Nominate your colleagues (or yourself!) for the 2020 ESA Governing Board and the Board of Professional Certification

Posted by on January 4, 2019

A letter from Rich Pouyat, ESA president 2017-2018

As ESA Past President, part of my role is to ensure the continuity of governance in the Society, which means stewarding the election process as chair of the Nominations Committee. While part of the committee’s work is to identify promising candidates for roles in ESA’s volunteer leadership, we cannot be aware of every qualified member and feel that it is important to canvass our members to identify future leaders who can help us become more inclusive and relevant.

The volunteer members of the Governing Board are the fiduciaries for the organization. They are ultimately responsible for our success or failure. In practice, they help shape the Society’s direction, provide oversight of management, and ensure compliance with legal requirements. They are also responsible for outreach and member engagement. This means that members of the Governing Board need experience developing strategies and overseeing finances in addition to being demonstrated leaders among their peers. Ideally, they also connect with some area of the Society’s work—education, publishing, advocacy, public affairs—as well.

The Governing Board meets three times per year for 1.5 days. Generally speaking, board members also serve on at least one board or standing committee and are also available for additional meetings and calls as needed by the board and/or management.

The volunteer members of the Board of Professional Certification (BPC) review renewal and new applications annually and determine eligibility of candidates, and work with ESA staff to provide technical support to certified individuals and those seeking certification. The BPC elects a chair from among its own membership.

We seek nominations of candidates with a passion for the mission and time to dedicate to ESA, who are concerned with the needs of the ecology community, can put the best interests of ESA above their own or those of their institutions, and are team players.

To lead the Society, the Governing Board and Board of Professional Certification should also reflect the Society—not just the Society that we have today, but the Society that we desire to have in years to come. The Extending the Tent membership initiative, for example, aims to create a more inclusive home for racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with mobility and sensory disabilities, and international individuals, among other underrepresented populations within our science. It also seeks to go beyond academics and foster relationships with government and non-government organizations, as well as consultants and the business community.

I invite you to nominate individuals for the 2019 Governing Board and Board of Professional Certification elections, to begin service in 2020. Positions eligible for nomination are:

President-Elect
Vice President for Finance
Vice President for Public Affairs
2 Members-at-Large
2 Members of the Board of Professional Certification

You can use this form to submit a nomination. Below is a brief position description of each volunteer role up for nomination. We request that prior to submitting a nomination, you first obtain the consent of the nominee. Self-nominations are also welcome. Submissions are due Feb. 1, 2019. Email gro.asenull@qhase with any questions.

All Governing Board Members

Act on all matters of the Society except final approval of budget, and final approval of changes to Constitution and By laws
May terminate an individual’s membership
Consider proposals from members
Receive and act on reports from Officers, Executive Director, Sections, Chapters, Committees
Designate time, place and theme of Annual Meeting
Hire, fire, and evaluate the Executive Director
Appoint committees as needed
Appoint and evaluate Editors-in-Chiefs of Ecology, Ecological Applications, Ecological Monographs, Ecosphere and the ESA Bulletin
Approve special Society reports
Approve Section and Chapter By-laws and amendments, and approve dues
Approve awards, grants, and fellowships
Request investigation of ethical misconduct
Act on recommendations to sanction members for ethical misconduct
Review and decide appeals of those denied certification
Serve as members of ESA Council

President

Chair the Governing Board
Serve as Primary Spokesperson for the Society
Appoint three members to the Nominating Committee
Appoint standing committee chairs (from nominations from Vice Presidents)
Charge standing committees through Vice President or Secretary to whom the committee reports
Appoint special committees
Appoint selection committee for Executive Director
Oversee with President-elect setting of criteria for Executive Director and evaluation process
Maintain Executive Director’s personnel file
Appoint monitors for special Society reports
Serve as voting, Ex-officio member of the Public Affairs Committee
Serve as voting, Ex officio member of the Committee on Diversity and Education
Receive reports from “whistleblowers” and coordinate investigation
Receive and investigate complaints of ethical or sexual harassment concerning the Executive Director

President-Elect

Assume duties of the President if President is not able to do so
Chair the Governing Board if President is not able to do so
Oversee with President setting of criteria for Executive Director and evaluation process

Vice President for Finance

Develop fiscal and investment policy
Review annual budget
Conduct long term fiscal planning
Oversee business, finances and management of Society
Receive the annual audit from the Audit Committee
Recommend Chair for committees reporting to the Vice President
Arrange meetings at the annual meeting for committees reporting to the Vice-President
Nominate chair and other members, charge and represent Development Committee
Appoint, charge and represent Audit Committee
Receive reports from “whistleblowers” and coordinate investigation

Vice President for Public Affairs

Oversee public affairs, international affairs, and public policy activities
Chair Public Affairs Committee
Recommend chairs for committees reporting to the Vice-President
Arrange meeting at the annual meeting for committees reporting to this Vice-President
Nominate chair, appoint, charge and represent:
- Public Affairs Committee
- International Relations Committee
- Representatives to other scholarly societies as designated by the Governing Board

Members at Large

Serve on the Nominations Committee
Represent the diverse views, goals and objectives of the members
Chair special committees if requested
Serve as monitors for reports if requested
Serve on committee to review Long Range Planning Grants

Board of Professional Certification

Review and approve or reject applications for certification
Work with ESA staff to establish certification criteria and application processes
Advise staff on requirements
Provide oversight for communication with applicants and certified individuals