Statistical methods and inference provide a foundation for the documentation and assessment of the social, economic and health conditions of minority populations in the United States as well as the total population. This is illustrated by the 1985 Report of the Secretary s Task Force on Black and Minority Health, which showed that rates of illness and death vary substantially for different minority and non-minority populations in the U.S. Statisticians play significant roles while working with non-statisticians in social, economic, public health, and research arenas. Statisticians carry out the research process, i.e. frame research questions, develop research designs, stipulate measurements, interpret results, and participate in policy decision making.

Rigorous application of statistics and statistical theory as well as interdisciplinary collaboration are the keys to the effective planning and intervention for improving the condition of minority populations in the U.S. This requires the incorporation of multi-cultural perspectives in the development of research questions and research design, measurement methodologies, interpretations from results and working relationships with non-statisticians. In consequence, the ASA Committee on Minorities in Statistics recognizes, embraces and advances multi-cultural diversity and equal opportunity as core values for the statistics profession, the membership of the American Statistical Association, and the leadership of ASA.

Understanding the importance of:

1. multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-ethnic diversity in scientific professions such as statistics;
2. research to develop, evaluate and implement policies and interventions to improve the condition of minority populations in the U.S.;
3. minority populations representation in the statistical and scientific communities to infuse their perspectives into research and promote dissemination of scientific information to increase the knowledge needed to enhance both the scientific literature and the decision making in our nation's communities;
4. cooperating and collaborating with other professional organizations, such as the American College of Epidemiology, in the development and implementation of policy statements,

1. develop and pursue policies which promote multi-cultural diversity and equal opportunity in the statistical profession;
2. encourage organizations, especially universities, to recruit and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and to diversify faculty and staff;
3. promote the development of scientific knowledge needed to establish prevention and intervention strategies to improve the condition of minority populations in the U. S.;
4. encourage individuals, organizations, and institutions to work with minority populations to access needs, undertake research, and to implement and evaluate prevention and intervention strategies and policies to close the disparities in health and socio-economic status between minority and non minority populations as well among minority populations;
5. coordinate information exchange and initiatives on multi-cultural diversity with professional, governmental and other organizations;
6. promote greater sensitivity to and exposure of multi-cultural diversity among the membership and leadership of ASA.