Article I.  Identification

Section 1. The name of this SIGMAA will be the SIGMAA on Statistics Education.

Section 2. The purpose of this SIGMAA is to:
 
1. facilitate the exchange of ideas, through meetings, sessions, publications, and electronic media, about:

    (a) teaching statistics, from introductory service courses through advanced undergraduate courses,

    (b) the undergraduate statistics curriculum and its role within programs of mathematical sciences,

    (c) all other issues related to providing students with effective and engaging encounters with statistics in their courses of study;

2. foster increased understanding of statistics among members of the MAA and among broader consistencies, for example by encouraging the publication of expository articles and statistical theory and practice;

3. promote the discipline of statistics among students;

4. work cooperatively with other organizations to encourage effective teaching and learning of statistics.

Article II.  Activities

Section 1. This SIGMAA will engage in activities such as, but not limited to, the following:

a) Hold an annual meeting in connection with the Joint Mathematics Meetings

b) Sponsor sessions in connection with the Joint Mathematics Meetings

c) Maintain an e-mail list to facilitate communication among members

d) Publish a newsletter and maintaining a Web page of links related to undergraduate statistics

e) Promote the publication of articles related to undergraduate statistics in MAA publications

f) Encourage similar activities among (regional) sections of the MAA

Section 2. Relationships with MAA Activities.

a. The ASA/MAA Joint Committee on Undergraduate Statistics strongly endorses the creation of a SIGMAA on Statistics Education. Opportunities for cooperation between the SIGMAA and the Committee abound. While the Committee's charge is to address issues of curriculum, pedagogy, and faculty development, the SIGMAA will provide a group that can work at a more "grass-roots" level to implement various initiatives. It is also expected that the SIGMAA will provide a means of communicating needs and concerns for the Committee's consideration. To facilitate this communication in both directions, it is expected that MAA representatives will join the SIGMAA and that SIGMAA officers will attend the meetings of the Committee.

This SIGMAA will also aim to contribute to the work of other MAA committees whose charges concern statistics education. Examples include the Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics and the Committee on Professional Development.

This SIGMAA will also seek to work closely with the analogous group within the American Statistical Association- its Section on Statistical Education, and with similar groups committed to statistics education within other organizations.

Note: An unofficial group that has met at the Joint Mathematics Meetings and maintained an e-mail discussion list for several years is the
"Isolated Teachers of Statistics." This group has decided to disband upon the creation of this SIGMAA.

b. Without prior approval of the MAA Executive Committee, any activities of this SIGMAA, including publications, will be represented as coming from this SIGMAA and not from the MAA at large.

c. Reports of this SIGMAA's activities will be submitted regularly by the SIGMAA to the SIGMAA Task Force with copies to the chair of the Coordinating Council to which the SIGMAA was assigned.

Article III.  Meetings

Section 1. Frequency and place of meetings. General membership meetings of this SIGMAA shall take place at the January meeting of the MAA. Other activities may be scheduled at the summer MAA meeting and at MAA Section meetings. SIGMAA business may also be conducted by e-mail provided that a quorum is attained.

Section 2. Conduct of meetings. The SIGMAA Chair will preside over the annual business meeting held during the January Joint Mathematics Meetings. The Chair will circulate an agenda via e-mail one month in advance and will ask for additional agenda items at that time. The Chair will allow ample time for discussion and will seek to achieve consensus. When a consensus is not reached,  decisions will be made by a vote using Robert's Rules of Order.

When the Executive Committee decides that an issue requires attention of the entire SIGMAA before the next general meeting, it can decide to conduct a business meeting over e-mail. The same definition of a quorum applies to any vote taken over e-mail, and again it is expected that ample time for discussion will be allowed. Members will be given at least two weeks to vote on any issue requiring a vote over e-mail.

Section 3. A quorum at membership meetings, including e-mail meetings, shall consist of at least 20 members and at least three officers. At least two of the three officers must be elected, as opposed to appointed, officers.

Article IV.  Membership.

Section 1. Membership in this SIGMAA shall be open to all MAA members.

Article V.  Officers.

Section 1. Elected officers of this SIGMAA will be Chair, Chair-Elect, Past-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. These five officers comprise the Executive Committee. In addition, the Newsletter Editor and Web Page Editor are appointed officers. The Chair, Chair-Elect, and Past Chair will serve for one year in each office. The Secretary and Treasurer will serve staggered two-year terms. The Editors will serve for staggered two-year terms. Terms will begin at the conclusion of the January Joint Mathematics Meetings.

