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| POLICIES |
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| Administrative Policies |
Purpose:
This document reflects the current operating policies of the SRS. Its contents are reviewed as needed by the Executive Committee. Additions or changes in administrative policies are made at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
I. Reserve Fund Investment Policy
Purpose: The primary purposes of the Sleep Research Society (SRS) Reserve Fund is to provide reserve funds for the operational security of existing SRS programs and start-up resources for the implementation of new programs as deemed necessary by the SRS Board. This portfolio represents accumulated surpluses and may be used for any purpose designated by the Board of Directors. The funds are long-term (five to ten years) in nature and income and any capital gains are to be retained and reinvested within the fund.
Objectives:
The objectives of the Reserve Fund should be pursued as long-term goals designed to maximize the returns without exposure to undue risk. Because fluctuating rates of return are characteristic of securities markets, the emphasis should be long-term appreciation of the assets, safety of the Fund’s principal, and consistency of total portfolio returns. The Fund is expected to meet or exceed the results of indices, including those listed below, that most closely match the components of the investment portfolio during the same period.
1. Standard & Poors 500 Stock Index;
2. Donahue Money Market Index;
3. Intermediate Treasury Bond Index;
4. Shearson Lehman Brothers/ American Express Government/ Corporate Bond Index;
5. Consumer Price Index; and
6. Three-month United States Treasury Bills.
The Reserve Fund’s minimum total expected return is six percent or the increase in the Consumer Price Index plus three percent annually, which ever is greater. Because the duration, direction, and intensity of inflation cycles vary from cycle to cycle, it is recognized that the return experienced by the Fund over any one cycle may vary from this objective; but it is deemed reasonable to expect a three percent real rate of return over succeeding cycles. The Reserve Fund’s total returns are also expected to exceed those available through investment in 90-Day Treasury Bills by at least three percent.
Investment Guidelines:
These investment guidelines and restrictions serve, as a framework, to achieve the investment objectives at a level of risk deemed acceptable. The guidelines allow substantial discretion in the asset allocation and diversification for the purposes of increasing investment returns and/or reducing risk exposure. The manager of these funds has broad responsibility to shift assets among asset classes, industry sectors, and individual securities to pursue opportunities presented by long-term secular changes within the capital markets. The fund manager shall rebalance the portfolio at the end of January and at the end of July, according to the following target asset mix.
Asset Class..............Minimum Weight.......Target Weight......Maximum Weight
Cash & Equivalents...........10%...........................15%.....................25%..............
Equity.................................25%...........................50%.....................65%..............
Fixed Income.....................25%...........................35%.....................50%..............
Equities:
The equity portion of the portfolio should be maintained at a risk level roughly equivalent to that of the equity market as a whole. Equity holdings may be selected from the New York, American, or NASDAQ markets. Convertible securities may be purchased as equity surrogates. Mutual funds meeting these guidelines may be used.
The manager is prohibited from investing in:
1. Private placements;
2. Letter Stock;
3. Options; and
4. Securities whose issuers have filed a petition for bankruptcy.
The manager is prohibited from engaging in:
1. Short sales
2. Margin transactions; and
3. Any speculative investment activities.
The above guidelines give the manger full responsibilities for security selection and diversification, subject to a maximum five percent commitment at cost or 10 percent commitment of the account’s market value for an individual security and 20 percent for a particular industry.
Fixed Income:
Investments in fixed income securities will be managed actively to pursue opportunities presented by changes in interest rates, credit ratings, and maturity premiums. The manager may select from corporate debt securities and obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies, and instrumentalities. These investments will be subject to the following limitations:
1. The weighted average maturity of the portfolio must be 10 years or less with a maximum maturity of 30 years for individual securities.
2. Investments in securities of a single issuer (with the exception of the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities) must not exceed 10 percent of the portfolio at cost, nor should there be more than 25 percent exposure (at cost) to any one industry.
3. Only corporate debt issues rated AA investment grade or better by Standard & Poors and Moody’s may be purchased.
4. The fixed income portion of the portfolio must conform to the following asset mix guidelines:
Asset Quality.............................................................Min Weight............Max Weight
U.S. Gov't, its Agencies, and instrumentalities..............75%........................100%....
U.S. Corporate AA or better.............................................0%..........................25%....
