Ad-Hoc Committee on Formation of an Administrative Council-35F4ACC8

REPORT
Ad-Hoc Committee on Formation of an Administrative Council
Members:
Mary K. Martel, Chair
Bruce Curran
Allan deGuzman
Christopher Marshall
Melissa Martin

15 December 2009
This report is comprised of the following:

1. Recommendations
2. Background and Philosophy
3. History
4. Rules Format: example/preliminary

1. Recommendations

The Ad-Hoc committee recommends that the following committees be moved into the Administrative Council:

• Awards and Honors Committee (a current standing committee)
• Recognizes professional, educational and scientific contributions.
• Development Committee (a current standing committee)
• Provides financial support for education and professional development.
• Electronic Media Coordinating Committee (a current standing committee)
• Provides oversight for the IT infrastructure and a mechanism for online publication.
• Generates revenue through online advertising.
Place under EMCC:
• Newsletter (moved from Professional Council)
• Provides news about all AAPM activities.
• Generates revenue through advertising.
• Placement Service (moved from Professional Council)
• Provides a mechanism for members to advance their scientific, educational and/or professional careers
• Generates revenue through fees.
• Media Relations Committee (moved from Education Council)
• Provides a mechanism to publicize and potentially advance the scientific, educational and professional activities of the AAPM.
• Government and Regulatory Affairs Committee (moved from Professional Council)
• Provides a mechanism for managing the relationship between the AAPM, other professional organizations and federal and state agencies and providing input to those agencies.
• History Committee (moved from Education Council)
• Addresses all aspects of the history of the AAPM.
• International Affairs Committee (a current standing committee)
• Addresses the AAPM mission internationally.
• Investment Advisory Committee (a current standing committee)
• Seeks additional earnings through investments.
• Journal Business Management Committee (a current standing committee)
• Addresses scientific, educational and professional needs by publishing the Journal.
• Generates substantial income from library subscriptions and Journal advertising.
• Meeting Coordination Committee (a current standing committee)
• Addresses scientific, educational and professional needs
• Generates substantial income from fees and technical exhibits.
• Membership Committee (a current standing committee)
• Facilitates growth in membership
• Generates substantial income through dues
• Regional Organization Committee (a current standing committee)
• Supports local chapters in addressing scientific, educational and professional needs.

Committees that should remain reporting directly to the Board:

• Audit Committee
• Medical Physics Editorial Board
• Executive Committee
• Finance Committee
• Nominating Committee
• Rules Committee

A by-laws change is not necessary in order to form the Administrative Council. Under Article III. Section 2. G of the By-laws of the AAPM, the Administrative Council is an “Other Standing Committee as specified in the Rules”. However, extensive changes to the Rules will be needed for the formation of the new council. The Ad Hoc committee refers this report to EXCOM. The chair of this Ad-hoc committee, Mary K. Martel, is available to work with the Rules Committee on rules changes.

The new Council would have oversight of essentially all the revenue generating activities of the AAPM. This would create opportunities to examine revenue streams more comprehensively. For example, the current approach to revenue generation from vendors is fragmented between the journal, website and newsletter advertising and technical exhibits but the council would be well positioned to examine this revenue stream in a broader context. This need not be in conflict with the work of the Finance Committee or other long-range planning activities – the Council would participate in these activities as do other Councils and also act as an instrument for implementing and monitoring long-range planning within its area of interest. The most recent HQ site-visit report strongly recommends that the AAPM develop a vehicle for long-range financial planning by projecting revenue sources over a 3-5 year period and by considering options to grow revenue. The new Administrative Council form a liaison to Finance Committee in an advisory role in long term financial strategic planning.

2. Background and Philosophy

There are currently a number of standing committees that report directly to the Board and are not under the umbrella of the Science, Education or Professional Councils. These committees are:

1. Awards and Honors Committee
2. Membership Committee
3. Regional Organization Committee
4. Rules Committee
5. International Affairs Committee
6. Investment Advisory Committee
7. Development Committee
8. Journal Business Management Committee
9. Meeting Coordination Committee
10. Audit Committee
11. Electronic Media Coordinating Committee

Chairs of all Standing Committees shall provide a report of committee activity to the Board through the Secretary at least annually. It is the responsibility of the Chair of each committee to keep the Board and the President informed, through the Secretary, of all significant actions of that committee during the year. Unless otherwise provided for, committees are free to adopt their own rules of operation. A written copy of the procedures of operation should be submitted to the Board through the Secretary.

