Nominations Committee

Nominate for election a slate of Board of Directors consistent with Academy Bylaws. The committee also nominates members for appointment to the Journal Arbitration Committee.

Chair:
Staff Liasion:

View Full Listing of Committee Members

Estimated time commitment: (3) 1.5 hour conference calls plus 1 face-to-face meeting

Prior to each annual meeting at which elections are to be held, the Nominations Committee shall nominate Fellows of the Academy for each vacancy that occurs on the Board of Directors with the exception of the President, Past-President, Editor-in-Chief, Chair of AEI and the Chair of the American Academy of Neurology Foundation.

Academy members shall be notified of the names of all nominees at least sixty days prior to the annual meeting. In the event of death or withdrawal from candidacy of any of these nominees, the Board of Directors shall designate a substitute nominee at any time before the election and shall announce that designation before the election. In addition, nominations for positions on the Board of Directors may be made from the floor of the meeting provided that at least two weeks before the date of the election a written petition, signed by one hundred (100) or more voting members, has been filed with the Executive Director together with a signed statement by the nominee setting forth willingness to serve if elected.

Nominations Committee Process

1. Appointment of Nominations Committee Chair

   The President of the AAN appoints the chair of the nominations committee. The Chair must be a past president of the AAN and is traditionally the most recent past president who is no longer serving on the Board of Directors. The Chair shall keep the President and President Elect informed regarding the deliberations of the committee.

2. Selection of Committee Members

   The Chair of the Nominations Committee shall recommend the members of the committee to the President with input from the President, the President Elect and the Executive Director. The Executive Director of the Academy shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member of the committee. The members of the committee should be chosen based on their expertise, experience and demographic representation. There should be no more than eight members excluding the Chair and the Executive Director. Members of the Nominations Committee must be AAN Fellows and will not be eligible for nomination as an officer or board member.

3. Guidelines for Selection of Future Board Members

   Effective governance is essential to good organizational performance. The Academy is committed to active processes both to assess the changing needs of the Board of Directors, and to identify and attract Board members who can meet those needs. Overall, the goal is to maintain a strategic board culture that is characterized by highly interested and engaged board members, well-defined governance priorities, high attendance and enthusiasm, constructive dialogue, continuous strategic planning, and informed decision making.

   At its first meeting, the Nominations Committee shall review the demographics and characteristics of current board members and identify the characteristics desired for future board members based on the strategic needs of the Academy and the following guidelines. These guidelines should not be interpreted as fixed rules but rather as the Board's current consensus on criteria important for identifying Board member characteristics that will facilitate good governance.

   1. Purpose of guidelines. These guidelines are intended to assist the Nominations Committee by providing objective factors to consider in choosing Board nominees who offer the needed experience, skills and broad representation necessary for a high functioning strategic Board of Directors.

   2. Commitment and ability to further the Academy's mission. The goal of the Nominations Committee is to choose Board nominees for their commitment and ability to further the Academy's mission to promote the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care and enhance member career satisfaction.

      Each member of the Board of Directors has a fiduciary obligation to act in good faith in the best interests of the Academy. The Nominations Committee will seek nominees for the Board who fully accept that responsibility and whose specific experience and abilities meet the current or expected needs of the Board. Nominees should also meet the following criteria.

   3. Fundamental characteristics. Potential nominees should have certain fundamental characteristics, including:

      1. Vision and leadership. The ability to see the big picture, and to help create and, if necessary, re-create strategy and policy to assist the Academy in achieving its mission.

      2. Character, stewardship and integrity. The highest standards of personal character and conduct and the ability to serve and promote the vision, mission and goals of the Academy, including strict adherence to Academy policies on conflicts of interest and confidentiality.

      3. Knowledge. The willingness to become thoroughly familiar with the Academy's mission and how the mission is actually carried out day-to-day through the Academy's structure and operations.

