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Committees

Rules and Guidelines Governing College Committees

  • Initial rules issued in August 1973 by Committee on Committees chaired by William P. Longmire Jr., MD, FACS.
  • Rules known as “Longmire Rules” through 2002.
  • Further clarifying revisions were approved by the Board of Regents in June 1979, February 2002, December 2004, February 2006, and February 2024.

Principles and Guidelines

General principles and guidelines are considered to be essential in relation to the management of committees of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Detailed processes for committee management are outlined in the ACS Committee Management Guide for ACS Committee Staff Liaisons.

  1. The structure of the various committees of the ACS, shall, as far as possible, be uniform. Committee membership should be addressed prior to the annual Clinical Congress through the formal call for applicants. In general, membership terms are from October to October based on the dates of the Clinical Congress. Each committee shall submit membership changes for approval by the Board of Regents at its October adjourned meeting.
  2. The size of each committee shall be determined by the committee Chair in consultation with the Division/Department Director, should reflect the goals and needs of the committee, and be of a manageable size that allows for active engagement by all committee members.
  3. The Board of Regents strongly urges each committee to cultivate a committee membership that is inclusive of all qualified surgeons from all practice settings; all surgical disciplines; all racial, ethnic, and gender demographics; a variety of geographical locations; all age groups, and all years in practice.
  4. An ACS New Committee Authorization Form shall be prepared for all new committees. Care shall be exercised in the formation of a new committee to include the following considerations:
    • The charge to the committee, including proposed goals and objectives
    • The size and membership composition
    • The proposed budget for meetings and other financial needs
    • Meeting frequency
    • Relation to existing committees
    • The responsible ACS Staff Liaison(s)

The form shall be reviewed and approved by the applicable Division/Department Director and forwarded to the Executive Director & CEO, who will determine if the request for a new committee can move forward to the Board of Regents for approval.

  1. A periodic review of ACS committees shall be conducted at the direction of the Executive Director & CEO to determine committees that should continue, merge with another committee, or sunset.
  2. The use of ACS funds or funds from external sources to support committee meetings and the work of the committee must be included in the annual budget for approval by the Executive Director & CEO, Finance Committee, and the Board of Regents.
  3. Concepts for new programs, products, and services identified by committee members shall be reviewed by the Division/Department Director, and appropriate documentation must be completed for approval before resources are allocated.
  4. Minutes, reports, etc., of a committee may not be distributed outside of the committee members, the ACS staff, and the Board of Regents and Officers without the approval of the Division/Department Director and/or Executive Director & CEO.
  5. All committees shall have an ACS Committee Charter outlining the purpose, goals, and objectives of the committee, membership composition, leader and member expectations, meeting frequency, and staff liaison. Information about the committee shall be included on the ACS Website and updated annually.
  6. Commercial companies and/or competing organizations can be invited to committee meetings where vendor input is necessary for decision-making or where vendor presentations can provide valuable information. Vendors participating in committee meetings shall be required to sign confidentiality agreements or conflict of interest disclosures and must not be present during voting, discussions, or decision-making involving their products or services. Committee members with financial interests should recuse themselves from associated discussions and decisions. Staff liaisons should reference the ACS Policy on Doing Business with Commercial Companies Owned by Fellows, Members, and Volunteers of the American College of Surgeons.

Committee Membership

  • An open call for applications for committee membership shall be conducted each Spring by the Division of Member Services to fill upcoming vacancies for all ACS committees. The call shall be communicated to members through all appropriate ACS communications channels.
  • New committee member selection shall be made by a designated group of committee members (e.g., a selection, nominating, or executive committee). Committee member selection and appointment must not be the sole responsibility of a committee Chair and/or Division/Department Director.
  • Alternate methods of membership selection and terms of appointment for certain committees (e.g., the Resident and Associate Society and the Young Fellows Association) may be established with Regental approval.
  • When new committees are established, members may be assigned staggered terms to prevent a complete turnover in the committee’s structure.
  • Committee members and leaders (i.e., Chair and/or Vice-Chair) are to be evaluated at least once during their term to determine their level of contributions to the committee. These evaluations shall be conducted prior to reappointment for a second term and shall be reviewed by the committee leadership and Division/Department Director. Members and/or leaders who do not fulfill the expectations of membership and leadership may be removed from the committee in consultation between the committee Chair and the Division/Department Director.
  • Committee vacancies that occur outside of the annual membership cycle shall be filled during the next membership application cycle. The exception is Liaison members whose organization should be contacted to identify a replacement, and that replacement shall be assigned a new term. 

