Council and Committee Guidelines, Charges and Descriptions

Members shall be selected based on their expertise, their commitment to the committee’s mission and their adherence to these guidelines.

Appointments are made by the Committee on Committees and Bylaws and the Board of Directors for terms as below, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and continued compliance.

Terms of Office: All Committee appointments are two-year terms with up to two appointments, unless otherwise noted. Member-at-large, vice chair and chair appointments are considered separate appointments with the terms resetting for vice chair and chair as a volunteer moves up the committee structure.

Chair Responsibilities:

1. Set committee meeting dates for the year.
2. Plan to attend virtual and in-person meetings. The AAHKS Board of Directors meets in-person at least three times a year (AAHKS & AAOS Annual meetings, as well as the AAHKS Leadership Retreat) and meets virtually in between. The schedule will be set by the AAHKS president. In addition, informal committee breakfast meetings are scheduled for all committees at the AAHKS and AAOS Annual Meetings. If you are unable to attend, it is best to designate another member of the Committee who will be in attendance to lead the meeting discussion.
3. Submit brief reports for the Board materials that are distributed ahead of each Board meeting.
4. Attend the AAHKS Leadership Retreat that takes place a day before the AAHKS Spring Meeting.
5. Record a video during the AAHKS Annual Meeting to serve as an annual report summarizing the Committee’s activities to the general membership.

Member Expectations: The committee will meet at the direction of the chair, who will work with staff liaisons to set the meeting schedule. Members are expected to:

• Attend and actively participate in a majority of meetings.
• Contribute constructively to discussions and decisions.
• Uphold the highest standards of professional conduct.
• Declare and mitigate any potential conflicts of interest.

Member Conduct: Committee members are required to treat one another with respect and courtesy, engage in discussions constructively and professionally and commit to a culture of inclusivity and fairness. Any behavior that undermines the committee’s integrity or the well-being of its members is strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Harassment (including sexual harassment) or any form of intimidation.
• Discrimination by word or deed based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or any other protected class or characteristic.
• Bullying, abusive language or other forms of verbal or physical abuse.
• Misuse of committee authority for personal gain.

Procedures for addressing inappropriate behavior are outlined at the end of this document.

Conflict of Interest/New Outside Relationships: All council and committee members will review and comply with the AAHKS Ethics and Conflict of Interest policy to disclose all relevant relationships and new relationships as they arise during service. All members must promptly disclose any personal, professional or financial interests that could conflict with the council or committee’s objectives. Members with a conflict of interest must recuse themselves from discussions and voting on related matters. All disclosures and recusal actions must be noted in the meeting summaries. The conflicts officer will review and recommend action to the Board on any conflicts as appropriate.

See Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy for use of association leadership or volunteer titles for endorsement or promotion.

Reporting Structure: Committee chairs report to council chairs which report to the Board of Directors.

Council Structures: The councils will be made up of the chair (and vice chair in some cases) and the committee chairs under each council. The council chairs shall determine the appropriate reporting process, e.g.: the council chair attends each committee meeting, or the council convenes its members quarterly to report on issues. At a minimum, council chairs should be copied on important actions and correspondence.

Committee Meetings: The committee chair shall work with staff liaisons to set the schedule of meetings for the year. At a minimum, the committees should plan to meet at the AAHKS and AAOS Annual Meeting Committee Breakfasts, as well as throughout the year as deemed appropriate, e.g.: monthly, quarterly, etc. Regular business may also be carried out via email as appropriate.

Engagement: The chair and vice chair will perform a short evaluation of their committee members on an annual basis; likewise, committee members can evaluate the chair.

Committee Liaisons: Several committees appoint a committee member to attend other committee meetings as liaisons, not as voting members of the other committee. This practice is encouraged where appropriate to foster cross-committee communication.

Meeting Summaries: Summaries of committee meetings shall be done by the staff liaison or a chair-appointed member of the committee and housed on the AAHKS Shared Drive. The summaries will be made available as needed to committee members and leaders. All disclosures and recusal actions must be noted in the meeting summaries.

Committee Reports to the Board: The chair and staff liaisons shall prepare committee reports for all BOD meetings, unless otherwise noted, with pertinent activities reported.

Committee Quorum: A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. A majority vote of those present shall be required to take any action.

Charge: The Executive Committee shall be empowered to act for the Board of Directors on emergency or time-sensitive matters when convening the full Board of Directors is impractical. The members of the Board of Directors shall be notified of the actions of the Executive Committee by the most expeditious means.

Composition: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the president; the first, second and third vice presidents; the secretary and the treasurer of the Association.

