Officers, Committees, Editors, Service Awards, and Other Functions
Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary is an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board. This Officer serves at the pleasure of the Board to coordinate the work of the organization in an advisory capacity, function as a liaison with other professional organizations, provide a repository of historical documents and records of the Association, maintain a current compilation of policies and procedures approved by the Board, and perform business and communication functions as directed by the Board.
Elected Officers
President
The President presides at all regular and special meetings of the Association and all regular and special meetings of the Board during a one-year term of office. The President appoints committees and editors for MSERA publications (with the exception of the Research in Progress), prepares the annual budget, represents the Association at regular and special functions, speaks for the Association, and ensures the coordination of all activities of the Association. The President submits a list of committee (co)chairs and contact information to the MSERA web site editor by January 15; a list of Board of Directors and contact information to the MSERA web site editor by January 15; and information concerning nominations for MSERA service awards to MSERA web site by February 15.
Vice President/President-Elect
The Vice President/President-Elect is to assist the president and to update and distribute revisions and additions to the Operations Manual and serves as chair of the Distinguished Awards Committee (Outstanding Dissertation of the Year and James E. McLean Outstanding Paper). The Vice President/President-Elect serves in this office for one year before automatically advancing to the position of President. The Vice President submits changes to the Operations Manual, upon final approval, to the MSERA web site editor. Instructions for submission of the outstanding paper/outstanding thesis/dissertation awards should be submitted to MSERA web site editor by February 15; this should be coordinated with the program chair.
Past President
The Past President occupies this office in the year following his/her term as President of the Association. The Past President serves as chair of the Nominations Committee. As the Nominations Chair, the Past President should provide a list of nominees (as well as an electronic version of pictures and statements) for positions to be filled at the business meeting of the annual conference and should be submitted to the MSERA web site editor by October 15.
Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for conducting all correspondence for the Association, which includes but is not limited to keeping minutes and records for all regular and special meetings of the Association, keeping minutes and records for all meetings of the Board, keeping a current membership roll, and providing the Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee with a copy of all motions made and approved at each meeting for inclusion in the appropriate documents of the organization. The secretary is responsible for seeing that the membership list is provided to the Editors of the Researcher, which constitutes the contents of the Membership Volume. This information is due to the Researcher Editors by January 15.. The secretary is also responsible for distributing the Minutes to the Board Members prior to any and all meetings within six weeks after the conclusion of each meeting. The secretary also serves in a supervisory capacity for registration at the Association's Annual Meeting.
Directors
The primary responsibilities of the Directors are to stimulate interest in the membership of the Association and to perform such responsibilities as designated by the President. Directors are elected to two-year terms of office and may be re-elected for a second term in a specific Directorship. The six state Directors are elected at the Annual Meeting in even-numbered years; the four at-large Directors and the Directors representing state and local education agencies are elected in odd-numbered years. Each state Director is elected by MSERA members attending the Annual Meeting who reside in the state that the Director is to represent. The absence of a Director at two Board meetings during a term of office may constitute the office to be declared vacant.
Appointed Office
Executive Director
The purpose of the Office of Executive Director is to facilitate
the work of the MSERA Board, committees, and editors by providing services that
are required to fulfill their responsibilities. The position was created in
2006 by combining some functions of the MSERA Executive Secretary and treasurer
functions of the former Secretary-Treasurer position. The duties of the Executive
Director are specified in the MSERA Bylaws, Article II, Section 7.
Archives Committee
The Archives Committee serves as a liaison between MSERA and the educational agency or institution that serves as a repository for the Association. The committee is responsible for collecting a copy of each paper presented at the Annual Meeting, delivering the papers to the educational agency or institution that maintains the archives, and transmitting to the membership (through the Researcher) the procedures through which documents in the archives can be accessed. The Archives Committee also furnishes current contact information for archives holdings to the MSERA web site editor and fields and forwards requests for copies of papers to the special collections department of the MSU library. The Archives Committee works cooperatively with the Executive Director to provide the Director copies of all historical documents and records of the Association.
