APPENDIX 29
ASA DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS
JANUARY 1, 2005
In 2005, the Executive Office of the American Sociological Association included the following Departments and Programs (staff members who fill these positions as of January 1, 2005 are listed in Appendix 30):
ASA Departments
Operations and Meeting Services Department
The primary objective of the Meeting Services function is to plan and support meetings sponsored by the Association, which are intended to serve sociologists in their work. The major meeting activity is the national Annual Meeting held in August of each year. The Department also coordinates other ASA events, which are usually small meetings of ASA committees/boards or educational seminars of ASA programs.
Janet Astner, Director of the Meeting Services Department also directs the Office Administration Department, which has the function of coordinating general office operations and human resources functions in the Executive Office.
Publications and Membership Department
The primary mission of ASA publications is to provide information on and about the discipline of sociology to ASA members and subscribers, and a growing number of outside audiences (e.g., media, government) with an interest in sociological information and research. The Publications Department is responsible for the oversight and production of ASA’s publications.
Karen Gray Edwards, Director of the ASA Publications Department, also directs the ASA Membership/Customer Services/Subscription Department, which is responsible for member customer service, subscription fulfillment, data entry, and Annual Meeting registration.
Governance, Sections, and Archives Department
The Department of Governance, Sections and Archives is responsible for ensuring Association compliance with the ASA Constitution and Bylaws. This department is responsible for staffing five of the seven constitutionally mandated components, management of annual association nominations and elections, coordination of appointment of members to ASA components, administration of eight Association awards, management of all aspects of special-interest sections and their more than 20,000 members, and preservation of Association records and history. Michael Murphy, Director of the Governance and Sections Department, is also ASA Archivist.
Research and Development Department
The ASA Research Program on the Profession and the Discipline is responsible for developing and disseminating knowledge on sociology both as a discipline and a profession. This responsibility is carried out by collecting primary and secondary data, building and maintaining databases, and disseminating research findings through a variety of media and a series of venues. ASA’s goal is for a wide array of members of the profession to benefit from the availability of these findings and to use them for research, policy, and planning purposes. Roberta Spalter-Roth, Director of the Research and Development Department, also directs the Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline (FAD) Program. (Appendix 24 contains a list of all datasets, documents, and publications produced by the Research Program.)
Public Affairs and Public Information Department
Public Affairs Departmental activities encompass those undertaken by the Association, or others acting on its behalf, to educate about and advocate for sociology especially at the national level. This objective is accomplished in various ways, including by speaking on behalf of sociology in different arenas (such as at the Congressional, federal agency, and other governmental levels), collaborating with other scientific and learned societies on joint ventures to advance the social sciences, and increasing awareness of sociology and sociological issues among the wider public through the media. Influencing the media’s portrayal of sociology and sociological research is achieved by the Public Information Program which seeks (1) to respond to media inquiries with timely and relevant information, including referrals to experts on specific issues, and (2) to initiate press briefings and other actions that inform and educate about sociology. Topics emanating from the substantive programs such as the Spivack Program are viewed as particularly appropriate for nurturing media interest in sociological issues.
Information Services and Technology Department:
The Information Services and Technology Department manages the ASA Information Technology (IT) systems and infrastructure. The following outline provides the technical specifications for the computer system that operates the system following the upgrade in 2004:
• Five servers running Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. Two of the five are new HP/Compaq servers. Three of the pre-upgrade servers were reused and upgraded to Windows 2000 Server.
• One Dell server running Linux operating system. The old Unix-based server was replaced with this new Dell and runs the Listserv software.
• Several application upgrades:
• The email application was upgraded from Microsoft Exchange 5.5 to Microsoft Exchange 2003.
• The Document Management System was migrated from Hummingbird’s DOCS Open version 3.9 to
Hummingbird’s DM version 5.2.
• The databases now run on one database platform – Microsoft SQL 2000
• The NOAH database and application were upgraded to the current (at the time) version of 9.3b.
• The tape backup hardware was replaced with two high-speed, high volume tape backup units.
ASA Programs:
The Academic and Professional Affairs Program (APAP)
APAP advances the place of sociology in colleges and universities; strengthens departments and their programs; engenders effective communication and collaboration with sociology departments; and encourages the best practices in education, training, and teaching. The Department seeks to provide services for those engaged in the teaching and practice of sociology. Its major components include the Department Affiliates Program, Chair and Director of Graduate Study Conferences, the Teaching Resources Center (TRC), and the Departmental Resources Group (DRG). (Appendix 22 contains a detailed listing of teaching, career and professional publications and resource materials produced by APAP as of July 2005.)
The Minority Affairs Program (MAP)
MAP encompasses the core Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), as well as other programs that provide support to students and minorities, or those that relate to health issues more broadly. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the MFP supports the development and training of predoctoral minority sociologists in mental health. The ASA provides the MFP with national coordination for minority students participating in the program, and in various ways offers support (e.g., through workshops, travel support to conferences, a structure for building networks, and so forth) that “extends the professional development provided by Fellows’ home departments.” (See Appendix 23 for a summary of MFP awards). Mercedes Rubio, Director of MAP, also directs the ASA Honors Program, the Student Forum, and other student-related activities of the ASA.
The Sydney S. Spivack Program in Applied Social Research and Social Policy
The Spivack Program is a multifaceted effort to advance the uses and contributions of sociology to social policy. The Program links sociological knowledge to social policy, promotes social policy based on sound sociology, and provides relevant social research through policy briefi ngs, special research workshops, community initiatives, and fellowship opportunities. The Spivack Advisory Committee, appointed by Council sets priorities for the Program and guides its activities. (Appendices 25–27 contain a detailed list of all Spivack Program activities.)
