What can the CUA do?
In response to the CUA membership’s feedback to make advocacy a more formal, proactive focus of the organization’s activities, and to support the initiative, the creation of an Advocacy Sub-Committee has was formed with the following terms of reference.
Purpose
The aim of this sub-committee of the CUA Board of Directors will be to provide guidance on the organization’s advocacy efforts. Key oversight will be directed towards the following:
• Selection of relevant advocacy topics for the Board’s consideration
• Creation of short and longer-term strategic plans
• Developing a communication strategy to the membership
• Review of annual budget before submission to Finance Committee
• Align the advocacy efforts with the CUA’s Strategic Plan
Membership
The Advocacy Sub-Committee will consist of a chair (to be known as the CUA Chief Advocacy Officer) and the following members: CUA President, Immediate Past-President, President-Elect, Chief Executive Officer, Vice President Communications, Chair of the Health Policy Committee, Chair of the Community Urology Committee, Immediate Past-Chair/Officer of Advocacy.
The terms of office of sub-committee members will align with their other CUA roles. The Chief Advocacy Officer’s term will be 2 years renewable once (4 years maximum). The Chief Advocacy Officer will be invited to the CUA Board meetings but will serve in a non-voting capacity. The immediate past-chair will serve 1 year to aid in transition for the incoming chair.
Meeting frequency
The sub-committee will meet three times per year. The first meeting will be held in conjunction with the corporate office retreat with the main purpose to determine the upcoming year’s priorities and align with the incoming president’s vision and goals. The second meeting will occur before the winter Board meeting and will be an opportunity to review progress on ongoing advocacy initiatives. The third meeting will be held at the CUA Annual Meeting in preparation for an update for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the membership. Additional meetings maybe called by the chair on an ad hoc basis. Meetings maybe in person or virtual.
Governance
All members will have voting rights, except the chair who will cast a vote only in the event of a tie. For the purposes of voting, quorum will consist of fifty percent (50%) of the committee’s membership plus one (+1).
Responsibility and accountability
The Advocacy Sub-Committee will be accountable to the CUA Board. Observations and recommendations of this sub-committee will be brought forward to the board for final decisions and implementation. The Chief Advocacy Officer will provide a written report to the Board at the winter Board and Summer Board meetings, and may be asked to present to the Annual General Meeting as needed.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
