Dear Colleagues and Friends,
We are pleased to let you know that the proposed 2015 Bylaws have been reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors and are now available for membership voting. For the long-‐term stability of the organization, it is very important that ALL members vote during this election -‐ even if you don’t usually participate.
Voting is now closed. Results will be posted soon.
Thank you for your participation!
About the Changes
We would like to reiterate a few points for consideration. The proposed modifications are to address
three primary areas:
1. Clean up redundancies, provide greater definition where language was unclear, and remove policy from the Bylaws (per legal counsel).
2. Modify sections that are out of compliance with the state (California) laws of our incorporation (per legal counsel).
3. Allow for expansion of the organizational structure to accommodate greater opportunities for leadership and improved nimbleness for collaboration across the Society.
About Committees
Committee participation is open to all members, so please feel free to submit your interest during the call for members. The committees will include the chairs/vice-‐chairs, members (mentors) and working groups (interested members, mentees). Each committee will have associated working groups, so no matter what your level of expertise there is a place for you! Everyone is welcome, everyone is needed, and everyone will be supported.
The reason for the change in committee structure is because the membership has requested more opportunities to serve in leadership positions. In the past, chairs and vice-‐chairs of committees were considered leadership, but committee membership was not necessarily viewed that way. With the new committee structure proposed, each member of the committee will be considered leadership. Committee members will mentor, lead, and oversee affiliated working groups to further the mission of the Society.
We value the contributions of all committee members who have served and anticipate that the new committees will include many current committee members. The committees are smaller, but that does not mean anyone is not welcome as part of the committee’s working groups and project teams! Committee members will be selected based on members’ previous contributions to the Society and areas of expertise. The new Bylaw structure will promote transparency and an equal opportunity for all members to serve as the Society grows.
About Commissions
Commissions are organizational groups comprised of committee chairs/ vice-‐chairs. Commissions are designed to provide oversight and facilitate direct collaboration between committees with multiple commonalities. Members may influence the work of commissions through their committee chairs/vice-‐ chairs or through the executive staff.
Strategic Plan vs. Bylaws
As noted in the newsletter, the strategic plan is being written to include the elements presented at IMSH and in the newsletter addendum. This is the first ever written strategic plan for SSH and will be used by the Board of Directors in the coming years to guide the Society’s growth. We anticipate having the drafted document for discussion and approval at the June 2015 Board of Director’s meeting. Thereafter, the plan will be available for members to access through the website.
Of note, although the information gained through the strategic planning process informed the proposed committee structure, the Board of Directors believes that these key changes are in the best interest of the Society, regardless of the strategic plan. The organization has grown to beyond its capacity to effectively function with the current structure.
About Policies vs. Bylaws
We appreciate the input of the few dozen members who contributed suggestions for improvement via SimConnect and direct email. Many of these changes were accepted for inclusion in 2015 Bylaws, however others will be addressed through policy documents in accordance with association best practices suggested by our legal counsel. The executive administrative staff will be responsible for updating all Society policies.
Questions About Bylaws?
Webinars have been scheduled for Tuesdays (3/17; 3/24) and Thursdays (3/19; 3/24) during the election cycle, so feel free to login and ask questions if you have them! Register for Webinar
Kindest regards,
Pamela Andreatta, PhD, EdD, MFA,
President 2015 Society for Simulation in Healthcare
Chad Epps, MD
President-‐Elect 2015 Society for Simulation in Healthcare