Committee Structure
The Association works through its committees. There are both standing and ad hoc committees.

Tenure
Standing Committees. The First Vice President appoints the chairs and members of standing committees for a period of three years. The First Vice President has authority to reappoint chairs and members.

Ad Hoc Committees. The First Vice President appoints the chairs and members of ad hoc committees for the period required for them to complete their assignment.

Calendar
Committees operate from January 1 to December 31 except for the Publications Board and the Web Board, which operate from the end of the annual convention through the next annual convention.

Rotation
Membership on committees rotates. Depending on the size and function of the committee, one-third to one-tenth of the members change each year.

Leadership also rotates. A person serving as vice chair of the committee is eligible to become chair.

Meeting at Annual Convention
Committees meet during the annual convention.

Committee chairs are responsible for

• Meeting objectives of their committees as specified in this section.
• Carrying out the charge(s) issued annually by the First Vice President.
• Providing ideas for future charges.
• Reporting progress to Executive Committee periodically.
• Reporting progress the Executive Committee for its mid-year meeting.
• Reporting annually to the Board of Directors.
• Recommending potential committee members to the First Vice President.
• Evaluating members of their committees and recommending rotation, removal, retention, or appointment to vice-chair or chair and identifying interested parties and talent for leadership (bylaw 3.3.7).

Contact with Executive Committee
Committee Chairs keep the Executive Committee apprised of the activities of their committees. They send copies of all committee correspondence to the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee encourages Committee Chairs to seek its advice and counsel directly, whenever needed.

Reports Required
Mid-Year Report to Executive Committee. This report lists the mandate of the committee and the various charges given by the former First Vice President (current President) for the current year. The Committee Chair reports the attainment of, or progress towards, these goals and describes the performance of committee members. Reports are to be submitted electronically.

The mid-year report suggests possible charges for the current First Vice President to give to the committee for next year

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The mid-year report holistically evaluates the committee members’ work and consults with the First Vice President about renewing appointments of the members and recommending potential new members, vice-chairs, and chairs.

The Committee Chair sends copies of the report to Executive Director at least 30 days before the mid-year meeting.

Annual Report to the Board of Directors. This report lists the mandate of the committee and the various charges given by the former First Vice President (current President); reports the attainment of, or progress toward, these goals; and if desired, recommends actions for the Board to take. The Committee Chair prepares the report. and submits it electronically to the Executive Director at least 45 days in advance of the annual convention. The effective commitee sells its recommendations/proposals to the Board rather than simply expecting endorsement at the annual meeting. 

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Evaluation of Committee Members. The Nominating Committee is directed by the bylaws to place a great deal of significance on service to the Association (see bylaw 3.3.7).

Committee Chairs will submit evaluations of the performance of their committee members in the mid-year report (due to the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year meeting of the Executive Committee). Reports are to be submitted electronically.

The evaluation stresses each committee member's part in attaining the committee's goals. The basic question is: how well is the committee member performing the task assigned? The Committee Chair recommends one of the following for each committee member: retention on the committee, rotation off, removal from the committee, or appointment as chair of vice-chair. Since one-third to one-tenth of a committee's members normally rotate each year, the Committee Chair recommends for rotation even some of those members who have been contributing fully if they have other responsibilities or if they have served on the committee for several years.

Reports Formats
Reports follow formats that can be downloaded electronically as Word templates from the ABC website . A common format greatly facilitates the work of the Board.

If the committee has recommendations for Board action, and if the report is more than one page, the report begins with a one-page Executive Summary containing the proposed motion and its rationale.

DOWNLOAD: FORMAT AND CONTENT FOR MIDYEAR COMMITTEE REPORT

DOWNLOAD: FORMAT AND CONTENT FOR ANNUAL COMMITTEE REPORT

040-003 ASSOCIATION TO ADVANCE COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS (AACSB) LIAISON

Duties
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Liaison Committee

• Keeps informed about issues concerning business communication curricula.
• Maintains active interaction and good relations with AACSB in order to achieve visibility for ABC as an authoritative source about business communication.
• Informs the ABC Board of any AACSB actions or potential actions concerning business communication.
• Informs ABC members about AACSB policies and procedures that affect or may affect business communication.

