How do I…?

From Observer to Member

An Observer can watch a Technical Committee (TC); a Member can take part. This is how you make the change, and what happens to your voting rights afterward.

Policy requirement

An Eligible Person may become an Observer by registering as an Observer using the electronic collaboration tools provided by OASIS; an Observer is not a TC Member and has no participation requirements other than to remain an Eligible Person. Any time after the first meeting, an Eligible Person shall become a TC Member by registering as a Member using those same tools. TC Process §1.4.1–1.4.2

Policy requirement

If the Eligible Person is an employee or designee of an OASIS Organizational Member, the Primary Representative of that organization must confirm to the Chair and to the TC Administrator that the person may become a Member of the TC. Upon receipt by the Chair of that confirmation, the Member may begin participating, but shall not have voting rights. TC Process §1.4.1–1.4.2

What changes when you become a Member

An Observer cannot contribute documents, use committee collaboration tools, or send email to the TC list; a Member and above can. OASIS Committee Operations Process §1.3.1 Becoming a Member lets you post to the general list, make Contributions, and make or second motions. It does not give you a vote yet, that follows the attendance rules below.

Step by step

Confirm you are an Eligible Person. You must hold OASIS membership (individual, or be an employee/designee of an Organizational Member) to join a TC.

Register on the TC. Use the OASIS electronic collaboration tools to register, as an Observer at any time, or as a Member any time after the committee's first meeting. The starting point is the Join a TC page.

If you work for an Organizational Member, get your Primary Representative's confirmation. Ask your organization's Primary Representative to confirm to the Chair and the TC Administrator that you may become a Member. A short email such as "I confirm that [name] may become a Member of [TC name] on behalf of [organization]" sent to the Chair and TC Administrator satisfies this. You begin participating once the Chair receives it.

Start participating, without a vote. As a new Member you may post to the list and contribute, but you do not yet have voting rights.

Earn voting rights by attending. You gain voting rights at the close of the second consecutive Meeting of the TC that you attend (or, if fewer than two Meetings are called within 60 days of becoming a Member, at the close of the 60th day, provided you attended any meeting in that window). TC Process §1.4.4 See Gain voting rights.

Tooling may change

Registration runs through the OASIS member platform (Higher Logic since 2024), and its screens evolve. Rather than a deep link into the platform, start from the stable Join a TC landing page; for platform help see OASIS Member Resources.