I. The Executive Officer, Administrative Office, and the Board of Directors

A.  Executive Officer and the Administrative Office

1.  Membership Matters

2.  Mailings

3.  Financial Overview

4.  Statement of Investment Objectives and Policies

5.  Guidelines for Investing Reserve Funds in Community Development Financial Institutions

6.  Purchasing, Payables, and Cash Disbursements

7.  Revenues, Contributions, and Cash Receipts

8.  Systems and Disaster Recovery Plan Specific to the Accounting Functions

B.  Annual Meeting 

1.  Management of the Annual Meeting 

1.A.  Accessibility Services Approved Policy 

2.  Duties of the Meeting Manager 

3.  Duties of the Local Arrangements Chair

C.  Board of Directors 

D.  Selecting the Executive Officer, the Administrative Officer, and the Administrative Office


I.  A.  Executive Officer and the Administrative Office

Relationship to Institutions Hosting the Executive Officer and the Administrative Office

The Society contracts with the host institutions to secure the time and talent of their employees to manage the affairs of the Society.  According to the By-laws, the Board of Directors shall designate by their action the person or persons responsible for crafting the agreement and contracts between host institutions and the Society.  The Board of Directors, or those persons given authority by the Board to sign such contracts, must approve the contracts.

Until 2009 the same institution hosted both the Administrative Office and Executive Officer, under the name of the Executive Office.  By negotiating a contract like those written with granting agencies and foundations, the funds of the Society may be channeled through the host institution’s financial structure.  The Society’s operations may then be recognized by the larger community as a part of the operation of the host educational or non-profit institution.  Fringe benefits provided to the persons who work for the Society are the same as those provided to other employees of similar status in the host institution.  The provision of fringe benefits in this fashion saves the Society from having to deal with negotiating separate contracts with health insurance, pension, and related fringe benefit providers.  In addition, since the employees are paid through the host institution, the Society does not have to keep financial records on Social Security payments or withhold federal income tax.  The host institution does this when it pays the employee.

From 1990-2008, the University of Tennessee, Department of Sociology hosted the Executive Office.  In 2008, the Executive Officer wrote a separate contract covering his relationship with the Society and agreed to fulfill the responsibilities associated with the position.  This agreement represented a change from the previous contracts with the University of Tennessee where the Executive Officer served as the contract officer and as an employee of the University of Tennessee.  Changes in the document below represent the current approach of the Society in the sense of having separate contracts for the Executive Officer position and the Administrative Office positions.  The Society still expects the Executive Officer and the Administrative Office positions to work closely.  Electronic means of communication as well as the telephone have made geographical separation of the positions possible.  Regular, often daily communication, between the offices occurs and is expected in the normal operation of the Society.

At the 2009 Annual Meeting, Dr. Tom Hood resigned as Executive Officer.  In anticipation of this, the Society signed a three year contract for the Administrative Office to be hosted for the calendar years 2009-2011.  The contract to host the Administrative Office provides the benefit to the University of Tennessee of a Graduate Research Associate position for a UTK graduate student and a sum awarded to the Department of Sociology for hosting the Society.  Salaries to the Administrative Office staff are paid through the University, according to guidelines set by the University for these positions.  If the salary approved by the Society is higher than the guidelines approved by the University, the difference is paid directly to the person.  All employees of the Administrative Office are considered employees of the University with rights and duties associated with such appointments.  The Head of the Department of Sociology serves as the contract officer and has responsibility of making sure that the Society and the University fulfill the terms of the contract.  The Society compensates the contract officer for these duties.  The University of Tennessee agreed to waive the customary overhead on the contract.  Fringe benefits for the persons filling the positions in the Administrative Office are the same as other employees of the University of Tennessee and are paid by the Society.  The Executive Officer and the Board of Directors have the responsibility of reviewing the Administrative Office contract according to the By-laws. Currently in addition to the Executive Officer and Administrative Officer, the work of the Society requires a half-time Administrative Assistant and a Graduate Research Associate.

The host institution provides the Society with operation space, a tuition waiver for the Graduate Research Associate, and utilities without charge.  As a further incentive for bringing the Society to the University of Tennessee in 1990, the University agreed to provide office furniture and a laser printer.  Overhead is a negotiable item given the non-profit nature of the Society; the current contract waives overhead costs.  The board approved that the SSSP should sign a five-year contract with the University of Tennessee, effective 1/1/12 – 12/31/16.

This type of contractual arrangement with a larger host institution makes it possible for the Society to benefit from services provided to academic departments such as service contracts on equipment and access to information technology services.  Charges to the Society are comparable to charges made to the host academic unit (currently, the Department of Sociology).  Sharing facilities can benefit both the host academic unit and the Society.  Copying materials costs less since the Society does not have to maintain its own copy machine, but purchases copies from the Department of Sociology, if needed.  The purchase of equipment and supplies are sometimes made through the University at substantial savings.

Executive Officer

The Executive Officer is responsible for ensuring that the work of the organization is carried out and policies established by the Board of Directors are implemented.  The Executive Officer is also responsible for representing the organization to the public and for coordinating with other organizations.  The Executive Officer is responsible for supervising the work of the Administrative Officer.  The Appendix contains the detailed job description for the Executive Officer.

Administrative Officer

The Administrative Officer is the only fulltime employee of the Society through the host institution.  The Administrative Officer is responsible for the day-today oversight of the organization.  The Administrative Officer works with the Administrative Assistant and the Graduate Research Associate, and interacts directly with the Society’s officers, committee members, and the division chairs.  The Administrative Officer keeps the financial records of the Society according to the instructions of the Budget, Finance, and Audit (BFA) Committee and the auditors of the Society’s books.  The Administrative Officer maintains records on the current activities of the Society and sends historical material (records more than 5 years old) to the Society’s archive in Special Collections at Brooklyn College.  The Administrative Officer orders supplies and oversees the maintenance of the office equipment used by the staff.  The Administrative Officer provides administrative support to the Executive Officer, if needed.  Since 1993, the Administrative Officer has contracted with the Society to act as the Meeting Manager.  If a separate Meeting Manager is employed, the Administrative Officer will serve as the key coordination point between activities of the Administrative Office and the Meeting Manager in preparing for the meeting.  The Appendix contains the detailed job description for the Administrative Officer.

