Committees

Administrative Committee

Mission

The Administrative Committee is appointed by the President to examine ACGA's internal processes and recommend to the Board changes to help us operate more effectively as an organization. The President may also call upon this committee for assistance in carrying out complex administrative functions.

FY 2008 Goals

• Review By-Laws and recommend any appropriate changes.
• Develop documentation of policies, procedures and related aspects of organizational function in order to provide more consistent and effective management and better institutional memory.
• Develop a centralized electronic filing system for ACGA's working documents and graphics.
• As required, deal appropriately with such external administrative organisations as the IRS and the Secretary of State for Texas.
• Maintain the Organization section of the ACGA website.
  

2009-2010 Members

Rudy Ramsey (Chair)
Cam MacRae
Janice Chan
David Gressett
Shannon Duncan

Education Committee

Mission

FY 2008 Goals

• Consider the creation of a web-based ACGA collection of educational material.
• Consider the creation of a more formal, more extensive system of Skype-based classes and study groups.
• Maintain the "Learn Gaelic" section of the ACGA website.
  

2009-2010 Members

David Gressett
Jamie MacDonald
Cam MacRae
Jeanne Pendergast
Rudy Ramsey

Finance Committee

Mission

The Finance Committee oversees the ACGA budget and bank account.

FY 2008 Goals

• Insure that our financial assets, receivables, and expenditures are managed in an appropriate manner.

• Continue to develop bookkeeping systems and appropriate means of reporting on the current state of ACGA's financial affairs.

• Continue to develop financial reporting systems to ensure transparency and accountability in the handling of ACGA's funds.

•  Develop and present proposals for achieving a balanced budget.

2009-2010 Members

Heather Sparling (Chair)
Rachell Blessing
Rudy Ramsey
Shannon Duncan

Gàidhealtachd Support Committee

Mission

The Gàidhealtachd Support committee provides funding and other assistance to organizations, both in North America and abroad, involved in advancing the Scottish Gaelic language.

FY 2008 Goals

• Establish policies pertaining to: time limit for using funds awarded; and whether to award grants even if projects are still uncertain

• Write one or more articles for An Naidheachd featuring recent grant recipients and projects.

• Participate in the selection of a university scholarship winner.

• Maintain the "Gàidhealtachd Support Grants" section of the ACGA website and any literature associated with Gàidhealtachd Support grant applications.

FY 2008 Members

Heather Sparling (Chair)
Glenn Wrightson
Ilona Schmidt
Jamie MacDonald
Janice Chan

Membership Committee

Mission

The Membership Committee works to retain current members and maintain contact with them.

FY 2008 Goals

• Oversee maintenance of ACGA's membership database and the membership renewal process.

• Ensure that all mailings from within ACGA (physical or electronic) are always done with current member lists and addresses.

• Investigate possible improvements in our member database and its uses within ACGA.

• Develop and present proposals for improving ACGA's contact with, and services for, our members.

• Maintain the "Join ACGA" section of the ACGA website and any literature associated with membership application or new-member welcome.

2009-2010 Members

Janice Chan (Chair)
An Phillips
Cam MacRae
Rudy Ramsey

Web Committee

Mission

The Web Committee works to provide attractive, capable Internet-based services to: (1) serve our own members, (2) educate the general public, and (3) support Scottish Gaelic as a modern, living language.

FY 2008 Goals

• Finish setting up an attractive and functional website structure for ACGA.

• Ensure that all website content is well managed, preferably by a distributed collection of interested members.

• Set up a functional message forum for use by members and by the organization.

• Ensure that appropriate backup procedures are in place to protect our internet-based facilities from loss.

• Maintain the "Links" and "Contact Us" sections of the website.

2009-2010 Members

Shannon Duncan (Chair)
Janice Chan
Rudy Ramsey

National Mòd Committee

The Mòd Committee organizes the annual ACGA Mòd, held at Ligonier, PA, in September.

