Governance of SAMS
The South African Mathematical Society is governed by a council which is selected from its members by means of an electoral process. There are eight permanent portfolios (described hereafter) which are filled by means of this electoral process. Election to Council is for a period of two years with incumbent members eligible for re-election to Council in the same portfolio for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The eight elected members may co-opt onto Council a maximum of three extra Council members to serve in portfolios such as may be determined by Council. Once a new president has been elected, the immediate past President shall also serve on council for a period of one year.
Elected members
The following colleagues were elected to the respective portfolios mentioned hereafter at the 2021 Annual General Meeting of the Society (SAMS 2021 Congress).
- President: Zurab Janelidze. The President shall provide leadership to the Society, and fulfill management functions. She/he is the Chair of Council, and oversees all portfolios on Council. She/he chairs the Annual General Meeting. She/he shall, through the Society espouse and promote the cause of mathematics in South Africa.
|
|
- Vice-president: Seithuthi Moshokoa. The Vice-President shall be Acting President when the President is unable to fulfil her/his duties. The Vice-President shall be responsible for the awards of the Society.
|
|
- General Secretary: Karin-Therese Howell. The General Secretary shall take responsibility for the administrative function of the SAMS. She/he promotes communication between members of the Council and between the Council and the members of the SAMS. The General Secretary makes the arrangements for Council meetings and the Annual General Meeting, and writes the minutes of these meetings. She/he answers inquiries by members, students and other organisations, and organises the nominations for and the award of the SAMS Bronze Medal for outstanding Honours students in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at South African universities. The correspondence of the SAMS as well as the filing of documents relating to the SAMS (including archival matters) goes through the office of the General Secretary. She/he shall administer the nomination process whenever there is a vacancy on Council.
|
|
- Financial Manager: Wen-Chi Kuo. The Financial Manager shall have responsibility for the overall Management of the finances of the Society. She/he is expected to exercise leadership in this regard, beyond a bookkeeping role. The Financial Manager, and the President, shall be two of the authorized signatories on the bank account of the SAMS. She/he is responsible for drawing up the annual budget of the SAMS, presenting it to Council and the AGM, and monitoring adherence to it. If the need arises, the Financial Manager may recommend to the Executive Committee of Council that emergency changes be made to the budget. Membership applications shall in the first instance come to the Financial Manager, who is empowered to grant it (only referring exceptional cases to Council). The Financial Manager is responsible for sending out membership renewal notices; for maintaining a database of paid-up members; for keeping accurate records of all the financial affairs of the Society, and for arranging an annual financial audit. The Financial Manager shall be empowered to form, with the Agreement of other members of the Executive, a Financial Management Team to assist her/him.
|
|
- Scientific Activities: Sanne ter Horst. The Council member for Scientific Activities shall take responsibility inter alia for SAMS visitors, SAMS Conferences and Workshops, and SAMS publications. She/he is not expected to be the actual organizer in all of these activities, but if not should be actively involved at least to the extent of representing Council in these matters. Where there is no standing structure for a particular scientific activity within the SAMS the portfolio holder is expected to take the lead. She/he should keep records of all matters relating to the above and serve as Council’s memory on these matters.
|
|
- Development and Public Relations: Gusti van Zyl. The Council member is responsible for electronic communication with members, including the SAMS e-newsletter and the SAMS website. She/he is also responsible for making an annual effort to recruit new members to join SAMS.
|
|
- Liaison: Eunice Mphako-Banda. The Council member is responsible for liaising with such other organizations (mathematical or otherwise) as SAMS deems appropriate – internationally, within Africa and Southern Africa, and within South Africa. She/he will take responsibility for reciprocity agreements with other organizations. She/he would also be responsible for any fundraising carried out by SAMS.
|
|
- Education: Belinda Huntley. The Council member for Education shall represent the SAMS on Government bodies dealing with Mathematics Education. She/he shall be active in such aspects of Mathematics Education as are of interest to the SAMS. She/he shall oversee SAMS involvement in regional, national and international Mathematics Olympiads. She/he shall, in conjunction with the Council member for Scientific Activities, take a leading role in ensuring the representation of Mathematics Education at the annual Congress. She/he shall, in conjunction with the Council Member for Liaison, work with other international and Southern African societies involved in Mathematics Education.
Co-opted members
The following colleagues were co-opted onto council to serve on the portfolios mentioned below.
|
|
- QM matters: Themba DubeThis member shall report to council regarding the publication and management of Quaestiones Mathematicae – the flagship journal of the society.
|
|
- Notices of the SAMS: Cerene Rathilal
Secundus: Boitumelu Maletsane
This member shall report to council regarding the publication and management of the
Notices of the South African Mathematical Society – the means through which council
communicates with members of SAMS.
|
|
- General co-opted member: David Holgate
