In 2021, a task force was created to evaluate diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU). The task force, chaired by Drs Larissa Rodriguez and Tracey Wilson, surveyed our membership, held multiple meetings, and brought forth a list of recommendations to the Executive Committee (EC) to improve transparency and inclusion within our society. In response to survey results, the majority of these recommendations were centered around changes of the SUFU bylaws and suggestions regarding our Annual Winter Meeting.

The task force presented these recommendations to the SUFU EC. Based on subsequent discussions, a variety of bylaw changes were proposed to the membership and recently approved. In addition, we have also changed some of our policies and procedures based on the task force recommendations. These changes are summarized below.

Term Limits. Previously, members at large (MALs) of the EC were elected to 2-year terms that could be renewed twice. In addition, an MAL could also transition to becoming a committee chair, thus, further lengthening their total term on the EC to 6 to 10 years. Now, every MAL will be assigned a committee to chair and each term is renewable only once, resulting in a maximum term limit of 4 years.

Selection Processes. All committee openings will be advertised to all SUFU members via email and social media. While this has been done for several years, we have also done our best to make sure those members who had unknowingly opted out of email announcements are made aware so they can opt back in as desired, with the hope that anyone who wants to participate is aware of all possible available options. In addition, the Nomination Committee would include a member of the Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Amplification (IDEA) Committee.

IDEA Committee. The task force recommended that this become a standing committee, which was unanimously accepted by the EC and voted in by the membership. This committee will focus on IDEA of diverse voices. The IDEA Committee will participate in the planning of the annual meeting, review activities of other SUFU committees through an IDEA lens, participate in the activities of the Nominating Committee, and identify recipients of SUFU’s annual IDEA Award. The IDEA Committee will also review and/or develop statements released by SUFU, when needed, in response to social injustice and/or political decisions.

Database. SUFU will develop a database of members who want to be involved (meeting speakers, meeting moderators, abstract reviewers, etc) to try and optimize organizational involvement by all members who have interest. Focus will be not only on gender, ethnicity, and diversity of training, but on practice setting (academic vs private) as well.

Annual Meeting. In addition to having an IDEA member on the SUFU Annual Winter Meeting Planning Committee, there will be a continued commitment to including IDEA-related programming at each annual meeting. Subjects covered in prior years include:

• 2021: Drs Tracey Wilson, Larissa Rodriguez, and Yahir Santiago-Lastra participated in a panel on “Bias and Underrepresented Minorities in [Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery] and Academic Medicine.”
• 2022: Drs Tracey Wilson, Ekene Enemchukwu, Suzette Sutherland, and Toby Chai had a breakout session on “Diversity on the Job: Overcoming Challenges and the Importance of Allyship.”
• 2023: Drs Larissa Rodriguez, Kelvin Moses, Seth Cohen, and Gjanje Smith-Mathus had a breakout session titled “Health Disparities in America—Why Are We Still Talking About This?!”
• 2023: Drs Tracey Wilson, Sara Lenherr, Yahir Santiago-Lastra, Jennifer Anger, and Nitya Abraham participated in a panel titled “How to Create Inclusive Environments for Our Patients.”
• 2024: Drs Jennifer Anger, Doreen Chung, Stu Reynolds, and Yahir Santiago-Lastra participated in a panel titled “Health Disparities—How to Make Your Practice Language and Literacy Proof.”

The SUFU community is thankful for all of the work that the task force accomplished. With the recent passing of our new bylaws and election of new MALs, our next step is to identify the MAL to chair the IDEA Committee, notify members of openings on this committee, accept applications, and then select committee members for our inaugural SUFU IDEA Committee.