The Foreign Service Journal, March 2017

72 MARCH 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS Welcome: AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson welcomed new USAID Representative Ann Posner. Consent Agenda: The Governing Board approved the consent agenda items, which were: (1) the Nov. 2 Govern- ing Board meeting minutes; (2) Jenna Bucha’s andWilliam Hansen’s resignations from the Committee on Elections; and (3) Mary Ellen (Meg) Gilroy’s resignation as Chair of the Committee on Elections. Unconscious Bias: State Vice President Angie Bryan gave a presentation on “Unconscious Bias in the Foreign Service.” LCAD Award: The Awards and Plaques Committee provided the board with their recommendation for the recipient of the 2017 Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy award. The committee’s recommendations were accepted, and the selected recipient will be announced in a future issue of The Foreign Service Journal . Committee Vacancies: Amb. Barbara Stephenson proposed that a notice be sent to AFSAmembers soliciting volunteers to fill the vacancies on the Committee on Elections.With no objection, the proposal was approved. n AFSAGoverning Board Meeting, January 4, 2017 AFSAGoverning Board Meeting, December 7, 2016 Consent Agenda: The Governing Board approved the con- sent agenda items, which were: (1) approval of the Dec. 7 Governing Board meeting minutes. Committee on Elections: Committee member Mort Dworken gave the report of the committee, which included guidelines on the AFSA election. State Representative Keith Hanigan moved that the Governing Board ask the Committee on Elections to seek to increase participation of the membership in the upcom- ing election. The motion passed unanimously. FCS Representative Suzanne Platt moved that the Governing Board ask the Committee on Elections to seek to increase awareness of and participation in the nomination process. The motion passed unanimously. The Committee on Elections, in a memo to the Govern- ing Board, recommended that Francis Hall, David McFar- land, Peter Molberg, Curtis Whittaker, Susan Wong and Lee Brayman be appointed as members. With no objection, the board accepted the recommendations. Retiree Representative Ambassador Al La Porta moved that Mort Dworken be appointed as (Acting) Chair of the Committee on Elections. The motion was approved unani- mously. Position Descriptions: On behalf of the Executive Com- mittee, AFSA Treasurer Ambassador Charles Ford moved that the Governing Board position descriptions be amended to show that the president is the chief executive officer of AFSA and has responsibility for supervising the executive director. The motion passed unanimously. Retiree Vice President Ambassador Thomas Boyatt moved, on behalf of the Executive Committee, that the president’s position description be amended to include the following: “Chief Executive Officer—the President directly supervises the following AFSA staff members: the Execu- tive Director, the Director of Communications, the Director of Professional Policy Issues, and the Special Assistant to the President. This includes setting and adjusting work requirements, monitoring progress and writing employee reviews. The President may interview staff and Governing Board members as necessary to prepare a comprehensive review of the Executive Director. The President will submit the aforementioned staff members’ work requirement statements to the Governing Board or a committee desig- nated by the board twice annually for review and approval.” The motion was approved unanimously. Amb. Thomas Boyatt, on behalf of the Executive Committee, moved that the Governing Board adopt the proposed position descriptions for President, Secretary, Treasurer, Constituency and Retiree Vice Presidents with immediate effect and for immediate posting on the AFSA website. The motion was approved unanimously. Awards Committee: USAID Representative Lorraine Sher- man moved to appoint Ann Posner to the Awards Commit- tee. The motion was approved unanimously. n