ASCLS Region Successes and New Beginnings for 2016!
Pat Tille, Region V Director
2015-2018
Many new and exiciting things are happening in ASCLS! The Board of Directors is working diligently with the search committee to identify a new executive vice-president, as we prepare to bid farewell to Elissa Passiment! Elissa has served avital role in the society for many years and although we hate to see her retire, new opportunities await!
The National Task Force reviewing the ASCLS Code of Ethics has made significant progress and you will likely see a proposed new code at the Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. This is primarily due to the response to Ebola and insuring that our code of ethics reflects the need to serve all patient's independent of all factors including type of disease, culture orvalues.
As the new Regional Director, I have spent the last few months, working with the President's Council to allow time for their new boards to become established and to identify needs as well as initiatives for the coming year! One immediate change that should be noticable across the region is the change in branding of the Region V Symposium and Leadership Academy to reflect the membership of our states. Previously, both were termed the "Tri-State" venues. Our society representsinclusivity and the President's Council has affirmed that dedication by agreeing to remove the tri-state designation. RegionV includes South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The Region V Leadership Academy includes representatives from all four states with leadership experience and a desire tomentor new leaders within our profession and society. As a professional organization we are committed to providingnew experiences and leading roles for our members who wish to take advantage of those opportunities.
In addition, the Region V Symposium will now begin a state-to-state rotation beginning in Fargo, ND for 2016. This rotationwill continue to follow the leadership rotation that was previously established. This upcoming year, the meeting will beheld at the Baymont in Fargo. The meeting will be chaired by NorthDakota Member, Alice Hawley. The Vice-Chair, KathyAnderson from South Dakota, will then serve as the chair for the Region V meeting in Sioux Falls, SD in the fall of 2017. Under the current rotation, Minnesota would be the host of the 2018 meeting. Continued discussion at the President'sCouncil are underway to determine if the meeting will be in Minnesota in 2018, or if Wisconsin will rejoin the regional meeting rotation. I would like to also thank last years Chair, Janice Conway-Klaassen ASCLS-MN, and Vice Chair, Alice Hawley ASCLS-ND, as well as all of their committee chairs and members for an outstanding Region V Symposium this
past October in Alexandria MN. Attendance was excellent and the speakers were educational!
As was previously mentioned in the ASCLS-SD President's message by Stacie Lansink, there are several changes to the schedule for the Annual National Meeting. Please make note that these changes in dates and corresponding events is notsimply a one time change. This change has been approved by the Board of Directors and will be carried through to all
subsequent national meetings beginning in Philadelphia in 2016. This change was made in response to requests from themembership.
As the newly elected Region V Director, it is also my responsibility to make appointments to Regional Committees. I havebeen working with representatives from all states and the President's Council to identify individuals to assume those positions. As we move into the new year, the President's Council will be reviewing the current Region V standard operating
procedures and updating items as recommended by the group. This is to insure that the Region continues to representall of our consitutent societies and provide an organization that is responsive to the membership of our Region.
Last but not least I would like to thank our outgoing Region V Secretary Treasurer, Kristi Enerson from ASCLS-MN forher service over the past few years. She will be transitioning the position to the New Region V Secretary Treasurer, April Nelsen from ASCLS-SD effective January 2016.
Wishing you all a prosperous New Year in 2017!