Fellows and Associate Fellows

  • Members shall serve for a term of three years with possible reelection for an additional three-year term (six consecutive years total).
  • Fellows and Associate Fellows shall have full voting privileges and may serve as Chair and/or Vice-Chair of any committee of the ACS.
  • No Fellow or Associate Fellow shall serve as a member of more than two committees except in very unusual circumstances and with Regental approval.

Resident Members

  • Resident Members and/or Resident and Associate Society (RAS) Liaisons shall serve for a term of three years with possible reelection for an additional three-year term (six consecutive years total). If a Resident Member or RAS Liaison transitions membership categories, a replacement member may be appointed to fulfill their term.
  • Resident Members shall have full voting privileges and in certain circumstances be elected as Chair and/or Vice-Chair depending on the purpose and function of the committee within the ACS structure.
  • No Resident Member shall serve as a member of more than two committees except in very unusual circumstances and with Regental approval. 

Affiliate Members

  • Affiliate Members shall serve for a term of three years with possible reelection for an additional three-year term (six consecutive years total).
  • Affiliate Members shall have voting privileges but shall not be eligible to hold office.
  • No Affiliate Member shall serve as a member of more than two committees except in very unusual circumstances and with Regental approval.

 Consultant Members

  • A Consultant member category may be established at the discretion of the committee, with Regental approval. Consultant members are individuals who lend specific expertise to an ongoing committee project or represent other organizations or agencies who possess certain special qualifications of value to the committee.
  • Consultant members may serve for a limited amount of time not to exceed two years and shall not have voting privileges or be eligible to hold office.
  • Consultant members may serve on subcommittees. 

Liaison Members

  • A Liaison member category for committee members from other organizations may be established at the discretion of the committee, with Regental approval.
  • Liaison members will be nominated by the parent organization and approved by a designated group of committee members (e.g., selection, nominating, or executive committee).
  • Liaison members shall have voting privileges but are not eligible to hold office unless they are a member of the ACS.
  • Liaison members shall be appointed for a term of three years. They shall be eligible for an additional three-year term (six consecutive years total).
  • Liaison members may serve on subcommittees.

Committee Chairs

  • An application process shall be used to solicit applications for Committee Chair from among the committee members, and selection shall be made by a designated group of committee members (e.g., selection, nominating, or executive committee).
  • The Chair shall be elected for a term of two years. If the Chair's active membership on the committee expires during their term as Chair, it can be extended during the period of their term as Chair.
  • Upon completion of a two-year term, the Chair shall serve as Immediate Past Chair for one year. This term is not renewable.

Committee Vice-Chairs

  • An application process shall be used to solicit applications for committee Vice-Chair from among the committee members, and selection should be made by a designated group of committee members (e.g., selection, nominating, or executive committee).
  • Vice-Chairs shall serve for a term of one year with the opportunity for reelection to a second, one-year term (two consecutive years total). If the Vice-Chair’s membership on the committee expires during their term as Vice-Chair, it can be extended during the period of their term as Vice-Chair.

Executive Committees

  • It is not mandatory that all committees appoint an Executive Committee. The option is available for those committees needing this structure in order to conduct business between regular meetings of the full committee.
  • At a minimum, the Executive Committee shall consist of the main committee Chair, Vice-Chair, and any subcommittee chairs.
  • Executive Committee member’s terms shall be commensurate with their committee member or leadership terms.

Subcommittees, Workgroups, and Task Forces

  • The formation of subcommittees involving the appointment of individuals who are members of the parent committee may be created by the committee if desired, with Regental approval.
  • Subcommittees shall not be formed that duplicate the work of other ACS committees or activities of the ACS (e.g., communications) without approval of the Division/Department followed by Regental approval.
  • Ad hoc workgroups and task forces can be formed on a time-limited basis.