Members:
Nick Freer, Chair
Joan Weiss
Michael MacKay
Cathleen MacKay
Pam Page
William Cassidy
Sherry Kreamer
Heather Sparling

Immersion Committee

Mission

The Immersion Weekend Committee plans and organizes the annual learning weekend. The Chair should be located in the area where the Immersion will be held. Local support need not be committee members or ACGA members.

FY 2008 Goals

• Plan a high-quality event for IW 2009 with a reasonable expectation of breaking even financially.
  

• Submit a brief plan and budget well before the event, obtain Board approval, and maintain good communication with the Board.
• Execute the event with good attention to both quality and budget.
  

• Maintain the section of the website dedicated to the event.

FY 2008 Members

Rudy Ramsey Acting Chair
David Gressett
Jamie MacDonald
Janice Chan
LeeCathryn Highfield

Publications Committee

The Publications Committee is responsible for overseeing both the written materials distributed to the members as well as those materials which promote ACGA to a wider audience, including "An Naidheachd Againne."

Members:
Michael MacKay
William Cassidy (Chair)
John Fraser
Glenn Wrightson
Ilona Schmidt

Naidheachd Editor:
William Cassidy through Issue #100
Brooke Montgomery after Issue #100 

Scholarship Committee

Mission

The scholarship committee administers scholarship programs designed to promote Gaelic and assist learners to improve their language skills.

FY 2008 Goals

• to review the scholarship committee budget.
  

• to review the number and types of prizes awarded through the member scholarship program.
  

• to review the amount of scholarship money to be awarded through the university scholarship program.
• to monitor and revise the procedures for on-line distribution of membership scholarship material.
  

• to encourage contributions to our scholarship programs.

FY 2008 Members

Jack Campbell, M.D.
Jamie MacDonald
Cam MacRae Chair ('08)
Heather Sparling

Election Committee

The Election Committee helps to recruit candidates for ACGA elections to fill vacant positions every year.  They send out candidate statements and ballots, and collect and compile returned ballots.

Members:
Eve Gordon Joint-chair ('08)
Ken McCormick Joint-chair ('08)

Outreach Committee

Mission

The Outreach Committee makes the general public aware of ACGA, what we do, and why, through a program of Regional Representatives in the various regions of the US and Canada, and by doing so, attracts new members to the organization.

2009 Goals

• Inform the public of ACGA and its mission by attending events likely to be attended by persons who already have an interest in things Scottish and making certain they know that we exist and why.
  

• Take every opportunity to inform the public at large that Gaelic is alive and instruction is available to everyone, and that Scottish Gaelic is a living, vibrant language.
  

• Be helpful:by having information at hand to aid those interested in finding further help and/or resources in their attempt to learn/study Scottish Gaelic., and to inform them of local classes, Internet resources, online classes, one on one instruction (professional or not), text availability with recorded materials for those who wish to work alone, as well as sources for books and materials
  
• Attend local events, not necessarily Scottish, in order to promote the study of the language., social groups that may have an interest, including senior Centers.
  

• Never passing  up the opportunity to talk "Gaelic" with anyone even if the conversation has to be in some other language.
  

Members                                         

Harry Webb (Chair)
David Gressett
Janice Chan
Nick Freer
Rudy Ramsey
Scott Morrison

Grandfather Mountain

Mission

The Grandfather Mountain Committee organizes the annual Grandfather Mountain Gaelic Song and Language Week, held in Banner Elk, NC, in the week leading up to the North Carolina Mòd held at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in July.

2009 Goals

• Obtain teachers that can teach both Gaelic and Gaelic song this year.
  

• Begin publicity in February this year.
  

• Send notices about GMGLSW to clan publications and print media, as well as relevant websites like CLI.
• Look into advertising with the NC schools for renewal credit.
  

• Maintain the section of the website dedicated to the event.

Members

Jamie MacDonald (Chair)
Libit Woodington
Cam MacRae
Shannon Duncan