1. In theory, EXCOM and the Board provide oversight of these “other” standing committees which are administrative in nature. The president is a non-voting member of all committees. In actual practice, oversight is uneven and infrequent, at best.
2. Each chair of the “other” committees used to give verbal reports to the Board once or twice a year. Reports are now submitted in written form. Verbal discussion and interaction is now minimal.
3. EXCOM now meets with Education, Professional and Science Council chairs for half day meetings several times a year. Council chairs also sit on the Board (non-voting). EXCOM/Board does not meet on any regular basis with “other” committee chairs.
4. Council chairs now attend the annual Autumn budget meeting to help prepare their part of the budget. “Other” standing committees do not have such representation.

An Administrative Council could fulfill the lack of effective communication between the administrative, “standing” committees and the Board. Committees that also “serve” more than one of the current three Councils could also be moved to the new Administrative Council. Thus one of the purposes of the new council is to serve as an independent conduit for oversight of the administrative committees and for facilitating administrative information to the board. The new Administrative Council will receive reports from four major revenue sources of the AAPM – Journal sales, Ads, Meetings and Membership dues. The recent HQ site-visit report [http://www.aapm.org/pubs/protected_files/HQSV2008.pdf ] strongly recommends that the AAPM develop a vehicle for longer-range financial planning by projecting revenue sources over a 3-5 year period and by considering options to grow revenue. Finance Committee has this in their charge and the new Council could participate with Finance Committee for long term financial strategy, as needed.

The new Administrative Council also manages electronic sources of media communication to the members, and to the public. Consolidation will facilitate interaction of the committees and editorial boards under Electronic Media Communication Committee, and strategic planning for efficient and effective communication through electronic media.

3. History

During the AAPM Board meeting in spring 2008, a discussion on how to improve communication and interaction with the “other” standing committees of the Board was led by Chair of the Board, Mary K. Martel. From the minutes of the AAPM Board meeting, April 12, 2008

Martel introduced the issue – refer to pg 138 in the packet. How can we improve communication and interaction with the standing administrative committees of the Board? These are:

1. Awards and Honors Committee
2. Membership Committee
3. Regional Organization Committee
4. Rules Committee
5. International Affairs Committee
6. Investment Advisory Committee
7. Development Committee
8. Journal Business Management Committee
9. Meeting Coordination Committee
10. Audit Committee
11. Electronic Media Coordinating Committee

Currently, these committees report to the Board, frequently by submitting reports (minutes) and there is little face-to-face communication with these committees. The main concerns are to have these committees receive clear policy direction from the Board, to assure accountability that the directions are being followed, and to ensure that there is an efficient way for issues to come to the Board from the committees. One idea is to form an “Administrative Council”, with some or all of these committees reporting to it. Another suggestion is to have a Board member on each of the committees. Or another option is to have EXCOM hold teleconferences with the committees on a yearly basis to get updates.
After discussion on the merits of various proposals, Martel asked for a straw poll on these options:

1. Placing Board Members on the committees. – 4 in favor
2. Administrative Council – 11 in favor
3. Annual Reports that can be reviewed by the Board, then the Board selecting who they would like to hear from – 21 in favor
4. Doing nothing and leave as is – 3 in favor

Ezzell noted that option 3 does not require a change in rules. Moran offered to draft a report template and put it up on the Board BBS after the meeting for comment.

The Professional Council put forth this motion at the July 2008 AAPM Board meeting:
The Professional Council proposes the following preliminary motion:
Moved that an Administrative Council be formed within the AAPM. As there are many Standing Committees within the AAPM whose charge and function span multiple Councils, and as there exists an ongoing need to organize and prioritize information from Standing Committees, the Professional Council proposes the formation of an Administrative Council and that the necessary changes to the Rules be made. The Professional Council proposes that the following Standing Committees be placed in the Administration Council:

1. Awards and Honors Committee
2. Membership Committee
3. Regional Organization Committee
4. Rules Committee
5. International Affairs Committee
6. Investment Advisory Committee
7. Development Committee
8. Journal Business Management Committee
9. Meeting Coordination Committee
10. Electronic Media Coordinating Committee
11. Finance Committee

Additions to the Administrative Council; transferred from Professional Council

1. Insurance
2. Newsletter and Newsletter Editorial Board
3. Placement
4. GRAC

Additions to the Administrative Council, transferred from Education Council

1. Media Relations

The following standing committees will not report to the Administrative Council, in accordance with the bylaws and rules

1. Nominating Committee
2. Audit Committee

Purpose:
The Purpose of an Administrative Council is to serve as an independent conduit for facilitating administrative information to the board.
Membership:
The Chair of the council shall be appointed.
The Administrative Council is comprised of the chairs and vices chairs of the member committees. The Executive Director is an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the Administrative Council.