Rumor Has It! #5

Rumor has it that international officers are only selected from the SE Region. Never has a statement been so FALSE. Where this has been true for a few international offices the last few biennia, the truth is that more qualified applications have come from the SE Region. If you look at the current slate of officers, you will see that not all hail from the SE.

If you have given great service to the Society, YOU could be one of the next international officers. Regardless of the region in which you live, apply now for an opportunity to serve the Society more. Let the Nominations Committee know that you are ready to take the challenge by submitting an application for an international office.

Rumor has it…

 Rumor has it that a member must have a Ph.D. or Ed.D. in order to be nominated to serve at the highest levels of the Society. This is absolutely NOT TRUE. Educational levels play a part of the decision, but service to the Society is a better indicator of predictable success in elected positions. When you hear the rumor about a member needing a doctoral degree - you can say “Not true!”

RUMOR HAS IT #3

 Here is yet another rumor the 2018-2020 Nominations Committee is addressing to keep DKG members “in the know” …

Rumor has it that members outside the United States cannot take a leading role in DKG. Members outside the United States can and do take leading roles in DKG. Members representing the sixteen countries outside the USA are included by virtue of the Constitution in the appointments considered for each international committee and are regularly elected to the International Nominations Committee (two from Europe are required) and to the DKG Educational Foundation. Europe has been represented on the DKGEF once with Marianne Skardéus (Sweden) elected to that position. The Finance Committee has had several European member and two have served as chair, Birgitta Johansson (Sweden) and Monica Tengling (Sweden).

Three positions on the Administrative Board are exclusively offered to members outside the USA: Latin American Representative, Canadian Representative, and the European Regional Director. The Latin American and Canadian Representatives have been in place since 1999. Until Europe became a region in 1998, there was a European Representative on the Administrative Board. Now Europe is represented on that board through the European Regional Director. To date eleven Europeans have served as European Regional Director.

Six positions on the Administrative Board are open to all members regardless of their nationality: president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, two member-at-large and the position of immediate past president. Since 2000 members from outside the USA have held positions at the highest levels of DKG. One Canadian has held the position of international president (Jackie Cuppy, 2004-2006) and then immediate past president (2006-2008). In recent years both a European (Dr. Sigrún Klara Hannesdóttir) and a Latin American (Jeannette Zuñiga) member have served as 2nd vice president. Currently, Dr. Lace Marie Brogden from Canada is the 2nd vice president. Several others have served as member-at-large, including Dr. Christina Lindqvist (Sweden) and Jeannette Zuñiga (Costa Rica).

The conclusion might be that it is hard to get a position on the Administrative Board, but one’s nationality is not the issue. The same avenues for becoming a leader at the highest level are open to all throughout the Society. It is not impossible for members outside the USA to move forward in the Society. Successfully attaining an elected position demands service at all three levels, excellence in that service, and recognition as a leader by all members no matter your nationality or theirs.

The key to having a leading role in DKG is to apply. Currently, most applications come from US members. Members outside the US can change that trend by applying for elected positions for the 2020-2022 biennium. Applications will be posted on the DKG website by July 1, 2019 and are due for consideration no later than September 15, 2019. … And, that’s no rumor!

RUMOR HAS IT #2

Here is another rumor the 2018-2020 Nominations Committee is addressing to keep DKG members “in the know” …

Rumor has it that if you submit an application you’ll get selected for something. The Nominations Committee is charged to select the best candidates possible for the elected positions in DKG and to put forth those names for election.  They solicit nominees for the positions by holding workshops at international conferences, publishing articles in the DKG News and the Collegial Exchange, and by blogging on the DKG website.

Once applications have been received for elected positions an intensive deliberation of all applications begins. Each applicant indicates on her form the position which she seeks. An assessment tool is used to evaluate and rank each applicant.

On occasion an elected position has received no applications. When that has occurred members of the Nominations Committee must then search for a candidate for that position. That is accomplished by looking through the applications to find an individual qualified for the open position. Only applications originally submitted to the committee are reviewed since they reflect members who have expressed an interest in serving at the international level. Also, information to use in evaluating their qualifications is readily available on their application. This process follows ISR 8.82. g. (3), “The committee reserves the right to place a name in nomination for a position other than that stated on the application.”

Many applications are received for the 20 to 22 positions to be filled. That means that not all applicants will be selected as a nominee.  Just because an application is submitted does not mean that applicant will be put forth as a nominee. That’s just a rumor!

RUMOR HAS IT…

During the 2018-2020 biennium the Nominations Committee will address many of the rumors associated with both the committee and the nominations process. Here are two to note…

Rumor has it that you need to have been a participant in the Leadership Management Seminar (Golden Gift) to be a member of an international committee. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Many of the appointed and elected members on international committees have not attended the LMS. Many 2018-2020 Several members of the current Nominations Committee are not LMS grads. For at least one, this is also her first international committee. Qualifying for committee work does not hinge on one or even two previous experiences in DKG. The best candidates have a wide range of skills, talents, and experiences, both in the Society and beyond.

Rumor has it that you need to know many members to be on an international committee. Many state organizations have just a few chapters. That may limit the number of people you will initially know well. Members apply for committee appointments made by the international president and/or for the two elected committees, Finance and Nominations. In the latter case the Nominations Committee reviews the applications and determines a slate to go forward for vacancies on the Finance and Nominations Committees. There are ten members on the Nominations Committee. Again, the application is the key to selection, not how many people you know. The same holds true for appointments made for non-elected committees. You really don’t need to know a lot of members. Take the opportunity to apply for international committee positions, elected and appointed. Don’t let rumors stop you from taking the next step in DKG.