Less than half of the members of the American Heritage Dictionary's usage panel accept the use of the word chairman in describing a woman.
But most of all, from my perspective, praise is due to Geoffrey Nunberg, the head of the usage panel.
For expert consultation on words or constructions whose usage is controversial or problematic, the American Heritage Dictionary relies on the advice of a usage panel.
He is on the usage panel for the American Heritage Dictionary.
Newman served for a number of years as chairman of the usage panel at Houghton Mifflin's American Heritage Dictionary.
We know this because they are among the 200 established writers, artists and thinkers who compose the usage panel for The American Heritage Dictionary.
In controversial cases the usage panel was consulted, consisting of two hundred writers and scholars "who have distinguished themselves by their command of the English language."
Dr. Nunberg, a Stanford University linguist who heads the American Heritage Dictionary's usage panel, had strong opinions.
In 1976 Taylor Nelson launched the first usage panel for food and drinks in the UK.
In 1980 NFO created a usage panel for beverages in the United States.