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 I.  A.  1.  Membership Matters

The Administrative Office is responsible for maintaining current membership records gathered from the initial membership application and the membership renewal forms.  The database contains current membership information including: Member ID number, current membership year, the date the record was created (i.e., when the member first joined), special problems division memberships, membership brochures requested, willingness to serve on various committees; contact information including: name, address, country, home, mobile, fax, and work numbers, and e-mail address; demographic information including ethnicity, gender, type of affiliation; privacy and communication preferences; and financial information that is now tracked over time (since 2007) including: dues amount and dues category, contributions to various awards/funds, extra division fee, and international mail fee, method of payment, and payment date. Members can log in to the web site and update their contact information at any time.

The Administrative Office is responsible for contacting members and urging them to renew their membership.  In October, the first renewal is sent via e-mail to all current members and members from the previous year, encouraging them to renew for the upcoming year.  After three weeks, a renewal form is mailed to those who have not renewed, and also to life members, emeriti and sustaining members who do not owe dues.  The membership renewal form gives life members, emeriti and sustaining members the opportunity to update contact and membership information.  In November an e-mail is sent to all current members informing them that the November issue of Social Problems is their last issue unless they renew.  The Administrative Office sends additional renewal e-mail notices in mid December, early January, and late March.  The Administrative Office mails additional renewal notices in mid-late January and mid-late April.  The membership renewal notices include a letter from the President.  An automated receipt is sent by e-mail when members join or renew their membership.

In addition to membership renewal, the Administrative Office and the Executive Officer work with the Membership and Outreach Committee and the publisher of Social Problems to promote membership in the Society.  The main tools used for membership promotion have been the membership brochure and flyer.  The Administrative Office, in cooperation with the publisher of Social Problems and the Membership and Outreach Committee Chair, typically completes the design and contents of the membership brochure and promotional flyer.  The distribution of brochures to potential members has been accomplished in a variety of ways.  These include: direct mail with a cover letter signed by the Membership and Outreach Committee Chair or President to membership lists purchased from other professional associations, lists exchanged with other organizations, or lists provided by members.  Brochures and promotional flyers are also available upon request for members to distribute in their departments or at other social science organizations’ annual meetings.  This method has occurred most frequently with regional societies.  Brochures and promotional flyers have also been mailed to Departments that have graduate degree programs in Sociology and to each SSSP member with a request that they pass them on to a potential member.  In an effort to reduce promotional costs and increase membership, the Administrative Office in cooperation with the Membership and Outreach Committee has recently developed promotional web pages.  Targeted e-mail blasts are sent to Graduate Program Chairpersons, SSSP Graduate Students, and SSSP Members (no students).  The e-mail message encourages prospective members to visit the promotional web site.  The goal is to send messages that can easily be passed on to listservs and in social networking media.  Recruitment of new members by existing members has been shown to be the most effective way to recruit new members.

The Administrative Office e-mails our mailing list of those who request a paper copy of Social Problems to the press that publishes the journal shortly before each issue is distributed, including those who should receive the journal.  According to the By-laws, members will be granted a grace period for voting for up to six months but will not receive Social Problems until dues are paid.  New members begin receiving the current volume year at the time of application.  All current members have electronic access to the current and back issues of Social Problems.

The Administrative Office receives a number of requests for our membership list from publishers of books and journals.  Unless the member has requested that his or her name not be distributed, we rent our mailing list for a fee, on a one-time use basis.

Every year, following the Annual Meeting, the Administrative Office produces a roster of Officers and Committee members.  The roster is distributed to those listed in it and to other members upon request via e-mail.  The roster is a valuable tool for working with the core leadership of the Society.

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 I.  A.  2.  Mailings

The following mailings are processed by the Administrative Office: membership renewal notices, promotional mailings, special mailings requested by the President or Board of Directors, and the Call for Papers and the Student Paper Competition flyer poster.  Whenever possible and approved by the Board, the Administrative Office uses electronic distribution of publications and information for the membership.

The Society uses the bulk mailing permit of the current printer, if needed.  Bulk mailings cannot be used for foreign addresses.  This higher cost is reflected in the mailing fee charged to members outside of the United States.

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 I.  A.  3.  Financial Overview

The financial records of the organization are kept by the Administrative Officer and reviewed quarterly by the Executive Officer, the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee, and the Board of Directors.  An annual audit of the financial records is conducted by an independent accounting firm in April.  The accounting firm prepares the tax returns and advises us as to changes in tax laws pertaining to our operations.  The audit is completed so that the results may be reviewed with the auditor by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee during its annual mid-year meeting.  Fees for the accounting services as well as maintenance of the accounting software are included in the annual budget for the Administrative Office.

The financial year of the Society runs from January 1 to December 31.  The books for the preceding year are closed by March 1 of the current year.  The Society uses the accrual accounting method and Open Systems accounting software to maintain the records of income and expenditures.  The Society’s budget operates with accounts set to correspond to the major functions of the organization.  Subdivisions within these major categories are added as needed in consultation with the accounting firm and the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.  Major sources of income are: Membership Dues, Journal and Publications, Annual Meeting, Contributions, Investment Income, Investment Income/Temporary, and Other Income.  Major expenditures are: Executive Officer, Administrative Office, Journal and Publications, Annual Meeting, Committees, Program of Divisions, Board Governance, Investment Gains and Losses, and Board Restricted Expenses.

The Administrative Officer in conjunction with the Treasurer and Executive Officer manages and monitors the Society’s reserve monies and operating accounts in checking, savings, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, mutual funds and other accounts.  The convention has been to consult with the Treasurer and the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Chair before making short-term investments.  Long-term investment decisions are made by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and held directly by the Society.  All investment decisions are subject to review and are guided by the statement of investment objectives and policies and the guidelines for investing SSSP reserve funds in community development financial institutions adopted by the Board of Directors.

