Job Descriptions
The President serves a total of three years in three positions: Vice President/President-Elect for the first year, President the second and Past President the third.
The President serves the membership and provides leadership to the AAPOR Executive Council to define and accomplish the strategic goals of the association. The President maintains familiarity with all committee activities, providing advice as warranted, and presides over all AAPOR Council meetings. They communicate regularly with the other officers and assist other councilors and committee Chairs to formulate and present options to Council for discussions and votes. The President, with Council’s approval may appoint ad hoc task forces as needed to accomplish the business of the association and/or to consider special issues. The President must often prioritize issues brought to Council so that each gets fair consideration and resolution.
The President represents AAPOR to the press and public as needed and speaks on behalf of the Association, as needed. They coordinate closely with the Past-President, Vice President/President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Director to ensure continuity of purpose and action across Councils.
The President is a member of the five-member Executive Committee that is empowered to act on behalf of the Council on time-sensitive issues as required between regularly scheduled Council meetings. As provided by the bylaws, the committee includes the President, Past-President, President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer and Associate Secretary-Treasurer.
Each year, the President prepares an address for the annual conference that is subsequently published in the fall issue of Public Opinion Quarterly. The President chairs the annual Membership and Business Meeting that takes place at the Annual Conference, presides at the Awards Banquet and may, but is not required to, perform other prominent duties during the meeting including chairing or otherwise participating in the plenary sessions. The President convenes the committee that solicits nominations and selects the winner of the AAPOR Award for Exceptionally Distinguished Achievement and may present the award at the annual conference.
The Vice President assists the President as needed and serves on, and may be the chairperson, for task forces on high priority and sensitive issues. Should the President be temporarily absent or disabled, the Vice President performs all the duties of the President. In practical terms, this means that the President sets the tone for the involvement of the Vice President in the leadership of the association.
The Vice President is tasked with the annual appointment of the Public Service Award committee. They must select a committee chair (required to be a chapter president) and will assist the chair in appointing a well-balanced review committee.
As required by the bylaws, if the position has been filled by members from the commercial sector for two years in a row, the following year’s nominees must come from the non-commercial sector. If the position has been filled by members from the non-commercial sector for two years in a row, the following year’s nominees must come from the commercial sector. Commercial is defined as for-profit businesses or consulting; non-commercial includes government, university and other non-profit organizations
As described in the bylaws, the Past President serves as Chairperson of the Nominations Committee. By AAPOR practice, the Past President assists the President as needed and may chair or serve as a member of task forces on high priority and sensitive issues.
The Secretary-Treasurer (S/T) is primarily responsible for monitoring and evaluating the financial health of the association. The S/T is a member of the Investment, Sponsorship and Development committees, and works closely with AAPOR’s investment advisors and with the Executive Director. The S/T presents a detailed financial report to the President and the Executive Council at each meeting and assists the Executive Director in the development of the annual budget.
With oversight from, and in regular consultation with the S/T, AAPOR staff is responsible for daily financial operations, preparing detailed monthly financials, advising on and reviewing the annual budget; and with approval by the Executive Council, contracts with and works directly with independent auditors and staff to prepare state and Federal tax filings and the annual audit. Tax and audit documents are reviewed by the S/T and approved by the Council. AAPOR staff is responsible for
assuring adequate insurance coverage is in place, and that policies are reviewed and premiums are competitively priced.
The S/T is responsible for reviewing minutes prepared by the Associate S/T of Council meetings.
The S/T and Associate S/T serve on the five-member executive committee, empowered by the bylaws to act on time-sensitive AAPOR business in between regularly scheduled Council meetings.
The Associate Secretary-Treasurer (AS/T) is responsible for preparing minutes at all Council meetings. The AS/T assists the Secretary-Treasurer as requested by the S/T with any of the duties described above. As defined in the bylaws, should the Secretary-Treasurer be temporarily absent or disabled, the AS/T performs all the duties of the Secretary-Treasurer.
According to the bylaws, the AS/T is a member of the Executive Committee, along with the S/T, President, Vice President and Past President. The Executive Committee is empowered to act on behalf of the Council on time-sensitive issues as required between regularly scheduled Council meetings.
As one of AAPOR’s Standing Committees, the Conference Committee, and the Chair by default, is charged with overseeing the programming of the annual conference, with strong support from AAPOR staff. The annual conference generates the majority of AAPOR’s annual revenue and expenses.
The Chair and Associate Chair focus on conference content, structure, evaluation and member involvement, while AAPOR Staff focuses on logistics i.e. pre-meeting/post-meeting and onsite logistics, RFP and site selection, vendor management and contracting, sponsor and exhibit management, and material– supporting the abstract process and production of the program.
