The Academy Reveals Changes to Increase Diversity
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences came to a unanimous vote on Thursday night, approving a series of large changes with the intention of making its membership, governing bodies, and voting members significantly more diverse.
The board's goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.
"The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up," Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs stated. "These new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact and begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition."
Beginning late this year, each new member's voting status will last 10 years, to be renewed if that member has been active in motion pictures during that decade. Members will also receive lifetime voting rights after three ten-year terms, or if they have won or been nominated for an Academy Award.
The Academy will also "supplement the traditional process in which current members sponsor new members by launching an ambitious, global campaign so identify and recruit qualified new members who represent greater diversity." This comes along with the immediacy of a rule in which three new governor seats will be nominated by the President for three-year terms.
Source: Comingsoon
