2019 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Deadline: Monday, September 16, 2019
Strong and committed leadership is essential to SSWR’s ongoing success. Please consider nominating yourself or a colleague for inclusion on the next election ballot for the SSWR Board of Directors.
Nominations are now open for the following positions for the governance year commencing February 1, 2020:
- one vice president-elect
- one secretary
- three directors-at-large
- one early career director-at-large
- one student director-at-large
The election ballot shall include two nominees for vice president-elect, two nominees for secretary, six nominees for the three open director-at-large positions, two nominees for early career director-at-large, and two nominees for student director-at-large.
The Nominations and Elections Committee is committed to include nominees on the election ballot who represent diversity including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nation, institutional representation, gender identity and sexual orientation, social work research topic areas, and career levels.
Prospective nominees should be prepared to carry out the duties described below as well as additional tasks required for SSWR’s governance.
DESCRIPTIONS OF OPEN BOARD POSITIONS
Vice President-Elect (Three-year term in total: February 1, 2020 – January 31, 2023)
The Vice President-Elect shall serve a one-year term as Vice President-Elect. The Vice President-Elect shall assist the Vice President in the Vice President’s role as chair of the Conference Committee. Immediately following the Vice President-Elect’s term, the Vice President-Elect shall ascend to the office of Vice President.
The Vice President-Elect serves as a member of the program committee, plans and coordinates the pre-conference methodology workshops and provides direct support to the Vice President in planning the annual conference. The Vice President-Elect serves on the executive committee. The Vice President-Elect becomes the Vice President in the second year of his or her term. The Vice President chairs the conference program planning committee, which plans and coordinates the annual conference program. The Vice President becomes the Past Vice President in the third year, serving as a member of the conference program planning committee. During periods when there is no President-elect, the Vice-President shall serve as President in the event of the President’s resignation, lengthy absence, or incapacity. The Vice President serves on the executive committee.
Secretary (Three-year term: February 1, 2020 – January 31, 2023)
The Secretary shall serve a three-year term as Secretary. The Secretary shall: record, maintain and distribute minutes of all membership meetings and meetings of the Board of Directors; maintain the Society’s corporate records; and fulfill the other responsibilities that pertain to the office of secretary. The Secretary serves on the executive committee.
Director-at-Large (Three-year term: February 1, 2020 – January 31, 2023)
A Director-at-Large may be asked to serve in the following capacities, i.e., chair or co-chair of the following committees: nominations and elections committee; awards committee; committee on publications; communications committee, funding development committee, membership committee, social policy committee; research capacity development committee; volunteer coordinator for the annual conference; and members of ad hoc committees and task forces which support the work of the Society’s Strategic Plan. Nominees should be prepared to take on one or more of these roles if asked by the President.
Early Career Director-at-Large (Three-year term: February 1, 2020 – January 31, 2023)
In addition to the Director-at-Large responsibilities the Early Career Director-at-Large shall serve as co-chair of the Research Capacity Development Committee. The Early Career Director-at-Large shall have completed their PhD no longer than four years prior to the start of their term.
Student Director-at-Large (Two-year term: February 1, 2020 – January 31, 2022)
The Student Director-at-Large shall serve as Chair of the Doctoral Student Committee and represents student interests on the Board of Directors. The Student Director-at-Large serves on the Conference Committee and plans the doctoral student panel and luncheon at the annual conference. Note that this position is currently reserved for a doctoral student. Nominees should have a minimum of two years remaining in their doctoral studies.
In addition to the above tasks, Board members are expected to be available for Board meetings before and during the annual conference, a two-day, meeting in the spring and monthly conference calls throughout the year.
Qualifications sought in Board nominees include:
- Leadership
- Support for and commitment to SSWR and its mission
- Experience and stature as a researcher
- Communication skills
- Availability and ability to fulfill commitments as a Board member
Nomination Procedures
Please submit a letter of nomination (self-nominations are encouraged), two letters of endorsement, and the nominee’s Curriculum Vitae electronically to Jorge Delva, chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee, at jdelva@bu.edu with a copy to Jennifer Lewis, executive director, at lewis@sswr.org. Please send the required documents at one time as an attachment(s) in one email. Please name the file(s) SSWR_elections_nomination [last name]_[position title, i.e., vp-elect]_[nomination, letter of support, CV]. You may send all required documents compiled into one pdf.
Nominations are due Monday, September 16, 2019. All nominees must be paying members of the Society and shall have been members of SSWR for at least one year prior to their nomination for office. Nominators and those endorsing the nomination must also be current members of the Society. (Please email Kristen Reamy (kristen@sswr.org) to verify membership status.) Prior to nomination, the nominator must ensure that their nominee will accept the nomination if it is offered.