DAC is currently working with divisions to create and maintain a process by which division ‘best practices’ can be collected, evaluated, and shared. DAC recognizes that divisions confront similar challenges and opportunities, and the committee is working with divisions to develop a process through which best practices can be more readily evaluated and, if appropriate, adapted by other divisions.
Our definition of best practice is the following: A technique or methodology that, through experience and research, has proven to reliably lead to desired results.
As DAC moves through this process, it has made a number of assumptions:
- Divisions are resource constrained
- Divisions have and are creating innovative programs
- One program/approach does not work for all divisions
- It is easier and faster to adapt an existing program than create a new one
From reviewing division input on annual reports, we have identified a number of challenges for which applying best practices – when disseminated – can be very helpful: Develop volunteers, recruit volunteers, provide meeting content, deliver member benefits, provide value to members not attending national meetings, produce activities for younger chemists, engage internationally, and administer division awards.
DAC’s next steps include the following:
- Share best practices with division executive committees
- Create electronic sharing site for Best Practices
- Make ACS POD short technology available for division promotions (see separate story on ACS POD Shorts elsewhere in this newsletter)
- Share data on division membership by local section
- Host bi-monthly conference calls for division leaders
- Engage with other committees to assist with recruitment/engagement
We may ask divisions to do a few things differently in support of this initiative: (1) Collect your Best Practices on a separate form (perhaps outside of the annual report process), (2) Convert the IPG report into a poster that can be shared at multiple venues, (3) Create a “Who We Are” poster that might be displayed at SciMix, the DOC/DCC reception, etc.
DAC will be discussing this matter in Denver. We will have more to share with the divisions soon.
