Speaking on behalf of the SMT
Only the Executive Director and President are authorized to speak on behalf of the Society. Whenever possible and appropriate, the Executive Director and President will consult with the Executive Board before speaking on behalf of the organization. Any other person asked to speak on behalf of the Society must refer the inquiry to the Executive Director or President.
When making public statements, including social media, all board, staff, committee, and interest group representatives must make clear that they do not speak on behalf of the Society unless they have been authorized to do so by the Executive Board, Executive Director, or President. This applies when the person commenting will be identified by their SMT title, on a SMT social media-related page, and/or when the comment relates, directly or indirectly, to the person's work with or role within the Society.
Confidentiality
When making public comment, members of the board, staff, and committees must first and foremost respect the confidentiality of internal society matters, including deliberations, negotiations, personnel issues, and policy matters. Violations of confidentiality are strictly prohibited.
Impartiality
Members of the Board, staff, committees, and interest groups should be aware that their public statements can affect the work of not only the SMT as a whole but also committees or governance bodies on which they serve. Public statements have the potential to impact one's impartiality in, for example, the review and adjudication of discrimination complaints and professional rights violations as well as deliberations for awards and prizes.
Committees and Interest Groups
SMT committees and interest groups may have separate policies regarding who may speak on behalf of those entities. When doing so, those authorized to speak on behalf of a committee or interest group must make clear that they speak only for those entities and not for the whole of the Society. In addition, to the extent that any statements made may have a bearing on the SMT as a whole, committee and interest group officers are asked to report to the executive director those media appearances and public statements.