The Society is incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the state of Indiana and reports annually to that state office.  Accordingly, the Administrative Office must file forms each year with the appropriate state agencies in Indiana, reporting on the activity of the corporation.  The Society is recognized by the U.S. Government as a non-profit corporation and has 501 (c)3 status with the Internal Revenue Service.  Appropriate tax forms detailing the financial activities of the Society must be filed each year.  The accounting firm conducting the annual audit prepares these forms as well as those required by the state of Indiana.  The Society is also exempt from sales tax in the state of Tennessee.

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 I.  A.  4.  Statement of Investment Objectives and Policies

Preface

The investments generate income to support the Society’s Purposes as set forth in its By-laws, Article II, Section 1.

Social Objective

The primary social objective of investments is to use the Society’s funds to foster a higher quality of life, social welfare, and positive social relations in society and the global community.

Financial Objective

The primary long-term financial objective for the Society’s investments is to preserve the inflation-adjusted purchasing power of assets and income, after accounting for spending and investment management costs.  Performance of the overall investments against this objective is measured over rolling five (5) year periods.

Investment Management

As provided in the Society’s By-laws, Article VI, Section 13, the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee shall invest the Society’s reserves in socially-responsible mutual funds and other socially-responsible equities, fixed-income assets, and cash equivalents to best achieve the social, financial, and investment objectives consistent with the policies and requirements set forth in this statement, and subject to the standards of social responsibility and the business-judgment rule for fiduciaries of non-profit corporations.

The Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee will allocate new funds and redistribute existing funds on the basis of how well each socially-responsible investment meets the social, financial, and investment objectives of the Society.

Asset Selection and Allocation

The Society’s portfolio may be invested in readily-marketable socially-responsible mutual funds and other socially-responsible equities, fixed-income assets, and cash equivalents.  The total portfolio shall be diversified to include investments in more than one socially-responsible mutual fund, and a diversity of other socially-responsible equities and fixed-income assets in order to limit risk.

Socially-responsible mutual funds should use social/ethical screens that seek out companies that do not foster or encourage exploitation, injustice, or inequalities among human beings and human beings as they relate to the natural environment.  Such mutual funds should both avoid offensive investments and seek out positive investments that enhance the quality of life in the community, workplace, society, and international context.

Funding of Specific Society Projects.  Investments in socially-responsible equities and fixed-income assets should be made to maximize the positive social impact of the Society’s reserves.  Such investments should seek to ameliorate existing social problems such as improving the quality of life among the economically and/or socially disadvantaged.

The purpose of investments in socially-responsible mutual funds is to earn high inflation-adjusted total rates of return, to provide both long-term capital appreciation and current income in order to fund the Society’s on-going commitment to such efforts as the Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship, C. Wright Mills Award, Lee Founders Award, etc.  In keeping with this purpose, investment should be made in balanced socially-responsible mutual funds that include holdings in both stocks and bonds.  Generally, investment in growth socially-responsible mutual funds that give primacy to capital appreciation should be limited due to their higher level of risk.  Acceptable socially-responsible mutual funds will include holdings in equities with high liquidity and/or investment-grade bonds.

Other Investments.  Investment of most of the remainder of the Society’s reserves should be made in socially-responsible equities and fixed-income assets in such a way that their impact on ameliorating existing social problems is maximized while maintaining at least the inflation-adjusted purchasing power of such reserves.  Such investments may be at rates of return below market value for comparable investments provided that the rates of return at least equal the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index.  Examples of such investments might include deposits with federally-insured, community development credit unions that provide services and loans to people in predominantly low-income communities, or investment in community development revolving loan funds.

Investment in short-term, socially-responsible cash equivalents is allowed to provide adequate liquidity for investment reserves and current operations and from time to time to serve as mutual fund, equity, and fixed-income substitutes for defensive purposes in adverse investment conditions.

The precise allocation of the Society’s assets between socially-responsible mutual funds, equities, fixed-income assets, and short-term cash equivalents will depend upon the extent of the Society’s on-going financial commitments to efforts such as the Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship, C. Wright Mills Award, etc., and other immediate needs and purposes of the Society.

Performance Criteria

The performance of socially-responsible mutual funds will be evaluated relative to the Domini Social Index (DSI 400) and rating on the Lipper Index that measures the performance of mutual funds that have the same investment objectives.  The long-term investment objective is for the total return of mutual funds on the Lipper Index the top three quintiles (60%) of balanced mutual funds.  Overall performance of mutual funds against this objective is measured over rolling five (5) year periods.

Performance of socially-responsible equities, fixed-income assets, and cash equivalents will be made relative to the rate of inflation.  The investment objective is for these investments to equal or exceed the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

Proxy Voting Policy

The Executive Officer of the Society, in consultation with the Treasurer and Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee, will vote all proxies for the Society.

Review of Policy Statement and Investment Performance

This statement shall be reviewed by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee on an as needed basis.  Presentation on investment performance relative to the policies set forth in this statement shall be made annually to the Board of Directors.

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 I.  A.  5.  Guidelines for Investing Reserve Funds in Community Development Financial Institutions

Introduction

The SSSP board-approved investment policy stipulates that the Budget, Finance, and Audit (BFA) Committee shall invest cash reserves that are not Board restricted in “socially-responsible equities and fixed-income assets in such a way that their impact on ameliorating social problems is maximized while maintaining at least inflation-adjusted purchasing power of such reserves.”  Over the past several years, the BFA Committee has opted to invest a portion of its cash reserves in community development financial institutions (CDFIs).

CDFIs have economic development in low-income communities as their primary mission. CDFIs provide loans, investments, and basic financial services to individuals, businesses, and nonprofit agencies within low-income communities that would otherwise be denied these opportunities by mainstream financial institutions.  In addition, financing often is linked to other developmental activities such as business technical assistance, job training, and home-ownership counseling.  There are five types of CDFIs that differ according to their general purpose, financial products and services offered, sources of capital, borrowers, governance and ownership and regulators.

Community development banks provide capital for targeted loans and investments to rebuild economically disadvantaged communities.  Financial products and services provided include mortgage financing, home improvement loans, commercial business loans, loans to nonprofit community agencies, student loans, and traditional consumer banking services.  Sources of capital include deposits from individuals and institutions, and funds from federal, state, and local governments.  Borrowers include nonprofit community organizations, individual entrepreneurs, small businesses, and housing developers (i.e., institutional borrowers more than individuals).  Community development banks are for-profit corporations owned by stockholders that have community representation on their boards of directors.  These banks are federally regulated and insured by the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of Currency, and state banking regulatory agencies.  There are approximately 24 banks that have been designated officially as CDFIs.

