Meeting Procedures and Guidelines

Committee Meetings

Periodic meetings are required to secure the extent and depth of interchange of views necessary for effective committee performance. The frequency of meetings is at the discretion of the committee chairperson. Many committees have found it productive to meet in person at least quarterly to sustain committee momentum and encourage member enthusiasm and commitment. Other chairpersons have found conference calls to be an effective alternative, especially when they are dealing with a single issue or a small number of issues. Except under unusual circumstances, the Academy staff liaison attends all full committee meetings and, to the extent necessary and possible, attends meetings of committee work groups and subcommittees. The purpose of staff attendance is to ensure appropriate staff support for committee activities.

Planning and Budgeting Meetings

Academy staff works closely with the chairperson in making meeting arrangements. The following procedures are applicable: Chairpersons are requested to supply all pertinent information as soon as it is known. This information includes dates, city, an estimate of expected attendance, starting and ending times, special meal requirements and set-up requirements. All arrangements for a meeting at the Academy, a hotel, or another facility will be handled by Academy staff. Staff will make all meeting room and meal arrangements, send notices to committee members, and tabulate the responses for the committee chairperson.  The Academy has adopted the following policy with respect to attendance at, and participation in, Academy meetings:

1. The Academy’s meetings (including conference calls) are open to its members, and to guests (non-Academy members) invited by the committee or task force chair, with the exceptions of the Nominating Committee, the Budget and Finance Committee, Personnel and Compensation Committee, and the Committee on Discipline, whose meetings are closed. However, portions of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings may be closed for executive sessions, as well as portions of committee and task force meetings when necessary to consider confidential information where such consideration is essential to accomplish tasks assigned to the committees or task forces by the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, or the appropriate Vice President. Committee or task force meetings may be closed to members only for the purpose of considering confidential information with the prior consent of the appropriate Vice President or the President, and subject to any terms, conditions, or restrictions that the Vice President or President may impose. The decision to permit a committee or task force to close its meetings shall be reported to the Board of Directors at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
2. Academy staff attends meetings and conference calls as appropriate.
3. Members attending Academy meetings (including conference calls) should inform the committee chairperson of their presence (in person or on a conference call), and are free to observe the conduct of those meetings. They may participate in discussions only with the consent of the chairperson.  Academy members and invited guests who have acknowledged the conflict of interest policy may be added to the committee list serv, subject to the approval of the chair, and are referred to as interested parties.  Committee decisions on important issues should only be made by a vote or the consensus of the committee members present; interested parties and other observers may not vote.