1. Local Section Activities Committee: Getting Back on Track
American Chemical Society
Local Section Activities Committee: Getting Back on Track
David W. Ball, Cleveland Local Section Tracy P. Hamilton, Alabama Local Section

2. Local Section Assistance & Development (LSAD) Subcommittee.
LSAD is a subcommittee of LSAC (one of four).
Helps Local Sections “be all they can be”, usually by providing assistance and guidance to sections deemed “challenged”.
How deemed? By review of annual reports (sometimes multiple years from same section).
20 – 25 sections (out of 186) per year get LSAD scrutiny.
American Chemical Society

3. How/Why is a Section “Challenged”?
No annual report.
No annual election/repeat officers.
No annual budget and/or financial problems.
No/minimal Local Section programming.
No/minimal participation in national events (LI, national meetings, NCW, CCED, etc.).
Wide geographical distribution – difficult for members to travel.
Losing local members (including because of employment).
Personality issues.
American Chemical Society

4. What does LSAD do? Mostly reach out to challenged Sections:
Phone calls, s to Section leaders
Meet representatives at national meetings, LI
Survey Section membership
Visit Sections
Goal: To help Local Sections serve its membership.
American Chemical Society

5. Let’s talk about what LSAD can do for you!
American Chemical Society

6. “Nucleation Sites” for new ideas:
How can you get your members better involved?
Are you spending enough of your budget?
Aim for at least one new venue per year/officer cycle?
Interesting speakers of more general interest?
Science reporters/writers
Jewelers or metalsmiths
Microbrewers
Bloggers on science topics
Joint meetings with neighboring sections, other societies?
American Chemical Society