Community development credit unions cultivate ownership of assets and savings, and offer affordable banking and credit services to low-income people, with a targeted emphasis on economically empowering minority communities.  Particular banking services include personal loans, credit cards, home rehabilitation loans, share and share draft accounts, and check cashing privileges.  These institutions also make loans to individual entrepreneurs.  Consistent with their purpose, community development credit unions also provide credit counseling and business planning services.  Sources of capital include credit union member deposits, non-member deposits from social investors, and funds from federal, state, and local governments.  Borrowers include members of the credit union, usually individuals.  Community development credit unions are nonprofit financial cooperatives that are owned and operated by the lower-income people who are members of the credit union.  These credit unions are federally regulated and insured by the National Credit Union Administration, and state regulatory agencies.  There are approximately 170 credit unions that have earned the designation of “low-income status” as defined by the Federal Credit Union Act which allows them to accept deposits from non-member investors.[1]

The remaining three types of CDFIs are community development loan funds, community development venture capital funds, and microenterprise development loan funds.  Investments in these funds are not federally regulated and insured, and rates of return tend to fall below competitive market rates.  Much of the capital comes from foundations, banks, religious organizations, corporations, and individual donations rather than investments.

What follows below is a set of criteria designed to provide guidance to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee in making decisions with regard to investment of the Society’s cash reserve funds in CDFIs.  These criteria fall in three general categories–geographic, social, and financial.

Geographic Criteria

The SSSP is a national professional society of activist scholars.  Accordingly, it is important to insure that, over time, the Society’s CDFI investments be equitably distributed across the nine regions of the nation defined by the Census Bureau.  It is recommended that the BFA Committee strive to place its future investments with CDFIs in the across all nine regions in an equitable manner.

Social Criteria

The BFA Committee has attempted to maximize the racial-ethnic and urban-rural diversity of the low-income communities its deposits benefit.  It is recommended that the BFA target future investments to CDFIs that serve low-income communities and provide loans and other services to the diversity of racial-ethnic groups that exist in the region and to women.

Financial Criteria

In order for the Society’s investments to benefit the low-income communities served by recipient CDFIs, it is recommended that deposits be made for a minimum of three to a maximum of five years, provided that the Society does not need to use the funds to meet its other financial obligations.  To maintain flexibility, deposits might be made in the form of one-year certificates of deposit, with the goal of renewing them for a minimum of three years.  To meet its fiduciary responsibility to the Society, the BFA Committee should strive to make deposits in CDFIs that offer competitive rates of interest and where these deposits are federally insured.

CDFI Investments

Consistent with the above criteria, over time the Society has invested funds with the following CDFIs:

  • Self Help Credit Union, Durham, NC
  • Shore Bank, Chicago, IL
  • Hope Community Credit Union, Jackson, MS
  • Winthrop Federal Credit Union, Winthrop, MA
  • Liberty Bank and Trust Company, New Orleans, LA
  • Tulip Cooperative Credit Union, Olympia, WA
  • Louisville Community Development Bank, Louisville, KY
  • Native American Bank, Browning MT
  • First American Credit Union, Window Rock, AZ
  • Community Bank of the Bay, Oakland, CA

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 I.  A.  6.  Purchasing, Payables, and Cash Disbursements

The Society works under an annual operating budget authorized by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors.  The Treasurer and Administrative Officer approve all purchases.  The Administrative Officer selects venders, in consultation with the Executive Officer.  The Administrative Officer receives all invoices, codes all expenses in Open Systems, and prepares all checks.  The President, Treasurer, Executive Officer, and Administrative Officer are authorized by the By-laws to sign checks for the Society.  Checks greater than $1,000 or those for the purpose of payment of salary of salaried employees must be signed by two of the four.  Since 1990, the combination used for the two signatures has been the Treasurer and the Executive Officer.

Prior to April 15, 2009, the Executive Officer reviewed the invoices and all financial statements before signing checks.  Following the 2009 Annual Meeting, the Treasurer reviews the purchases journal and approves the expenditures before the Administrative Officer prints the checks.  This review serves as an appropriate segregation of duties for cash disbursements, considering the Society’s limited personnel available.  The Administrative Officer makes all purchases and is aware of all items requiring accrual at end of periods.  Most expense items are recurring, so the Administrative Officer checks for recurring items not received by end of period and scans expenses in comparison to prior year for other items that may require accrual.  Currently, we use digital signatures on all checks (one signature on checks under $1,000, two signatures on checks over $1,000, and checks for the purpose of payment of salary of salaried employees).  The financial statements are reviewed quarterly by the Executive Officer and by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.  All checks are processed through the Accounts Payable ledger and require an expense or asset coding for each payment; the Society rarely writes any manual checks.  On rare occasion, the Society makes a wire transfer.  The Treasurer and Executive Officer review the information prepared by the Administrative Officer, and then the Administrative Officer executes the wire transfer with the bank.

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I.  A.  7.  Revenues, Contributions, and Cash Receipts

The Administrative Assistant opens the mail, codes each check, photocopies the checks, and prepares the deposit slip.  The Administrative Officer verifies the coding of each check, prepares a spreadsheet containing the name, check number, amount of check, and breakdown of each item, and makes the deposit.  This spreadsheet is used to reconcile the revenue recorded in the general ledger.

The Administrative Assistant processes credit cards received via the US Postal Service.  Online credit card transactions are processed through Authorize.Net.  Authorize.Net closes and settles each batch daily.  The Administrative Officer verifies each transaction and prepares a spreadsheet containing the name, credit card type, transaction amount, and breakdown of each item.  This spreadsheet is used to reconcile the revenue recorded in the general ledger.

A significant portion of the Society’s revenues are generated from subscription sales of the journal Social Problems.  The Society contracts with the University of California Press, who collects all subscription records from subscribers, receives payment and remits the Society’s portion through monthly wire transfers.  The Administrative Officer reconciles the remittance and cash deposited to monthly statements from the University of California Press.

