6 ms·

ACM is Searching for a CEO

47 points by levlaz 9y ago

holidaygoose 9y ago
Any idea why? The previous CEO apparently started only about 2 years ago https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B._Schnabel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B._Schnabel And what does the ACM do that's different from the ACM President's role?
- levlaz 9y ago
  Not sure, but looks like he took a new role at UC Boulder in November. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-schnabel-860b61b/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-schnabel-860b61b/
everdev 9y ago
I can't recall seeing CEO rolls advertised publicly before. Wouldn't this be frustrating for their top executives who see themselves as ideal an candidate?
- levlaz 9y ago
  I was thinking the same thing. I've never seen a job posting for a CEO role. Especially from such a prominent organization. Something must be up.
  - 1123581321 9y ago
    I've seen a lot of CEO and ED positions advertised in magazines over the years. Usually they are in an upscale classified ads section near the back. I can't speak to why an organization would or wouldn't do that as opposed to a discreet approach, but internal candidates would know either way.
  - scoggs 9y ago
    Maybe it's something similar to what they do in the ivory tower where they have to show they are looking for candidates in all sorts of different places beside internally to combat cries of nepotism and favoritism? Maybe that's overthinking things?
- make3 9y ago
  maybe it's a negotiation tactic/they want arguments to be able to offer less
  - everdev 9y ago
    That's like your partner setting up a Tinder profile to solicit a marriage proposal. Pretty harsh tactic.
    - make3 9y ago
      I'm sure some people actually do threaten to leave unless there is a marriage proposal. people with clear life goals (that I don't share)
    - make3 9y ago
      also, do you not ever tell a potential employer you have an offer from elsewhere, and to either offer more or you won't be in a position to accept their offer? if you don't, you should, it works.
- mathattack 9y ago
  It can be different for non-profits. I've seen several heads of those types of orgs posted publicly.
- yuhong 9y ago
  I am thinking seriously of Yishan-style CEOs, and the board and other executives etc ideally should be held to the same standard too.
- the-dude 9y ago
  In the paper edition of The Economist they do occur.
  - kgwgk 9y ago
    I remember seeing the advert when the Bank of England was looking for a new governor: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/sep/11/bank-england-advertise-king-governor https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/sep/11/bank-englan...
muckraker098 9y ago
It sounds crazy and unhinged, but it's because he's not a woman. Take a look for yourself: https://www.acm.org/about-acm/officer-bios https://www.acm.org/about-acm/officer-bios There's not a computer science degree among them. What they have in common is that they're all women and their main profession is being diversity advocates. Openness to diversity is very important, but it shouldn't be the sole focus of our professional organization. This shit wouldn't stand in the American Medical Association... https://www.ama-assn.org/about/board-trustees-members https://www.ama-assn.org/about/board-trustees-members 17/19 have an MD. Even Robert is known for being a diversity advocate, but that is not enough. The next CEO of ACM must also be a woman, just like all of the other officers.
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  Holy imposter syndrome, Batman! Anyways, I think he is leaving, not the other way around. ACM CEO seems like a thankless admin job without much prestige, which you can probably get more of in a nice CS department administrative position. All of those positions are elected, there isn’t any affirmative action involved. It is up to the ACM membership to decide who to elect, though often only a few candidates volunteer to run.
  - muckraker098 9y ago
    Indeed, there is an ACM election coming up. ACM is an academic Computer Science association. On the slate for President: Jack Davidson, CS Professor at the University of Virginia with a PhD in Computer Science. From his website: "Professor Davidson’s research interests include compilers, computer security, programming languages, computer architecture, and embedded systems." Up against Prof. Davidson is Cherri Pancake, Professor at Oregon State. Prof. Pancake has degrees in Environmental Design and Computer Engineering. From Wikipedia: "After working for the Peace Corps in Peru, she spent ten years in Guatemala studying the Maya peoples; for over six of these years she was curator of the Ixchel Museum of Indigenous Textiles and Clothing. However, the political unrest in Guatemala in the early 1980s caused her to return to the US, where she became a graduate student in engineering at Auburn University, the first woman in the program." For Vice President: Moshe Y. Vardi, PhD in Computer Science. Editor of CACM for 10 years. "His interests focus on applications of logic to computer science, including database theory, finite-model theory, knowledge in multi-agent systems, computer-aided verification and reasoning, and teaching logic across the curriculum. He is an expert in model checking, constraint satisfaction and database theory, common knowledge (logic), and theoretical computer science." Against Prof. Vardi is Elizabeth Churchill. Dr. Churchill has degrees in Experimental Psychology and Knowledge Based Systems. According to Wikipedia, she is known for "Feminism and HCI, Public and Situated Displays, Embodied Conversational Agents." If you're an ACM member, don't forget to vote!
ShabbosGoy 9y ago
I wonder why the ACM hasn’t chosen an alternative governance model, like a DAO.

