AMS Committee on the Profession

Committee on the Profession (CoProf)

1. General Description
   Committee reports to the Council.
   Committee is standing.
   Number of members is 15.
   Term is three years.
   Membership is as follows:
   
   
   • 3 Council members, appointed by the President from among the Vice-Presidents and Members-at-large of the Council;
   • 1 member of the Board of Trustees, appointed by the Chair of the Board;
   • The President of the Society;
   • The Executive Director of the Society (non-voting);
   • The Secretary of the Society; and
   • 8 at-large members, appointed by the President.
   
   The chair is appointed by the President to a one-year term as chair, with the possibility of extension, extending her (his) term on the committee if necessary. The Associate Executive Director for Professional Programs and Services shall attend CoProf meetings and provide administrative and staff support.

2. Principal Activities
   The Committee is to take a long range view of and provide major direction for Society activities on issues of a broad professional nature. Issues to be addressed in this area include:
   
   
   1. Human rights of mathematicians
   2. Employment issues and opportunities
   3. Professional Development
   4. Increasing participation at all levels of under-represented groups (e.g., women, African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, native Americans)
   5. Recognition and Awards
   6. Membership and member services
   7. Professional ethics and responsibilities
   8. Increased communication and cooperation with other disciplines

   Fundamental to these is the issue of increasing public awareness of and appreciation for the nature of mathematics and its role in modern society. The committee will conduct an annual high-level review of the Society's efforts relating to these issues: evaluating progress toward Society goals and reviewing Society activities and structure with an eye to how best accomplish these goals.

   The committee will conduct a dialog with the Society's membership, through presentations and open forums at meetings, articles in the Notices, and other appropriate means. The Committee will coordinate with other professional organizations.

   The 11 January 1994 Council approved the following resolution:

   The Council charges the committees on Education, Meetings and Conferences, Profession, Publication, and Science Policy to carry out at least every six years reviews and appraisals of Society activities in the areas of their charges and to report the results of these reviews to the Executive Committee and to the Council.

3. Other Activities

4. Miscellaneous Information
   Ordinarily the Committee has one face-to-face meeting per year. In addition to face-to-face meetings, committee business may be transacted by mail, email, telephone, fax, and conference call, expenses for all of which may be reimbursed by the Society.

5. Note to the Chair
   Work done by committees on recurring problems may have value as precedent or work done may have historical interest. Because of this, the Council has requested that a central file system be maintained for the Society by the Secretary. Committees are reminded that a copy of every sheet of paper should be deposited(say once a year) in this central file. Confidential material should be noted, so that it can be handled in a confidential manner.

6. Authorization
   Created by the Council on 12 January 1993.