Duties of the officers are:

The Chair will preside at SIGMAA meetings, will organize and direct the activities of the group, will serve as liaison with the MAA administration and with other organizations who work with statistics education, and will be the chief spokesperson for the SIGMAA. In this last capacity the Chair will write a regular column for the newsletter and for the Web page to keep members apprised of SIGMAA activities. The Chair also appoints the Newsletter and Web Page Editors.

In addition to assisting the Chair, the Chair-Elect will serve as Program Coordinator for the SIGMAA's sessions in the Joint Mathematics Meetings. In this capacity the Chair-Elect will propose sessions after consulting with other officers and will arrange for their implementation.

In addition to assisting the Chair and Chair-Elect, the Past-Chair will serve as the Nominations Officer, working with the rest of the Executive Committee to select a slate of candidates for the two offices (Chair-Elect and either Secretary or Treasurer) open in any year. The Past Chair will solicit suggestions and volunteers for serving as officers from the membership.

The Secretary will keep a record of the affairs of the SIGMAA, handle correspondence, and submit written reports to the MAA as required.

The Treasurer will be responsible for all finances of the SIGMAA and for preparation of financial reports as required.

The Newsletter and Web Page Editors will be responsible for dissemination of information to the SIGMAA membership through their respective media.

Election of officers will take place by e-mail ballot of the membership. By the end of October the Past-Chair will select two candidates for each of the two open positions and distribute an electronic ballot to members via e-mail with instructions for voting by December 15. The e-mail ballot will indicate that write-in votes are permitted. A minimum of 20 members must vote for each position. The winner will be the candidate receiving the most votes. The Past-Chair will be responsible for overseeing the tabulation of the ballots. Ties will be broken by a fair, unbiased random device supervised by the Past-Chair.

If the minimum number of 20 members does not vote, the current officers will remain in office until a quorum is achieved.

Note: The use of the term "e-mail" throughout this document shall be understood to refer to any widely accepted form of electronic
communication. Members may always request hard copy rather than e-mail notification regarding election ballots and/or proposed charter changes.
 

Article VI.  Finances.

Section 1. An annual MAA dues supplement shall be assessed each member of this SIGMAA. This fee will be used to support in part the activities of this SIGMAA. The amount will be determined by the membership, with the initial amount being $10 per year. The manner of collection and disbursement of these funds will be determined by the MAA Executive Committee.

Section 2. This SIGMAA shall submit an expense budget for each calendar year to the Chair of the MAA Budget Committee by no later than October 1 of the preceding year.  It shall include the projected cost for all planned SIGMAA activities, including costs of  receptions, space, equipment, et cetera, at meetings,  national and otherwise.  The budget is subject to the approval by the MAA Budget Committee, MAA Executive Committee, and MAA Board of Governors as part of the overall MAA budget.

Section 3. The SIGMAA may apply to the MAA for specific funding beyond what is provided from dues. All requests for funds shall be substantiated by a budget for the proposed expenditures.

Article VII.  External Funding.

Section 1. No officer or member of this SIGMAA may apply for a grant to support this SIGMAA's activities or enter into any contract to support such activities or to provide services without specific approval in writing by the president of the MAA or designee thereof. If this SIGMAA wishes to apply for external funds, it shall coordinate this activity with the MAA Subcommittee on Externally Funded Projects and go through the standard procedures for applying for external funding under the auspices of the MAA.

Section 2. Neither this SIGMAA nor any officer nor representative thereof shall have any authority to contract debts for, pledge the credit of, or in any way bind the MAA.

Article VIII.  Changes.

Section 1. Changes to this Charter may be proposed by 2/3 vote either of the members present at a general meeting or of the members voting if the vote is taken by email, provided that a quorum exists. Notice of the proposed changes must be sent to the membership via e-mail, allowing at least one month for discussion. The proposed changes must then be submitted for approval by the MAA Executive Committee.

Section 2. Changes to this Charter may also be initiated by the MAA Executive Committee. In this event, changes must be approved by the Board of Governors.

Article IX.  Dissolution.

Section 1. This SIGMAA shall be dissolved for either of the following reasons:

a. Failure to maintain at least 30 members for two consecutive years;

b. For reasons agreed to by a majority vote of the MAA Board of Governors.

Section 2. If dissolved, any unspent funds of this SIGMAA shall be returned to the MAA's general fund.