1. To organize the program of the annual convention.
2. To select speakers for convention sessions.
3. To arrange for the compilation of abstracts for publication in the Proceedings.

1. The President-Elect shall chair the Program Committee.
2. Two additional members shall be appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the President-Elect.

1. Develop the annual convention program format.
2. Select session moderators, reviewers for special thematic sessions, speakers, and reactors for all sessions of the convention except the Distinguished Lectures and the Student Essay Award winner.
3. Inform the above moderators, reviewers, speakers, and reactors of their expected duties and functions.
4. Arrange for the distribution of the convention announcement and a Call for Papers to be published in the NASSH convention information flyer each Autumn, and all appropriate journals.
5. Determine how speakers shall be selected.
6. Identify session reviewers based on their expertise for specific program sessions.
7. Review all abstracts that do not qualify for one of the pre-selected session themes, as well as those abstracts rejected by session reviewers.
8. Secure abstracts of all presentations for submission to the Editor of the Proceedings.

1. To establish a tentative format for the program, following consultation with other Committee members.
2. To conduct all correspondence, including inquiries about the convention and acknowledgment of all abstracts received.
3. To break any ties when Committee members are not in agreement about the disposition of those abstracts submitted to the committee for review.
4. To inform those whose abstracts were reviewed by the Committee of the disposition of their proposed papers.

1. To select speakers on the basis of submitted abstracts.
2. To moderate, or obtain a moderator for, the session.
3. To notify all who submitted an abstract of the disposition of their papers.
4. To inform the submitter of a rejected abstract the reason for rejection.
5. To select, as a commentator/reactor, a known scholar in the subject area of the presentation.
6. To notify presenters to whom their complete papers should be sent and when it should be received by the reactor.
7. To send the Program Chairperson a copy of all abstracts received, and the disposition of each abstract.
8. To submit to the Program Chairperson all rejected abstracts

The program chair will present an annual report at both the NASSH Council meeting and at the NASSH Business Meeting.

1. Program construction should consider the following:
   1. All a minimum of five minutes between sessions.
   2. Concurrent sessions should contain the same number of speakers and the same allotted time for each address; this permits members to move between session rooms during a single session time period.
   3. There should be a commentator/reactor for each session where feasible.
   4. Time should be left at the end of each session for general discussion where feasible.
2. Papers rejected by session reviewers should be reviewed a second time by the Program Committee, for consideration for any other place in the convention program.
3. Any member of NASSH may request a special thematic session, for which that member will assume full organizational responsibility, including the selection of speakers, moderator, and reactor. The special session play will be sent to the Program Chair for final review and acceptance, by the deadline set for receiving all other abstracts.
4. A uniform ratings sheet, prepared and supplied by the Committee, should be used by all reviewers, the Program Committee, and those requesting special sessions.