Quick Look at Serving on Section Councils

The Society of Actuaries sponsors 19 professional interest sections. Over the past 30 years, these groups developed from the grassroots as individual SOA members saw a need for knowledge communities based on an area of practice or special interest. One of these sections, Joint Risk Management, is co–sponsored with the Casualty Actuary Society and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

The SOA Board of Directors has oversight but section activities are determined by the individual councils. Councils range from 9 to 12 members, usually elected by the section members who are members of the SOA. (Exceptions are Joint Risk Management and the Long Term Care Sections which can be found in the Addenda portions of their by–laws).

There are monthly council conference calls and one or two face–to–face meetings per year, often in conjunction with other SOA meetings. All council members are invited to monthly webcasts from the SOA that cover strategic and operational topics. Council members are expected to serve additional roles to sitting on the council such as writing, presenting, organizing continuing education or leading a section research project group.

The efforts of council members are critical to the overall section and contribute to the success of the SOA. What's in it for you?

• Networking–During a 3 year council term, a member is likely to establish contacts with dozens of new people: fellow council members, Board Partners, and staff from a variety of geographic locations, companies and work experiences.
• Leadership skills–Serving on a council is a relatively "safe place" to practice your skills of negotiating, recruiting, delegating, and mentoring. A goal of the SOA is to ensure it is also a learning experience for those who volunteer.
• Professional education–Council members have the opportunity to hear breaking news about the profession and developments at the SOA. Through webcasts and meetings members can learn new techniques and share industry know–how.

The official version of what a section council does or who it is comprised of is found in the Section By–Laws.

The detailed version of what a section council does or can do is found in the Roles & Responsibilities documents and the Section Operations Framework.