Section XIII: Working Groups

A. Purpose

1. Working groups of the Council may be created by the Council as it determines a need for a standing body of experts in a particular issue area. Working groups differ from standing committees in that 1) they are populated with acknowledged experts in a given topic area and 2) their members may be reappointed indefinitely so that their expertise remains available to the Council. Working groups differ from task forces in that their charge is ongoing and not (necessarily) time-limited. Working Groups are advisory to the Council and may be created and disbanded by the Council as appropriate.
2. Working groups are responsible for the following:
   
   1. Responding in a timely fashion to requests from the Council for background information and recommendations on matters relating to the group’s area of expertise.
   2. Scanning the environment and tracking issues that may be of interest or concern to archivists, and recommending (either proactively or in response to a query from the Council) whether SAA should respond to an issue.
   3. Preparing drafts (for Executive Committee or Council approval) of background or position papers, statements, and/or other documents relating to the group’s issue(s) area.
   4. Contributing to the education of SAA members and staff on the set of issues assigned to them.
   5. Bringing to the Council’s attention areas in which collaboration with other organizations may advance SAA’s efforts related to the set of issues assigned to them.
3. Working groups may have short-term and mid-term measurable tasks and assignments; they always have a long-term advisory role.

B. Membership

1. Working groups are composed of acknowledged experts in the issue areas assigned to them. In recognition that the type of expertise needed on a working group may be in short supply, there is no set term length for participation; members serve at the pleasure of the SAA Council. Nonmembers of SAA may be appointed, based on their expertise.
2. Working groups have no fixed size. The Council may adjust membership according to the availability of expertise and the group’s anticipated workload. The vice president/president-elect, on behalf of the Council and with the recommendation of the working group, makes new appointments and terminates appointments, including those of the chair(s), as needed.
3. Unlike other positions within SAA, there is no prohibition against a member of the Council serving on a working group. Sitting members of Council do not typically serve as chair of a working group unless a compelling reason exists for them to do so.
4. To encourage participation in the work of a working group by those who seek to gain expertise in that area, early-career members who are appointed to working groups. Early-career members, who are appointed by the vice president/president-elect in consultation with the chair, serve as nonvoting members for a term of one year and are expected to assist in the work of the group throughout the year.
5. The process for the removal of a non-participating working group member is specified in the Policy for Removing a Non-Participating Member from a Council-Appointed Group.

C. Consultation and Reporting

1. Working groups work closely with their Council liaisons and the President/Vice President to ensure that they are responsive to the needs of the Council. In certain cases, when time is of the essence, working groups may communicate directly with the Executive Committee.
2. Working groups are required to submit an annual report to the Council. The chair is responsible for coordinating the submission of an annual report, which must be filed with the SAA Governance team within ninety days after the Annual Meeting. SAA groups must use the Council Report Template. The annual report should summarize the working group’s activities throughout the year,  provide a general ideas of anticipated future activities, and may raise issues or questions for the Council's  feedback.

D. Meetings and External Resources

1. Working groups usually meet online, typically once a month or however is described in their group's charge.  The chair prepares and distributes in advance an agenda fo the meeting. Online meetings can be conducted by the SAA Zoom account or by members' individual online platforms of their choice. SAA does not have a standardized, centralized repository for working documents. Working Groups have access to their SAA Connect Library and can transfer recordds of enduring value to the SAA Archives.
2. If the group wishes to meet in-person during the SAA Annual Meeting, working group chairs request space (on a timetable established and publicized by the SAA staff) for an in-person meeting at the conference.  Expenses for the Working Group meeting (space, AV, and chairs, etc) should be covered by SAA. Individual travel and lodging expenses usually will be the responsibility of working group members.
3. If a working group wishes to seek resources (whether cash or in kind) from any source outside SAA, Executive Committee approval must be obtained in every instance before approaching the source. Proposals should be routed through the chief executive officer r and Council liaison, with sufficient time for consideration by the Executivee Committee, which will respond within thirty days.

Adopted by the Council: January 2012
Revised: May 2025