1. What process is followed for electing governing council members and officers?
2. Are there committees?
3. Where is the organizational office?
4. How do I get involved/volunteer?
5. Do all committee volunteers need to be members?
6. What type of sleep societies and associations can join?
7. How does a society or association join?
8. What type of individual members can join?
9. What are the benefits of becoming a member?
1. What is the process for electing governing council members and officers?
Governing Council individual member elections will be held approximately every two years in coordination with the biennial World Sleep Society Congress. The Nominating Committee will determine names and eligibility of individuals placed on the ballot. Individual delegates may vote at the meeting or in advance by ballot. Council members will be elected by plurality of paid-up individual members in good standing.
Governing Council society member elections will be held approximately every two years with results known before the biennial World Sleep Society Congress. The Societies’ Council Delegates will be elected by the representatives of paid-up societies to the Society’s House of Delegates. Each member society will have one (1) delegate and one (1) vote in the Societies House of Delegates. The Societies House of Delegates select and elect (by plurality) the individuals to serve as Societies’ Council Delegates.
The World Sleep Society has nine Standing Committees.
Nominating Committee – Determine names and eligibility of individuals placed on the ballot for election as Officers and Elected Council Members and are responsible for the following:
- Announce upcoming elections no less than four months prior to voting.
- Prepare ballots for elections.
Congress Committee – Responsible for all aspects of organizing and conducting the World Sleep Society Congress.
Public Awareness Committee – Organize, support, and coordinate World Sleep Day activities to inform the general public about the importance of healthy sleep, sleep disorders, and help promote sleep health worldwide.
Education and Examination Committee – Committee members prepare, solicit, and appraise materials submitted as part of the World Sleep Society’s global sleep education initiative. They also oversee the International Sleep Specialist Board Examination content development, preparation, proctoring, results analysis, and question bank maintenance.
- Develop and review sleep health and sleep medicine educational materials for posting on official website.
- Maintain and update the World Sleep Society Sleep Medicine curriculum.
- Develop and post FAQ materials on specific topics addressing issues of public interest related to sleep health and sleep disorders.
Membership Committee – Establish individual membership categories and review all applications for individual memberships.
- Maintain records of individual and society memberships.
- Maintain dues status of individual and society memberships.
- Send renewal notices.
Publications – Provide the World Sleep Society with a liaison to its affiliated journal.
- Develop, review, and update World Sleep Society information booklet and website materials.
Awards Committee – Recommend names of individuals to be nominated to receive official World Sleep Society awards created by the governing council.
Practice Recommendations – This Committee is responsible for identifying topics that need to be communicated to our membership. Types of publications include endorsed guidelines, consensus statements, meta-analyses, and other publications requested by the Governing Council to be published in the journal of the World Sleep Society.
Global Sleep Health – The Committee functions to develop collaborations among health organizations and societies to promote sleep health. The committee helps organize, support, and coordinate activities to inform the health organizations, government, and world health organizations about the importance of healthy sleep and sleep disorders.
3. Where is the organizational office?
World Sleep Society Organizational Office
3270 19th St NW
Suite 109
Rochester, MN 55901 USA
phone: +1-507-316-0084
[email protected]
4. How do I get involved/volunteer?
Fill out the World Sleep society volunteer form.
Your information will be forwarded to the committee co-chairs for consideration.
5. Do all committee volunteers need to be members?
Yes, all committee volunteers need to be members.
6. What type of sleep societies and associations can join?
Clinical and Scientific Societies with relevance to sleep can become members of the World Sleep Society house of society delegates.
7. How does a society or association join?
The president or chairperson of the society must submit a completed societal membership application. Societies must provide contact information, description of organization, logo, society member information and agree to advertise/promote the World Sleep Congress.
8. What type of individual members can join?
World Sleep Society membership is open to scientists, physicians, dentists, psychologists, physiologists, anatomists, pathologists, nurses, physician assistants, technologists, other allied health personnel, and other medical and research personnel interested in sleep.
World Sleep Society also offers Association Society Membership that is open to the public health officials, government representatives, health organization administrators, patient support group members, and the general public as affiliated non-voting members.
Student memberships and special dispensation for individuals from economically underprivileged countries are also available.
9. What are the benefits of becoming a member?
– Access to international standards, best practices and current research in the field of Sleep Medicine
– Access to Sleep Medicine journal (all memberships receive online and app access; full membership also includes printed journal)
– Discount pricing for the World Sleep Congress
– Inclusion in and access to the World Sleep online directory of sleep medicine professionals around the globe
– Eligibility to serve on WSS committees
– Eligibility to participate and vote in WSS general assembly meetings
– Search for job openings or post an open position at your institution.
– Use the “International Sleep Specialist Certification” designee after successfully passing the WSS exam
Benefits of becoming an Affiliate Society Member include the following:
– Membership cost to a society is free!
– Each member society will have one (1) delegate and one (1) vote in the Societies House of Delegates.
– Discount of US$10 for your members to join World Sleep Society. (A code will be given to your members with an invitation to join WSS.)
– Online access to Sleep Medicine. (Separate email instructions will be sent to your members providing an access code.)
– Complimentary meeting space at World Sleep congresses. (Reserving meeting space requires advance request per congress policy and depends on available space.)
– One complimentary WSS regular individual membership for a society representative.
– Use of the World Sleep Society logo for website and print material to publicize your WSS Affiliate Society Membership. (Approval is needed from World Sleep Society prior to logo use.)