Strategic Planning Update

Deborah Hansen

In April of 2007, the Society held its third strategic planning session.  Five Working Groups were established as a result of that meeting, and those Working Groups met by conference call several times last year.  Each of the Working Groups submitted a final report that prioritized their recommendations to be addressed over the next 1 – 3 years and identified which Committee(s) would be responsible for implementing these recommendations.  The final reports were reviewed by the Oversight Committee (Melissa Tassinari, Tina Chambers, Elaine Faustman, and Barbara Hales).

Annual Meeting Working Group [Sonja Rasmussen and Tina Chambers, Chairs] – Many of the priorities identified by this Working Group have been implemented in the 2008 and 2009 Annual Meetings, and there were no Committee changes recommended.   

Communications Working Group [Ed Carney and George Daston, Chairs] – This group primarily focused on the redesign of the website which was accomplished in 2008.  Some issues regarding updating of content on the website and who should be responsible for such updates remain to be determined. 

Membership Working Group [Barbara Abbott and Kok-Wah Hew, Chairs] – This group recommended a demographic analysis of Society membership which would include tracking and following up on student/postdoc members.  A part of the charge to the Membership Committee will be to focus on recruitment and retention of new members.  It was recommended that the Membership Committee be enlarged to carry out these additional responsibilities.    

which this interdisciplinary approach in designing symposia was again utilized.  The Group also modified the definition of the shared scientific identity as well as their strategic intent statement.  Their recommendation for organizational change was the establishment of a new Science Committee which has recently been established with two members of this Working Group serving as co-chairs.