Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

January 16, 2004

Council will vote on P&S president-elect proposal

by Anne Krapfl
Members of the Professional and Scientific Council will vote next month on a proposed change that replaces the group's vice president post with a president-elect. Following a year as president-elect, the individual would serve as council president for a year. As is the case now, the past president would serve for a year as a non-voting member of the council's executive committee, whether he or she has any time remaining on a council term.

The change is one the council has considered for several years. The goal, said council president Kevin Kane, is to formally create a training period for the would-be president. Currently, the vice president has no obligation to seek, or guarantee of, the president's post the following year.

Kane acknowledged that a drawback to the proposed change is that it requires a two-year commitment from council members who seek the presidency, which may limit the pool of candidates. Because of the demands on the time of the council president, who also holds a regular job, the council has struggled in past years to recruit candidates for the position.

Because the change would require alterations to the council's constitution and bylaws, the change also needs to be approved, through a vote, by a majority of P&S staff at the university. The goal is to conclude the process in time for officer elections at the council's May meeting.

In other council business, these announcements were offered:

The annual professional development day, sponsored jointly by the P&S Council and ISU Extension, will be held Tuesday, March 30.
The spring election to fill expired terms on the council will be done online, via AccessPlus, March 1-26. Nomination forms are due Feb. 20.

The council's next meeting begins at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in the Memorial Union Gallery. The council will sponsor a noon public forum on changes to the university's budget Tuesday, Feb. 24, also in the Union.