Committee Preferences & Appointment Process
ACS welcomes all members on Standard and Premium packages to serve on non-elected committees! Any member interested in serving on an ACS Committee should submit their committee assignment preferences using the online committee preference form.
The annual window to complete a committee preference through the Committee Preference Form is March 1 through July 1.
Please submit the committee preference form only if you are committed to attend and actively participate in committee meetings either virtually or in person. Review the Responsibilities of Committee Members section of the Committees FAQ for more details.
Process
All submissions are carefully reviewed by the Committee on Committees (ConC) as it develops appointment recommendations during the ACS Fall Meeting. ConC seeks input of the Chair and Staff Liaison for each committee when developing recommendations and does not directly appoint or reappoint individuals to serve on committees. The role of ConC is to make recommendations for appointments that are acted upon, both individually and jointly, by the ACS President Elect and Board Chair in Fall.
ConC actively seeks to identify and involve individuals from across the Society to help ensure that members with a wide range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives are available to be recommended and encourages all ACS members to submit a preference form.
With the number of actual appointments being limited, not everyone who submits a preference form will be appointed to serve. However, ConC does ensure that every ACS member who submits preferences is given due consideration.
Timeline
The process to appoint members to serve on ACS committees follows an annual cycle. Each year, as members are appointed or reappointed to their committees, the effort to identify new and existing volunteers for service in committees begins. See the below timeline for more information.
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| January 1 | Beginning of new term for all newly appointed and re-appointed committee members |
| March 1 | Committee Preference form opens |
| June | Appointments for Committee Chairs are approved by ACS President-Elect for the Society Committees reporting to Council |
| July 1 | Committee Preference form closes |
| August/September | Committee on Committees (ConC) makes recommendations for appointments |
| November | Appointments are confirmed by the ACS President-Elect for the Society Committees reporting to Council |
| December | Appointments are confirmed by the ACS President-Elect and Board Chair for the committees reporting to Board and Council |
| December | Appointment letters are sent out to all newly appointed and re-appointed committee members, associates, and consultants |
Committee Membership & Leaders
Most initial appointments to committees fall into one of the following membership categories:
Members
Term: Three years, with a maximum of two.
Role: Contribute to activities and vote on official committee actions
Associates
Term: One year appointment; renewable appointments, depending on committee and available member slots
Role: Learn about the committee and contribute to activities. Associates are not eligible to vote on official committee motions.
Consultants
Term: One year appointment or until assignment is complete (generally <5 years).
Role: Provide specialized knowledge, expertise, and/or experience. Likely to have specific assignment. Consultants are not eligible to vote on official committee motions
In addition to its members, associates, and consultants, each committee has two leadership positions:
Have a Question?
Contact ACS Governance
Email: secretary@acs.org
Telephone: 1-800-227-5558