Charge:

• Development of fiscal policy
• Ensure the implementation by the Association of sound financial management practices
• Ensure the accuracy and validity of the financial and statistical information used by the Board or by external agencies to evaluate the fiscal affairs of the Association
• Review, guide and monitor the performance of invested funds including endowment, restricted and unrestricted funds
• Recommend the Annual Budget to the Board of Directors
• Review the annual budget prepared by the staff and submit the budget to the Board with recommendations for approval
• The Committee will make recommendations on fiscal policies, investment strategies and risk.

Composition: This committee shall consist of seven members plus the accountant and investment advisors as ad hoc advisors.

• The chair, who shall be the treasurer of the Association
• The president of the Association
• Immediate past president of the Association
• First vice president of the Association
• A member-at-large of the Board of Directors appointed by the current president of the organization.
• Two members-at-large with financial experience appointed from among the fellows of the Association for three-year terms, and eligible for one reappointment.

Description: The Nominating Committee prepares a slate of candidates for election at the next Annual Business Meeting.

Charge:

• The Nominating Committee is charged with soliciting and reviewing the nominations for the Board of Directors, as well as the following year’s Nominating Committee. 
• The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of nominees for the following elective positions in the association: a. Third vice president. b. Secretary. c. Treasurer. d. Two at-large members of the Board of Directors.
• The Committee will report its recommendations to the Board of Directors at least sixty days prior to the annual meeting.
• The slate of the approved nominees will be distributed to the eligible attending members of the association for election at the Annual Business Meeting.

Composition: The committee shall consist of five Fellow Members each serving for a term of year, including:

• The chair, who shall be the immediate past president of the association.
• Three fellow members who are not current members of the Board of Directors, elected by a plurality at the Annual Business Meeting of the Association.
• One fellow member appointed by the Board of Directors.

No member may serve consecutive terms.

Term of Office: One year

Description: The AAOS Board of Specialty Societies (BOS) will represent and advocate the interests of its orthopaedic specialty societies while promoting and encouraging orthopaedic unity among the specialty societies and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Charge: BOS representatives will attend the BOS meetings, representing the AAHKS Board of Directors, and report on the activities of the BOS. They will also attend all AAHKS Board of Director meetings.    

Composition: AAHKS will appoint two voting representatives to the BOS. The executive director will also serve as a non-surgeon representative.  

Term of Office: The voting representatives shall be AAOS fellows in good standing. Each voting representative shall serve one three-year term and shall be eligible for one additional three-year term for a maximum six-year term of service. 

Charge: The Education Committee is responsible for AAHKS webinars, including call for webinar proposals, planning, implementation and evaluation. 

Composition: Five to seven members

Charge: The Program Committee is responsible for all aspects of the Annual Meeting, including abstract and symposia selection, program planning, implementation and evaluation. It will develop, plan and implement an AAHKS Annual Meeting program that is designed to meet the continuing educational needs of the membership with high-quality, relevant scientific content.  

Reporting relationship: The Program Committee shall prepare a program for the Annual Meeting subject to review by the Board in advance of the Meeting.   

Composition: This committee shall consist of no less than four Association members. Each year, a new member is appointed by the newly-elected third vice president. This member serves on the committee through the presidential term of the active member who selects them. During the presidential term, the member selected by that president becomes chair of the Program Committee. During their fifth year, the committee member steps down as chair but remains on the committee for a final year. 

Term of Office: Five years

Charge: The Publications Committee is responsible for the oversight, input and development of the Journal of Arthroplasty, Arthroplasty Today and other educational publications. Committee members work with AAHKS staff and contractors of these publications and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.

Composition: Chair, vice chair, and three members-at-large. Ex-Officio members will include the editors-in-chief of the JOA and Arthroplasty Today (non-voting).

Goal: Promote and develop mechanisms that encourage and promote research and standardized data collection activities.

Objectives

• Review submitted research projects by the members of AAHKS using the developed scoring system and approve research projects for execution
• Review of submitted grants by members and approval for funding by The Foundation for Arthroplasty Research and Education (FARE)
• Facilitate AAHKS members to submit high-quality research grant applications to FARE
• Provide instructions and guidance for proper preparation of research grants and research proposals
• Encourage members to contribute annually to FARE
• At the recommendation of the Board of Directors, create position statements on selected controversial topics of importance to the public. Make these position statements available to the public and relevant organizations
• Review and approve, if appropriate, survey applications submitted by members of AAHKS and industry partners for administration to the entire membership

Charges

• Encourage members to contribute annually to the FARE fund
• Promote availability of grants to AAHKS members for hip and knee research projects
• Evaluate, approve and supervise research grant applications from qualified members of the organization
• Provide an annual report to the executive board for approval, regarding the financial accounting of all grant activities, completion of pending grant projects, and the newly approved grant proposals
• Initiate and conduct surveys of the general membership regarding subjects of timely interest.

Composition: Chair, vice chair and no less than five members.

