Committee Seeks Associate Fellow Recommendations

by Lawrence D. Kunz, Manager, Associate Fellows Nominating Committee, and STC Fellow

Each fall, the associate fellows nominating committee asks chapters and members to recommend STC members for the rank of Associate Fellow. This honor recognizes the member's achievements in the field of technical communication and/or in the work of STC.

Any voting member of the Society may make a recommendation. Recommendations are sent to the Associate Fellows Nominating Committee, which forwards the names of selected candidates to the STC Board of Directors for approval. Candidates must have been active in the field of technical communication for at least fifteen years and must have been members of the Society for at least ten years. (See the sidebar for guidelines on nominating associate fellows.)

To be considered for election as an Associate Fellow, a candidate must have attained distinction in the field of technical communication. He or she must have performed important work in technical communication, done notable original work that has contributed to the advancement of the field, or made a significant contribution to the Society.

In August, each chapter received a packet describing the nomination process, including the information required to consider a candidate. This information will also be available on the Society's web site at www.stc.org/afellows_nominating.asp. In addition, the Society office will mail to chapter presidents a list of all eligible candidates in their chapters.

This year we will introduce a new form that will enable chapters and individuals to nominate candidates online. The form also will contain guidelines to help you assemble a nomination package that is complete and effective.

New Associate Fellows will be elected by the STC Board of Directors in January 2004 and will be recognized at the honors banquet at STC's 51st Annual Conference in Baltimore.

Completed nomination packages must be returned to the Society office no later than October 17. For more information, see www.stc.org/afellows_nominating.asp or contact Larry Kunz at lkunz@veritas.com.

Nominating Guidelines: Associate Fellow

Contact Society leaders you know for ideas about possible candidates.
Consider members who have received the distinguished chapter service award.
Consider qualified candidates who have transferred to another chapter. You can nominate the candidate yourself or encourage the new chapter to do so.
Verify that the candidate has been a member of STC for ten years and active in technical communication for fifteen years.
Do not ask candidates to prepare and submit their own materials and nomination forms.
Use the online nomination form.
Do not embellish a candidate's credentials.
Select references who know the candidate's accomplishments, and obtain permission to use the references' names.
Provide sufficient information about the candidate so that the associate fellows nominating committee can determine qualifications for nomination.

Editor's Note: This article was reprinted from the July/August 2003 issue of Tieline.