CSWA Endorsement Policy Finalized

By Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy

Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

The Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy (CSWA) is charged with recommending actions to the AAS Board of Trustees that can improve the status of women in astronomy. One way that we accomplish this is to support individuals or groups that are working on or developing projects that align with our mission. The Committee recently adopted a policy clarifying our recommendations on proposals for projects or activities that we can endorse or support.

Examples of projects that we supported in the past include: co-sponsorship of a special session at an AAS meeting or another meeting; endorsement of a workshop; or development of a workshop or other activity.

Because of the range of possible activities and projects, we developed a policy to guide our future actions. Our full policy can be found here.

Here, we provide a brief summary of the policy. Proposals most likely to receive our approval have the following characteristics:

• Assist the CSWA in fulfilling its charge.
• Benefit women with one or more marginalized identities in astronomy and related fields.
• Have a broad scope.
• Have potential for sustainability.

We prefer to have input into any project that we sponsor or co-sponsor. Therefore, we request that potential partners contact us while their project is in the early to middle planning stages. In many cases, we can endorse or participate in an activity without the approval of the Board of Trustees, although a disclaimer to this effect may be required.

For projects that require funding, we will work with the partner to write a proposal to the AAS Board of Trustees for the necessary support. In those cases, we request that partners give us at least two months to consider the proposal before we have to submit it to the AAS Board of Trustees for approval. Currently, the Board meets monthly, generally early in the month. We would need to submit proposals for consideration two weeks before the meeting. Therefore, proposals should reach us early in the month, three months before Board consideration is requested.

We look forward to working with the astronomical community on projects that will advance the status and participation of women in astronomy and related fields.