Message from the Secretary

Penny M. Hopkins

I hope that everyone in the Society takes the opportunity to read the individual Divisional Newsletters in the Spring SICB Newsletter. The Society is hoping to convert all division election schedules to a summer election schedule. We hope to have all of the SICB divisions on the same time frame with each other and with the society-wide elections. No, this is not a hobgoblin of many small minds: This consistency in election schedules will make all elections and the transitions between officers smoother and more efficient.

In past years there has been some grumbling about the lack of coordination of outgoing officers and incoming ones. With this new schedule, the new divisional and society-wide officers will be elected well before they are required to assume any official duties. We hope that this new schedule of elections will allow for at least one year of "shadowing." What "shadowing" means is that a newly elected officer (as the officers-elect) will attend meetings with the outgoing officer for at least one annual meeting in order to learn the duties and obligations of that officer. The new officers may also be able to participate in divisional or society-wide activities prior to assuming their own duties in order to get a better feel for the overall activities of the division (or of the society).

We hope that you are comfortable with this new schedule which will include publishing the biographies all nominated candidates in the Spring Newsletter, mailing (or e-mailing) ballots during the late Spring and early Summer, tabulation of votes during the summer, and publication of the election winners in the Fall Newsletter. This schedule will allow the newly elected officers to attend the annual meeting during the winter as officer-elect. We anticipate that this new schedule will make the transition of officers smoother, will allow for greater continuity within the divisions, and give more "on-the-job" training for officers-elect.

Thanks for your cooperation in this transition. Good luck to all the candidates - we appreciate their agreeing to participate in the functioning of the SICB.