Guidelines for New Consultations
Introduction
New Consultations should be distinct from existing program units. Topics should reflect a range of opinion for discussion rather than a particular position to be promoted. Steering committees must be broadly representative of the range of viewpoints or methodologies found within the Society, as well as broadly represented across institutional and denominational lines. The tone established in all Consultations should be irenic, scholarly, critical-thinking, and Christ-like in papers and discussion.
Consultations will not be approved that are highly partisan. Opposing views must not be silenced or ridiculed within the Consultation, either in papers or discussions. Consultations are approved for initial three-year terms. Normally, Consultations will be granted one session in the Annual Meeting, consisting of four invited papers (or three papers and a time for open discussion, a panel discussion, or the like). Responsibility for Consultations resides with each Consultation’s chairperson and steering committee, answerable to the Executive Committee (via the Program-Units Committee).
Click here to download instructions for submitting a new Consultation application.
Upon Approval
Once approved, the Consultation’s leadership should keep accurate records of its meetings each year, including a list of all presenters and paper titles, an accurate count of attendees at each session, and a general note about the degree of success of each year’s session. These are required elements for the Consultation’s application for renewal as a Section or a Study Group in its third year. At that time, a plan for the next two years’ sessions must also be presented. Consultations are responsible for putting together their line-up of papers. The completed line-up must be submitted by the announced deadline (usually in March) to the Executive Committee’s Program Chairperson, for inclusion in the Annual Meeting program book. Normally, presenters and respondents at the Annual Meeting must be ETS members. Exceptions are granted on a limited basis. Each program unit is allowed to invite one outside presenter or respondent for whom the conference registration fee will be waived.
Responsibilities
A Consultation must have a steering committee of four to six ETS full members in good standing, including its designated chairperson.
Chairpersons’ responsibilities will include the following:
- Soliciting papers for the Consultation’s session.
- Attending the annual chairpersons’ breakfast.
- Reporting room needs and lineups of papers to the Program Chair.
- Reporting session information to the Program-Units Committee
- Setting general direction and collegial tone for the Consultation.
Steering committee members’ responsibilities are to aid and support their chairperson in the above tasks.
Renewal
Download Guidelines for Consultation Renewal
Download Guidelines for Section Renewal
Consultations are approved for an initial three-year term. During the last year the steering committee will choose one of four options:
- Apply for status as a Study Group.
- Apply for status as a Section.
- Apply to continue as a Consultation
- Disband. If no application is received, this option will be assumed.
Sections are approved for a six-year term. During the last year the steering committee will choose one of two options:
- Apply to continue as a section
- Disband
For descriptions of what Study Groups and Sections are, click here.
If you wish to apply for renewal, you must submit your group’s application to the Program-Units Committee by June 30 of the third year of its term. Click here to contact the chair, Gerry Breshears.
The renewal application must include:
- Rationale for the requested option (1-4 above).
- Full records of the sessions in the first two years, including all papers and presenters, and an accurate count of attendees at each session.
- The members of your current steering committee. The committee should include four to six full ETS members in good standing. Please supply name, title, institutional affiliation and current email addresses for each member.
- The current email address of the chair.
- Any other information relevant to the Consultation's renewal.