Vol. 13 No. 1

AAPA Vice President Speaker, HOD Alan Hull, PA-C First Vice Speaker James E. Delaney, PA-C Second Vice Speaker Editor, Delegate News L. Gail Curtis, MPAS, PA-C Staff Advisor Tom Shoemaker This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Speaker's Corner
	Bill Fenn
	BOD Ratifies 2010 HOD Summary of Actions
	A-22 HOD/BOD Work Group Appointed
	2010-11 Delegate Submission
	2010-11 Policy Manual + Megachart
	Kicking it up a Notch
	Standing Rules Committee Volunteers Sought
	Upcoming Dates

Speaker's Corner

It is exciting to be addressing the delegates for the first time as Speaker. Being selected by our fellow PAs to serve as a HOD officer is truly an honor. Jim Delaney and I have welcomed Gail Curtis from Winston-Salem, NC to your HOD officer team. Returning delegates will remember Gail, a veteran of many HOD meetings. She is known on the floor for making sure that all speakers feel respected in their viewpoints, and that their right to speak their minds is honored. Gail's experience in the North Carolina Academy and as a delegate and reference committee member and chair will strengthen our team.

I am lucky to have Jim Delaney returning in a new role as first vice Speaker. Jim's strong board experience will be valuable in the coming year as we work through the governance changes passed by the House of Delegates and Board of Directors.

Also on the team is our wonderful staff: Tom Shoemaker, Marilyn Fitzgerald, and Nersa Johnson. This group handles the day-to-day tasks such as credentialing, fielding questions and answering phone calls. We are lucky to have such and experienced and stable staff.
This year we are looking forward to continuing the process of making the HOD a nimble, year-round body. We will be looking to improve the methods of communication for the delegates and refining the electronic voting procedure. It is our intention that the House will become a force in the rapidly changing terrain of healthcare. If your constituency identifies an issue that should be dealt with before our meeting in Las Vegas, please bring it to the attention of the HOD officers.

Lastly, we want each delegate to think of the HOD officers as your team. We value your input and encourage you to bring to us your ideas, thoughts and questions. The AAPA and the profession need broad input into how to continue and to enhance the role that PAs play in the health of our nation and the world as a whole.

Alan Hull, PA-C
Vice President &
Speaker, House of Delegates

Bill Fenn

It is with regret that I have to inform you of some very sad news. Immediate Past Speaker, Bill Fenn has suffered a tragic accident. During the second week of July he sustained a serious injury and remains in critical condition. Unfortunately, it is still too early to know a full prognosis or an expected recovery time frame.

Former AAPA President and fellow Michigan resident, Gregor Bennett has been monitoring the situation, and has lined up local PAs to be in his words "our boots on the ground." We are assured Bill is getting the best of care.

Bill's wife Glyni has asked that all refrain from phone calls, e-mail and text messages during this trying time. Notes can be sent to 3143 Willow Street, Central Lake, MI 49622.

Please let all of us keep Bill in our thoughts and prayers, and may he be granted a speedy recovery. It is my sincere hope that I will be able to report better news to you soon.

AAPA Board of directors ratifies 2010 hod sumary of actions

The AAPA BOD met on June 14, 2010 and unanimously ratified the 2010 House of Delegates actions. As you recall the AAPA is incorporated in the state of North Carolina. Recent legal review highlighted that the NC statutes state that all corporate powers of the AAPA lie with the Board of Directors unless specified in the Articles of Incorporation. The AAPA Articles of Incorporation do not currently give policy making powers to the HOD. Therefore in order for the actions of the HOD to become policy, the Board of Directors must ratify the actions. Ratification of these actions was critical to the work of the Academy and the unanimous ratification of these actions by the BOD demonstrated that the BOD respects and values the input of the HOD.

a-22 hod/bod work group appointed

The A-22 Work Group mandated by the 2010 HOD resolution has been named. The following Academy members have been appointed.

