ACLP Committee Appointment Process

The past decade has brought substantial growth in the size and complexity of our Academy. A few years ago, we engaged in a strategic planning process that led to a substantial reorganization of our council and committee structure. As a result, our committees and subcommittees (along with our special interest groups) took on increasing importance for the Academy.

Our previous system for committee membership turnover and new assignments had become increasingly complex and quite challenging for the incoming president and committee chairs. By having committee membership turn over each year at the time of the annual meeting, we had both incoming and outgoing committee members who would attend the committee meetings. This created confusion about committee membership (and in some cases, leadership) as well as inefficiency for these working groups that only meet face-to-face once a year. Our longstanding practice of soliciting interest in serving on committees through sign-up sheets at the annual meeting only added to the problem. In most cases, there was no follow-up, and disappointment for many members who had expressed interest in serving on a committee. Furthermore, sorting through the dozens of requests required countless emails between the president and each committee and subcommittee chair. Under the best of circumstances, this process would take several months and thus delay the work of each committee and subcommittee well into the new year.

In order to address these problems, Council voted to decouple the committee assignment process from the annual meeting cycle. The new process for committee assignments is as follows:

• The ACLP president continues to be responsible for formally appointing all ACLP committee members. However, these appointments will be made based on the recommendations of each ACLP committee chair. The president retains final discretion about specific assignments, but in general, this activity is delegated to committee chairs.
• On August 1st of each year, committee chairs will be charged by the president with making new and continuing committee assignments for terms that will begin and end on October 15th of each year.
• Nominations will be submitted to the president by September 15th.
• New and continuing committee members will be notified of their assignments by October 15th.
• Current committee chairs will preside over committee meetings at the annual meeting and, if they are due to rotate off as chair, will rotate off after the annual meeting.

How should members express interest in serving on a committee?

• Review the ACLP committee structure and leadership.
• Contact the chair or vice-chair of the committee or subcommittee that is of greatest interest any time after the annual meeting but prior to September of each year.
• Committee and subcommittee chairs will then consider new members and consultants and make recommendations to the president prior to the September 15th deadline.