Bruce Suprenant, Technical Director, The Voice Newsletter, April 2016
We have been asked recently about how to join an ACI technical committee. This is a nice step forward from when we used to be asked: Why join an ACI committee?” Now that we passed the “why” hurdle, let’s tackle the “how” of ACI committee membership. The information presented is excerpted from ACI’s Technical Committee Manual.
ACI technical committees have four categories of members; voting members, associate members, consulting members, and liaison members. All four categories have access to the technical committee webpage. Only voting members can vote on ballots; however, associate, consulting, and liaison members are allowed to offer opinions on ballots. ASCC concrete contractors are usually interested in becoming voting or associate members.
Prospective committee members must submit a committee application. To get an ACI committee application, or to fill out and submit a committee application online, go to: www.concrete.org/committees/joinacommittee.aspx. Your application will be forwarded to the chair of the appropriate technical committee.
The committee chair appoints voting members based on the applicant’s personal knowledge and expertise. Voting members are required to participate actively in committee work by contributing technical information, promptly returning all committee ballots, replying to correspondence, and regularly attending committee meetings.
A person applying for voting membership may be appointed as an associate member by the chair for a variety of reasons, including maintaining balance of interests within the committee or limiting voting membership changes during balloting of a committee document. An associate member term is for 4 years. It should be noted that ACI 301 (Specifications), ACI 318 (Building Code) and ACI 562 (Eval, Repair & Rehab) do not accept associate members.
If you are interested in a particular committee, we recommend that you fill out and submit an application online. If you are an ACI member, you are automatically assigned as an associate member of that committee. As an associate member, you can get the meeting agendas and minutes, committee correspondence, and ballots. You also have access to the committee’s webpage. Let the chair know of your interest by attending a few meetings and when appropriate, volunteering for committee work.
Because of balance of interest or other reasons, the chair may not be able to appoint you as a voting member. It is appropriate to ask why, and to inquire about when you might be invited to be a voting member.
Concrete contractor involvement is an important part of improving ACI documents. ASCC recognizes the importance of this effort and, for the first time, is sponsoring a contractor reception at the ACI Convention in Milwaukee on Tuesday, April 19 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. We are encouraging all contractors, including non-ASCC members, to attend and discuss important contractor topics. We have invited some ACI Committee chairs, and TAC members. Mike Schneider, Baker Concrete Construction, incoming ACI President, will be recognized. Join us to welcome Mike as President and to talk with other ASCC contractors involved in ACI activities.