The manager is prohibited from investing in private placements, or from speculating in fixed income or interest rate futures. Mutual funds meeting the above guidelines may be used.
Investment Manager:
1. The Budget Committee working with the SRS Board of Directors will recommend the hiring or replacing of an investment manager.
2. The Investment Manager will invest SRS funds in accordance with this policy.
3. The Investment Manager will prepare a quarterly financial report showing the performance of investments for various, appropriate time frames and contrasting the performance against pertinent indices over a three year time period. Reported results will be shown net of all fees. Total fees and commissions paid by the SRS for this Reserve Fund will be indicated.
4. The Budget Committee working with the SRS Board of Directors will annually review the performance of the investment manager in accordance with the indices in this policy.
Policy Review:
The following procedures will be followed to ensure the investment policy statement is consistent with the current mission of the SRS and accurately reflect the current financial condition of the SRS.
1. This investment policy shall be reviewed annually by the Budget committee working with the SRS Board of Directors and Investment Manager.
2. The Budget Committee and SRS Board of Directors will make recommendations for any revision or modifications to the investment policy.
II. Club Hypnos Policy
Background
Club Hypnos is essentially a social extension of the SRS within the Society for Neuroscience. The original intent of Club Hypnos was to have a reception for SRS members and potential members at the meetings of the Society for Neuroscience. Club Hypnos meetings are essentially receptions with hosted food and a no-host bar held in the early evening during the meetings of The Society for Neuroscience. These receptions were first organized by Adrian Morrison and then continued by Steve Henriksen. There are no speakers and no agenda. The receptions are listed in the meeting schedule of the Society for Neuroscience and now funded by SRS at a cost of approximately $2500 per reception.
Expansion
Club Hypnos can be expanded into an SRS promotional program as well as a broader benefit of being an SRS member. Club Hypnos events can be better integrated into SRS operations and expanded to include receptions at other scientific meetings (e.g. American Thoracic Society, American Physiological Society, American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, etc.).
It is good societal policy to devote SRS resources as broadly as possible among the current SRS membership. Many SRS members are active in other organizations and would value a "home away from home".
It is envisioned that senior members of other organizations who are also members of SRS would be invited to be Club Hypnos hosts (i.e Dr. X for the ATS, Dr. Y. for the APA, etc.). Each host would work with the SRS membership chair and be given an annual budget for organizing the reception and appropriate SRS literature.
The SRS would begin the expansion of Club Hypnos with one or two organizations in addition to the Society for Neuroscience. Each host would be given an annual $3000 to cover the costs of interacting with the meeting organizers and paying for food and services.
Monitoring program effectiveness
If expanded, the successfulness of the event should be tracked by:
* How many people attend the event
* How many SRS materials (Membership Applications, General Information) were taken from the event
* How many new members joined as a result of the event
We would identify the materials for each event so we can recognize the fact that when they joined the SRS they heard about this opportunity from Club Hypnos or as a direct result of this event.
Criteria for success and continuation of Club Hypnos at the meeting of each organization would be determined by joint reports of the membership chair and the Club Hypnos host to the SRS Executive Committee.
III. Trainee Workshop Funding Policy
The Sleep Research Society regularly funds and sponsors Trainee Workshops at domestic and international meetings, with the purpose of encouraging trainee education and opportunity. Applications must be received by any organization requesting funds for such an activity, and this request is reviewed and approved or denied by the Trainee Education and Advisory Committee (TEAC).
Because the SRS Annual Meeting (APSS) is the premier scientific meeting on sleep in the world, the Board wishes to encourage high attendance, from scientists, practitioners, and trainees in sleep medicine. To protect SRS interests, no Trainee Workshop proposals will be considered which are planned two weeks prior to the first day, or two weeks after the last day of the APSS annual meeting. This policy shall be enforced by TEAC, and the Board shall serve as a backup to ensure this policy is enforced.
IV. Policy on Gift Solicitations
The Sleep Research Society Policy on Gift Solicitations is as follows:
1. Donated funds should only be accepted by the Sleep Research Society Board of Directors.
2. Funds may be restricted for specific purposes by the Sleep Research Society Board of Directors.
3. Fund-raising materials and correspondence should have the approval of the Sleep Research Society Board of Directors.
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