Membership
Members are from AACSB schools.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Business Practices Committee

• Studies and disseminates information about business communication practices in corporations and other organizations.
• Gathers from businesses and disseminates to teachers practical business communication materials for the classroom.
• Works to increase interaction between business communication teachers and practitioners.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual meeting, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual meeting.

See 040-002 for details about each reports purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Community College Committee

• Encourages community-college faculty to join the Association, participate in its conventions, and submit articles to its publications.
• Sponsors projects, programs, and events especially relevant to community-college faculty. Sponsors panels or workshops at annual and, when possible, regional ABC conventions.
• Represents the interest and concerns of community-college faculty to the Association.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Convention Procedures Committee

• Develops and refines policies, guidelines, and procedures for annual conventions.
• Ensures continuity of information flow from past to present to future convention chairpersons.
• Works to achieve smooth coordination and good communication between the convention's general chairperson (Executive Director) and its program chairperson(s).
• Develops marketing and promotion strategies for annual conventions.
• Advises the executive director on site selection for future conventions.

Membership
Members are past, current, and future program chairs of the annual convention and regional conferences. The Executive Director, who serves as general chairperson of annual conventions, is an ex-officio member of this committee.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Diversity Initiative Committee serves advocacy, consciousness-raising, and recruitment functions, alerting all members and committees of ABC to benefit from inclusiveness in membership, participation, perspectives, and thinking. This committee helps ensure that ABC meets the needs of historically under-represented groups in the profession, welcome all members and participants, embraces a commitment to diversity, and actively seeks members of all backgrounds.

The Diversity Initiative Committee

• Works to increase membership and participation among historically under-represented groups in ABC.
• Sponsors projects, programs, and events related to diversity issues, challenges, and opportunities. Sponsors panels at annual and, when possible, regional ABC conferences.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Graduate Studies Committee

• Gathers and disseminates curriculum information about graduate-level courses and programs related to business communication, especially at the doctoral level.
• Collects and disseminates information about programs where students may write master's theses and doctoral dissertation dealing with business communication and/or professional writing.
• Sponsors projects, programs, and events of special interest to graduate students and faculty in graduate programs.
• Encourages graduate students and graduate faculty to join the Association, participate in its conventions, and submit articles to its publications.

Membership
Members include graduate students and faculty who teach in graduate programs offering courses or research opportunities in business communication.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Modern Language Association (MLA) Convention Committee

• Organizes and oversees the ABC session(s) at the MLA Annual Convention.
• Promotes the field of business communication in the MLA.

Membership
Members should be members of both the ABC and the MLA.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Nominating Committee

• Oversees the election of Directors and Officers (bylaw 1.4).
• Manages the process of selecting recipients of Association awards specified in the Operational Guidelines (bylaw 1.4).
• Solicits recommendations for people to fill elected offices (bylaw 1.4.3).
• Nominates people to fill the necessary at-large and Regional Vice President positions, and the position of Second Vice President (bylaw 1.4.4).
• Nominates members for the Publications Board (bylaw 3.4.1).and Web Board (bylaw 3.6.1).
• • Solicits and evaluates recommendations for Fellow of the Association, Distinguished Member, Honorary Member, the Award of Merit in Memory of Francis W. Weeks, and the Spirit of ABC Award in Memory of Bernadine P. Branchaw (bylaw 3.7.3).
• Submits, so as to reach the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention a list of individuals selected to receive nominations and awards, along with the reasons for their selection, including at minimum a two-page vita, for Board approval (bylaw 3.7.3).

Criteria
The Nominating Committee's attention is directed to

• Bylaws 1.4.5, 3.3.7, and 3.7.1 which set out Criteria to be considered when selecting nominees.
• Operational Guidelines 070-001, 070-002, and 070-003 for the specific criteria for each award.

Membership
The committee consists of the three most recent past presidents and the Executive Director, who is an ex-officio, non-voting member (bylaw 1.4.1). The Past President chairs the committee (bylaw 1.4.1).

Report to the Board
The Nominating Committee's report to the Board includes a list of continuing Board members and the year each term expires.

