American Taxation Association

ATA Memorial Fund fbo Doctoral Education

Purpose
At the February 2010 meeting, the Trustees approved the creation of an ATA Memorial Fund fbo Doctoral Education. This fund will provide a vehicle for ATA members to contribute in memory of deceased ATA members and friends. 

Background
During 2009, the ATA lost a good friend in Marty Escoffier, husband of Shirley Dennis-Escoffier, long-time ATA member. The ATA’s official actions to date include a plaque in Marty’s name to honor the ATA-VP annually, announcing the loss to the membership and remembering him on the ATA webpage, and offering our memories of Marty at the Friday luncheon during the 2010 mid-year meeting. In addition, the Trustees wished there were an institutional vehicle to remember lost ATA members and friends. We approved the Memorial Fund to honor that wish.

Calls for contributions
Annually, the ATA President shall solicit contributions from the membership in memory of any recent lost member(s).

Use of funds

  • Each August, the Trustees shall decide how much shall be spent during the coming fiscal year out of contributions and/or earnings received during the prior fiscal year.
  • The Doctoral Consortium Committee will determine the specific annual use of approved funds. The committee may choose to consult the surviving family member. They shall arrange for personal thank-you letters from student beneficiaries to the surviving family member(s). Possible uses could include travel costs, registration fees, or consortium materials.
  • The ATA Treasurer shall invest any fund balance with our prudent reserves and report contributions and earnings to the Trustees annually. The ATA Treasurer shall report ending balances to the membership at the Annual Meeting, but shall not disclose the amounts of contributions, earnings, or disbursements, so as to maintain confidentiality regarding which ATA members motivated contributions.

Notes regarding 2010 contributions to the ATA Memorial Fund.

  • The Trustees seeded the fund with $5,000 from our general surplus.
  • Stewart Karlinsky particularly recommended that any monies spent from 2010 contributions be directed toward International Doctoral Student Travel, because Marty enjoyed international travel so much. The Trustees concurred with this intention.
  • Please make your check payable to the American Taxation Association, put “ATA Memorial Fund” on the check memo item and mail it to the ATA Treasurer. Until August 2010, please mail your check to:

    Dr. Cynthia Vines
    University of Kentucky
    School of Accountancy
    Gatton College of Business and Economics Bldg, 355 C
    Lexington, KY 40506

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