At its summer and winter meetings, the Governing Board addresses vacancies on ESA’s standing committees. For most committees, the terms for committee members are for three years (two years for student liaisons) and begin at the end of the final business meeting during the annual meeting. 

Section Nominees

Prior to the preliminary Section business meeting at the ESA Annual Meeting, the Section Governing Board representative will review the standing committee list for Section vacancies in the upcoming year. The Section Governing Board representative at the preliminary or final section business meeting will solicit nominees for committee vacancies. The Section Governing Board representative will, prior to the summer Governing Board meeting, confirm with the respective nominees that they are still willing to be nominated to the respective standing committee.

Branch Nominees

Prior to the Branch meeting, the Branch Governing Board representative will review the standing committee list for Branch vacancies to the standing committees in the upcoming year. The Branch Governing Board representative will solicit nominees for committee vacancies in cooperation with the Branch executive committee. The Branch Governing Board representative will, prior to the summer Governing Board meeting, confirm with the respective nominees that they are still willing to be nominated to the respective standing committee.

At-Large Nominees

Governing Board members should also solicit at-large nominees to standing committees through their Branch or Section. Nominees should be solicited only after reviewing any Branch or Section composition restrictions of the standing committee. The Governing Board member will, prior to the summer Governing Board meeting, confirm with the respective at-large nominees that they are still willing to serve on the standing committee. Names of nominees should then be forwarded to the Governing Board liaison of the respective standing committee.

Student Liaisons

The Student Affairs Committee, through the Governing Board liaison, will provide nominees for student liaisons to the respective standing committees for which there is a student liaison. Students who serve on the Committee on Student Affairs represent the Branches; they are nominated by the Branch executive committee and their nomination is forwarded by the Branch Governing Board representative.

Nominees and Chairs/Vice Chairs to the Committee on Nominations

Governing Board liaisons will forward to the Chair of the Committee on Nominations the nominees' names prior to  the summer Governing Board meeting. The Governing Board will then review, finalize, and agree to the list of nominees to the standing committees at the summer meeting.

Governing Board liaisons will contact the vice chair of their standing committee and affirm that the vice chair is willing to assume the role of chair in the upcoming year. This will be done prior to the Governing Board meeting that is held at the ESA Annual Meeting. Additionally, prior to the annual meeting, the Governing Board liaisons will contact their standing committee members who select a vice chair for the upcoming year. The names of the chairs and vice chairs will be submitted to the Chair of the Committee on Nominations prior to the annual meeting.

Approval of Nominations

At the ESA Annual Meeting, the chair of the Committee on Nominations will post for general membership review the list of nominees and chairs/vice chairs at least 24 hours prior to the final business meeting. Approval of the list of nominees to standing committees and vice chairs will occur during the final business meeting.