Appointed Members

Call for Appointed (Non-Board) Optician Members

Serving as an appointed member is a personally and professionally rewarding way of ensuring safe and high-quality vision care for Ontario patients.  If you are a Registered Optician interested in using your knowledge and skill in the interest of public protection, considered getting involved in the COO as a: 

•    Appointed (non-Board) Member, or 
•    Appointed (non-Board) Discipline Committee Panel Member

Appointments are for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2021, ending December 31, 2023. Compensation, including reasonable expenses, is provided. 

Appointed Members Serve on College Committees 

Appointed members participate in decision-making in the public interest and implement and support committee and board decisions. Appointed members commit to attending meetings, maintaining confidentiality, preparing for meetings by reviewing materials and undergoing training. Appointed members can expect to attend 4 in-person Board meetings and approximately 3-8 in-person and or teleconference meetings per year, which often means arranging personal or work schedules to meet the time commitments involved. 

Appointed Discipline Committee Members Serve on Professional Misconduct Hearing Panels 

Appointed Discipline Committee Members participate in decision-making in the public interest on panels for hearings into allegations of professional misconduct, they deliver disciplinary order reprimands and write discipline decisions. Appointed members commit to maintaining confidentiality and undergoing training. Discipline Committee Members can expect to attend approximately 1 - 4 hearings per year, which may mean arranging personal or work schedules to meet the time commitments involved.  Attendance at other board, Committee or strategic planning meetings is not included in the role.  

Eligibility Requirements and Values and Attributes of Appointed Members 

To be eligible, you must be registered and in good standing with the College and meet the eligibility requirements for Appointed Members as set out in Article 12.2 of the College's By-laws and the Appointed Committee Member Policy.

In addition to the eligibility requirements, appointed members must possess the following values and attributes: 

•    Accountable and Honest: Acts with integrity and speaks the truth, is willing to take responsibility for decisions, and follow through on commitments. 
•    Collaborative: Encourages divergent thinking and builds consensus; stands behind collective decisions. 
•    Adaptable:  Adjusts easily and quickly to changing evidence and environments.
•    Public Service oriented: Prioritizes public interest over personal or professional interests.
•    Respectful: Works effectively with others, appreciates different perspectives, fosters robust dialogue.
•    Inclusive: Creates a culture that welcomes diverse perspectives, people and ideas.
•    Self-Aware: Understanding of personal strengths, areas of development and potential biases. Open to reflection, feedback, continuous growth and improvement
•    Professional: Demonstrates the skills and attributes expected of committee members acting in the public interest. 

Applicants may have the following experience, skills and knowledge, or be willing to learn them during the appointment: 

•    Cultural Safety and Humility: Appreciation and respect for unique perspectives, cultural contexts, power imbalances, and biases in deliberation and decision-making.
•    Diplomacy: Clearly articulate a perspective, engage in respectful, and sometimes difficult discussions with the committee, while consistently reinforcing a culture of trust.
•    Health Professions Regulation: Understand the role of health profession regulators, the mandate to protect the public, applicable legislation, and the core work of the College.
•    System Thinking: Knowledge of the complex system in which the College works, the stakeholders within that system, and the potential impacts of College decisions. 
•    Technological Competence: Use technology to work effectively and uphold security and privacy.
•    Governance: Understand the role of appointed members and good governance principles. 
•    Organizational Decision Making: Understand the policy development and decision-making process. Base decisions on objective principles informed by evidence and best practices.
•    Risk management/oversight: Identify, communicate and mitigate safety, operational, financial and strategic risks potentially arising from committee decision making.