Councilor's Corner - October 2008

HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR VOTE IN THE NATIONAL ACS ELECTIONS?

The whole of the membership of the American Chemical Society now has the opportunity to vote on the constitutional amendments brought about by the Petition on Membership Categories and Requirements that was approved by the ACS Council at the Spring, 2008 National Meeting.

The National ACS election ballots began going out in September 29th, as did the notification that you can vote electronically if you choose.

Many members do not get involved in the National ACS elections for a variety of reasons. Maybe they feel they are too far removed from the national level. Maybe they feel it does not matter. Maybe they just want their journals and to be left alone. However, this year offers one of the most important reasons than has ever been offered. That is because, beyond the selection of a President-Elect and At-Large Directors, members are being asked to vote on the petition noted above.

This petition marks one of the most daring changes to ACS structure ever. The Council already has ratified aspects of this petition and the membership is required to vote on the aspects of the petition that affect the ACS Constitution. Because of the complexity around this petition, the Membership Affairs Committee has offered many sessions to answer all questions posed by members. Unfortunately, some bad information is being passed on by some and it is vital that all members have accurate answers to their questions. Thus, I wanted to use this month’s “Council Corner” to help in that process.

This petition welcomes undergraduate students, now known as Student Affiliates, to be Student “Members”. The petition also helps to bring the Society’s membership admissions policies into this multidisciplinary age of chemistry. However, there will still be admissions guidelines in place and not just anyone can be a member.

The new Regular membership requirements, as passed by Council, will be that a person with an Associates, Bachelors, or higher degree in chemistry, or a related field of natural science, engineering, technology, or science education will be eligible for full ACS membership. The ACS bylaws, up to this vote, required additional work experience and/or supplementary application documentation from scientists without a chemistry degree. Undergraduate students are now not Members, but are designated as “Affiliates”.

If the amendments are ratified, the Student Affiliate category will become Student “Member” for individuals working toward an undergraduate degree in chemistry or related field. Student members would continue to be eligible for a 5/6 discount on member dues. Currently (based on 2008 dues), this would mean that Student Members would pay $23 with electronic access to C&EN and $38 with the print version of C&EN.


The Petition does not make any other change in dues structure. The Petition grants Student Members all the rights of membership except those of holding national office. This includes the right to vote in National Society elections. Student Members would not serve as Councilor or Alternate Councilor.

Divisions and Local Sections would have the option of allowing, but would not be required to allow, Student Members to serve as officers in the Division or Local Section. Divisions and Local Sections would themselves decide whether or not to waive or discount their dues for Student Members.

Graduate students are now and will continue to be Regular Members of the Society and receive a 50% student discount on their membership dues. The petition will have no impact on the dues discounts.

Please remember that not all students register for membership using their school’s address. Thus, their involvement in a Local Section could be based on the Section nearest their home address. This petition does not change the present per member allotment now in place for Local Sections. Finally, the membership listing for students within a Local Section’s jurisdiction would not be included in the Membership Roster that is sent out to Local Section leadership on a regular basis. This was information that was not available in this format before and hard to acquire in any format.

Because of the complexity around this petition, I urge you to pay very close attention to the facts leading to this important vote. If you have further questions, please contact the ACS at meminfo@acs.orgs or contact me directly, as Chair of the ACS Membership Affairs Committee, at d.richard.cobb@kodak.com. This vote is extremely important as it can pave the way for a more expansive, inclusive, and sustainable Society. Please make sure, more than ever before, that you take the time to express your opinion in this year’s election.

Please remember that I, and Jim Reynolds, are your voices on the national level. Feel free to contact me at 477-4903, email me at:
d.richard.cobb@kodak.com

or write me at:

15-C Greenleaf Meadows, Rochester, NY 14612.