Oscars Academy Overhauls Membership And Voting Rules To Promote Diversity After Boycott

The film academy is pledging to double the number of female and minority members by 2020, and will immediately diversify its leadership by adding three new seats to its board of governors.

According to Dailymail.co.uk, Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaac announced the changes on Friday, following a week-long storm of criticism and calls for an Oscar boycott after academy members nominated an all-white slate of actors for the second year in a row.

'The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,' she said in a statement. 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 51-member board of governors unanimously approved a series of reforms late Thursday to 'begin the process of significantly

changing our membership composition,' Isaac said.
The number of minorities currently serving as members of the academy has not been revealed. 

Several of Hollywood's most prominent African-Americans, including Will Smith and Spike Lee, have said they won't attend this year's Oscars, which is to be hosted by Chris Rock.

Other changes include limiting members' voting status to a period of 10 years, to be extended only if the individual remains active in film during that decade.
Lifetime voting rights will be granted only to Academy Award nominees and winners, and to members after three ten-year voting terms.
Previously, all active members received lifetime voting rights.