The Administrative Officer has custody of the checks but does not have custody of the credit card transactions received.  The Administrative Officer reconciles the bank accounts to the accounting records monthly.

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 I.  A.  8.  Systems and Disaster Recovery Plan Specific to the Accounting Functions

Open Systems is a standardized ‘canned’ software package and the Society has not made any significant modifications to the system.  The current accounting programs are in the same version as the Society’s.  As a result, only the data require physically copying to the recovery system.  The existing data was moved and the Society’s data placed on the system.  All mission-critical functions were tested, including general ledger transaction entry, reporting, and accessing of all prior years of history (1994-2011).  Additionally, trial balance reporting and financial statement reporting were also tested.  The accounts payable invoice entry, posting, and check processing functions were all tested.  All tests were successful with no issues.

Should an actual situation occur where disaster recovery was in place, the data would be copied to the recovery system as well as 3 printer-related files that would ease the transition from one printer to another and maintain the Society’s special printer configurations.  These files are contained within the folders that are backed up when performing the osas7.52 (entire folder) backup.  The actual recovery time (time required to begin processing) should be less than one hour, depending upon the amount of data files being copied to the recovery system and any printer tweaking that might be involved.

In addition, the Society purchased the Administrative Officer a Maxtor One Touch Backup and flash drive that enable the backup of the majority of the mission critical programs and data including the accounting programs and data.  The flash drive is always maintained with the Administrative Officer.  In November 2009, the Administrative Officer signed up with Mozy Pro, an online backup service.  The Administrative Assistant and the Graduate Research Associate utilize an external hard drive to backup their files.

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I. B.  Annual Meeting

I.  B.  1.  Management of the Annual Meeting

History

One of the largest responsibilities confronting the Society each year is the task of managing the Annual Meeting.  Because this task had become so time-consuming and specialists in conference management existed at the time the Administrative Office was moved to its current location, it was agreed that a Meeting Manager would be secured.  Prior Executive Officers had tried having an outside firm or person manage the book exhibit.  The firm helped with registration and small aspects of on-site conference management during the Annual Meeting.  In general, these prior experiences had not proven very successful.

Since moving the office to the University of Tennessee, three different techniques of managing the meetings have been used.  The first was to contract with a firm that provided meeting management services located in the same city as the Administrative Office.  This contract was negotiated with a firm that had managed a book exhibit for the Society for several years.  They offered a bid, but a Knoxville firm offered a better one.  After an initial agreement with the Knoxville firm, the firm withdrew from the contract and the Society contracted with a former employee of the firm who had been working with the Society on the Annual Meeting.  This proved satisfactory for the first year, but some inexperience with running various aspects of the conference and relationships with the hotel were less than satisfactory.

Next the Society tried contracting with a firm in the same city as the conference location.  In this instance, the Society found an individual who had been a member of the Society, who had substantial contacts with social action organizations in the city in question.  This individual helped organize a profitable workshop, both intellectually and monetarily, for the Society.  This person served as Local Arrangements Chair and helped the Society to move forward.  Since this individual was so successful, the Society employed him and his firm again the following year but for a conference location at a distance from both the Meeting Manager and the Administrative Office.  This did not work as well and the staff of the Administrative Office felt that coordination problems and communication problems emerged.

During the second year the workshop was not as profitable although substance and reaction remained strong.  In addition, it became clear that having a person who could understand the needs of the Society on-site to help with local arrangements was an important advantage.  It became equally clear that such a person would have enough demands on their time to merit some compensation for their work.  Further, although sympathetic to the idea that workshops for training people in the area were a reasonable use of teaching skills and knowledge, the Society had a problem with adequately promoting the workshop as promotion required many local contacts.

The Administrative Officer hired in 1992 had experience in working with conferences.  She offered her services as Meeting Manager at an attractive fee.  Currently, the management of the Annual Meeting is under contract to the Administrative Officer at a separate fee.

The Society recognized that the task of Local Arrangements Chair required time and effort beyond that required of other volunteers.  As a result, compensation was proposed for this person.  The Local Arrangements Chair serves as a liaison for the Meeting Manager between various firms located in the host city with which the Society must do business in arranging the conference.

Responsibilities

In connection with the Annual Meeting, the Administrative Office handles all tasks associated with pre-registration, on-site registration including registration workers, and the preparation of the preliminary program and final program.  The Administrative Officer is responsible for negotiating a contract with a travel agency that will offer special discounted fares to the meeting site and a contract with a rental car agency that will offer special rental car rates, and for determining the complimentary rooming list and other amenities.  The Executive Officer has oversight responsibilities of the performance of all staff and must report to the Board of Directors in that regard.

The Administrative Officer, Executive Officer, Administrative Assistant, and Graduate Research Associate are responsible for all money received at the Annual Meeting.  The Administrative Officer keeps a financial record of the daily receipts from registration and other conference sales.

For several years, the Society has been utilizing graduate students as registration staff at the Annual Meeting.  In return for their services, the students are provided a complimentary shared room for three nights.  They are expected to pay conference registration fees and be a current member.  In return for these benefits, students are expected to work 12 hours at registration.  Duties include distributing packets to registrants, taking attendance at sessions, or other tasks assigned by the Meeting Manager or the Administrative Assistant.

Currently, the Administrative Office has to spend much time in follow-up with persons who do not pre-register in a timely fashion.  The 2000-2001 Board of Directors passed the following motion, “The SSSP Office will identify, at the end of each annual meeting, those participants who failed to pay registration fees.  Those non-paying participants will be notified next year that if they submit proposals for the program and fail to pay the pre-registration fees, they definitely will not be placed on the program.”

Financial Considerations

The cost of the Annual Meeting runs far above the receipts for that activity.  One area which causes cost overruns is the rental of audio-visual equipment.  Prior to the 2004 Annual Meeting, the Society provided an overhead projector in each session with the exception of round table sessions.  In 2004, the Society purchased an LCD projector.  In 2007, the Society purchased an additional LCD projector.  Program participants had to submit a request to use the projectors by January 31.  This practice was very cumbersome.  In 2008, the Board of Directors voted to provide an LCD projector and overhead projector in each session with the exception of round table sessions.  At the 2009 Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors voted to provide an LCD projector in each session with the exception of round table sessions.  The rationale for the removal of the overhead projectors is because most presenters prefer to use an LCD Projector.  Any additional audio-visual equipment must be paid for by the meeting participant.  Another area of financial loss is reduced registration rates provided to students and low-income members.  As it stands, regular registration is not enough to subsidize the cost of attending the Annual Meeting.  A third area of significant expense is the stipend for the Meeting Manager and the honorarium for the Local Arrangements Chair.

