Guidelines for SAA Sections on Merging, Transitioning to a Discussion Group, and Sunsetting

March 14, 2024—As communities of practice and information exchange, SAA sections are vital to supporting SAA members’ needs. The SAA Council periodically revisits the list of active sections to ensure they effectively meet membership needs. If the scope of a section appears to no longer align with the needs and interests of membership, or if the section fails to comply with minimum governance requirements for an extended period, the SAA Council liaison and the section’s steering committee will have a conversation to consider merging with another section, transitioning to a discussion group, or sunsetting.

As part of ongoing efforts by the Section Health Assessment Working Group and SAA Council to create a rich, engaged professional community, SAA has released Guidelines for SAA Sections on Merging, Transitioning to a Discussion Group, and Sunsetting. This document lays out a roadmap for sections to re-evaluate their work.

More information on the 2023 Section Health Assessment Survey, as well as sections already recommended for transition, can be found here. A forum on the forthcoming changes to SAA sections is being held on Wednesday, March 20, at 1:00 p.m. CT. You can learn more and register here.

Please direct any questions or comments related to this document to SAACouncil@archivists.org. In the subject line, please use: Guidelines for SAA Sections on Merging, Transitioning to a Discussion Group, and Sunsetting.