[LCC] ARRL BOD motion to 'sunset' the CAC and DXAC Advisory Committees in June 2021

[w5wz at w5wz.com]

The ARRL PSC intends to introduce a motion at the ARRL BOD Meeting this 
weekend to 'sunset' the CAC and DXAC Advisory Committees in June 2021.

Read the Motion and you decide.

Let your Director know your thoughts before Friday.

--Scott
(full text, unformatted, of the motion below)


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PSC Motion #1
Moved: Mr. Norris
Seconded: Mr. Ritz
Motion to Reorganize the PSC Advisory Committees
Whereas: ARRL Bylaw 39 states the role and responsibilities of the 
Programs and Services Committee and
Whereas: The rules and regulations concerning advisory committees 
provides for the organization, structure, and functions of the advisory 
committees, and
Whereas: Rule 1 states that the “Authority for establishing, 
terminating, or modifying terms of reference of any Advisory Committee 
rests with the Board of Directors” and
Whereas: At both of its 2018 meetings, the ARRL Executive Committee 
discussed the possibility of revising the advisory committee structure 
and directed that the Programs and Services Committee consider preparing 
a proposal on the matter, and
Whereas: The 2020 Programs and Services Committee has determined that it 
is both desirable and necessary to revamp and reorganize the advisory 
committees in order to:
 Expedite the response to studies of specific issues and questions
 Enhance communications between PSC and advisory committees
 Effectively utilize the subject matter expertise of our volunteer 
members on various tasking issues
 Expeditiously expand tasking and receive advice on a wide range of 
subjects in addition to DX and Contests
Therefore, be it resolved that the current “Rules and Regulations 
Concerning Advisory Committees” be replaced with new rules and 
regulations to be drafted by ARRL HQ Staff and approved by the Executive 
Committee. The new rules and regulations are to be aligned with the 
following provisions:
1. The current Advisory Committees (DXAC & CAC) be sunset on June 30, 
2021 with thanks.
2. The current advisory committees be replaced with a vetted pool of 
volunteer experts from which the PSC would select individuals for 
specific working group tasking.
3. Each Director would seek out and vet a cohort of active ARRL members 
from within their division with interest and experience in various 
aspects of the hobby. Special emphasis would be paid to individuals with 
special skills/interests in various areas of the hobby.
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They would include active ARRL members that have expertise in various 
contesting, DXing or other interest areas that from time to time are 
brought to the ARRL Board’s Programs and Services Committee for 
consideration. While “generalists” may be included, those with special 
talents – such as log checking, operating protocols and procedures, 
awards criteria, for examples – should be especially sought.
4. Individuals are admitted to the pool by the director’s vetting and 
recommendation plus PSC’s acceptance (to avoid too many in one area and 
none in another area of interest).
5. Individuals appointed to the Working Group Pool serve through to the 
next election cycle for Director in the division. When a Director starts 
a new term, they would need to re-appoint an individual to a new term. A 
member of the pool may be removed at the discretion of the PSC in 
consultation with the Director. Should a member of the pool move to 
another division, their current appointment is cancelled but would be 
eligible for re-appointment from the new division.
6. The PSC would develop a standardized questionnaire for each candidate 
to complete. The purpose of the questionnaire is to capture the 
individuals’ experience, skills, and areas of interest/expertise. This 
data would be administered and maintained by the HQ staff liaison to 
PSC. Its purpose would be two-fold: 1) to ensure the pool of volunteers 
covers the necessary range of expertise and interests anticipated to be 
needed by PSC and 2) to aid PSC in the selection of qualified 
individuals for a specific working group tasking.
7. After vetting and acceptance, each Director would submit names of 
potential volunteers as they wish to the Radiosport & Field Services 
Manager, who would maintain the list of available volunteers. There is 
no minimum or maximum number of names a Director may have on the list at 
any time. The goal is to identify the best resources on a wide variety 
of topics that are willing to serve.
8. When the Programs and Services Committee wishes to have expert input 
for a topic under discussion, the PSC Chairman, in conjunction with the 
Radiosport & Field Services Manager, and the PSC liaison to specific 
program area will select a short term working group from the developed 
volunteer pool to evaluate and address the tasking presented by the PSC.
9. While no minimum or maximum number of members for any working group 
is predetermined, it is envisioned that the group in general be a small 
number in order to help facilitate the work and efficiency of each 
group. A suggested size would generally be between five and seven 
individuals, including the group chairman.
10. The PSC Chairman will appoint from the individuals selected one 
group member to serve as chairman of each appointed working group.
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11. While the a working group may seek input from non-members of the 
group, each working group should be mindful that some taskings that they 
are presented may be sensitive in nature. As such, working group members 
need to be mindful of the confidentiality of their work. If the working 
group believes input from a larger number of the ARRL membership would 
benefit their work, they should request permission in advance from the 
PSC Chairman before taking their discussions public for input.
12. The President of the ARRL, in consultation with the Programs and 
Services Chairman, shall appoint a PSC staff liaison for each broad 
operating area that implements this structure, similar to the current 
CAC and DXAC Board liaisons.
13. Each PSC tasking presented to an appointed working group should 
include specific directions, questions and issues for the group and 
should include a definitive timeline for the working group’s written 
report to be delivered back to the PSC.
14. Once the PSC reviews the tasking report, the working group is then 
sunset automatically, unless the PSC requests clarification or further 
input on the topic under study.
