< Back

TASSA Peer Review Panel Report is Complete

As reported on our website in October 2009, TASSA Board had appointed a Peer Review Panel (PRP) to conduct the 5-year review of our organization. The purpose of this review process was (1) to review the governance structure, operational efficiency and effectiveness, authority, responsibility, and accountability of various governance bodies of TASSA, (2) to identify the major strengths and weaknesses of TASSA and recommend actions for improving its performance, and (3) to complete the review, and submit its findings and recommendations to the Board by the end of November 2009.

The panel has completed its review and submitted its report to the board. After reviewing and discussing various issues raised in it, the TASSA Board unanimously decided to follow the recommendations outlined in the report, and to share the report in its entirety with its members and other stakeholders. The motion specifically stated:

The Board of Directors:

  1. endorses, in principle, the PRP recommendations stated in the PRP report,
  2. asks the PRP to recruit members for the Transition Team,
  3. asks the PRP to draft the terms of reference of the Transition Team, and
  4. directs the Editorial Board to release the Peer Review Panel report to all TASSA members and stakeholders.

As a careful reading of the report will show, TASSA has made major strides in many ways, and addressing some of the shortcomings will undoubtedly strengthen our organization. In line with the board-endorsed recommendations of the panel, there will be an online general assembly in early 2010 where the implementation of the recommendations will be put to the eligible members' vote. So, stay tuned!

We would like to thank again the Peer Review Panel for their hard work, and express our belief that, thanks to their critical review and strong recommendations, TASSA will emerge better and stronger from its current state as an organization, fit for the 21st century. We are sure that all of you who have supported TASSA since its creation will show the same, if not higher levels of support to make it a stronger organization.

Best wishes to all of us in this new year.