Budget Advisory Committee
The purpose of the Budget Advisory Committee is to advise the Organization, more specifically the President, on the development, implementation and evaluation of the yearly budget presented to the Board. In addition, the committee will act as a vehicle for the exchange of information between the organizational membership, the Board and the President.
Constitution and Bylaws Committee
The Constitution and Bylaws Committee prepares proposed amendments for action by the Board of the Association. The Committee receives all approved motions for revisions in the Constitution and Bylaws from each meeting of the MSERA Board and determines in which document (Constitution or Bylaws) the approved revision should be placed. The committee then prepares the revision for final approval by the Board. The committee serves as a channel through which any member of the Association, including committee members, can submit proposed revisions of the Constitution and Bylaws to the Board. Amendments may also be proposed directly to the Board if the requirements of the Constitution are met.
Development Committee
The purpose of the Development Committee is to seek funds from institutions of higher learning and other sources to undergird the efforts of the Association. The Development Committee works closely with the State Directors to maintain current lists of academic agencies in each state meeting the criteria to be a part of the organization through membership or simply by way of contributions to further the effort of the organization. The Development Chair maintains a list of all agencies in the six state areas that may be contacted for interest and donations to the organization. Contributions provide donors with membership benefits to designated individuals and with offices of the educational units of the institutions.
Distinguished Awards Selection Committee
The Distinguished Awards Selection Committee, Chaired by the Vice President, is to invite submissions for the MSERA awards and to ensure the fair, unbiased and worthy selection of a distinguished research paper and a distinguished dissertation/thesis. The committee transmits the call for submissions to the editor of the Researcher for dissemination with the Annual Meeting Call for Papers (February issue), as well as to the editor of the MSERA web site. The committee is responsible for verifying the membership status of the first author of each paper submitted, selecting the award recipients, securing the awards (plaques and checks) from the Executive Director, checking to see if the winners are selected for the Program, and notifying the winners at the Business Meeting of the Annual Meeting.
Evaluation Committee
The overall goal of the Evaluation Committee is to provide data for improving future sessions and for informing the actions of the Board. Members of this committee collect data to evaluate the effectiveness of the Annual Meeting, collect information regarding proposed changes to the policies or procedures of the organization, and report the results of the evaluation to the Board and to the membership. Evaluation instruments are used to collect information regarding individual sessions as well as the overall meeting. The committee is responsible for reviewing existing evaluation instruments, recommending changes to the Board as appropriate, dissertation the evaluation to meeting attendees.
Future Site Selection Committee
The Future Site Selection Committee recommends to the Board, states that will serve as hosts of the MSERA Annual Meeting. Selection of a state is restricted to the six MSERA member states. In odd-numbered years, the Annual Meeting will be held in member states on a rotating alphabetical basis. A state may pass when its turn occurs in the rotation. In even numbered years, the Future Site Selection Committee will recommend to the Board which state would provide a suitable location for the Annual Meeting. The committee will identify the selected state at least three years in advance of the Annual Meeting date.
The responsibilities of the committee also include soliciting proposals from business entrepreneurs who would like to host the conference for selected states. Committee collaboration with the state representatives is mandatory for the effective outcome of the committee. The submitted proposals must comply with the specifications outlined in the Operations Manual for state’s hosting the conference. After securing the proposals from the selected states, the committee evaluates the proposals to determine whether they meet MSERA’s specifications. After selection of the ideal proposal, the committee recommends its choice to the Executive Director and President who then bring the proposal to the Board of Directors for a vote.
Graduate Student Advisory Committee
The purpose of the Graduate Student Advisory Committee is to place the needs and accomplishments of graduate students before the rest of the MSERA membership. The committee organizes the graduate student activities at the Annual Meeting and schedules them with the chair of the Program Committee. The Committee disseminates information regarding the reception through the Researcher. The committee may also organize other sessions that would be of particular interest to graduate students at the Annual Meeting. The committee is responsible for submitting and scheduling these sessions with the Program Committee. One specific responsibility of the committee is to help host the New Member/Graduate Student Breakfast at the Annual Meeting.
