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  The quarterly World Leisure Journal is a fully refereed publication, catering to research and scholarship dealing with with a range of subjects relating to leisure. It is available through institutional subscription and as benefit to individual membership. On-line access is available to members and subscribing institutions.
   
I. What Are They?

Commissions represent a good portion of the Association's on-going programming and as such are expected to make major contributions to its three main objectives: research, information sharing, and advocacy. They provide a context for persons of like interest to act collectively at the world level. As a commission stature rises, it activities become regarded as the international sine qua non of its mandated subject matter. Thus, every effort should be made to attract to membership leading figures not only from leisure domains, but also from professional and academic fields which have major implications for understanding and fostering leisure programs and experiences.

From the World Leisure By-Laws:

Article 4. Commissions
The Board may create commissions, which are bodies intended to focus upon a significant segment of the subject matter of leisure, or to address the international needs of a major leisure constituency.

4.1 General Characteristics Commissions shall share the following Characteristics:

  • Goals consistent with those of the Association
  • Membership comprised of an ongoing critical mass of World Leisure members
  • Function according to clear terms of reference, approved and reviewed periodically by the World Leisure Board
  • Submit to the Board an annual program plan and budget, including the identification and source of necessary resources

4.2 Criteria for Establishing New Commissions: The World Leisure Board will assess proposals for new commissions based upon a careful consideration of the following:

  • Concept and Rationale
  • Social and cultural context
  • Scope
  • Subject matter
  • Uniqueness
    - within World Leisure
    - beyond World Leisure
  • Program: The commission's major activities
  • Structure
  • Membership
  • Funding
II. Creating a Commission

Upon the appearance of a collective interest in a particular and substantial leisure related subject, interested persons shall submit a proposal to the Board addressing the criteria for establishing new commissions as stated in the By-Laws. If the Board is persuaded that the proposal has reasonable promise, it formally designates those interested as a Working Group. Working Groups become commissions by Board action after the following conditions have been met:
  1. A critical mass of members
  2. Significant program achievements
  3. A plan for future activity with reasonable prospects for its sustainment
  4. Realistic sources of income

When deemed ready, the Chair of the Working Group shall make application to the Executive Committee for full Commission status.
III. Membership

Commission or Working Group membership is open to any World Leisure member in good standing (annual membership fees paid) prepared to be active in commission affairs. Membership shall be formalized as follows:
  1. Persons may become members of a commission either by indicating their interest on the World Leisure Membership Application/Renewal Form, OR by completing the Commission Membership Application Form.
  2. Commission membership will be confirmed by the apprpriate commission chair via e-mail.
  3. The World Leisure Secretariat shall maintain membership data bases for the commissions, including World Leisure membership status.
  4. As part of the annual World Leisure membership renewal process, commission members will be asked to confirm their wish to continue membership in the commission(s) in which they were members during the previous year.
IV. Governance

Each Commission shall have its own Terms of Reference and By-Laws in which the following subjects are addressed:
  1. Name
  2. Purpose
  3. Specific Goals
  4. Membership
  5. List of officers
  6. Standing Committees, if any
  7. Meetings
V. Management

The primary responsibility for managing the affairs of the commission falls to the Commission Chair and an executive committee, and where appropriate, the commission membership. Within available resources, the World Leisure Secretariat will provide support services.
VI. Elections

The Chair and Executive Committee of each commission shall be elected for a term of three years by the commission members. The Chair and members of the Executive Committee are eligible for re-election at the end of their term. Commissions may include in their terms of reference a limitation on the number of consecutive terms. All candidates must be World Leisure members in good standing. The World Leisure Secretariat will conduct the elections, including the call for nominations, balloting and voting on behalf of each commission.
VII. Programming

Each commission shall develop short and long term program plans and objectives, subject to annual review by the World Leisure Board. Every effort shall be made to consult with and involve the membership in developing and implementing programs.
VIII. Funding

Commissions shall be financially self-sufficient. They may apply for funds from bone fide sources, including World Leisure, provided efforts are in accordance with Association policies on development and fund raising. All commission projects funded from sources outside of World Leisure shall include an overhead to World Leisure. The amount shall be determined in consultation with the Secretary General and conform to Association policies.
IX. Public Face

From time to time commissions may prepare information materials, public statements and seek support from outside the Association. All efforts in this regard shall conform to standards and requirements of World Leisure policies and procedures, including, but not limited to the Association's Policy on Public Statements, web page protocols, fund raising and financial management policies.
X. Annual Report to the World Leisure Board

Each Commission shall submit an annual report to the World Leisure Board addressing but nor limited to the following:
  1. The Commission's activities and achievements of the previous year and their relationship to short and long term goals.
  2. A financial statement ($US) covering the previous year, including revenue and expenditure, expressed in both actual funds received and expended; and support "in kind" where the dollar value of support services provided by other sources is provided, together with the total number of hours of professional service.
  3. A proposed program for the forthcoming year, with elements related to the commission's short and long term goals.
  4. A proposed budget including expected revenues and expenditures for the forthcoming year, including request for WLRA funds, if any.
XI. Review

At three-year intervals, each commission shall be reviewed. The steps are as follows:
  1. During the third year of the Commission's mandate, the Chair shall be invited to submit to the Executive Committee of the Board information justifying a renewed mandate. The document must be in the hands of the Secretariat 30 days prior to the Executive Committee meeting in the given year.
  2. The Executive Committee shall review the statement of the Chair, together with previous annual reports, and may seek outside advice before making one of the following recommendations to the Board:

    2.1 Renew Mandate
    2.2 Delay Renewal, pending the meeting of specified conditions.
    2.3 Terminate Mandate