Dear Dr Lando & National AACE Leadership,
We the undersigned were dismayed and surprised by your letter dated August 13, 2020.
In that letter, you notified us that AACE Chapters would be terminated on October 1st, despite your personal assurance to many of the signees that this would never occur.
The rationale for this change is that AACE is taking its place as a global community that “is now much more than clinical endocrinologists”.
We agree with your use of the phrase, "it takes a village” to care for our patients and educate the public.
Our interpretation of its meaning however is very different.
AACE was built by a village of committed endocrinologists who believed in their patients, as well as the need for advocacy for our specialty.
That commitment to this village led to a more prominent role for the clinical endocrinologist, Endocrine University, AACE Chapters, Practice Guidelines and much more.
The ongoing action by National AACE appears to have not only disregarded the villages, but also is relegating the clinical endocrinologist to be a minority in the organization’s membership and target audience.
Chapters are described on the AACE website as providing "AACE members with professional networking opportunities, CME programming, and a vehicle for launching advocacy activities related to local, state and federal governmental policy".
Why are local efforts at education and advocacy now being eliminated, especially given the termination of all financial support for the Chapters in 2019?
Why is there a goal of a “consistent experience for all” when the geographical diversity of our country is one of our great strengths?
Prior to your letter, we received notification that the Annual Business Meeting of the AACE membership will be held on Friday, September 11, 2020, from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time.
The time of day and day of week is distinctly unusual.
It is during business hours for much of the membership, meaning that patient appointments will need to be cancelled to attend.
This is time that few of us can afford amidst the economic hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
AACE has historically held conference calls in the evening, after business hours, to make them accessible to all members.
Although meeting registration links weren't sent until August 28, the ability to attend the meeting will be terminated on September 8, preventing “registration” on the day of the event.
We propose the following
1) Delay Chapter dissolution for 6 months. This will allow Chapter leadership the time for the massive administrative and legal changes required for the transition. Chapters will stop using the AACE name and logo by October.
2) Reschedule the Bylaw meeting to a Tuesday or Wednesday at 8 PM EST. This will allow greater participation of the membership after completion of business hours and not on a weekend.
3) Open meeting registration through the day of the meeting
We encourage each of you to remember the original village that led to the creation of this great organization.
We care for our beloved organization AACE which has been our professional home for decades for many of us. We have tried to discuss this with you but unfortunately decisions have been made by the leadership disregarding our concerns.
Hence we have taken this step of reaching out to you in this forum.
You may silence our voices but we hope you remember, as Tim McClure said, ‘The biggest concern for any organization should be where their most passionate people become quiet’.
Please listen to the AACE membership & save our AACE.
Respectfully submitted,