PRESIDENT'S LETTER

Rob McClung

Power to the People

Democracy is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “government by all the people, direct or representative.” The etymology of the word extends back via the Middle French démocratie, through the Late Latin democrati, and originates in the Greek demokratia, from demos (of the people) and kratia (power). In English, -cracy is a suffix meaning rule of, or ruling body of. It is a powerful word, capable of exciting great emotion. Indeed, John Lennon’s song “Power to the People,” released in 1971 as his fourth solo single, still gets my blood (and that of more than a few fellow Boomers and their children) stirring. And consider this: Since 1924 the American Society of Plant Biologists (née Physiologists) has operated according to democratic principles, which means that we have periodic elections to choose our representatives.

Article III, point 4, in our constitution (http://www.aspb.org/committees/constbylaws.cfm) states, “All individual members have the following rights: to vote in all elections except those restricted to sections of the Society; to be nominated for and to be elected to any office or committee; to be appointed to and to serve on committees; to serve as an official representative of the Society.”

Article VII of the constitution describes the nomination and election process: “A call for nominations for the offices of president-elect and member of the executive committee shall be sent to all individual members each January, and for secretary on alternate years…. A member may nominate only one person for each office…. For each position the member receiving the highest number of nominations, and agreeing to run and then to serve if elected, is to appear on the ballot. A person nominated for more than one office shall appear on the ballot only for the highest position, in the order: president-elect, secretary, executive committee member. The nominations committee shall provide one additional nomination for each position, the nominee agreeing to run and serve if elected. Thus, two nominees are provided for each office to be filled, one from the membership at large, and one from the nominations committee. There shall be no indication of the source of the nominations.”

This year we will be voting for a president-elect and an elected member to serve on the Executive Committee. Last year we elected Danny Schnell to serve as secretary, so that post will not be up for election this year.

What is the Executive Committee? It is the body of elected and appointed representatives that, together with our excellent staff, runs the Society. The constitution, in Article VIII, specifies that “The executive committee shall consist of the following ex-officio members: the president, who chairs the committee; the immediate past-president; the president-elect; the secretary; the treasurer; the chair of the board of trustees; the chair of the women in plant biology committee; the chair of the publications committee; the chair of the minority affairs committee; the chair of the membership committee; the chair of the international committee; and the chair of the education committee. There also shall be three elected members, one elected each year for a term of three years. In addition, there shall be a voting representative from each section of the Society who shall be elected by the section for a non-renewable three year term.”

Thus, 12 members of the executive committee are elected: the president, the immediate past-president, the president-elect, the secretary, three elected members, and five sectional representatives. Eight members of the committee—the treasurer, the chair of the Board of Trustees, and the six committee chairs—are appointed by the Nominations Committee, although several of these appointments require approval of the Executive Committee. I draw your attention to a proposed constitutional amendment on the 2008 ballot to add the appointed chair of the Public Affairs Committee to the Executive Committee. Even were this to pass, the balance of power on the Executive Committee would still reside with the Society’s elected representatives. Power to the people!

The entire membership of the Society is eligible to vote. Unfortunately, many of us do not exercise that franchise. We should. It is not hard, and a fuller participation of the membership in our elections signals a strong and vibrant Society in which the members are engaged.

The voting process is simple. On March 28 the ballot will be posted on the voting web page (www.aspb.org/voting) and mailed to those members who have requested paper ballots. Many of you will not know all the candidates either personally or professionally. To help you learn more about the candidates, the ballot and web page provide information about and statements from each candidate. Voting for the elected leadership positions in our Society is a process of vital importance, and I hope all of you will participate. Thank you in advance.

But wait! I’m not done! There is more. Recall Article III, point 4, that “All individual members have the following rights, [including] to be appointed to and to serve on committees.” Over the next several months the Nominations Committee, chaired by the president-elect, Sally Assmann, will be seeking to fill many positions on committees. Service does mean work, but it is important work. It is the work of the Society. Committee service for the Society has outcomes and impact, so I encourage you to think about this mechanism for contributing to your profession and to send Sally a note (sma3@psu.edu) volunteering to serve. Likewise, if Sally comes calling, consider her request carefully. The strength of our Society lies in the commitment and activity of our members, not simply in their numbers.

To conclude, my request is twofold. Please vote. And when Sally calls, please give serious consideration to an appointment to one of our committees. These are complicated times, and both your elected and your appointed representatives have important work to do guiding the Society and implementing its programs. Power to the people, but also power from the people. Together we make ASPB strong.

Rob McClung
c.robertson.mcclung@dartmouth.edu