Council Chair

The Council Chair is the senior member of the Council, usually in his/her 5th year of service on the Council. The primary responsibility is to identify issues and accomplish goals as set by the Council during its Fall and Spring meetings or as determined by correspondence between meetings. The Council Chair works closely with the Executive Vice President and with the staff provided by the SF Association Management Services (SF AMS), a subsidiary of the AAO.

Council Chair responsibilities include:

• Setting the agenda for the Fall and Spring Council Meetings in collaboration with the Executive Vice President and the staff. This includes planning the location, venue, and social activities.
• Presiding over the Council meeting, ensuring that all essential issues are appropriately discussed and resolved.
• Developing or responding to issues or initiatives that relate to the mission of the Society or would enhance the Society for the benefit of the members, for the profession, or for the public.
• Working with the Committee on Programs to develop the theme, speakers, and schedule for the Knapp Symposium to be presented during the Annual Meeting of the year as Council Chair.
• Assisting the Executive Vice President, President, Committee on Programs Chair, and the staff in organizing and executing an Annual Meeting of high scientific and social quality.
• Serving on the Nominating Committee of the Society and gathering the names of individuals that volunteer or are nominated by members of the Society, the Council or Officers to serve on AOS committees. Presenting recommendations for each open position for consideration by the Council during the autumn meeting, finalizing the nominations after the autumn meeting, and presenting the final recommendations to the Council at the spring meeting. The selection of each person is made by the Council. These positions include: Committee on Membership, Committee on New Members, Committee on Prizes, Committee on Programs, Committee on Publications, and Committee on Theses.
• Participating in the writing of the AOS Newsletter and other publications.
• Responding to queries from members, non-members, or others concerning AOS activities or positions; coordinating responses with the Executive Vice President and President.
• Assisting the Executive Vice President in ensuring that all AOS committees accomplish their respective charges.
• Acting as a member of the Council:

- participate in the selection of future committee members, Council members, and Officers.

- consider the qualifications of all candidates proposed for membership in the Society, their scientific attainments, and the reports of the Committee on Membership.

- consider the report of the Committee on Theses and accept for membership the candidates with accepted theses or those with minor revisions about to be revised within a month.

- fill any vacancy that may occur in any office or Committee position of the Society between one Annual Meeting and the next.

- exercise due diligence in reviewing and approving the budget and financial reports of the AOS.

- serving on the Audit Committee, Investment Committee, and Nominating Committee of the Society.

Revised 12.09.10