Charge:

• Manage the AAHKS Fellowship Recognition Program, its rules, policies and administration.

• Oversee the Match process to maintain the integrity of the match and adherence to the code of conduct policies in place.
• Guide annual Fellowship Grant Program applications and distribution. 
• Review and approve the timeline and agreements for yearly match, grant and Recognition cycles.
• Develop and review surveys of the applicants and program directors annually.

Objectives: Developing Recognition renewal process and streamlining timelines/applications for the Match, Recognition and Grant programs.

Composition: Chair, vice chair, eight members and a DAB liaison.

Charge: The Evidence-Based Medicine Committee is charged with responding to health policy issues with evidence-based position papers on behalf of AAHKS. Committee members evaluate and implement outcomes assessment tools, clinical practice guidelines and research.

Composition: Chair, vice chair and at least five to seven members.

Charge: The Patient and Public Relations Committee is responsible for developing and approving printed and web-based media to educate consumers about total joint arthroplasty and the best practices for treatment and recovery.

Composition: Chair, vice chair and five to seven members.

Charge: The Practice Management Committee is responsible for all matters relating to business, reimbursement and/or coding for the services of hip and knee surgeons. Committee members support the Health Policy Council in their responsibilities.

Composition: Eight members: chair, vice chair and six at-large members. AAHKS AMA/RUC Advisors and AAHKS/AAOS CCR Committee Representative may be invited to attend meetings.

Mission: Encourage humanitarian efforts of members. Recognize and support distinguished members providing humanitarian medical services and programs dedicated to musculoskeletal diseases.

Charge: 

• To heighten the awareness of our membership and encourage their involvement and support in humanitarian efforts
• Facilitate and support volunteer medical service (of members) through organizations such as Operation Walk
• Support Humanitarian Award Task force in identifying and recommending annual humanitarian winner

Reporting Relationship:
The Humanitarian Committee reports to the Membership Council

Composition: Chair, vice chair and at least five members.

Charges:

• Advocate for AAHKS with industry and advocate for industry within AAHKS
• Further develop and expand the Corporate Partner Program
• Monitor and support the AAHKS Annual Meeting Exhibit Hall/Learning Center program
• Monitor trends in industry and their impact on AAHKS as an organization and on the members in their practice of arthroplasty
• Provide guidance on appropriate ethical relationships between members and industry

Composition: Chair, vice chair and at least five members.

Charge: The International Committee is responsible for the oversight of international activities and increasing international membership in AAHKS. Members plan ways to increase international member and nonmember participation in the Annual Meeting. They establish relationships with international adult reconstruction-focused specialty societies and organize joint meetings. The Committee provides academic, social and cultural exchange opportunities with the aim of broadening the perspective of our membership on issues related to our specialty.

Composition: Chair, vice chair and at least eleven members. There will be a mix of US and international members. The international membership will be spread across Europe/Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific.

Charges:

Oversee the membership admissions process, make recommendations on membership issues to the Board of Directors and expand and diversify the membership. 

1. Prepare application forms for membership and distribution.
2. Consider all completed applications for membership.
3. Investigate all credentials and qualifications of applicants.
4. Recommend applicants for fellow, associate, candidate, clinical affiliate, non-clinical affiliate, arthroplasty surgeon in training and international membership to the Board of Directors. Applications of proposed members who are rejected by the Member Outreach Committee shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for review.
5. Be responsible for the membership recruitment and retention activities of the Association.

Composition: This committee shall consist of not less than three fellow members and no less than three members from other categories that are eligible for appointment.

Charge: The Women in Arthroplasty Committee (WIA) shall provide mentorship, professional development and networking for the growing membership of women in AAHKS.

Objectives

• Build mentorship pipeline programs for women students, residents and fellows
• Build a knowledge-based culture of inclusion in AAHKS
• Develop meaningful data-driven and feasible diversity and inclusion goals across AAHKS
• Promote education, leadership and professional development for women in arthroplasty
• Increase women membership in AAHKS
• Assess and influence perception of women in arthroplasty
• Diversify our arthroplasty workforce to create an inclusive environment to counteract potential subconscious bias

Composition: Chair, vice chair and at least five members.

Charge: Connecting young arthroplasty surgeons who are in training or less than five years in practice. YAG promotes collaboration and young surgeon activity within AAHKS with particular focus on research, leadership and advocacy.

Composition: The Young Arthroplasty Group Committee directs the work of the larger Group. The committee is populated with energetic surgeons who are eager to help the Group grow and offer our members meaningful benefits. The committee is composed of a chair, vice-chair, secretary (not always populated), past chair, seven members and two resident members. An AAHKS leadership line representative may also participate.

Terms of Office: Chair, vice chair, secretary, past chair: one year, members: two years, resident members: one year. There is a maximum of one term for each position.