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AAPG COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES

ANNUAL REPORT

July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004

The mission of the Committee on Committees is to recommend to the President-Elect a slate of candidates for standing, special and ad hoc committees; Association representatives to other permanent groups; and all other appointments on which the Executive Committee, the President, or the President-Elect request advice.

The Committee on Committees (COC) was formed in 1990. The Committee provides advice, recommendations and suggestions; it does not make any appointments. Only the AAPG President is empowered to make appointments to the various committees. The AAPG Executive Committee has the authority to dissolve any standing committee.

At the beginning of the year, an initial contact letter was sent by the COC to all other committee chairs. Also included was a copy of the Committee Membership Guidelines. The contact letter requested certain committee information so that the Headquarters staff liaison could update all committee records. In addition, the letter recommended the following suggestions for each committee to follow:

1. Review your committee for geographic representation and, if appropriate, for scientific discipline diversity.
2. Consider changing your Vice-Chair(s) each year in order to give several committee members an opportunity to show leadership.
3. Rotate members off after they have completed a three year term unless their duties and contributions indicate that you should contact Steve to appoint them for another three year term.
4. Please keep your Committee Website updated. It should include such basic information as a mission statement, a list of committee members, pertinent meeting minutes, and a list of committee goals.

This year the Committee on Committees accomplished the following:

1. Due to term limits, a number of members left the COC; however, the committee was able to add two new members in order to maintain at least one or more members from each Section as well as from the Canada and Europe Regions. The committee membership now stands at eighteen.
2. Over the last four months of the year, all standing committee chairs and representatives were contacted regarding their reappointments or replacements, and their selections of vice-chair(s). This information was shared with incoming President Pat Gratton. The COC Chair had several meetings with Pat on the various committees. Every standing committee chair and representative, as well as most vice chairs, should be in place by June 30, 2004.
3. All COC members have been in contact with their liaison committees and have been able to be of assistance when requested.

The COC held its annual meeting on April 19, 2004, during the AAPG Annual Meeting in Dallas. Important items covered were:

1. The January 2004 Leadership Conference, which was attended by ten COC members, was briefly discussed. This year’s conference focused on a new strategic plan for AAPG. Once it is approved by the Executive Committee the plan will be circulated to committee chairs and also put on the website for all members.
2. Committee chair replacements for the upcoming 2004-2005 year were announced based on information available at the annual meeting. All standing committee chairs plus representatives were in the process of being contacted for review by incoming President Patrick Gratton.
3. Various other items about committees were discussed including:
   1. The Leadership Conference might be the proper place for a "Summit on Committees". This would be a meeting of all of the standing committee chairs and vice-chairs, as well as COC liaison members, who are attending the Conference. The intent of the meeting would be to cover the committee guidelines, etc., so that all chairs, et al can be better informed of their duties.
   2. Rotation of members after three year terms;
   3. A request for a mid-year report;
   4. Replacement of any chair who does not submit an annual report by July 1;
   5. Update and send Guidelines to all chairs and vice-chairs;
   6. Recommend new members to all committees as required;
   7. Have liaisons check that each committee updates its web page and submits its annual report by July 1.

Peter G. Gray, Chair