      4. Personal commitment and diligence. The willingness to fulfill the obligations of directors, including regular attendance and participation at Board meetings, preparation for all meetings including review of all meeting materials provided in advance of the meeting; willingness to work to understand the strategic, financial and operational issues facing the Academy; and engaging personally with the Academy, whether through financial support, advocacy, networking, personal service, or other support of Academy activities.

      5. Collegiality. The ability to have independent opinions and the ability to state them in a constructive manner; the ability to work well with others and to show respect for the ideas and views of fellow board members and staff; and the understanding that the board operates as a body.

   4. Prior or current Academy service. The prior or current Academy service of potential nominees should reflect experience that enhances the understanding and implementation of the Board's strategic priorities. Board members do not have "portfolios" and as such are not representing a certain constituency or perspective; however, prior or current Academy service is particularly relevant in the context of achieving among the Board members as a whole the collective experience and expertise in advocacy, neurology practice, quality assurance, finance and management, science and education that is necessary for informed decision making.

   5. Membership balance. Components of the Academy's membership should be considered in achieving appropriate skills, background and experience that promote full, open, and balanced deliberations, including community general neurologists, child neurologists, young neurologists, and other components of the membership.

   6. Diversity that effectively represents the Academy's membership and incorporates members' opinions and ideas. Close attention should be made to the composition and the structure of the board including board member diversity. The Board should incorporate broad geographic, gender, and age diversity. Choice of board representatives should reflect a desire to incorporate member opinions and ideas. In this way, potential nominees are invited to participate based on an evaluation of their ability to carry out specified roles and functions in furtherance of the Academy's mission, and not solely on narrowly defined demographic characteristics.

   7. Other characteristics determined with input from the Board of Directors and executive staff of the Academy.

4. Call for Nominations

   Special emphasis will be placed on the call for nominations and other opportunities for member input to ensure that the system is open and allows a broad cross section of members to participate. In addition to an official call for nominations in AANews and the AAN Website, an announcement shall be made at Academy committee meetings during their summer or early fall meetings in even numbered years.

5. Nominations Committee Meetings

   The Nominations Committee shall meet no less than three times prior to their report to the Board of Directors at the Board's winter meeting in odd numbered years. They may meet by telephone conference but shall meet in person at least twice. All deliberations of the Nominations Committee are confidential.

   First Meeting: The committee members will identify the characteristics desired for future board members based on the strategic needs of the Academy.

   Second Meeting: This meeting will be held following the deadline for nominations. The committee will review nominations for board and officer positions. They will choose the candidates for President Elect at this meeting.

   Third Meeting: The committee will interview President Elect candidates and identify the nominee. At this meeting they shall also identify nominees for all other officer and board positions.

   If additional information is needed prior to determining the slate of board members and officers, the committee may schedule an additional meeting.

6. President Elect Candidate Interviews

   The Committee shall interview candidates for President Elect using a predetermined process. The process will include an opportunity for each candidate to articulate his/her vision for the Academy as well as his/her responses to a series of scenarios depicting challenging situations that may arise during his/her presidency.

7. Presentation of Slate of Nominees to the Board of Directors

   At the winter meeting of the Board of Directors in odd numbered years, the chair of the Nominations Committee shall present the slate of nominees and, following discussion, ask that the Board endorse the slate. The Board shall not have veto power.

8. Approval of Nominees

   In accordance with the Bylaws of the Academy, the report of the Nominations Committee shall be presented to the voting membership for approval during the Academy's Annual Business Meeting in odd numbered years.

9. Estimated Schedule of Activity

   Appointment of Chair	February
   Appointment of Committee Members	February-March
   Call for Nominations	June-September
   Deadline for Nominations	September 30
   Committee Deliberations	October-December
   Report to Board of Directors	February
   Approval of Membership	April-May

Policy History:
Amended Section 3 by AAN/AANI Boards of Directors, February 10, 2012. Approved by AAN Board of Directors, June 26, 2004 (Policy 2004-15). The Board of Directors tasked the Committee to also nominate members for appointment to the Journal Arbitration Committee (amendment to Section II of the Standing Rules, October 18, 2003; AAN Policy 2003-47).