Committee Report
Resolutions
The Resolutions Committee consists of seven (7) members including a Chair, who serve staggered two-year terms. This Committee reports to the House of Delegates at the annual meeting, their recommendations concerning all advance petitions, resolutions, or motions, but are not required to review resolutions on proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and Rules and Procedures. The Resolutions Committee had no petitions, resolutions or motions to act on last year.
The Resolutions Committee is also responsible for assuring good attendance by affiliate societies and the regions, and directing any required “Disaffiliation” procedures for societies or regions that are persistent “no-shows” at the annual meeting.
We currently have 11 domestic Affiliated Societies that were in jeopardy of disaffiliation last year due to non-representation for at least two consecutive years at the annual HoD meeting. Of these, seven have taken steps to elect delegates again and attend the annual meeting, another one plans to elect a delegate this year, two are considering disaffiliation (one of those societies is completely inactive and the other has reportedly voted to disaffiliate but is already considering re-affiliation), and one, the Southeastern Geological Society in Florida, does not respond to any communications. More details on the status of these societies will be presented in the next The Delegates’ Voice.
On the International Regions side, and working closely with the Regions Committee headed by John Kaldi and Peter Lloyd, we plan to move forward with affiliation of the Swiss Petroleum Geologists, and to keep pushing on international attendance. Over the last three years, attendance has been highest from Asia-Pacific (62%), followed by Canada (60%), Europe (59%) and Africa (58%). The Middle East has managed only 45% in that timeframe, but all their delegates attended in 2007, and this (and recent successful round of elections for their regional leaders) bodes well for the future.
The Latin America Region has achieved less than 5% attendance over the last three years, and we plan to pursue initiatives with the Regions Committee to increase their participation. One society in that Region falls into the category of inactive societies due to a total loss of contact with AAPG, and we will be working with them to get them active again to avoid disaffiliation.
The slate for Africa’s forthcoming regional leadership has only one or two candidates for the HoD; we’d like to see eight (8) for their four (4) seats. And we’d like to see the new South African Affiliate represented, as well representatives of a broader range of countries and societies from that Region.