The Conference Chair is primarily responsible for determining and assigning volunteers to focus on meeting content and related activities – theme, invited speakers, plenary sessions, evaluation, and abstracts (courses and concurrent sessions). The Chair, with support from staff, assures that the work of the conference subcommittees, other committees (e.g. Education) and individuals that contribute to the annual conference is assigned and on schedule.
In the several months leading into the conference, the Chair and Associate Chair may spend a substantial amount of time on conference responsibilities.
As required by the bylaws, and similar to the vice presidency role, the Associate Conference Chair position is designed to balance commercial and non-commercial sectors. If the position has been filled by members from the commercial sector for two years in a row, the following year’s nominees must come from the non-commercial sector. If the position has been filled by members from the non-commercial sector for two years in a row, the following year’s nominees must come from the commercial sector. Commercial is defined as for-profit businesses or consulting; non-commercial includes government, university and other non-profit organizations.
By AAPOR practice, the Associate Chair generally assists the Chair as needed. In practical terms, this means that the Conference Chair sets the tone for the involvement of the Associate Conference Chair on the annual conference.
The Associate serves as the Chair of the student poster competition as well as the Sudman Award review committee. For these roles, they are responsible for establishing a committee of reviewers for each award and ensuring proper timelines are followed to name a recipient. They are also responsible for designing and implementing the conference portion of the membership survey
As one of AAPOR’s Standing Committees, the Membership and Chapter Relations Committee (MCR) and the Chair by default, are charged with the responsibility, with strong support from AAPOR staff, of developing membership recruitment strategies, regularly reporting to Council on membership trends, composition, and retention, working with staff to carry out activities and benefits designed to further membership retention, conducting periodic surveys of the membership, and for other membership matters which may arise. Membership dues are the second highest source of AAPOR annual revenue.
Although there are no specific responsibilities for the position of MCR Chair or Associate Chair spelled out in the bylaws, the Chair provides leadership for an active committee with multiple subcommittees focusing on membership recruitment and retention strategy, membership analytics, consideration and development of member benefits and services, and chapter relations. These responsibilities have traditionally been shared between the Chair and Associate Chair.
The Associate Chair serves one year as Associate, then serves as chair. By AAPOR practice, the MCR Chair and the Associate Chair meet following the election to determine how best to divide responsibilities on this busy committee with a number of active sub-committees.
The Associate Chair serves as Chair of MCR’s Conference Awards Subcommittee. In this role, they are responsible for the evaluation of applications for the Student Conference Award and the Burns “Bud” Roper Award.
As one of AAPOR’s Standing Committees, the Education Committee, and the Chair by default, is charged with the responsibility for planning and organizing distance education offerings for the members of AAPOR under the direction of the Executive Council.
Although there are no specific responsibilities for the position of Education Chair or Associate Chair spelled out in the bylaws, the Chair and Associate Chair work very closely with the Conference, Communications, Standards, and MCR Committees, their subcommittees and members of the AAPOR staff.
The Education Chair is primarily responsible for determining and assigning volunteers to focus on webinar speakers and content and short course presentations. The Chair assures that the work of the education subcommittees contribute to the overall strategic direction of AAPOR and are programmed on schedule. Execution of these events are supported by AAPOR staff. Education planning and evaluation is a year-round responsibility. Planning for the next year’s distance learning programs should begin in late summer of the previous year.
The Chair is also responsible for the oversight of the History Subcommittee, which includes the development of heritage interviews and archival procedures, and the Publications Subcommittee, which includes setting procedures and best practices for the three AAPOR journals and their advisory committees.
The Associate Chairhas a term of office of one year at the end of which they become the Chair of the committee that coordinates AAPOR educational activities.
The Associate Chair serves on the Online Education Subcommittee, and works with the Education Chair to recommend leadership for the Education sub-committees.
As one of AAPOR’s Standing Committees, the Standards Committee is charged with the responsibility to maintain, monitor and improve professional standards in the field of public opinion and survey research.
Although there are no specific responsibilities for the Standards Chair or Associate Chair spelled out in the bylaws, the Chair is primarily responsible for leading the committee that promotes the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices via the Transparency Initiative and other avenues. The bylaws charge the Standards committee with the responsibility to review the Code at least every five years to keep it current with changing environmental circumstances. The last review took place in 2020, with approval in early 2021. The next review will begin in 2025. The Chair evaluates possible violations of the Code through formal committee procedures. The Standards Committee is active in advocacy and information exchange with affiliated organizations, the media and public related to standards issues.
The Chair and Associate Chair are expected to have a strong overall understanding of ethical practices in the public opinion and survey research enterprises, including both the public and private sectors. The Chair is a standard-bearer and thought leader for AAPOR’s Code, and should be known in the industry as possessing a thoughtful and balanced perspective. Specific responsibilities for Code enforcement are assigned to the Chair as part of the Scheduled Procedures for Code Violations. The Standards Committee can be called to action with little notice when a complaint of code violation is received. The Chair and Associate Chair lead the complaint review process, which can require a significant time commitment.
