The Role and Responsibilities of UCNS Sponsoring Organizations

The subspecialty sponsoring organization(s), society, or independent boards of UCNS-recognized subspecialties have an ongoing active role in developing and maintaining the standards for their respective subspecialty and having a voice in the governance of the UCNS through representation on the UCNS Board of Directors. Subspecialties with more than one sponsoring organization work together for united representation on behalf of the subspecialty. 

Sponsoring organizations begin the subspecialty recognition process:

• Coordinate and submit the subspecialty recognition application to the UCNS
• Develop and propose the subspecialty core curriculum for training programs
• Develop and propose the subspecialty training program requirements
• Develop and propose the subspecialty content outline for certification examinations

Sponsoring organizations are the source of nominations for:

• One seat on the UCNS Board of Directors rotating on a voting and non-voting basis
• Voting terms are two years in duration
• Non-voting terms are two, three, or four years in duration, depending where the subspecialty falls in the rotation
• Members can serve one term as a voting subspecialty member and one term as a non-voting subspecialty member
• Three experts who serve on the Training Program Review Task Force that review and update training curriculum a minimum of once every five years
• Three experts who make up the Milestones Development Task Force that develops the subspecialty’s training program milestones
• Subject matter experts for their subspecialty's Certification Examination Committee

When making nominations to fill volunteer seats, it is important that sponsoring organizations nominate volunteers who have the expertise needed to fill the volunteer role and also have the ability to commit to the time needed to participate and complete volunteer assignments as applicable.  All UCNS volunteers must also complete and submit a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement. UCNS will reach out annually to all UCNS-recognized subspecialties with a call for volunteers.

Sponsoring organizations are the source of change:

• Propose subspecialty training requirements changes as needed
• Propose certification eligibility requirement changes as needed

Sponsoring organizations participate in the promotion of subspecialty certification and accreditation activities. Fostering the growth of emerging subspecialties requires a partnership with the sponsoring organization to communicate and support the certification and accreditation programs that are administered on behalf of the subspecialty by the UCNS. The UCNS provides sponsoring organizations with information that can be distributed through the sponsoring organizations’ communication channels:

• Include UCNS information on sponsoring organization website
• Distribute UCNS messaging through sponsoring organization communication channels
• Distribute UCNS certification/accreditation information at subspecialty society meetings
• Request UCNS articles relating to certification/accreditation for inclusion in society newsletter(s)
• Provide complimentary advertising space for UCNS to promote certification/accreditation opportunities (i.e., society journal, newsletter, enewsletter, website, annual meeting program book, etc.)