47 points by levlaz 9y ago

Any idea why? The previous CEO apparently started only about 2 years ago https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B._Schnabel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B._Schnabel And what does the ACM do that's different from the ACM President's role?

levlaz 9y ago
Not sure, but looks like he took a new role at UC Boulder in November. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-schnabel-860b61b/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-schnabel-860b61b/

everdev 9y ago

I can't recall seeing CEO rolls advertised publicly before. Wouldn't this be frustrating for their top executives who see themselves as ideal an candidate?

levlaz 9y ago
I was thinking the same thing. I've never seen a job posting for a CEO role. Especially from such a prominent organization. Something must be up.
- 1123581321 9y ago
  I've seen a lot of CEO and ED positions advertised in magazines over the years. Usually they are in an upscale classified ads section near the back. I can't speak to why an organization would or wouldn't do that as opposed to a discreet approach, but internal candidates would know either way.
- scoggs 9y ago
  Maybe it's something similar to what they do in the ivory tower where they have to show they are looking for candidates in all sorts of different places beside internally to combat cries of nepotism and favoritism? Maybe that's overthinking things?
make3 9y ago
maybe it's a negotiation tactic/they want arguments to be able to offer less
- everdev 9y ago
  That's like your partner setting up a Tinder profile to solicit a marriage proposal. Pretty harsh tactic.
  - make3 9y ago
    I'm sure some people actually do threaten to leave unless there is a marriage proposal. people with clear life goals (that I don't share)
  - make3 9y ago
    also, do you not ever tell a potential employer you have an offer from elsewhere, and to either offer more or you won't be in a position to accept their offer? if you don't, you should, it works.
mathattack 9y ago
It can be different for non-profits. I've seen several heads of those types of orgs posted publicly.
yuhong 9y ago
I am thinking seriously of Yishan-style CEOs, and the board and other executives etc ideally should be held to the same standard too.
the-dude 9y ago
In the paper edition of The Economist they do occur.
- kgwgk 9y ago
  I remember seeing the advert when the Bank of England was looking for a new governor: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/sep/11/bank-england-advertise-king-governor https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/sep/11/bank-englan...

muckraker098 9y ago

It sounds crazy and unhinged, but it's because he's not a woman. Take a look for yourself: https://www.acm.org/about-acm/officer-bios https://www.acm.org/about-acm/officer-bios There's not a computer science degree among them. What they have in common is that they're all women and their main profession is being diversity advocates. Openness to diversity is very important, but it shouldn't be the sole focus of our professional organization. This shit wouldn't stand in the American Medical Association... https://www.ama-assn.org/about/board-trustees-members https://www.ama-assn.org/about/board-trustees-members 17/19 have an MD. Even Robert is known for being a diversity advocate, but that is not enough. The next CEO of ACM must also be a woman, just like all of the other officers.

seanmcdirmid 9y ago
Holy imposter syndrome, Batman! Anyways, I think he is leaving, not the other way around. ACM CEO seems like a thankless admin job without much prestige, which you can probably get more of in a nice CS department administrative position. All of those positions are elected, there isn’t any affirmative action involved. It is up to the ACM membership to decide who to elect, though often only a few candidates volunteer to run.
- muckraker098 9y ago
  Indeed, there is an ACM election coming up. ACM is an academic Computer Science association. On the slate for President: Jack Davidson, CS Professor at the University of Virginia with a PhD in Computer Science. From his website: "Professor Davidson’s research interests include compilers, computer security, programming languages, computer architecture, and embedded systems." Up against Prof. Davidson is Cherri Pancake, Professor at Oregon State. Prof. Pancake has degrees in Environmental Design and Computer Engineering. From Wikipedia: "After working for the Peace Corps in Peru, she spent ten years in Guatemala studying the Maya peoples; for over six of these years she was curator of the Ixchel Museum of Indigenous Textiles and Clothing. However, the political unrest in Guatemala in the early 1980s caused her to return to the US, where she became a graduate student in engineering at Auburn University, the first woman in the program." For Vice President: Moshe Y. Vardi, PhD in Computer Science. Editor of CACM for 10 years. "His interests focus on applications of logic to computer science, including database theory, finite-model theory, knowledge in multi-agent systems, computer-aided verification and reasoning, and teaching logic across the curriculum. He is an expert in model checking, constraint satisfaction and database theory, common knowledge (logic), and theoretical computer science." Against Prof. Vardi is Elizabeth Churchill. Dr. Churchill has degrees in Experimental Psychology and Knowledge Based Systems. According to Wikipedia, she is known for "Feminism and HCI, Public and Situated Displays, Embodied Conversational Agents." If you're an ACM member, don't forget to vote!

ShabbosGoy 9y ago

I wonder why the ACM hasn’t chosen an alternative governance model, like a DAO.