Secretary S Report to the BSA Council

BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

Secretary’s Report to the BSA Council

July 24, 2000

The following list summarizes my activities as BSA Secretary during the 1999-00 year.

1. I sent names of Society and affiliated award winners announced at the 1999 annual social to Joe Leverich, PSB Editor, for publication. Where appropriate, I sent the titles of the awardees’ presentations.

2. I maintained correspondence directed to the BSA Secretary.

3. I made copies of all meeting agendas, minutes, reports, and formal correspondence from the 1998-99 year for deposition at the BSA Business Office in Columbus, OH, and in the BSA Archives at the University of Texas, Austin, TX.

4. I collected (electronically) the annual reports of all Officers, Editors, Section Chairs, and Committee Chairs, compiled them, and posted them on the BSA webpage. Thanks to Scott Russell for preparing the site.

5. I established a file of templates for all correspondence and documents routinely used by the Secretary. The file will be passed on to Jennifer Richards, BSA Secretary-Elect following this year’s annual meeting.

6. I initiated the revision of the BSA Officers' Handbook. With so many of the Officers’ activities being conducted electronically, many of the responsibilities described are outdated. In addition, the BSA now has a Webmaster and a Meeting Coordinator, and the duties of these Officers have not been formally described. The revised booklet will be completed in time for the 2001 elections.

7. Most of the Secretary's duties fall in the summer. These include helping to plan the BSA Council and Business Meetings and the agenda for the BSA Banquet, distributing the agenda for the Council meeting, coordinating the receipt and distribution of reports for the Council meeting, and coordinating the Society and affiliated awards.

8. Following this year's meeting, I will conclude my duties as BSA Secretary by

a. filing the award winners' names with PSB Editor Marsh Sundberg

b. preparing the minutes of the 2000 Business Meeting for the Fall BSA mailing

c. filing copies of all Secretary's documents from 1999-00 with the BSA Business Office and the BSA Archives

d. transferring all materials to Jennifer Richards, Secretary-Elect

9. Thank you to the BSA for the opportunity to serve the Society. My term as Secretary has been a very rewarding experience!

Respectfully submitted,

Pamela S. Soltis

BSA Secretary