ASBMB Council: Summer roundup

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Council met May 3 and Aug. 28 virtually to discuss a variety of topics including operations and infrastructure, initiation of a strategic planning period for the society, several programmatic initiatives, and other matters.

May 3

ASBMB President Ann Stock formally welcomed new CEO, Mona Miller, who joined the society April 1. Miller relayed how much she valued the scientific content and the chance to meet people when she attended the San Antonio Annual Meeting as a guest, as well as getting to know staff over the last month. Along with her observations about several considerable ASBMB strengths, Miller identified a few near-term priority investments in infrastructure, operations, and planning that would help to sustain those strengths and plan for the society’s future. Council approved a supplemental expenditure to support those early needs.

One of the prioritized projects will be the development of a multiyear strategic plan for the society’s next three to five years, along with review and updating of ASBMB’s governance to ensure the organization’s volunteer leaders have the tools and direction they need to support ASBMB’s mission and programming. While both processes were still in development in May, staff highlighted that the strategic planning project would incorporate substantial input points from members, committees, editors and other ASBMB stakeholders, and that governance review and enhancement would proceed with council leadership.

Other approved enhancements included an initial investment in technology infrastructure at the ASBMB offices, including the need for current hardware and software in several operational areas, as well as a move to a cloud environment for documents to significantly improve the efficiency, security and resilience of the society’s administrative operations.

Aug. 28

Council met to discuss and approve two programmatic initiatives and to accept the financial audit results for 2023. The CEO updated Council on the special projects authorized in May. Several of the initial technology enhancements were completed, including technology hardware, software and cloud upgrades, and progress on strategic planning and governance, including the creation of task forces that guide each of those initiatives.

Programmatically, the society has been exploring the opportunity to create a new broad-based journal as a complement to the three well-established ASBMB journals. Council approved the new journal’s creation and empowered the Publications Committee to recommend the scope and name, an inaugural editor-in-chief and a launch timeline, all of which will be approved by the Council Executive Committee. The new journal will welcome direct submissions and provide a home for strong science and easy transfers if a manuscript is not a good fit for the existing three journals. Council affirmed the importance of using this opportunity to reinforce the values built into ASBMB’s longstanding publishing program, including meaningful and timely editor feedback to authors. More details about the new journal will follow in coming months.

On the financial front, Council approved modest, responsible increases in dues for the first time since 2020 and only the second time in 20 years. Dues are one important revenue source for the society and help offset the cost of many non–revenue-generating programs that serve our members. While the society is fortunate that it has strong reserves in place to support many activities, those reserves are hard at work — invested wisely and prudently — to generate some of the other resources necessary for the society’s many non–revenue-producing activities. ASBMB must balance investment income with other important resources as it keeps up with growing costs to provide programming.

The Finance Committee also brought forward, and Council accepted, a recommendation to approve the audited financial statements as presented by the society’s independent auditors, Rogers & Company. The audit found no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in the society’s financial operations and found that the statements accurately reported the society’s financial position.

As part of good governance, the Council also agreed to periodically revisit the society’s code of conduct and professional conduct expectations. It authorized the creation of a Council-level Professional Conduct Working Group to guide that work. The working group will review the code of conduct and its application, and will make recommendations to the Council on the topics.

The next ASBMB Council meeting is scheduled for Dec. 6 in Rockville, Maryland, and will be followed by a Council strategic planning retreat.