Multiple Roles of Council Leaders

The member selection process is perhaps most complicated when it comes to the problem of cross-checking candidates' roles in the Council for possible conflicts.  "Conflict" in this discussion refers almost exclusively to an overlap in meeting times as they are scheduled at the Annual Convention.  Since a great deal of strategic and substantive work is accomplished during the once-a-year meeting of the Commissions and Standing Committees, to overlook a conflict in this sense would create a true obstacle to the progress of the overlapping groups.  The "Multiple Roles Policy and Chart of Potential Conflicts" in Appendix A provides further information and lays out a visual grid of the problem areas.
 
Most often, an individual should not be considered for appointment when an appointment would create a conflict.  Obviously, an Executive Committee member, a Conference (CCCC, CEE, CEL, TYCA, WLU) officer, or a member of another Commission/Standing Committee would be off-limits as Commission/Standing Committee candidates.
 
However, if a Director/Chair believes strongly about inviting an individual who is presently serving the Council in a conflicting role, the Director/Chair may extend an invitation to that individual, noting that the other post must first be resigned before the invitation to serve on the Commission/Standing Committee can be accepted. For example, a member of a three-year committee may welcome an invitation to resign his/her role on that committee in order to become a member of a Commission/Standing Committee. An exception to this principle would be the case of a three-year committee chair, whose role on the committee is especially vital; therefore, the Council discourages inviting a chair to resign his/her current post for one in another group.
 
None of the reservations above apply to multiple roles that are based on liaison responsibilities.  For example, a Commission member might be chair of a committee whose work is within the purview of the Commission.  Liaison responsibilities inherently involve multiple roles, their purpose being to coordinate the flow of information among groups whose goals are related.  Finally, none of the guidelines should be interpreted as a negation of existing NCTE policies and practices regarding adequate representation of people of color, women, classroom teachers, etc., in Council activities.