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Procedures and Rules Contents

 

 

Procedures and Rules

XII. AWARDS AND HONORS COMMITTEE

  1. Function:

     

    1. The Awards and Honors Committee administers all special recognition programs developed by the Network, including Honorary Membership, establishing subcommittees as needed to administer specific awards and honors.
  2. Chair and Preferred Membership:

     

    1. The President-Elect will Chair this Committee.

     

    2. Every effort should be made to appoint past award winners to the Committee. In all other respects membership in this Committee complies with Procedures & Rules Article XII. Part B. Composition and Organization of Committees.

    3.  

  3. Duties and Responsibilities:

     

    1. Biennially to solicit nominations for Honorary Membership in the Network and for a Service to the Profession Award. In addition, to biennially develop criteria and advertise the availability of three Conference scholarships: a New to the Profession Conference Scholarship, a Student Conference Scholarship, and a Tribal / Pacific Rim Conference Award. To publicize the availability of the awards/scholarships, receive written nominations and supporting documentation for proposed candidates, and to recommend individuals to the Council for this honor.

     

    2. The Chair will be responsible for preparing certificates for the scholarship winners, and for requesting checks from the Secretary-Treasurer. Awards and plaques will be presented at the Conference Banquet. The Chair orders the plaques and makes sure they are available at the banquet.

     

    3. To judge applications and select winners, either as the full Committee or through appropriate subcommittees, according to criteria established for specific awards, following these guidelines:
    a) Prepare announcement(s) for distribution on USAIN-L, the USAIN web site, Conference programs, and other appropriate outlets. Announcements for awards and honors should include purpose, eligibility requirements, deadline date, name and address of the appropriate Chair, and other pertinent information.
    b) Process entries to ensure equitable treatment of all candidates for award(s)
    i. Chair codes entries to permit blind judging when appropriate. In these cases, committee members receive copies of coded essays only.
    ii. Each committee member rates all applications on the basis of quality and adherence to award guidelines and provides ratings to the Chair.
    iii. Chair compiles all ratings and selects award winners, then notifies winner(s), requesting acceptance of award(s) in writing. The Chair also notifies the President and the Secretary/Treasurer of all winners.
    iv. Chair prepares a report to the President on committee activities to include, but not limited to: how awards were publicized, number of submissions received, any disqualifications, names of awardees, and future plans/goals/suggestions from the Committee or subcommittees.
    4. To notify the President and the Secretary/Treasurer when awards will not be made because there are no suitable entries.

    4.  

  4. Procedures for Awards:

     

    1. Conference Scholarships, including the Conference Scholarship for Students.
    a) The Awards Committee will prepare a Scholarship Award Announcement to appear on USAIN-L, the USAIN Web site, the conference pre-announcement, and in other sources.
    b) The submission deadline in the announcement will be approximately four and a half months prior to the conference.
    c) The Committee will make its selection and notify the Council of their choice prior to notifying the recipients by approximately three and a half months prior to the conference.
    d) The Chair of the Awards Committee will notify the scholarship recipients approximately two and a half months prior to the conference. The Chair also notifies those not selected.

     

    2. Service to the Profession Award
    a) Criteria Individuals nominated must meet one or more of the following criteria:
    i. demonstrated leadership in advancing the field of agricultural information
    ii. established new directions or visions for the field of agricultural information
    iii. contributed to the development, application or utilization of new or improved methods or techniques in the organization or delivery of agricultural information
    iv. conducted significant studies/research in agricultural information
    b) Procedures
    i. Prepare a draft of the Call for Nominations approximately 8 months preceding the conference and submit the draft to the Council for review/approval.
    ii. Post the approved Call for Nominations to USAIN-l, the USAIN website, and other professional publications, etc. approximately seven months prior to the conference. Notices of the award nomination should also appear in the conference pre-program.
    iii. Deadline for submission of applications in the Call for Nominations will be approximately five months prior to the conference.
    iv. The Awards Committee is to make its recommendation to the Council approximately three and a half months prior to the conference.
    v. The Council will vote on the award nomination.
    vi. Approximately two and a half months prior to the conference, the President will contact the award winner(s) and obtain their agreement to appear at the conference.
    vii. Chair of the Awards Committee will work with the Conference Program Committee on arrangements for a formal presentation of the award(s). This may be at a separate ceremony, a banquet, luncheon, or some other function at the conference that will be attended by the majority of attendees. In case the honoree cannot attend the ceremony, the award may be sent to them.

     

    3. Honorary Membership Award
    a) Criteria
    i. An Honorary Member shall be an individual who is not a member of the Network, but who has been either an outstanding individual in the field of agricultural information or who has provided outstanding service or support to the Network. Honorary Member award recipients will be given a life membership in the Network, but are unable to hold offices in USAIN unless they maintain a paid membership. Awards may be given to persons outside the field of agricultural information. Criteria for nominees might include:
         a) leadership in advancing the field of agricultural information from outside the profession
         (b) outstanding support of Network activities and directions
    b) Procedures
    i. Prepare a draft of the Call for Nominations for distribution approximately seven months prior to the conference.
    ii. Post the approved Call for Nominations to USAIN-l, the USAIN Web site, and other professional publications as appropriate, six months prior to the conference.
    iii. Call for nominations will be six months prior to the conference.
    iv. The Awards Committee will present applications received to the Council for consideration three and a half months prior to the conference. If more than one application is received, the Awards Committee will make a recommendation to the Council.
    v. The combined Council and Awards Committee will vote on each nomination. If selected, the honoree will be contacted by the President four months prior to the conference and the award made. The Awards Committee will work with the Conference Program Committee on arrangements for a formal presentation of the award(s) at the next conference.
    vi. The Awards Committee will prepare a press release about the honoree and distribute it widely.
  5. Files to be passed along to the next Chair:

     

    1. Awards Emails: text used for the four award emails

     

    2. Award Plaques: text used for the plaques

     

    3. Award Certificates: text and layout for the conference scholarships

     

    4. Library Schools: emails of all the appropriate library schools

     

    5. Awards Report: copy of the Annual Report of the Awards Committee

     

    6. Letters informing of award, for the grad student & new the profession awards.