the year.

Article V. AMENDMENTS

  1. Proposal. Amendments to this Charter may be proposed by the Executive Committee of the Section or by petition to the Executive Committee bearing the signature of at least 25 members. An amendment originating by petition shall be referred to the Executive Committee, who shall make a recommendation on approval as a whole or in parts to the membership. The Executive committee may also decide upon the final wording of a proposed amendment, as long as such wording is consistent with the original intent of the petition.
  2. Ratification. All proposed amendments shall be submitted to the members of the Section for mail vote at the time of the annual election of officers. If approved by a majority of those members voting, the amendments shall take effect immediately or at such other times as specified in the amendments. A copy of the amendment shall be filed with the Association.