Early-Career Special Interest Group Director (ECSIG)

To support students and early-career professionals (0-5 years of practice) in their journey toward a fulfilling career in pelvic health physical therapy. The SIG aims to foster connections, facilitate engagement, and provide access to valuable resources and opportunities that prepare individuals for success in this specialized field.

• Promote Engagement: Highlight relevant membership benefits, events, courses, and professional opportunities to foster participation.
• Develop Educational Resources: Propose programming and resources tailored to the needs of students and early-career professionals.
• Build Community: Facilitate information exchange and cultivate a strong sense of community within the SIG.
• Drive Audience Engagement: Coordinate targeted activities and campaigns to enhance engagement with the ECSIG's audience.
• Strengthen Connections: Actively connect with current and prospective student and early-professional members to encourage involvement.
• Establish Task Forces: Form and appoint task forces as needed to support the SIG’s objectives and initiatives effectively.

The group shall consist of four (4) Directors serving at any given time, with the goal of fostering leadership development and ensuring representation from both student and early-career perspectives. Directors shall be a mix of enrolled students in an entry-level PT or PTA program, and licensed PTs or PTAs within their first five (5) years of clinical practice.

GENERAL DUTIES

1. Report to the Board of Directors
2. Fulfill duties as charged by the Board of Directors
3. Propose any new initiatives to the Board Liaison for approval.
4. Propose a timeline for its charges to the Board (if one was not provided)
5. Create task forces to carry out initiatives (contingent on Board approval)
6. Schedule meetings and committee work to execute charges
7. Submit a quarterly progress report to the Board of Directors
8. Submit a final report at the conclusion of each assigned charge to the Board of Directors
9. Adhere to all APTA and APHPT policies, procedures, expectations, and guidelines

RESPONSIBILITIES
At the start of each year, the ECSIG will convene to assign responsibilities aligned with the SIG’s objectives for the upcoming year. Below is a recommended rotation of roles to ensure equitable distribution of duties. The SIG is required to inform its Board Liaison of the finalized role assignments.

• Director A:
  • Prepare and distribute agendas for monthly meetings.
  • Submit quarterly progress reports to the Academy.
  • Provide key updates to the Board and Staff Liaisons.
  • Draft and submit proposals and annual funding requests to the Academy.
• Director B:
  • Oversee and supervise SIG task forces.
  • Report task force progress to the SIG leadership team.
  • Act as the Liaison to other SIGs.
• Director C:
  • Assist in recruiting prospective SIG directors.
  • Record and maintain meeting minutes for all SIG meetings.
  • Organize and manage the SIG’s master file directory.
• Director D:
  • Respond to member inquiries about the SIG.
  • Oversee the SIG’s marketing efforts, such as maintaining the SIG’s Instagram account, creating graphics, and drafting email communications.
  • Moderate SIG webinars and serve as the primary contact for invited speakers.
  • Liaise with other SIGs and committees.

Meetings:  Conduct all communications and decisions via email, conference calls, and Slack. All ECSIG directors are expected to respond to communications within 7 days and provide written notice when unavailable to attend a scheduled meeting. Implement Robert’s Rules of Order when conducting committee business.

Time Commitment:

• Attend monthly meetings (1-2 hours per month)
• Coordinate and execute the annual early-career meet and greet at CSM (3-4 hours)
• Other project work in between meetings (1-2 hours per month)

Early-Professional ECSIG Director (Elected)

• Must be a PT or PTA member in good standing at the close of nominations
• Must be in their 0-3 years of practice at the close of nominations
• By the start of the term, early-career professionals must not have surpassed their fifth year of practice.

Student ECSIG Director(Appointed)

• 1st year or 2nd year SPT or SPTA member in good standing for at least 6 months before starting their term
• They must serve at least half of their term as a student (e.g., if a 2-year term, they must serve as SPT for at least 1 year)
• Must be a member for at least 6 months before being appointed to the position.

Terms: Each director serves a 2-year term that will commence at the close of the annual business meeting, which typically occurs in January/February. Directors may serve one (1) successive term (if re-elected or appointed). An ECSIG Director may serve for a maximum of two terms.

Elections & Appointment:

• The Academy shall elect 1 early-professional member via the national nominations and elections process. 
• The Academy shall appoint 1 student member each year via the Volunteer Committee’s recommendations in alignment with the national election cycle.

Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a majority of the directors. Decisions of the committee shall be made by a majority vote of the directors present. Directors must disclose any emerging actual or potential conflicts of interest related to a grievance or complaint and recuse themselves from the discussion and/or decision-making process if necessary.

Budget: The ECSIG shall submit an annual budget request by July 1 each year. No director may authorize or expend funds beyond those allocated in the SIG’s or Academy’s approved budget, as adopted by the Academy Board, without prior approval from the Academy Board of Directors. All expenditures must comply with the Academy’s reimbursement policies and procedures for approved funding.

Failure to Serve: ECSIG directors shall demonstrate a willingness to commit the volunteer time required. Directors must maintain Academy membership throughout their term. Directors are expected to comply with all volunteer policies and fulfill the duties of the position which they have accepted with integrity, good judgment, and confidentiality. Failure of a director to perform the duties and responsibilities outlined in this charter may result in prompt action as outlined in the organization’s policies and procedures. Directors shall work in a collaborative and cooperative manner with Board Liaisons, Staff Liaisons, fellow volunteers, and the Board of Directors to foster a culture of integrity and respect.

Dissolution: The Board of Directors reserves the right to dissolve the SIG for any reason. Upon dissolution, the committee shall transfer all volunteer materials to the organization's office.Authority:  The Board of Directors shall have the final authority to approve recommendations from the SIG. The Board of Directors may amend or modify this charter at any time. The Board of Directors reserves the right to change the composition of the SIG at any time, remove directors, and modify term limits.