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A formal proposal must be submitted to the Board of Division Coordinators (BDC) for review and recommendation to ASHA's Executive Board (EB).
The proposal, signed by no fewer than 100 ASHA members, must conform with criteria for establishing a division. It must be signed by the ASHA member who will represent the petitioners in further communications.
Content of proposal
- A cover letter to the BDC Chair;
- Specific purpose of the proposed division;
- Evidence that no existing division meets the needs addressed by the proposed division (Note: Proposal must describe how the proposed division merits a separate division rather than a study group status within an existing division);
- The body of knowledge available within the discipline of speech-language pathology and audiology based on literature and other sources (provide a list to the applicant providing examples of possible sources);
- Scientific and clinical areas covered the proposed division
- describe the basic and applied research, foundations, or basis for the proposed area/division (Note: Scope must include basic and applied research as well as clinical practice)
- describe the clinical practice encompassed by the proposed area/division;
- Demonstration that proposed division would represent an established and reasonably extensive area of professional interest within the discipline as a whole;
- Division name (Note: When formed from existing societies or organized as new societies, divisions may use a society name provided the phrase, "A Special Interest Division of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association," is appended to the name);
- Confirmation that proposed division would not threaten the welfare or existence of other divisions;
- A budget, including the line items currently completed by existing divisions, that provides detailed estimates of proposed expenditures for first 3 years (Note: After a 3-year start-up phase, divisions are mandated to be self-sufficient);
- A complete list of members if the proposed division existed previously in another form and details of each member's status in ASHA;
- A list of officers for the current year, if an established group; and
- Bylaws of the group, if any.
New Division Petitions and Process Hierarchy
Upon receipt of the proposal, the following steps will occur in sequence as part of the review process:
- Proposal is received and distributed to the BDC for review.
- Each division Coordinator and Steering Committee (SC) reviews the application and offers feedback to the BDC Chair (see Review Checklist for Proposed New Divisions).
- At the next BDC meeting, the application and feedback to date will be discussed and a straw vote will be completed.
- Based on the straw vote and discussion, the BDC Chair will summarize the recommendations and suggestions to the petitioning group in a letter.
- The application will be forwarded with the BDC's recommendation (e.g., acceptance, withdrawal, or revision) to the EB for evaluation and decision.
- Proposals will be reviewed based on their proximity to BDC meetings (i.e., a proposal received between meetings will be reviewed at the next closest meeting).
- The BDC will make its decision based on a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at any business meeting or conference call of the EB is required for the establishment of a new division.
Creation of a Division
The EB may create a new division in accordance with Article X of the ASHA Bylaws; the division objectives must fall within the scope of those specified in the Bylaws. The Content of proposal addresses principals set out in the Bylaws. Note: Affiliation must not be restricted on any basis other than professional interests and ASHA membership, international affiliation, consumer (person receiving or have received services, or family member, or nonprofessional provider), or National Student Speech Language Hearing Association membership.
Following favorable action by the EB, the formation of the new division and the names and terms of its initial SC are announced to membership of the Association through ASHA and division publications. The process for election of SC members is also announced. (Election of division officers at division business meetings is preferable, but may not be practical. An election by mail may be held.)
A new division is constituted when it holds its first business meeting, which should occur within one year of its establishment by the EB. The Coordinator is responsible to report the substance of these actions to the Vice Presidents for Professional Practices and to the Special Interest Division and International Liaison Programs at the National Office. A quorum for this meeting will be one-tenth of the petitioners. EB approval of the division will lapse if the division is not organized in this manner by the close of the one year anniversary following the EB or conference call at which the division was approved.
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