In June, 2004, I accepted the position of Secretariat of the IAPR with only a vague idea of what that would entail.  Here we are, about nine months later, and a Secretariat has been born.

 

So, what are the responsibilities of the IAPR Secretariat?  Generally speaking, the Secretariat handles the administrative functions for IAPR.  More specifically, here is an annotated list of my responsibilities:

 

¨ Provide a permanent postal address:  IAPR is an international organization with no headquarters.  For legal and practical reasons, there must be some physical address.  The address of the Secretariat is that address.

¨ Maintain a membership databaseEach member society has contact information.  While this is available at the web site, an official database is also maintained.

¨ Collect annual dues:  Each year, I send dues invoices to the IAPR Member Societies to remind them to renew their annual subscription to IAPR.

¨ Collect conference and workshop levies:  IAPR-sponsored events make use of the IAPR name and advertising vehicles.

¨ Maintain the IAPR archive:  The archive contains copies of official documents like contracts and agreements, Governing Board Meeting minutes and IAPR Constitutions.

¨ Respond to inquiries:  This is actually my favorite task.  I get inquiries ranging from “How do I become a member?” to “Can you help me find software or a method to match and positively identify images?”  (see Pattern Recognition in Cryptic Wildlife Species article in this issue of the Newsletter).

¨ Set-up and run an IAPR booth at ICPR:  I saw many IAPR members from my booth in the Corn Exchange at ICPR in Cambridge, UK, last August.  I plan to be at the next ICPR, so stop by and say “Hi.”

The Office of the Secretariat

 

By:  Linda J. O’Gorman, IAPR Secretariat

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INSIDE the IAPR

A Tribute to “Secretariat”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painting:  Secretariat with Blinkers

By:  Katie Upton 

katieupton.com/index.html

 

 

Secretariat ( (skr-târ-t) ) n.

1. a. The department administered by a governmental secretary, especially for an international organization. b. The office occupied by such a department.  2.  The office or position of a governmental secretary.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.  Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

 

IAPR is the first international organization of which I’ve been a part.  The term secretariat, referring to the definition above, was foreign to me when my assuming the office was first being discussed.

 

Of course, I had heard the word “secretariat”, but in a completely different context—that of horseracing.  So, as a tribute to that great racehorse, I include some biographical information on “Secretariat”.

 

Secretariat (1970-1989) is viewed by many as the greatest thoroughbred in history, with his only contender for that title being Man O’ War (see Secretariat, the Greatest Racehorse in History).

 

Indeed, his racing record was impressive.  In his 16-month career, he won 16 of 21 starts and was horse of the year in both years (1972 and 1973).  His most famous accomplishment was being the 9th horse to win racing’s Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and the Preakness) in 1973.  This win created an enormous stir, since no horse had won the Triple Crown since Citation did it in 1948—a 25-year gap. 

 

Secretariat was so popular in America in 1973 that it was said he could have won a presidential election if he were on the ballot.

 

For more information on Secretariat:

The Unofficial Thoroughbred Hall of Fame