In addition to the Code of Professional Ethics and Practices, the Chair will also oversee the AAPOR Code of Conduct, including any reported violations and its review, to be done every five years.
The Standards Committee and its sub-committees also play a leadership role in the Transparency Initiative. The committee also recommends and monitors the work of task forces that address issues of interest to the research profession and that normally result in white papers or a similar product.
Depending on the number and nature of standards and conduct complaints that may be received during a given year, a considerable amount of time may be required of the Chair during the time complaints are under review.
The Associate Chair serves one year as Associate, then chairs the Standards Committee. By AAPOR practice the Standards Chair and the Associate Chair meet following the election to determine how best to divide committee responsibilities. In practical terms, this means that the Committee Chair sets the tone for the involvement of the Associate Committee Chair in Standards Committee activities.
As one of AAPOR’s Standing Committees, the Communications Committee is charged with the responsibility for all matters concerning publications of AAPOR and its website, excluding those (such as Public Opinion Quarterly, Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology, and Survey Practice) which the Executive Council may designate as the responsibility of other parties or staff. This committee establishes and maintains relations between AAPOR and the public and assists the President and the Executive Council in the dissemination of information relating to public opinion and survey research, and the policies and activities of AAPOR.
Although there are no specific responsibilities for the Communications Chair or Associate Chair spelled out in the bylaws, the Chair advises the Council on communication strategy for AAPOR as a whole and its component parts and provides oversight on policy that affects the website, listservs, newsletter, social media, the Blue Book and other publications. Comfort and familiarity with online marketing and communication strategy is helpful.
The Chair is frequently called on to communicate complex industry ideas effectively to a non-industry audience. Due to the nature of the committee’s responsibilities, the Chair works very closely with the President, the Associate Chair and with AAPOR staff, particularly the Marketing and Communications Director and Executive Director to ensure that AAPOR is able to respond rapidly on short notice when required. As a consequence, the Chair must always be available to make decisions or advise on time-sensitive issues when such issues arise or make arrangements with the Associate Chair and AAPOR staff for dealing with these issues when the Chair is unavailable.
The Associate Chair serves one year as Associate, then chairs the Communications Committee.
By AAPOR practice, the Communications Chair and the Associate Chair meet following the election to determine how best to divide committee responsibilities. As determined by the Chair, the Associate Chair may take the lead on projects affecting one or more of the committee’s oversight areas including the website, listservs, newsletter, social media, and other publications. In practical terms, this means that the Committee Chair sets the tone for the involvement of the Associate Chair in Communications Committee activities.
The Inclusion and Equity Committee ensures that AAPOR programs and communications promote the inclusion of AAPOR members from underrepresented backgrounds. It also ensures that members of marginalized groups receive equitable opportunities, recognition, and support within the organization. The goal of the committee is ultimately to infuse inclusion and equity into the daily practices of the association.
The Chair of this committee will oversee the efforts of the subcommittees. The work of these subcommittees spreads across all facets of AAPOR and includes activities such as DEI- focused contributions to the quarterly newsletters, outreach to grow AAPOR’s talent pipeline and diversify membership, identifying new and more inclusive opportunities for professional development and education, developing metrics to track DEI development across membership, and provide community and belonging through affinity groups. The committee also oversees the AAPOR Inclusive Voices Award and the Student Inclusion Fellowship. As appropriate, the chair will assign liaisons to the other Standing Committees to provide a DEI lens and cross-committee collaboration.
The Chair will also serve on the AAPOR Nominations Committee.
The Associate Chair serves one year as Associate, then chairs the committee. By AAPOR practice, the Chair and the Associate Chair meet following the election to determine how best to divide committee responsibilities. As determined by the Chair, the Associate Chair may take the lead on projects affecting one or more of the committee’s oversight areas
and will serve as a member of task forces on high-priority and sensitive issues. This position also may be asked to serve on the AAPOR Nominations Committee if the IEC Chair is unavailable.
The three Councilors-At-Large serve staggered three-year terms. The positions are often held by senior members of the association who have served previously on the Council, but can also be filled by members who are mid-career and have shown promise as a leader in the field.
Councilors-at-Large serve an official liaison role on all ad hoc task forces, and take on special projects as requested by the President. The Councilors-at-Large also serve on the Advisory Committees of AAPOR’s three journals, the Human Resources Subcommittee, the Book Award Committee (year 1), the Policy Impact Award (year 2), and the Innovators Award (year 3).
Councilors-At-Large also serve on the committees to review the bylaws and conduct policy.