Strategic Plan

(Future Directions: A strategic plan for the American Ornithologists' Union, as adopted by Council, 2 April 2005)

The mission of the American Ornithologists' Union is to advance the scientific understanding of birds, to enrich ornithology as a profession, and to promote a rigorous scientific basis for the conservation of birds.

The vision of the American Ornithologists' Union is for ornithology to lead the growth of organismal biology as a dynamic, integrative, and publicly responsible discipline.

The AOU will accomplish its mission through producing scientific publications of the highest quality, holding intellectually engaging and professionally useful meetings, providing valuable services to its members, encouraging a scientific basis for bird conservation, pursuing a global perspective, and engaging in public policy on issues important to ornithology. Maintaining a strong membership and assuring that the affairs of the Union are administered effectively and economically will be critical to the accomplishment of this mission.

The American Ornithologists' Union will focus over the next five years on the following goals:

1. Improve scientific publications
2. Improve annual meetings
3. Strengthen basic and applied ornithological science
4. Increase outreach
5. Maintain a strong and active membership
6. Improve business management and governance

To address the six goals, the American Ornithologists' Union will pursue the following objectives:

• Goal 1. Improve scientific publications
  1.1 Increase effectiveness of editorial management
  1.2 Develop full range of electronic opportunities
  1.3 Assess the impact of our publications
  1.4 Increase quality, quantity, breadth, and dissemination
  
• Goal 2. Improve annual meetings
  2.1 Increase the effectiveness of dissemination of scientific information
  2.2 Increase opportunities for peer interactions and professional development
  2.3 Increase efficiency of meeting management
  2.4 Increase accessibility of meetings
  
• Goal 3. Strengthen basic and applied ornithological science
  3.1 Enhance resources for ornithological research
  3.2 Increase interaction between ornithology and other scientific disciplines
  3.3 Improve opportunities for training
  3.4 Promote a rigorous scientific basis for bird conservation
  3.5 Improve and expand international scientific partnerships
  
• Goal 4. Increase outreach
  4.1 Increase public awareness of ornithology
  4.2 Facilitate engagement in ornithological education
  4.3 Increase influence on public policy issues affecting ornithology
  
• Goal 5. Maintain a strong and active membership
  5.1 Expand and diversify the membership
  5.2 Evaluate membership categories
  5.3 Improve membership-list management
  5.4 Provide specific benefits to targeted membership groups
  5.5 Improve communication with members
  5.6 Increase opportunities for member participation in affairs of the society
  
• Goal 6. Improve business management and governance
  6.1 Increase effectiveness of the executive and business functions
  6.2 Improve marketing and business management of publications
  6.3 Review and refine existing partnerships to meet strategic goals
  6.4 Achieve priority-based budgeting and improve fiscal management and oversight
  6.5 Increase revenue including annual and planned giving
  6.6 Review and improve the governance system