Local Arrangements Committee
The Local Arrangements Committee is responsible for all on-site preparations for the Annual Meeting, which include recommending to the Board a hotel to serve as the convention hotel, negotiating rates for accommodations and food, and selecting meeting rooms. The Local Arrangements Committee Chair as the official contact person for MSERA with the hotel negotiates with the hotel for space to hold the Spring Board meetings, including arrangements for refreshments and the Board Dinner. The contract, if required by the hotel, is signed by the Executive Director.
The Local Arrangements Committee chair becomes the official contact person for MSERA with the hotel. The Local Arrangements Committee chair, in coordination with the Program Committee chair schedules specific rooms for all official Annual Meeting functions. If local tourist bureau services are utilized, the Local Arrangements Committee chair coordinates their activities The Local Arrangements Committee chair works with the hotel catering service to make arrangements for refreshments for all Annual Meeting functions within the limitations of the budget.
Specifically, the local arrangements chair comes on board after the hotel had been selected. We coordinated with the Program Committee chair with respect to room schedules. The LAC is responsible for arranging for:
Membership Committee (Operationally this should be one who has served a two year period in a state position)
The purpose of the Membership Committee is to recruit new members, sustain continuing members, and encourage professional growth among all members. The Chair of this committee will serve a two year term for consistent development processes. The committee has responsibility for promoting activities that encourage the affiliation and participation of beginning researchers, particularly as they complete their graduate status. A further mission is to seek out researchers in institutions whose faculty are not currently affiliated with MSERA and to encourage their participation. The overall goal is not just to increase numbers of participants but also to make MSERA a representative, responsive research group. One specific responsibility of the committee is to help host the New Member/Graduate Student Breakfast at the Annual Meeting. Possible ways of advertising might include but are not limited to updating and distributing the Invitation to Participate, sending out e-posters to all present and former members as well as Dean’s of universities with prospective members on their staff.
Nominations Committee
The Nominations Committee, Chaired by the Past President, has the responsibility to select candidates for the positions as Officers and Directors of the Board of MSERA. The Past President serves as chair of this committee. The committee notifies the membership through the Researcher of the process by which members can submit the names of prospective candidates to the committee for consideration. The committee selects two candidates for each office, when possible, (eight candidates for the four at-large representative positions) and notifies the editor of the Researcher of the selections so that this information can be conveyed to members prior to the Annual Meeting. The committee chair prepares and distributes the ballots at the Business Meeting. The chair and committee conduct the election and count the votes at the annual Business Meeting. Both the selection process and the conduct of the election of Officers and Directors should be unbiased and fair.
Program Committee
The purpose of the Program Committee (Program Chair and Co-Chair, Vice President, President and assisted by the Executive Director) is to plan the program of the Annual Meeting. The Program Chair and Committee prepares, an Overview of the Program and a list of Program Highlights. All three are submitted to the Editors of the Researcher; the first two are submitted to the MSERA webmaster as well. The Committee also solicits session chairs to preside over paper presentations and notifies presiders of their appointments. The committee is responsible for transmitting to the editor of the Researcher the Call for Papers to be included in the February issue. The Committee is also responsible for reviewing proposals submitted for the Annual Meeting for papers, display sessions, symposia, and training sessions, and for notifying submitters regarding the status of their proposals. The committee solicits the participation of MSERA members to serve as session chairs. The Program Committee, in coordination with the Local Arrangements Committee, schedules all events related to the Annual Meeting, notifies participants, and transmits the completed program schedule to the editors of the Researcher and the Proceedings.
The Program Chair will provide the Call for Proposals Information to the web
site editor by February 15; this should be coordinated with the Vice President
and President for Awards to be presented at the conference and necessary for
the web site. The conference program should be submitted to the MSERA web site
editor in electronic form by September 15 or upon completion of the conference
program. Updates to the program should be sent on an as-needed basis thereafter.
