The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ board of governors, the group that approves all nominations for membership, has voted to radically change the way through which governors are elected.
In a vote on Tuesday night, the governors elected to replace a procedure that Academy CEO Dawn Hudson called “confusing and cumbersome”, in a letter to Academy members. The new process, according to Hudson, is “more democratic, more transparent” and will “significantly expand the pool of possible candidates”. Its aim, said Hudson, is to produce a board that is “representative of our entire membership”.
While the word “diversity” is not mentioned in her letter, the board’s decision was no doubt spurred by the Academy’s recent efforts to address the lack of diversity among its members, following this year’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy.
Following the Academy’s promise to carry out a “sweeping series of substantive changes” fix the problem in January, the Academy furthered its efforts in March by adding three non-white members to the board of governors, the group that wields the most power in the organization. Reginald Hudlin was added to the directors branch, Gregory Nava to the writers branch, and Jennifer Yuh Nelson to the short films and feature animation branches.
The board consists of three members from each of the Academy’s 17 branches. Before the announcement in March, the lack of diversity among the board was glaring: all but two of the 51 members were white.
Beginning immediately, every voting member of the 6,200-plus organization can now run for governor directly. The previous rules meant that each branch’s members elected only one-half of a nominating committee which, in turn, prepared a slate of candidates for the board. Often the same names would be in the running year after year.
Hudson encouraged members to run in the upcoming election season, stressing “how critical it is that as many members as possible volunteer their time and talents both for our Academy and for the entire motion picture community”.
According to Hudson, “there are no prerequisites” to becoming a board member, and Academy members “don’t have to be nominated to run”.
In her words, the board is “an active, hands-on committee that sets the Academy’s long-term goals and policies, and ensures our financial stability. It also oversees the progress on our many projects including our Academy Museum, awards and events, and our film preservation efforts.”
The election will consist of each of the organization’s 17 branches voting to determine the occupant of one of its three seats on the board. Final elections begin in June, with results announced in late July.
