Over the past year, AIHA has undergone a comprehensive review of our programs, products, services, and activities in an effort to address a deficit budget and to better align our programs and services with the mission and goals of the organization. As part of the review process, a Board subgroup was tasked with looking at Local Sections. That subgroup was comprised of AIHA Board members Dave Roskelley, Elizabeth Pullen, Cheri Marcham, Dianne Grote-Adams, and Jeff Throckmorton, Chair of the Local Sections Council. While the subgroup did not make any recommendations regarding the current local section structure, they did engage in thoughtful discussion about ways to more closely unify the missions and goals of AIHA and local sections. As a result of those discussions, the subgroup has drafted the attached Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that they hope will ensure that each organization understands its role in the partnership and further clarify roles and responsibilities.
The AIHA Board believes that the implementation of a more formal agreement such as this MOU will further communication among industrial hygienists at the local and national levels, will increase stability in the profession, and will strengthen both the local sections and AIHA.
Please review the attached draft and share it with your local section membership. At the upcoming Leadership Workshop, local section attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the draft MOU with other local section leaders, their local section Regional Representative, and AIHA Board Coordinator during one of the breakout sessions.
We look forward to your input. If your local section is not sending a representative to the Leadership Workshop, we are still interested in your feedback. Please send your input to Thursa La Pecoraro, Program Manager/Local Sections, at tla@aiha.org We believe that both the local sections and AIHA will benefit as we work more closely together to achieve our common goals.
David C. Roskelley, MSPH, CIH, CSP
AIHA Board of Directors
Jeff V. Throckmorton, CIH
Chair, AIHA Local Section Council
Draft MOU AIHA and LS_Draft_Version 3.pdf