Publications and Communications Committee
The purpose of the Publications and Communications Committee is to prepare and recommend to the Board publication policies for each of the MSERA publications (Researcher, Research in the Schools, MSERA Web Page, and Proceedings). It is the responsibility of the committee to prepare and submit to the Board any recommendations for changes in existing publications, policies, and procedures, and to coordinate the development of proposals for new publications.
Editor, MSERA Researcher
The purpose of the Researcher is to serve as the major communication vehicle among the membership and officers of the organization. The editors assume the responsibility for (1) compilation, reproduction, and distribution of the Researcher on the following schedule: February – “Call for Papers”, May –“Leadership”, August – “Membership Directory”, and October – “Annual Meeting Program”.(2) dissemination of the “Call for Papers” issue to members of AERA, and LERA, and other regional or state education research association, and to deans of teacher preparation institutions in the constituent states who are not members of MSERA, and (3) preparation, maintenance, and dissemination of the production schedule with responsibilities clearly assigned to contributors.” The Editors work with the Executive Director to assure that two (2) copies of each issue of MSERA Researcher are sent to MSERA Archives chair.
Editor, Proceedings
The editor produces the Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, which is to be published on the MSERA Web Page. The Proceedings includes abstracts of paper presentations, symposia, displays, and training sessions and an Index of Participants. Conference presenters submit a copy of their presentation abstract via email upon notice of paper acceptance ensuring that the Committee has ample time for proofing.
Editor, Research in the Schools
The editor produces a quality journal of educational research designed to enhance the exposure and prestige of the Association. Two issues are published annually and are provided to the membership as part of their dues. The RITS editors should work with the Executive Director to assure that two (2) copies of each issue of RITS are sent to the MSERA Archives Chair.
Editor, MSERA Web Page
The editor of the MSERA Web Page is responsible for maintaining the World Wide Web site for MSERA. The editor assumes responsibility for compilation, editing, and posting of information on the web site in a timely manner. A suitable backup of the web site should be maintained. (At the present time, we handle this by operating a mirror site for the organization.). The MSER Foundation provides annual support for the MSERA Web Site operating costs up to $250.00 (this amount was established in 1998). Reimbursement for web hosting and domain registration may be obtained from the Executive Director of MSERA.
Harry Bowman Service Award
Nominations are solicited by announcements in The Researcher (May issue)
and should be sent to the current president of MSERA. Upon receipt of the nominations,
the president consults with the Executive Committee to determine the recipient.
The award is made at the annual business meeting of MSERA in November with the
recipient honored with a plaque.
The Harry Bowman Service Award was created in 1992 to honor Harry Bowman who has served and continues to serve MSERA meritoriously. This award is not intended for winners of the Walt Mathews Award as their contributions have already been recognized.
The committee is charged with the following directions:
Walter Mathews Historical Contributions Award
Nominations are solicited by announcements in The Researcher (May issue)
and should be sent to the current president of MSERA. Upon receipt of the nominations,
the president consults with the Executive Committee to determine the recipient.
The award is made at the annual business meeting of MSERA in November with the
recipient honored with a plaque
The Executive Committee may choose to present up to three awards in a single year. This award is not intended for winners of the Harry Bowman Award as their contributions have already been recognized. Individuals to be nominated should have been long standing or early members of MSERA, could be former board members, officers, or just those who have furthered the purposes of MSERA as a mentor to members or students. In addition, this award seeks to recognize historical contributions to MSERA that have impacted the progress of MSERA to achieve its present status.
The Walter Mathews Historical Contributions Award was created in 1999 by the MSERA Board of Directors to honor Walter Mathews, the founder of MSERA.
The committee is charged with the following directions:
The final results are submitted to the President for approval and ultimate
notification to the recipient as outlined in the President’s responsibilities.
MSER Foundation
The Mid-South Educational Research Foundation is dedicated to furthering educational
research by encouraging quality educational research and promoting the application
of the results of quality educational research in elementary and secondary schools
and higher education institutions in the Mid-South. The MSERA President, Vice
President/President Elect, and Executive Director serve as ex officio members
of the Foundation's Board of Directors. The Foundation operates independently
yet in cooperation with MSERA.