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Responsibilities of the Secretary’s office

Duties of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention Secretary

Revised September 2009

The Secretary or his/her designee shall attend and keep the minutes of all meetings of the Society and of the Council and shall prepare a list of items needing attention for use by the President in the preparation of agendas. He/she shall have charge of such books, documents, and papers as the Council may determine. He/she shall maintain a chronological list of members of Council and of all Committees for each year the Society continues to function. He/she shall be responsible for issuing all the notices of the Society that shall include notices of each Annual Meeting and of the Council Meeting preceding and following the Annual Business Meeting. He/she shall compile a roster of members and guests in attendance at each Annual Meeting for the timely information of Council. He/she shall be responsible for maintaining a record of all applications received for membership in the Society, for sending all applications to the Chairperson of the Membership Committee, for processing changes in the membership list, including resignations, deaths, and address changes, for providing this information to the Officers, to members of the Council, and to the Publisher as required, and for notifying each applicant regarding the outcome of his/her application for membership.
The Secretary performs the duties outlined below in conjunction with the business office.

1. At the annual meeting:
1. Post minutes of last year's business meeting.
2. Post minutes of new members from Membership Committee.
3. Post copy of the Constitution and Bylaws with any proposed amendments.
4. Keep minutes of the two Council meetings and the business meeting.
5. Count members attending the business meeting: Need a quorum of 35 throughout the meeting.
2. After the annual meeting (July/August):
1. Write minutes of the business meeting and two Council meetings.
2. Send Council the draft minutes of the business meeting and two Council meetings.
3. Send letters of acceptance or rejection, with reason, to those who applied for membership, and send copies to the first sponsors.
4. Send copy of updated procedures/timetables to chairs of standing committees, as well as minutes from the previous Council and business meetings.
3. Interim Council meeting (Oct./Nov.):
1. Prepare draft agenda with President.
2. Take minutes of meeting and prepare draft for approval by Council before end of year.
4. December:
1. Remind Nominations Committee to submit a slate of nominations by January to the Executive Director
2. Remind committee chairs and Council to submit proposed amendments to Constitution and Bylaws Committee by January. Continually work with chair of Constitution and Bylaws Committee so that a draft of the document with proposed changes is sent out by March to Council, and by mid-April (60 days before the annual meeting) to the membership.
5. March/April:
1. Remind committee chairs and other appropriate officers/liaisons to submit their annual reports by May for the Council meeting.
2. Remind Treasurer to send list of members delinquent in payment of dues by May for revision of membership list prior to the annual meeting.
3. Work with the Executive Director to verify election results when necessary.
6. June:
1. Assist with the Council meeting preparation, with minutes of the Council meetings and business meeting, reports from all chairs of Standing and Ad Hoc Committees, reports from liaisons, the President, Secretary, Executive Director and Treasurer.
2. Work with the President, prepare a draft agenda for the Council I and business meeting.
3. Work with the President, arrange for appraisal/review of the Executive Directory.