Applying to Become an Appointed Committee Member
(non-optician)
Get Involved as an Appointed Member on COO Committees
The COO is seeking non-opticians to serve on its committees as Appointed Members. Committees make decisions in areas such as registration, quality assurance, investigations and discipline, and make recommendations to the COO’s Board of Directors on policy related matters.
Serving as an Appointed Member is a personally and professionally rewarding way of ensuring safe, high-quality vision care for Ontario patients. If you are interested in using your knowledge and skill in the interest of public protection, consider getting involved in the COO as an Appointed Member. Appointments are for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2025, ending December 31, 2026. Compensation, including reimbursement for reasonable expenses is included.
The Role of the College of Opticians of Ontario
The College of Opticians of Ontario (COO) is the regulatory body for opticians in Ontario. Opticianry is one of 26 health professions that has been granted the authority by the Ontario Government to self-regulate, which means that both opticians and non-opticians participate in setting the rules that govern the profession. The COO’s mandate is to protect and serve the public interest by ensuring that opticians deliver safe, ethical care to Ontario patients. We do this by establishing and implementing rules, standards and guidelines around registration requirements, practice standards, continuing education and professional responsibilities.
Time Commitment
Appointed Members commit to attending meetings (including committee and board meetings, as well as strategic planning sessions), maintaining confidentiality, preparing for meetings by reviewing materials and undergoing training. As an Appointed Member, you can expect to attend 4 in-person board meetings and approximately 12-16 Committee meetings per year, which often means arranging personal or work schedules to meet the time commitments involved.
Appointed Members are not board members and do not vote on board matters. Instead, they play a vital role on committees by making decisions on cases (e.g. disciplinary matters) and making policy recommendations to the board. As an Appointed Member, and a non-optician, you will bring a unique perspective to committee work that will balance the perspectives of board and committee members who are registered opticians.
Eligibility Requirements, Values and Attributes of Appointed Members
To be eligible for appointment, you must meet the eligibility requirements for Appointed Members as set out in Article 12.2(b) of the College's By-laws and the
Appointed Committee Member Policy.
- Passion – Public Service Oriented: Demonstrates outstanding initiative and commitment towards the practice of opticianry. Committed to service the College’s mandate to regulate the profession of opticianry in the public interest.
- Exemplified Integrity: Demonstrates a conviction to do what’s right and to reject what’s wrong, regardless of the consequences.
- Unbiased and Open Minded: Demonstrates the ability to self-identify and set aside conscious biases. Proactively reflects on the impact of unconscious biases in all situations. Actively listens and absorbs all information to make an informed and open-minded decision.
- Critical Judgment and Decision Making: Makes good decisions based upon a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience and sound judgment. Comfortably deals with concepts and complexity and looks beyond the obvious to avoid ‘group think’ and/or the status quo.
- Collaboration and Inclusion: Demonstrates an open mindset, listens without judgment, and embraces diversity of others and of thought. Seeks to understand and build on the strengths of others.
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: 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.
As an Appointed Member, you will participate in Board training. The type of training commonly offered includes:
- Introduction to the College
- Communications Training
- Facilitation Training
- Sexual Abuse Prevention
- Governance Training
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Technical Training on Zoom and other College online platforms
- Jurisprudence
- Legislation, fiduciary duties, and code of conduct
The deadline to apply is November 8, 2024. To apply, please email your submission to crobertson@collegeofopticians.ca. To watch a video of the information session, click on the
link. Interviews will be held in November.
Please submit:
• A completed Eligibility Checklist,
• A resume, and
• A letter of interest. Please indicate if you prefer either role in you letter of interest.
• Three references
