Required Activities
Following acceptance, the newly established section must
- Hold at least one regional meeting within the first two years, and at least one regional meeting each year thereafter. For developing sections, this requirement is replaced by the requirement to conduct 2-4 recruitment and community building activities within the first two years.
- Section meetings should maintain a local character and a low barrier to entry: 1- to 2-day meetings with low registration costs and a program that includes activities focused on undergraduate and graduate students.
- Section meetings must take place at locations where the SMB Principles of Community may be fully implemented and respected.
- Section meetings must not occur in June, July, or August (to avoid conflicts with the SMB Annual Meeting).
- Distribute a newsletter (2-4 times per year) highlighting local scientific and mathematical biology advances, together with standard newsletter fare.
- Collect and retain data on participation in meetings, external support secured, and other section activities. This data will be required for reports to the SMB Board.
- Submit annual reports to the Board. These reports will include details of section activities from the prior year, strategic planning and goal setting for the coming year, and requests for budgetary support. Annual reports are submitted to the Sections Committee chair (forde@hws.edu) by September 1.
- The annual reports at the end of year 2 and year 4, will be more in-depth reports on the activity, growth, and development of the section (a template will be provided). These reports will allow the SMB Board provide feedback to the section leadership and to identify ways in with the Society can better support the section.
- The annual report in year 5 (and every 5 years thereafter) will include strategic planning and goal setting for the following 5-year period.
