ESA Renewal Process
Frequently
Asked Questions - Networks
Who can start a Network?
Why aren’t Networks given governance status within Sections?
Are Networks virtual or real? (Do they meet and what purpose do they serve?)
Do I have to be an ESA member to join a Network?
Can a Network influence programming at the Annual Meeting?
Anyone. A Network can be 2 people or 2,000. It can be scientifically-,
geographically-, gender-, or interest-based. Whatever unifies you with someone
else can be the basis of a Network. They can take virtually any form as well.
ESA-Central will maintain a list of Networks for those who choose to register,
assisting as able, but Networks will be autonomous units and intentionally not
regulated by ESA to allow flexibility in their creation and dissolution.
Networks will be of variable size and function, changing over time. Sections will serve as their governance body. Networks should be focused on program development and influence the strategic agenda for the Section.
They are real and set their own agenda and aspirations. ESA Sections will encourage, solicit, and welcome their formation and affiliation. They will not have a formal governance structure within ESA, but may establish their own structure for their own purposes (e.g., secretary, program, etc…). ESA will support them as much as feasible with
collaboration tools, meeting facilities, and annual meeting program inclusion.
Do I have to be an ESA member to join a Network?
No. Anyone can join an Interest, Occupation, Demographic, Old-Section, or Organization-based Network. The restrictions
are just that (a) you must register as a free "web user" account in the ESA database (click through on Membership > Join > Web-user), and
(b) your account must have a unique email address from all other records in the database.
The Annual Meeting planning process and program will remain unchanged from the current model -- which we feel is working well.
Insofar as program design and symposia selection is concerned, the Program Committee continues to fulfill this role through
encouragement and selection of three types of Symposia: Program, Section, Member. For 2007 in San Diego there are
over 75 approved symposia of all types -- it is actually rare for ESA to reject a member symposia proposal. Networks may nominate symposia
for any or all three of these symposia designations and we believe a rich Network system will only strengthen the diversity and relevance of
our Annual Meeting.
Links to other FAQs:
General
Sections
Branches
Networks
ESA-Central
