The N&E Process: What Happens Before You See The Ballot To Elect The President-Elect

THERE HAS BEEN a lot of interest in how the Committee on Nominations & Elections (N&E) generates the slate of nominees for the office of president-elect of ACS. This renewed interest has been stimulated by the fact that N&E has been working to refine the process at the behest of participants, councilors, and members of the society. Understanding the current process is a good foundation for all of us, one that should help us better comprehend the potential impact of the proposed changes that will be on the spring council agenda in 2010. The current process is formally described in the society’s Constitution and Bylaws, and its implementation is the responsibility of the 15 councilors of N&E who are elected by their peers. N&E is a very diverse and hard-working group of councilors. When I was asked to be a nominee for president-elect, I certainly did not fully appreciate the months of effort that N&E ...