ALA-APA Governance Task Force
Committees

Prepared by Kay Cassell

May 8, 2002; Revised October 22, 2002

COMMITTEES

1. Overview of topic assigned

   • To investigate the committees needed by APA. This includes appointments, transferred committees,and new committees.

2. Issues related to the topic

   • One of the main issues is what committee work will be transferred to APA. This may be a portion of the work of a committee so that there is a committee in each association, a new committee or the transfer of a committee from ALA to APA.

3. Recommendations

   • New Standing Committees —

     1. Certification Review Committee — This committee will develop standards for certification and develop program assessment.

     2. Status of Library Workers Committee — This committee will guide ALA-APA activities in support of better salaries, comparable worth, pay equity, and similar programs related to the status of librarians and other library workers.

   • Procedural Committees that may be needed in APA — Committee on Organization, Budget Analysis and Review Committee, Membership, Constitution and Bylaws

   • Committee work that might be transferred to APA at some future date

     • Legislation — especially work related to human resource issues such as labor law, retirement law and other human resource issues

     • Publishing — Moving parts of publishing to APA has been discussed.

What the ALA bylaws say about committees —

Establishment of committees — On the recommendation of COO Council shall establish standing committees and special committees. COO recommends for each committee — a name, size, composition and charge. Special committees may be established for a limit of two years. Joint committees between ALA and organizations outside ALA may be established.

Length of term — In general, members of standing committees are appointed for a two year term and can be reappointed for a second two year term. No person shall serve more than four consecutive years on a committee. No member of a Council committee may serve on more than one of the committees or subcommittees of the Council except as the member represents the parent committee as a member of the subcommittee.

Appointments — The Committee on Appointments advises the president-elect on standing committee appointments and the Committee on Committees advises the president-elect on Council committee appointments. Appointments should be made as to provide continuity in membership. The committee membership year shall be the same as the conference year.

Vacancies — Vacancies in standing committees during the term of appointment shall be filled by the Executive Board.and vacancies in Council committees shall be filled by the President.

What the ALA Policy Manual says about committees —

In 4.4 Member Service Policy it says that "no person shall concurrently serve in more than three separate positions.”