As of October 1, 2003, the Michigan Section’s current account balance was
$6,434, somewhat higher than last year’s figure of $5,150. This is
mostly due to the fact that the printing of the Newsletter has been less
expensive during the last two years. Previous balances were $5,242 and
$5,039, respectively, on October 1, 2002 and 2001. The figures indicate that we
have a fairly stable balance of income and expenses.
One of the major expenses, which benefits the entire mathematical community in Michigan, is the printing and mailing of the Section’s Newsletter. It is mailed to all faculty in mathematical sciences departments in Michigan colleges and universities, in addition to MAA members in Michigan. The annual Section meeting in the spring used to be a major expense, but during the last couple of years, due to contributions from publishers and exhibitors, it has been mostly self-supporting. The Section also provided financial support for the Michigan Undergraduate Mathematics Conference, which was held on October 20, 2003 at Grand Valley State University. In addition, the Fall Upper Peninsula Meeting received some support.
The Section’s income derives mostly from voluntary dues payments of the Section’s members, supplemented by an occasional grant and by a $1,100 contribution from the national MAA. The annual request for dues was sent out in early October to each member of the MAA in Michigan and to department chairs of mathematical sciences departments in Michigan. The dues structure is the same as last year: $15 for a regular, individual membership, $30 (or more) for a contributing individual membership, and either $40 or $70 for an institutional membership, depending on the size of the institution. Last year, only 20 departments paid institutional dues. In the past this number has been consistently around 30, and I hope we can see a return to the figures of the past during the budget year 2003–04. You can find a dues form on page 9 and also on the Section’s site www.michmaa.org. Please encourage your colleagues, especially new department faculty, to support the activities of the Section by paying Section dues, and remind your department chair to submit an institutional dues payment.
Margret Höft, Secretary/Treasurer