Preface
These Guidelines for Section Officers are intended to aid the officers of the twenty-nine sections of The Mathematical Association of America as the officers strive to promote the goals of MAA at the local level. The guidelines suggest effective administrative roles, procedure, and structure for the sections, and they include suggestions that help direct the section efforts to develop programs that support collegiate mathematical sciences.In addition to the general information of the first part, the Guidelines document offers proposals for achieving effective section activities and maintaining productive interaction with the national organization. It is largely based on earlier versions, and it includes procedures that have evolved throughout many years of experience within various sections.
National meetings of section officers, which usually are held on the first day of the Joint Mathematics Meetings in January and the first day of MathFest in the summer, provide an opportunity for sharing ideas as well as for learning about MAA programs from the officers and directors. During the discussion period, section officers can state their concerns, share their sections' successes, and ask questions. Each section designates an official representative to the Section Officers Meeting at MathFest, and the designated person may request partial travel support from the MAA national office. The Committee on Sections organizes these meetings of section officers.
The Guidelines for Section Officers is included in the Handbook for Section Officers, a collection of information traditionally given to the chair (or president) and the secretary of each MAA section. Now these documents are posted on MAA Online so that all officers can readily access them. Section officers are urged to read the Guidelines, to follow the MAA requirements, and to adopt the suggestions that are amenable to the traditions of their section. The Committee on Sections welcomes suggestions related to the Guidelines and to the Handbook.
The Committee on Sections maintains general supervision over the activities of all Sections, especially matters regarding the creation of Sections and modification of section boundaries.
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