Jim Delaney, Chair (TX) AAPA First Vice Speaker
Robert Wooten, Observer, (NC) AAPA President-elect
John Trimbath (OH) Past AAPA BOD
Libby Coyte (IA) AAPA Past President
Sherrie Borden (MD) AAPA Past President
Suzanne Reich (NC) AAPA Past Speaker
Bill Reynolds (PA) Delegate
Miguel Medina (CA) Delegate
Janice Ryan (Venable) Legal Counsel

A-22 was the 2010 HOD resolution that was passed and directed the study of the BOD and HOD roles to establish policy. A-22 states,

"The House of Delegates requests, and the Board of Directors has unanimously agreed, that the board will appoint a diverse, inclusive working group comprised of both board and House members to determine which of the board's powers can and should be fully and exclusively delegated to the House, in areas such as public policy, social policy, matters relating to the physician assistant profession, and similar areas. The working group shall work with and consult the Academy's legal counsel in this regard. The board has unanimously committed that once consensus is reached on this list of delegated powers, it will vote to amend both the Academy's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws to effectuate this delegation of powers. Then, at the 2011 meeting of the House of Delegates, the House can complete the process by approving these same Bylaws amendments. This approach is fully consistent with the requirements of the North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act."

The final product of this group will clearly define the roles of the BOD and the HOD on all issues of the AAPA for the years to come.

2010-11 delegate submission

It's time to start thinking ahead to the Las Vegas House. Beginning July 1, each delegation should submit their delegate representatives for 2010-11 as the slates are wiped clean in preparation for the upcoming leadership year. Please do this as soon as possible so we can all be "in the loop" from the start of the year.

If your organization's elections will not occur until later in the year, please resubmit your HOD representatives from 2010 providing they are willing to serve in the interim. Remember that changes to your delegation can be submitted at any time.

When your organization is ready to submit the notification form, you can submit the on-line form or you can print a copy to complete here. If you are unsure of the 2010-11 apportionment figures, please click here. To remain current on the latest House developments, submit your delegates today!

Thank you to the following organizations who have already submitted their HOD representatives:

Alabama Society of PAs
American Association of Surgical PAs
Florida Academy of PAs
Georgia Association of PAs
Iowa PA Society
Massachusetts Association of PAs
Minnesota Academy of PAs
Mississippi Academy of PAs
Nebraska Academy of PAs
Nevada Academy of PAs
New York State Society of PAs
Ohio Association of PAs
PAs in Orthopedic Surgery
Physician Assistants in Psychiatry
Rhode Island Academy of PAs
Society of PAs in Addiction Medicine
South Carolina Academy of PAs
South Dakota Academy of PAs
Urological Association of PAs
Utah Academy of PAs
Virginia Academy of PAs
Washington State Academy of PAs
Wisconsin Academy of PAs
Wyoming Association of PAs

2010-11 policy manual + megachart

The policy manual has been updated to reflect the actions taken in the 2010 HOD Meeting in Atlanta. To download this information or to view a particular section of the manual, click here.

The Megachart containing the policies due for review this leadership year as well as Speaker charges is available here.

kicking it up a notch

The 2010 House of Delegates ended with a bang! And as a seated delegate you know the work has just begun.

As we enter the 2011 House of Delegates and prepare for what is sure to be another dynamic year for our Academy, I ask and urge each delegate member to seriously consider kicking it up a notch by applying for one of our three reference committees.

If you really want to know what policy making is all about, then this is the place to be. As a reference committee member you will be working behind the scenes to see how the sausage is truly made. You will learn how to decipher the testimony and craft a report that will lead to creating policy for our profession and our Academy. I cannot think of a more exciting place to be right now than in the midst of all the buzz and energy that comes with knowing you have personally made a difference in directing the future of the AAPA. With the exception of the chair, reference committee members do not have to be a delegate or alternate; so, if you are not sure you will be in the HOD, don't let that stop you from volunteering. The best refcoms are composed of PAs from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience levels.

The 2011 HOD in Las Vegas will be a pivotal year in our profession's history and we hope to begin utilizing the refcoms earlier in the leadership year. Click here to apply for a reference committee position today. We promise you it will help you grow as a leader, you will make lifelong friends, and most importantly, you will play a lead role in shaping the face of our Academy.

standing rules committee volunteers sought

The Standing Rules Committee is tasked with an annual review of the Standing Rules and recommends edits or new rules for under which the House functions. The Standing Rules are important as they streamline House operations. They supersede parliamentary rules under Sturgis and can only by overruled by bylaws OR upon suspension by the delegates. House Standing Rules are presented by the second vice speaker for approval at the start of each House. Delegates with questions or recommendations can send them to the House officers for referral to the SRC.

Bylaws mandate that the sergeant at arms be a member of the committee and it has been previous practice to invite the SAAAPA chief delegate to join the committee, but this leaves several positions open. If you would like to volunteer on this important committee, please submit your interest right away by completing a brief volunteer form here.

Upcoming Dates

Click here to view the AAPA master calendar.