Workshops

Workshops targeted at persons who work in social problems related organizations were held at the 1991 Cincinnati, 1992 Pittsburgh, 1993 Miami, and 1994 Los Angeles meetings.  Topics varied.  In Cincinnati, workshops were conducted on gangs and homelessness.  In Pittsburgh and Miami, workshops were held on violence against women.  In Los Angeles, a workshop was held on children’s issues.  These workshops were uniform in one respect.  All members involved agreed that the content of the workshops was excellent.

Several problems involving workshop organization, follow-up and promotion were evident.  First, workshops have the advantage of increasing awareness of the Society among a non-academic population that is sympathetic to the purposes of our organization.  Second, they give something back to the host community where our Annual Meeting is located.  Third, they can increase attendance at the meeting, increase our room pickup at the hotel, and increase revenue for the Annual Meeting.  On the negative side, the Program Committee does not think in terms of how useful a topic might be to organizations related to social problems.  As a result there may be tension between the program theme and the workshop(s) offered.  A list of persons or agencies within travel distance of the Annual Meeting must be compiled.  Publicity must be initiated in an effort to reach potential attendees in a timely manner.  Workshop information needs to be in the hands of community organizations at least three months in advance of the workshop.  Given this lead time, this means that the workshop format and workshop leaders must be in place no later than six months in advance of the workshop to give adequate time for the preparation of publicity.  This means that recruiting of the leaders and planning of the workshop must start no later than one year in advance of the proposed workshop.  A budget for the workshop must be prepared at that time.  Often workshop leaders must be compensated through travel money and/or honoraria.  Frequently, members of the Society speaking in their own areas of expertise will donate their services to promote the work of the Society.

Complimentary Rooms

The Society receives some complimentary rooms on the basis of the number of paid guestrooms occupied on a cumulative basis during our visit (currently, 1 complimentary guestroom per 40 paid guestrooms).  These rooms are allocated to persons who must attend the Annual Meeting to fulfill their commitments to the Society.  If additional complimentary room nights are available, they are allocated to defray the costs of running the Annual Meeting.  The traditional list for receiving complimentary rooms during the Annual Meeting is: President, President-elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor of Social Problems, Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Administrative Assistant, and the Graduate Research Associate.

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I.  B.  1.  A.  Accessibility Services Approved Policy
  • With the professional costs of interpreting needs, the approved budget is $2,500.
  • SSSP Annual Meeting registration materials will ask any member who has an accessibility request to notify the Administrative Office by June 30.  That will give the Administrative Office and/or the Accessibility Committee time enough to locate resources.
  • The Accessibility Committee and the Administrative Office will help any member who requests interpreting services by contacting local area agencies that provide interpreting (unless member does not want us to do this) and get estimates.
  • SSSP will cap services per member in the following ways:

    1.  The money would be divided equally among those requesting services.
    2.      Members will be responsible for rest of costs.

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I.  B.  2.  Duties of the Meeting Manager

Hotel

  • Work with the hotel Sales Manager to ensure that SSSP receives all concessions identified in the hotel contract.
  • Secure reservation information from the hotel.
  • Arrange room set-up requirements for all sessions and catered events.
  • Plan menus and coordinate catered events for: Board of Directors Meetings, Board of Directors Reception, Committee Meetings, Editorial Board Luncheon, Division Sponsored Reception, Past Presidents Reception, Welcoming Reception, New Member Breakfast, Business Meeting, Presidential Address, and any additional food service functions.
  • Review the master account with the hotel Credit Manager to determine compliance with contract provisions, and make sure that all charges belong to the Society and secure adjustments when appropriate.
  • Arrange with the Reservations Manager for hotel reservations for officers and VIP’s.
  • Design and implement a Roommate Matching Service.

Pre-Registration/On-Site Registration

  • Recruit volunteers to work during on-site registration.
  • Coordinate work schedules for volunteers.
  • Provide the Treasurer and Executive Officer with copies of all requests to disburse funds.  They will authorize cash distribution of funds apart from petty cash.
  • Compile materials that will appear in registration packets (final program, restaurant guide, proposed resolutions, business meeting agenda, and flyer/map of the city).

Program

  • Review the overall design for the program and front cover.  Prepare front matter describing conference site, activities and special events for the preliminary and final program.  Special events will include: book exhibit, film exhibit, banquet, child-care information, information on plane reservations and major driving routes, and special features of the meeting site.

Audio-visual Needs

  • Secure a contract for audio-visual equipment by competitive bidding by April 15.  Two bids must be secured.

Banquet

  • Coordinate the menu/price, itinerary, room set-up, audio-visual needs, and ticket collection.
  • Secure plaques or certificates for award winners.

Restaurant Guides

  • Contact the Director of Meeting Services, American Sociological Association (ASA) and find out who will be coordinating the restaurant guide.  The Society purchases the guides from ASA.

Other

  • Work closely with the Local Arrangements Chair.  Provide guidance and expertise when appropriate.
  • Report on the management of the meeting and assessment of the hotel performance to the Board of Directors and at the Business Meeting.
  • Provide on-site coordination of member requests and hotel services to insure a quality meeting.

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I.  B.  3.  Duties of the Local Arrangements Chair

According to the motion of the Board of Directors, the Local Arrangements Chair’s tasks are to assist the Meeting Manager.  A $1,500 stipend for use as an honorarium or release time is given to the Local Arrangements Chair.  A $250 budget is provided for any expenses that the chair incurs.  Receipts must be sent to the Administrative Officer before reimbursement will be issued.  The stipend can be paid on a monthly basis (January - August) or in one payment at the Annual Meeting.