15. There is no limit on the number of times any single individual may 
be appointed to an advisory working group, but the PSC Chairman and 
Radiosport & Field Services manager are encouraged to select qualified 
volunteers from each Division regularly.
16. The Programs and Services Committee, working in conjunction with all 
members of the ARRL Board and Officers, as well as Headquarters staff, 
shall develop a means to evaluate on a regular basis the areas of 
expertise that might be useful when assembling the advisory working 
group pool of volunteers.
17. At the discretion of their Director, individuals appointed to the 
advisory committee working group pool should be available, from time to 
time, to assist the Director in gathering general interests and concerns 
at hamfests, conventions, and radio club meetings. It is the 
responsibility of each Director to evaluate the input brought to them by 
the volunteers, and determine what, if any, merit being forwarded to the 
Programs and Services Committee for possible consideration.
18. This advisory committee working group model shall initially be used 
by the PSC for the broad areas of Contesting and DXing. At the 
discretion of the PSC and with the consent of the Board, this model may 
be expanded to other areas for which the PSC has oversight jurisdiction.
ESTIMATED COST TO IMPLEMENT: The staff time necessary to develop and vet 
the pools at about 20 hours. Since it is part of their workload already 
allotted as staff liaisons to the PSC or current advisory committee, 
there really is no additional cost of labor.
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REFERENCE The Current “Rules and Regulations Concerning Advisory 
Committees” The following rules and regulations provide for the 
establishment of national Advisory Committees. Such committees shall be 
composed of amateurs qualified in various specialty areas of concern to 
the League. The Committees, acting in their areas of specialty, shall 
undertake studies, review proposals, and make recommendations to the 
League management. League members interested in serving on Advisory 
Committees should make themselves known to their Director. Each ARRL 
Division is represented on each Advisory Committee. The Division 
representatives to the national Advisory Committee also serve as special 
advisors to the Division Director. The Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) 
may also appoint a representative to each Advisory Committee. 1. 
Authority for establishing, terminating, or modifying terms of reference 
of any Advisory Committee rests with the Board of Directors. 2. Any 
proposal to the Board for the establishment of an Advisory Committee 
shall outline the purpose of the proposed Committee, the proposed scope 
of its activities and the Standing Committee of the Board to which it 
shall report. The proposal shall explain why its objectives cannot be 
met through the existing organizational structure of the ARRL. 3. The 
membership of any Advisory Committee shall consist of one Full Member of 
the League from each Division plus the representative to that Advisory 
Committee from the RAC who shall be a member of the League. Advisory 
Committee members are expected to be residents of the Division from 
which they are appointed and may not hold any League elective office 
(Officer, Director, Vice Director, Section Manager) during their tenure 
as a member of an Advisory Committee. Each committee member is appointed 
by the respective Division Director for a term concurrent with that of 
the Director. It is recommended that Advisory Committee members shall 
serve a maximum of six (6) years so as to provide diversity of views 
within the Division. The Advisory Committee members serve at the 
pleasure of the Director and shall be responsible to him for the proper 
performance of their duties. Directors should consider the following in 
selecting appointees to an Advisory Committee: a. Willingness to serve 
and participate in committee deliberations; b. Possession of knowledge 
and expertise in the committee's field of endeavor; c. The ability and 
willingness to communicate with others in writing and verbally. 
Communications includes the use of electronic media;
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d. The ability and willingness to participate in public forums. 4. Each 
year, the President shall designate one member of each Advisory 
Committee as chairman for that calendar year. Chairmen will serve in 
that post for no more than two one-year terms consecutively. Each 
chairman shall designate a vice chairman to assist him and to assure 
continuity in the committee's operation. 5. Each Advisory Committee 
shall report to an appropriate Standing Committee of the Board. The 
Chairman of the Standing Committee or his designee shall act as liaison 
to the Advisory Committee. The Executive Vice President shall designate 
Headquarters Staff to fulfill the functions of Resource and 
Administrative Liaison to each Advisory Committee 6. Advisory Committees 
initiate studies upon request by the Standing Committee of the Board to 
which they report. Proposals for studies may be made to the responsible 
Standing Committee by any of the following groups or individuals: a. By 
the Board of Directors; b. Between meetings of the Board, by the 
Executive Committee or the President; c. By a committee of the Board; d. 
By the Executive Vice President; e. By the Committee at its own 
initiative. The Board shall be advised promptly of the responsible 
Standing Committees' disposition of proposed studies. Advisory Committee 
recommendations shall be made in a timely manner to the appropriate 
Standing Committee and shall be advisory in nature. Status reports shall 
be submitted, to the Board Secretary, at least (30) days prior to any 
regular meeting of the Board. 7. Members wishing to express their 
opinion on a matter being studied by, or within the terms of reference 
of, an Advisory Committee are encouraged to communicate with their 
Division representative. To this end, the names and addresses of 
Advisory Committee members shall appear in QST at least annually. Space 
in QST and other League publications shall be available to the 
committees, as appropriate. 8. Advisory Committee members are entitled 
to the same privileges accorded Assistant Directors.
9. Incidental expenses are reimbursable according to guidelines adopted 
by the Board. Any expenses for the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) 
representative to any Advisory Committee shall be paid in accordance 
with RAC policy.