Duties
As specified in the bylaws, the Publication Board

• Recommends editors of Association publications to the Board (bylaw 3.5.1).
• Evaluates the regular and special publications of the Association (bylaw 3.5.1).
• Evaluates the editors of the publications (bylaw 3.5.1).
• Evaluates the statements of editorial policy and procedures provided by the editors (bylaw 3.5.1).
• Proposes and selects timely special publications (bylaw 3.5.2).
• Coordinates production of special publications with the Executive Director (bylaw 3.5.2).
• Coordinates with the editors special issues of the Journal of Business Communication and Business Communication Quarterly (operational guidelines 08-001 and 08-002). The guidelines for special issues may be found on the ABC web site.
• Assists the editors in effective transition when new editors are selected.
• Evaluates publications to determine the recipients of awards for publications specified in the Operational Guidelines (bylaw 3.5.3).
• Reviews financial support for Editors prior to appointment and throughout their terms of office and proposes changes for approval by the Board whenever the support is inadequate or inappropriate.

Membership
The Publications Board has seven members elected by the Board of the Directors to staggered, three-year terms (bylaw 3.4). Terms begin at the end of the annual convention through the next three annual conventions. In addition, the executive director is an ex-officio, voting member (bylaw 3.4). The Convention Proceedings editor is an eighth member of the Publications Board. The incoming President (outgoing First Vice President) appoints the incoming Proceedings Editor to this Board. The President also appoints the Publications Board chair from among the seven elected members (bylaw 3.3.1).

Awards

Award for Distinguished Publication on Business Communication
The Publications Board solicits nominations for and selects the winner (if any) of the ABC award for Distinguished Publication on Business Communication. The chair of the Publications Board notifies the Executive Director of the winner of the ABC award. The Executive Director will then notify the sponsor of the award, if there is a current sponsor.

Awards for Outstanding Article in the Journal of Business Communication and in Business Communication Quarterly
The Publications Board solicits nominations for and selects the winners of the ABC awards for Outstanding Article in the Journal of Business Communication and for Outstanding Article in Business Communication Quarterly.

Criteria

The criteria for awards are found in Operational Guidelines 070-006 and 070-008.

Presentation of Awards

The chair of the Publications Board presents the awards at the annual convention.

Board Meeting
If the Chair of the Publications Board is not already a member of the Board of Directors, the Board explicitly directs him or her to attend Board Meetings as an observer, in order to better inform the Board about ABC publications and to make the Publications Board aware of Board discussions.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Research Committee

• Considers research issues in business communication.
• Encourages business communication research.
• Provides Association members with guidance on research topics.
• Selects the recipient of the Outstanding Researcher Award (Operational Guideline 070-005).

Membership
Members are actively involved in business communication research.

Presentation of Outstanding Researcher Award
The chair of the committee presents the Outstanding Researcher Award at the banquet at the annual convention, explaining briefly why the winner has received the award.

Reimbursement
Should the chair be at a school which cannot provide photocopying and mailing needed to select the Outstanding Researcher, ABC either provides these services or reimburses the chair for any out-of-pocket expenses.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Student Competition Committee will manage all aspects of the annual student writing contest, including:

• Creating the contest by
  • establishing and updating contest guidelines, rules, and regulations
  • promoting the contest by providing current information for the web site and via email to ABC members
  • coordinating all aspects of each year's contest from selecting the case to announcing the winner
• Selecting and announcing the contest winner(s) by
  • recruiting volunteers and businesspersons to read and rank student entries
  • establishing and maintaining criteria for assessing contest entries
  • collecting, organizing, and coding student entries so authors' names are unknown to all readers
  • selecting the student entry/entries that best meet the award criteria as recommended by the panel of businesspersons
  • notifying the ABC President and Executive Director who the student award winner(s) and instructor(s) are so that they can notify the student(s)/ instructor(s) and prepare the awards

Membership

Members will serve a two-year term, with the option to serve a second two-year term with appropriate approval, and will include five members who have a strong interest in business writing and fostering student achievement.

Term of Competition

The annual Student Competition year runs from April 1 – March 31.

Award Presentation

The chair of the Student Awards Committee will present the award certificate(s) and scholarship(s) to the student winner(s) at the annual convention. If a student winner is unable to attend, the student's instructor may accept the award on the student's behalf.