Hotel

  • Serve as liaison between the Administrative Office and the conference hotel.  Review the location of the registration area, meeting rooms, book exhibit area, and special events prior to the site visit, if needed.
  • Assist the Administrative Officer with contacting the Center for Independent Living to ensure the hotel/meeting space is accessible, if needed.

Program

  • Provide advice to the Program Committee, Executive Officer, and the Administrative Officer on the development of the preliminary and final program.  Write a brief “Welcome to the City” to be included in the preliminary and final program by March 1.  Recruit a graduate student to write a brief “Welcome to the City-The Graduate Student Edition” to be included in the preliminary and final program by March 1.  Provide walking directions from the SSSP conference hotel to the ASA conference hotels by March 1.  Offer suggestions about special activities in the host city.  Proof the preliminary and final program.
  • Assist the President, Program Committee, Executive Officer, and the Administrative Officer in planning special activities such as tours of local sites of sociological interest, if needed.

Local Promotion

  • Special efforts need to be made to encourage attendance from local colleges and universities within the area.  A list including the name, mailing address, and e-mail address of a contact person from each institution should be forwarded to the Administrative Officer by mid-November.  The Administrative Office will mail an annual meeting flyer and other meeting related announcements to each contact person.
  • Ideas on how to encourage students and faculty from local institutions to attend the meetings will be appreciated.

Media

  • Notify the local newspapers, radio, television, and magazines at least three months prior to the Annual Meeting.  Obtain the name of the contact person who will be covering the meetings, if possible.  Include the list of contacts in the Local Arrangements Committee’s report to the Board of Directors.
  • Prepare general press release in advance of the meeting (at least 3-4 weeks prior) to be circulated to all area media and area colleges and universities.  The President, Executive Officer, and Administrative Officer must approve the press release before it is circulated.

Transportation to the ASA Hotels

  • Transportation may be needed to and from the Society’s conference hotel and the ASA’s conference hotels.  Through competitive bidding (at least two providers) secure a contract for transportation, if needed.

Book Exhibit

  • Receive books and promotional materials from various publishers, if needed.  The Scholar’s Choice will manage the book exhibit.

Other

  • Prepare and present a report to the Board of Directors outlining your activities during the past year.
  • Coordinate transfer of the materials to the conference hotel with the Administrative Officer, if needed.

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I.  C.  Board of Directors

Introduction

The duties of the Board of Directors are to manage the affairs of the Society.  The President, President-Elect, Immediate-Past-President, Vice-President, Vice-President Elect, seven executive members, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Chairperson of the Council of the Special Problems Divisions are voting members of the Board of Directors.  All actions of the Board of Directors will be reported promptly to the membership by e-mail bulletins or through publication in periodical newsletters.  The membership reviews the actions of the Board of Directors at the regular Annual Business Meeting.

The Board of Directors is the only body of the Society to authorize official statements in the name of the Society.  When such statements are thought controversial, they are first submitted to the membership for authorization at the Annual Meeting or by e-mail ballot, if requested.  All statements not authorized are subject to critical review after issuance by the Society’s Annual Meeting.

The current Board of Directors will meet the day preceding the Annual Meeting and the first day of the Annual Meeting.  The current Board and the newly elected Board of Directors will meet the last day of the Annual Meeting.

Management of the Affairs of the Society

Executive Officer and Administrative Officer

The Executive Officer and Administrative Officer report to the Board of Directors or to those persons or offices that the Board designates.  These positions have been utilized by the Board of Directors to carry out the ongoing activities of the Society.  They traditionally report annually to the Board of Directors, but could be required to report more frequently.  A variety of duties have been delegated to the Executive Officer and Administrative Officer as has been indicated above.  These two positions are compensated by the Board of Directors and, in practice, compensation for the positions has been recommended by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.  The By-laws instruct the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee to serve as the personnel committee for the Society.  (In most organizations, an evaluation of performance and a recommendation for a salary increase would first come from the personnel committee and be evaluated by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.)  The Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee is given broad instructions on reviewing the performance of volunteer participants as well as the performance of paid staff in the interest of “more efficient achievement of organizational objectives” (see Article VI. Section 12 of the By-laws).  Section I. A. of this manual provides a description of the work of the Executive Officer and Administrative Officer.  Detailed job descriptions can be found in the appendix.  Other sections deal with responsibilities of volunteer officers and committee members.

Officers

Each of the major officers reports annually to the Board of Directors.  The President presents a report of activities and responsibilities in the form of specific initiatives for Board approval.  The Vice-President reports on resolutions and any other assigned duties.  The Secretary provides the minutes and prepares the summary of major Board actions for presentation at the Annual Business Meeting.  The Treasurer reports on the financial operation of the Society as compared to the budget established by the Board of Directors after reviewing the recommendations of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.  The Chairperson of the Council of the Special Problems Division reports on the activities of the various divisions.

Committees

A large portion of the work of the Society is done by committees.  Many of the committees report to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting, particularly if their report requires action by the Board.  In the event that no action is required, the committee’s report may be reviewed by the Board of Directors before publication on the Society’s web site.

All committees are to provide minutes of their meetings to the Administrative Officer, as well as reports of all of their activities.  These minutes and reports should be provided in electronic form so as to be easily stored, accessed, and disseminated.  The Administrative Officer will make sure that each committee chair will have a copy of, or easy access to, the previous year’s minutes and reports for their respective committee meeting.  The Administrative Officer will develop an electronic data retrieval system that can be accessed from the Society’s web site.  This data retrieval system will contain all of the minutes and reports of the Society and will be easily accessible.

Annual Business Meeting

This meeting is a time for direct reporting to the membership on the administration of the Society.

Special Problems Divisions

Divisions vary greatly in strength and activity.  The Board of Directors communicates formally with the divisions through the Chair of the Council of Division Chairpersons.  Specifically, the Board of Directors needs to be concerned about the continued viability of a division.  The Executive Officer and Administrative Officer will notify the Board and Council on Division Chairpersons when a Special Problems division has failed repeatedly to engage in required division activities during the preceding year, such as (1) have at least 150 members for two years running, (2) distribute at least one newsletter a year, (3) have a replacement chair elected by the end of the current chair’s term of office, (4) organize at least two sessions for the annual meeting, (5) be represented at every meeting of the Council of the Special Problems Divisions, (6) hold a divisional meeting at the annual meeting, and (7) maintain a current division mission statement on the division’s web page.  At this time, the Board will consider placing the division on probationary status. Then, if the division requirements are not met by the following year, the Board and Council of Division Chairpersons will vote on whether or not to deactivate the division.  The division can appeal the Council’s recommendation, first to the Council itself and to the Board if it is unsuccessful in its appeal to the Council. 

