AdCom size change
Saturday July 28, @12:20PM, by Merelice, Luc Shuster, Elie Yarden, Jill Stein, Ron Francis
Subject : Review size and functions of AdCom and relation to functions of StateCom
from the StateCom members dept.
Summary :
Currently, AdCom meets twice a month (once in person and once by teleconference) and conducts almost daily business between meetings. This is a time-consuming commitment that makes it difficult especially for the Membership, Communications, and Fundraising Directors to carry out their committee responsibilities as well as other needed Party activities.

The need for frequent AdCom meetings is partly because AdCom is entrusted with carrying out Party work between StateCom meetings and tends not to delegate its implementation. As a result, much (if not most) of AdCom time is spent on endorsements, position statements, Party strategy, and other policy-related activities that are actually StateCom responsibilities but fall to AdCom. Consequently, these activities
(1) draw time and attention away from the administrative functions that need more support to keep the party healthy,
(2) put such decisions in fewer hands than should be the case, given our Key Value of Decentralization,
(3) seriously overburden the AdCom members and/or pulls them away from participating in and building local chapters and working committees.

Local chapters and working committees most often include StateCom members. By referring policy-related party business to these groups rather than expecting AdCom to handle everything, StateCom members would have a more active hand in decisions between StateCom's own meetings. GRP members particularly interested in some functions that AdCom handles might be attracted to working committees if those functions were appropriately delegated. For example, building coalitions and recommending endorsements of the actions of other organizations could be sent to the External Relations Committee. Position statements could be sent to the Platform Committee, etc. If the committees and locals are not capable of handling activities, the burden should not be borne by AdCom.

A smaller AdCom would result in (1) enabling AdCom to focus on its administrative functions with less distraction and pressure, (2) giving the Membership, Communications, and Fundraising Directors more flexibility to carry out their critically important committee work, (3) drawing fewer members away from being active in local chapters and on working committees, and (4) giving StateCom members more say and participation in policy-related work between meetings through their local chapters and/or working committees.
Text :
This proposal is meant to lead to a change in the GRP bylaws that would be proposed to the membership at this year's State Convention. The State Committee asks that the Procedures and Meetings Committee and/or the AdCom take the needed steps to effect a change in the makeup and to clarify the function of the AdCom as follows:

The AdCom shall consist of the four officers -- male and female Co-Chairs, Secretary, and Treasurer -- and three diversity representatives, for a total of seven members. Election of diversity representatives is meant to help ensure that this committee reflects some level of the diversity of our society.

The purpose of the AdCom as a whole is to assure the GRP meets its legal requirements and attends to its personnel, administrative, and infrastructural needs to function effectively. When possible, AdCom will refer all other matters to the working committees and local chapters for action and implementation between meetings of the State Committee. Adcom will take the first step by evaluating and recommending which of its various activities might be assigned to which working committees or other appropriate GRP bodies.
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