Now that we’ve passed the hallway mark of 2025, I want to provide an update on the work we’re doing to support our members and certified professionals.
The following information is intended to provide key highlights of operational activities including performance data, priority areas of focus, and key information to keep you abreast of our progress.
2024-2027 Strategic Plan
- You can follow our progress by reading the Third Quarter Update from Strategic Plan Committee Chair Heather Chambliss.
ACSM Building Sale Proceeds
- The Board-restricted proceeds from the building sale, totaling $5,731,456, have been invested in short-term cash instruments yielding an annual return of 4.23%.
In February 2025, the Investment Subcommittee convened to begin developing a long-term investment strategy for these funds. A motion was introduced and approved by the ACSM Board of Trustees to invest the proceeds in accordance with the investment model outlined in the current ACSM Investment Policy and as recommended by the organization’s investment advisor.
Association Management System
- We successfully implemented our new technology platforms, including the Association Management System (AMS), Content Management System (CMS), and Learning Management System (LMS). With the project spanning over three fiscal years (and over 25,000 staff hours), we came in approximately $250,000 under budget. A customer feedback survey is available on the website, and results are reviewed monthly.
With the successful completion of the initial implementation phase, the IT and Operations teams have transitioned to Phase 2 of the project. This next phase will focus on the deployment of federated search functionality across all platforms, including journals, enhancements to the user experience, and the planned expansion of Single Sign-On (SSO) integration to additional ACSM products such as Oasis and the Job Board.
Technology and Security
- ACSM’s cybersecurity posture continues to be evaluated through ongoing security audits conducted by the organization’s external technology partner, DelCor. Preliminary findings indicate that ACSM’s systems are fully compliant with current security standards, with additional detailed analysis forthcoming. Additionally, in collaboration with the senior staff team, the IT staff have finalized and approved an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy for staff.
Publications
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise® (MSSE) launched a format-free submission option—branded as No Sweat Submissions—as a strategic initiative by the Editor-in-Chief, Andy Jones, PhD, FACSM. This move was designed to reduce barriers that might otherwise redirect authors to competing journals, particularly in an expanding Sports Medicine journal landscape and as format-free submission becomes a trend adopted by major publishers such as Wiley’s “Free-Format” and Elsevier’s “Your Paper Your Way.” In just four months, the uptake has been remarkable: approximately 50% of new submissions now come through the No Sweat pathway. Overall submissions have risen by 11% during this period. No Sweat Submissions is also guiding improvements to support long-term gains in efficiency and author satisfaction.
- We released the twelfth edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Activities around the release included the development of the GETP11-12 crosswalk and a set of six promotional videos from various audience types, among the other standard updates and marketing activities.
Pronouncements
The ACSM Board of Trustees has approved several new pronouncements for development or publication over the last several months:
- Umbrella Review: “American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance training prescription for muscle function, hypertrophy, and physical performance in healthy adults: An overview of reviews”
- Expert Consensus Statement: “American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology 2025 Clinical Considerations for Competitive Sports Participation for Athletes with Cardiovascular Abnormalities Task Force statements”
- Expert Consensus Statement: “Blood Doping in Sport: ACSM Expert Consensus Statement”.
- Expert Consensus Statement: “Considerations and Recommendations for Prescribing Exercise and Designing Physical Activity Programs for People with Disabilities”
- Expert Consensus Statement: “Physical activity and exercise intensity terminology: a joint American College of Sport Medicine & Exercise and Sport Science Australia expert consensus statement”
- Development and co-publication of: “Nutrition and Athletic Performance with American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and Dietitians of Canada (DC).
Advocacy
- A communications plan was implemented to keep members abreast of developments tied to the new presidential administration and how ACSM is monitoring and adjusting to serve members’ best interests.
- We have implemented Action Alert software to activate staff, members and exercise professionals in critical and timely advocacy activities.
- A letter was drafted and sent from ACSM to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and we are attempting to schedule a meeting with his office.
- Eight new policy briefs were sent to members of Congress with a cover letter from ACSM’s CEO.
- The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act that would encourage physical activity and incentivize healthier living was reintroduced in Congress. ACSM and its Health Science and Policy Committee have aggressively lobbied for the PHIT bill since its inception.
Governance
- We completed our 2025 ACSM Board of Trustees election, and installed new President Carrie Jaworski, MD, FACSM who also completed 2026-26 committee appointments.
- The Constitution, Bylaws and Operating Code Committee (CBOCC) revised common language operating code template was approved by the ACSM Board of Trustees (November 2nd) and all ACSM committees are currently working through updating their operating codes with the common language template.
- CBOCC reviewed the revised Articles of Incorporation, which were approved by the Board of Trustees.
Sponsors
- ACSM added new sponsors this year, including Vivo, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Pal Technologies, and Woodway.
Online Education
- ACSM has initiated online course exchange programs with the Medical Fitness Association and National Council on Strength and Fitness and is evaluating other like-minded organizations to expand ACSM’s online course offerings. Staff has implemented new internal procedures for the development of online learning content and created an online learning development plan for the next three years that focuses on the strategic goals of creating a compelling customer experience and building a fiscally sustainable organization by focusing on non-dues revenue sources.
- We’re looking to build a larger course catalog through industry partner sharing arrangements both domestically and internationally Staff are actively developing online CEC content based on 2024 and 2025 issues of CSMR and ESSR which will mirror those already available from ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal. The quizzes will pilot AI-supported content development while abiding by all ACSM, publications, and certification policies that mandate that all AI-generated content will be thoroughly reviewed by subject matter experts.