As scholarly interests change, the Board of Directors is charged with establishing new divisions as discussed in Article VI, Section 1 of the By-laws.  A substantial number of members choose to relate to the Society primarily through the Special Problems Divisions.  The Society encourages this specialization by making the divisions responsible for a large share of the program at each Annual Meeting.  For more details on divisions, see Section III of this manual.

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I.  D. Selecting the Executive Officer, the Administrative Officer, and the Administrative Office

Every two years, commensurate with the site visit of the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee, the Board of Directors will evaluate the effectiveness and general desirability of maintaining current arrangements relative to the Administrative Office, Executive Officer, and the Administrative Officer.  This evaluation will take into consideration the site report from the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee and any other information the Board is able to obtain.  Should the Board decide a change is needed in any or all of the above office entities, or should there be a vacancy (ies) for other reasons, the following procedures will be followed.  It is hoped that the Executive Officer will give sufficient (preferably two calendar years notice but at least one calendar year) notice.

Selecting the Executive Officer

  1. Once it is determined that the Executive Officer position is to be vacated, and that a replacement is desirable, the President of the Board will solicit nominations and applications for the Executive Officer.  Ordinarily, the decision to begin a search will occur at the annual meeting that marks the end of the organizational year--call this Year 1.  An invitation will go out to all members and all Sociology Departments and other participating interdisciplinary programs.  Advertisements will be posted in all SSSP information documents (newsletter, journal, web site, etc.), in the ASA Footnotes, The Chronicle of Higher Education, newsletters of other national and regional professional organizations (e.g., Sociologists for Women in Society, American Society of Criminology, regional sociological societies), and other appropriate non-sociological venues to ensure a broad and diverse pool of applicants.  These advertisements should refer potential applicants to the detailed description of the Executive Officer’s position posted on the SSSP web site.  Interested SSSP members in good standing may apply by submitting a letter of interest, CV, a proposed budget, and a letter of support from the applicant’s Department Chair and/or corresponding Dean of the prospective host institution, or appropriate official with budgetary authority in prospective nonacademic host institutions.  The names and complete contact information of three other references must also be provided.  The letter of interest should include what support the host institution is willing to provide for the prospective Executive Officer.  Institutional support should be corroborated by the letters from the Dean and/or Department Chair, or appropriate official with budgetary authority in nonacademic institutions.  Under ordinary circumstances, the deadline for submitting applications should be December 15 of Year 1, that is, the year before the annual meeting at which the top 3 applicants will be selected.  Applications will be submitted to the Administrative Officer, who will distribute them to the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee (POSPC).
     
  2. The POSPC, working in consultation with the Board and the Treasurer, will screen applications.  This screening will take into consideration the protection/promotion of affirmative action and cultural diversity interests, as well as the qualifications of the applicants and the resources available from the applicants’ institutions.  Members of the POSPC may contact applicants and request additional information.
     
  3. Prior to March 1 of Year 2, the POSPC will recommend up to three applicants to the Board for review and approval; at the same time, the Board should receive a list of all applicants for the position.  If the Board is not satisfied with the three recommended applicants, they may request that the POSPC reconsider its recommendations until agreement between the POSPC and Board is reached on a list of up to three finalists.  These finalists will be notified by the POSPC that they will be interviewed at their home institutions by a subcommittee consisting of the chair of the POSPC and two Board members no later than June 15, and by the Board as a whole at the upcoming annual meeting.  The subcommittee will submit a report to the Board no later than July 15 that includes the site visit and interview protocol used, a detailed assessment of each candidate as the potential SSSP Executive Officer, an assessment of the institutional support of the candidate based on interviews with relevant officials, and the subcommittee’s recommendation(s).
     
  4. Arrangements will be made by the Administrative Officer and Meeting Manager so that during the Year 2 annual meeting and the Board will interview the finalists.  (The Administrative Officer may be called upon throughout the entire process for assistance in coordinating the various activities.)  The Board will use the subcommittee’s report and recommendations, as well as the information obtained from its own interviews, to make a final selection of the Executive Officer.
     
  5. The President of the Board will contact the successful applicant and offer him/her the position.  Once the applicant has accepted the position appropriate steps will be taken to ensure a smooth transition.  This may involve the new Executive Officer spending time at the Administrative Office, and working with the Administrative Officer to gain familiarity with the day-to-day management of the Society, and with the outgoing Executive Officer to gain understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Selecting the Administrative Officer

Although in the past, it was assumed that the Administrative Officer would be located at the same site as the Executive Officer, that assumption is no longer necessary give modern communication capabilities and corresponding working arrangements.  The POSPC, working in consultation with the Board and the Treasurer, will develop a recruitment and selection procedure for a new Administrative Officer that is similar to procedures outlined for the Executive Officer position described above.  If both the Executive Officer and Administrative Officer positions are being vacated at the same time, then these two selection processes may be run simultaneously or institutionally coupled.  However, such coupling is not necessary.  If there is an Executive Officer at the time that the Administrative Officer position becomes vacant, the Executive Officer will serve as a temporary non-voting member of the POSPC in order to participate in the search process.

Selecting the Administrative Office

Should the University of Tennessee discontinue its contract with the Society, it will be necessary to locate a new institutional home for the Administrative Office.  Should this occur, the POSPC will work in consultation with the Board and the Treasurer to develop selection procedures.

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[1]In order to achieve the low-income status designation, and hence accept deposits from non-members, the credit union must serve a majority of low-income members.  “Low-income members” are “those members who make less than 80 percent of the average for all wage earners as established by the Bureau of Labor Statistics or those members whose annual household income falls at or below 80 percent of the median household income for the nation as established by the Census Bureau or those members otherwise defined as low-income members as determined by order of the NCUA Board.”

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