Introduction:
AGHE membership is institutional rather than individual, as a result, one person from each AGHE member institution is selected as the official representative to AGHE – this person is referred to as the Institutional Representative. The Institutional Representative serves as the primary communication link for the member institution/organization and AGHE.
Choosing an Institutional Representative:
Each AGHE member institution determines who shall serve as their institutional representative. This decision may be based on the structure and personnel of the gerontology program, in that the institutional representative may be the director of the program, chairman of the department in which gerontology education is principally housed, dean of the academic unit that offers gerontology, or faculty who is viewed as a leader in the aging field at the institution.
The member institution will put forth their selection for Institutional Representative when (1) applying for membership, (2) the Institutional Representative has left the member institution, or (3) when changes have occurred at the member institution and a new designee is warranted.
The institutional representative has the following responsibilities:
1. Serve as the voting representative of the member institution for all AGHE elections and business.
2. Ensure that AGHE's annual membership dues are paid.
3. Provides an update of the member institution listing in AGHE’s Directory of Educational Programs in Gerontology and Geriatrics when requested.
4. Receive and make available on the member institution campus a complimentary copy of the AGHE Directory, as well as other research reports or special publications (a list of expected mailings will be sent to the Institutional Representative as well as other institutional affiliated reps).
5. Select additional persons from the member institution to serve in the capacity of Alternative Representative, Public Policy Representative, Student Representative, or Affiliate Representatives (see additional information provided), to ensure broad based institutional communication and distribution of AGHE related information.
6. Provide promotional materials on the institutions gerontology/geriatrics program to the AGHE office in Washington for distribution to interested students and other faculty.
7. Publicize AGHE resources, activities, and benefits through appropriate communications, such as newsletters, e-mail announcements, or bulletin boards.
8. Liaison with AGHE and the member institution to ensure exchanges of gerontology/geriatric related education and information.
9. Consider AGHE Committee involvement and participation to assist in ensuring that AGHE meets the needs of all member institutions advancing gerontology/geriatric education in higher education
10. Attend the AGHE Annual Meeting/Conference
The institutional representative is a crucial link in the structure of AGHE. It is very important when your institutional representative leaves your school that a new representative be designated and that the AGHE office in Washington be notified. Notification of address changes is encouraged at any time during the year.
Questions regarding the role of the AGHE institutional representative or suggestions to expand or improve this role should be forwarded to the AGHE staff in the Washington office.
