Organizational Standing Committees

The business of OBFS is conducted through Organizational Standing Committees that are created and dissolved by the Members or the Board of Directors. 

Committee Chairs are appointed by the Board of Directors and sit on the Board for the duration of their appointment. Subcommittees are ad-hoc committees assigned by the Board for specific tasks and have chairs that do not sit on the Board.

Committees are often recruiting volunteers and serving on a committee is a great way to become involved in OBFS.  You can serve for one year to get your feet wet, or stay on committees for years if you are interested. Committees not only get the work of the organization done, they allow members to learn more about collaborations, fundraising, fiscal management, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and other topics tackled by member volunteers. Some committees meet monthly, others meet quarterly. contact the committee chairs for more information.  

The Annual Meeting Planning Committee plans and implements OBFS Annual Meetings. The Annual Meeting Planning Committee is chaired by the Vice President and includes the Past President, Members at Large, and representatives from the current and past meeting host stations. Subcommittees: Auction.

The Collaborations Committee develops and strengthens collaborations among OBFS member stations and between OBFS and other professional networks. The Collaborations Committee maintains OBFS ties with other organizations, organizes OBFS participation in Congressional Visits Day, and runs the OBFS Station Exchange Program. 

The Development Committee develops the financial resources of OBFS and resources for OBFS member stations to build their friend- and fund-raising capacity. The Development Committee also works with the Annual Meeting Planning Committee, IDEA+ Committee, and others to distribute OBFS Awards.

The Governance and Sustainability Committee keeps OBFS in compliance with its bylaws, policies, and procedures. The Governance Committee develops and reviews internal documents, assists with new Board member onboarding, oversees nominations for elected positions, and acts as parliamentarian during Board Meetings. Subcommittees: Nominations. 

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility + (IDEA+) Committee is committed to promoting diversity, increasing participation, and removing barriers within OBFS and OBFS member stations. The IDEA+ Committee reviews OBFS policies and procedures through a DEI perspective, develops tools and strategies to promote DEI best practices at FSMLs, and builds relationships with diverse groups. 

The International Committee supports field stations located outside the United States through a range of initiatives including a field station matching program to promote station collaborations, travel awards, virtual regional meetings, and virtual cafés. This committee also works to increase awareness of OBFS within the international field station community.

The Membership Committee develops and oversees OBFS services for member stations with the goal of increasing the value of OBFS membership. The Membership Committee is responsible for the OBFS website and for managing OBFS investments. Subcommittees: Website, Investments.

The Outreach & Communication Committee works to increase awareness of the benefits of OBFS within the Field Station and Marine Lab (FSML) community and of the benefits of FSMLs to those outside the community such as local, state, and federal policy makers. Committee membership includes the OBFS Historian and Editor.