Volunteer and Participant Code of Conduct Policy
2024-10-01 08:00 - 2034-10-01 17:00 (America/Chicago)
******Important Update for ACS Volunteers****

Please share this information with members of your Local Section for their awareness.

In December 2023, the ACS Board of Directors approved the Volunteer and Participant Code of Conduct Policy, effective May 1, 2024. In the policy, item 10 states that a background check may be required for some events.

Starting on September 1, 2024, the Youth Protection Policy will take effect, and it details the expectations for volunteers at ACS Youth Events. ACS has partnered with Sterling Volunteers to conduct all background checks. This policy applies to all adults volunteering at ACS Youth Events in the U.S.

With National Chemistry Week approaching, please share the ACS Background Check link with your volunteers as soon as possible. Events scheduled before the end of September have a grace period and are exempt from the new policy. However, it is imperative for volunteers to familiarize themselves with the process and request a background check soon. All volunteers for ACS Youth Events after October 1 must comply with the Youth Protection Policy—no exceptions.

For more information:

Please visit the Youth Protection Policy webpage for the tutorial video, procedural details, and FAQs.
For questions about the background check process, contact Sterling Volunteers at info@sterlingvolunteers.com.
For policy-related inquiries, email VolunteerPolicy@acs.org.

Sincerely,

Mark O’Brien
Senior Portfolio Manager, Component Services
American Chemical Society

Call for Volunteers for SWRM 2026
2025-10-24 08:00 - 2026-11-30 17:00
Volunteers – a lot of them – are needed for the ACS DFW Local Section-hosted Southwest Regional Meeting 2026 from now until November 2026. The Planning Committee for this major event is composed of volunteers from our local section. Please contact dfwchemists@gmail.com to offer your service.

SWRM 2026 info is available in this month’s issue of the Southwest Retort, newsletter of the ACSDFW local section.
Fortunately for all ACSDFW members, the SW Retort is available on issuu.com. So dive into the October issue on issuu, and get the heads up on SWRM 2026, in addition to lots of interesting info. Here’s how to get there from here:
“The latest issue of the Southwest Retort is now available:
https://issuu.com/dfwacs/docs/october_2025_southwest_retort_fa9d7c4c34d17d

Just click on the link or paste into your browser. You will be able to view the RETORT and to download it if you wish. You can also go straight to issuu.com and search Southwest Retort, or you may go to the DFW section website (acsdfw.org) and access it from there.
SAVING and PRINTING the RETORT
When you receive the email announcing the RETORT, access it from the link or directly on ISSUU.COM. Once you have it on your screen, in order to print the RETORT or a linked document, hit Share (below the document) and then Download. This will download the magazine as a pdf. You will then be able to save and print. (You cannot print directly from the issue unless you are registered with issuu.com.)