Reimbursement

For a committee chair located at a school that cannot provide the photocopying and mailing services needed to select student winner(s), ABC will either provide these services or reimburse the chair for documented out-of-pocket expenses.

Reports

Duties
The Teaching Committee

• Gathers and disseminates information about pedagogy in business communication.
• Sponsors projects, programs, and events to improve pedagogy in business communication.
• Selects the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award in Memory of Meada Gibbs (Operational Guideline 070-004).

Membership
Members have a strong commitment to teaching.

Presentation of Outstanding Teacher Award
The chair of the committee presents the Outstanding Teacher Award in Memory of Meada Gibbs at the annual convention explaining briefly why the winner has received the award.

Reimbursement
Should the chair be at a school which cannot provide photocopying and mailing needed to select the Outstanding Teacher, ABC either provides these services or reimburses the chair for any out-of-pocket expenses.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual meeting, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual meeting.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The Employment Opportunities Committee provides job search assistance to both applicants and hiring institutions or businesses. It:

• Forwards ABC website postings to headquarters for billing prior to posting
• Coordinates postings of positions with ABC website editor
• Organizes placement site as well as two notebooks to be available at the annual conference:one with applicant information and one with positon information
• Offers ABC conference attendees the opportunity to peruse both notebooks over Thursday and Friday during the annual meeting and promotes screening interviews at the conference
• Initiates follow-up contact with correspondent at companies/institutions to determine the socuss of postion postings on the website
• Makes recommendations to the Board regarding placement issues

Membership

Members include those interested in placement issues.

Reimbursement

For a committee chair located at a school that cannot provide the photocopying and mailing services needed to select the student winner, ABC will either provide these services or reimburse the chair for documented out-of-pocket expenses.

Reports

Duties
The Undergraduate Studies Committee

• Gathers and disseminates curriculum information about undergraduate-level courses and programs related to business communication.
• Sponsors projects, programs, and events of special interest to faculty in undergraduate programs, such as accreditation.

Membership
Members teach in undergraduate programs.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual meeting, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual meeting.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
As specified in the bylaws, the Web Board

• Recommends a web editor for the Association web site. (bylaw 3.6.2).
• Provides guidelines for policy and content relating to the web site to ensure that the web site meets Association goals (bylaw 3.6.2).
• Evaluates the ABC web site regularly to determine that it follows policy and content guidelines (bylaw 3.6.2).
• Evaluates the web editor. In the second year of the Web Editor's first term, the Web Board evaluates the Web Editor's work. If it is satisfactory and if the Web Editor wishes to continue for a second term, the Web Board may recommend to the Executive Committee that the Board of Directors approve the Web Editor for a second term. If the work is unsatisfactory or if the Web Editor does not wish to seek a second term, the Web Board issues a Call for Proposals to serve as Web Editor so that the Board of Directors has a field of applicants from which to select a new Web Editor by the end of the incumbent’s term (bylaw 3.6.2).
• Reviews financial support for the web editor prior to appointment and throughout his or her term of office, and proposes changes for approval by the Board whenever the support is inadequate or inappropriate.

Membership
The Web Board has five members elected by the Board of the Directors to staggered, three-year terms (bylaw 3.6). Terms begin at the end of the annual convention through the next three annual conventions. In addition, the Executive Director is an ex-officio, voting member (bylaw 3.6). The incoming President (outgoing First Vice President) appoints the chair of the Web Board at the end of the annual convention (bylaw 3.3.2).

Board Meeting
If the Chair of the Web Board is not already a member of the Board of Directors, the Board explicitly directs him or her to attend Board Meetings as an observer, in order to better inform the Board about ABC web site and to make the Web Board aware of Board discussions.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.

Duties
The International Issues Committee

• Promotes the international focus of the association.
• Sponsors projects, programs, and events to promote international interest.
• Develops efforts to encourage participation of all members in meetings based in different regions around the world.

Membership
Members are selected from all geographic areas of the association.

Reports
The Chair prepares and submits the following reports:

• Mid-Year: To the Executive Director 30 days before the mid-year Executive Committee meeting.
• Annual: To the Executive Director 45 days before the annual convention, for distribution to Board members about 30 days before the annual convention.

See 040-002 for details about each report's purpose, content, and format.