COMMUNITY

AIHA NEWS AND NOTES

Results of Recent Bylaws Vote Are In AIHA members have approved one of two proposed amendments to AIHA’s bylaws. The proposed changes concerned transitioning AIHA's Local Sections Council to a new Local Sections Advisory Group and instituting a new "single-candidate slate" for elections of candidates for vice president, treasurer-elect, and secretary-elect. Approximately 22 percent of AIHA’s members participated in the vote, which occurred from mid-September to mid-October. According to the bylaws, approval of amendments requires affirmative votes from two-thirds of voting members. The proposed amendment to transition the Local Section Council, or LSC, to a Local Sections Advisory Group, or LSAG, passed with 1,031 votes for the measure and 315 against. The new LSAG will include student representatives who were not part of the former LSC. The LSAG will act as a direct voice to the AIHA Board for local section and student local section concerns. LSAG members will continue to be elected by the local section officers, as was the practice of the former LSC. The second proposed amendment regarding changing the Board officer election process did not pass. The ballot measure failed to meet the two-thirds majority threshold, with 856 votes for the measure and 497 against. AIHA will continue the current practice of a contested slate for all Board positions. More information about the vote is available on Catalyst (AIHA member login required). CEC Gears Up for AIHce EXP 2020  The AIHA Continuing Education Committee met in October to review 85 professional development course proposals for presentation at AIHce EXP 2020. Each proposal undergoes a rigorous and competitive bi-level review by the CEC and experts from AIHA volunteer groups. This review helps guarantee that quality courses are presented to ensure an excellent educational experience.  Seventy-five proposals were selected for presentation at AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, May 30; Sunday, May 31; and Thursday, June 4. With benefits and value-added items ranging from hands-on demonstrations and workshops to e-handouts, essential publications, and software, the 2020 PDCs will provide practical skills and tools that attendees can apply immediately. In addition, PDC attendees earn extra certification maintenance points and network with experts. Full PDC descriptions will be available on the AIHce EXP website. 2020 AIHA Board Election Updates AIHA has partnered with eBallot, a nationally recognized company, to provide a safe, secure web-based voting system during the 2020 Board of Directors election cycle. Instructions on how to vote in the election, which will run from Feb. 15 to March 6, 2020, will be emailed to members in February. Members who require a paper ballot must submit their request by email no later than Wednesday, Jan. 22. The paper ballot will be mailed by early February and must be returned postmarked no later than Friday, Feb. 21, to be counted in the election. There’s still time to nominate a candidate by petition. In addition to nominations made by AIHA’s Nominating Committee, nominations for officers and directors may be made by petition of not less than two percent of members who are eligible to vote. Each petition must include a letter from the nominee stating the nominee’s willingness to stand for election. Petitions must be emailed to the chair of the Nominating Committee by Feb. 4. To be included in the Candidates’ Forum in the February issue of The Synergist, individuals must submit petitions by Jan. 1.  Important information about AIHA governance is available online. Email questions to nominations@aiha.org.

Consultants: List Your Business by Dec. 12 The deadline for consultants to submit order forms to be included in next years’ printed Consultants Listing is Dec. 12, 2019. Consultants must renew their AIHA membership before their forms can be processed for the 2020 Consultants Listing. AIHA’s Consultants Listing is consulting professionals’ link to reaching consumers and building a larger network. Every year, AIHA distributes the Consultants Listing nationwide to thousands of decision makers in a variety of industries, including legal, real estate, trade associations, academia, healthcare, and agencies at all levels of government.  To learn more or download the order form, visit AIHA's website. Please email Wanda Barbour or call (703) 846-0782 with questions. Call for Volunteers: AIHA Finance Committee The AIHA Finance Committee is a standing committee that works with AIHA’s Board of Directors, chief executive officer, and chief financial officer to monitor the finances of the association. There is currently one opening on the Finance Committee that the Board must fill for a three-year term beginning June 2020.

If you are interested in serving on the Finance Committee, please review the roles and responsibilities (PDF) and submit your application by Jan. 31, 2020. The application is available for download as a PDF. Once your application is received, you will be contacted to set up an appointment for a 30-minute phone interview with a member of the AIHA Board. Email Belinda D’Agostino or call (703) 846-0721 with questions. Awards, Fellows Nominations Due Soon AIHA requests nominations for the 2020 Fellow and AIHA awards. The deadline for Fellows nominations is Dec. 31, 2019, and the deadline for AIHA awards nominations is Jan. 15, 2020. AIHA’s awards honor individuals who provide significant contributions to the IH and OEHS professions. More information on AIHA awards and honors, including links to nominations forms, is available on AIHA's website. The award recipients will be recognized during the Mark of Excellence Awards Breakfast at AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga. AIHA Office to Close for the Holidays  The AIHA office will close for the holidays beginning Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2019, through Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020, reopening on Thursday, Jan. 2. Online resources, including the marketplace and Member Center, will remain available. Any orders placed between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 will be fulfilled when the AIHA office reopens on Jan. 2. Members will continue to receive AIHA’s two weekly e-newsletters, The Synergist Weekly and The Synergist Newswire. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season! International Micro-Grants Deadline Approaching  The Micro-Grants Subcommittee of AIHA’s International Affairs Committee is accepting applications for funding for international projects and training in developing countries through Dec. 31, 2019. The IAC’s Emerging Economy Projects Fund was established to increase understanding of and build capacity for occupational hygiene in developing economies around the world. Learn more on AIHA’s website. Dates and Deadlines December 12 Deadline to submit an order form to list your business in AIHA’s 2020 Consultants Listing. December 31 Deadline to submit AIHA Fellows nominations and IAC Micro-Grants applications. January 15, 2020 Deadline to submit nominations for AIHA awards. January 27, 2020 Deadline to submit AIHF scholarship applications for the 2020–2021 academic year. January 31, 2020 Deadline to submit applications for the AIHA Finance Committee. March 9–13, 2020 Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Review course in Ann Arbor, Mich. Co-sponsored by the Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society. June 1–3, 2020 AIHce EXP 2020 in Atlanta, Ga. For a complete list of events, visit AIHA's website.