Dear Colleagues:

The Society for the Study of American Women Writers is seeking nominations for five officer positions:

President

Vice President, Organizational Matters

Vice President, Communications

Vice President, Finances and Membership

Vice President, Programming

Please consider nominating yourself and/or deserving colleagues.

The SSAWW constitution defines these positions as follows:

The President shall chair the Conference Committee and shall supervise all Society committees. The President shall preside at regular meetings of the Executive Committee and the Advisory Board and, every January, shall provide the membership an annual report on the Society. It shall be the President’s duty to formulate policies and projects for presentation to the Board and to fulfill the chartered obligations and purposes of the Society. In filling this and any other Society responsibility, the President may call upon other members of the Executive Committee, the Advisory Board, and such ad hoc committees as the President may wish to appoint, for assistance.

The Vice President, Organizational Matters shall chair the Conference Program Committee and shall liaise with all affiliate author groups, regional SSAWW study groups, the SSAWW Graduate Student Caucus, and the International Committee, as well as with national organizations such as the American Literature Association, the College Language Association, and the Modern Language Association. They shall assist the President in the planning of the conference.

The Vice President, Communications shall take minutes at Executive Committee meetings and annual Society business meetings; manage the website; manage social media outlets; manage the listserv; work on the backend of the membership software along with the Vice President, Finances and Membership; and help set up the conference registration. With the advice of the Officers and the Advisory Board, the Vice President, Communications shall also oversee other communications projects that the Society undertakes.

The Vice President, Finances and Membership shall maintain the membership of the Society; have fiduciary responsibility for the Society’s funds, including the transfer of signatory authority between successive Executive Committees; provide regular reports on finances to the President, Executive Committee, Advisory Board, and others as required; solicit and collect membership dues; work with the Vice President, Communications to oversee conference registration; oversee the Society’s accounts and expenses; distribute the Society’s funds as required for routine expenses, conference costs, and other expenses as approved by the President and/or the Advisory Board. The Vice President, Finances and Membership shall also work with a Society member who resides in Michigan to submit the annual application for the Society’s non-profit status in that state and shall submit the necessary materials to the IRS to maintain the Society’s 501(c)(3) status.

The Vice President, Programming shall oversee and develop programming aside from the conference; this may include book talks, panel discussions, reading groups, and writing groups, among other events. The Vice President, Programming shall also manage the SSAWW Awards (Karen Dandurand Lifetime Achievement Award, Book Award, Edition Award, Digital Edition Award), which are announced at the SSAWW conference. Nominations should be sent to jlputz@wm.edu by Friday, October 3rd. If you are nominating yourself, please include a 250-word vision statement and a 150-word biographical statement. If you are nominating a colleague, please provide their name and contact information. We ask that you discuss your nomination with your colleague prior to submitting it.

The slate of nominees and the voting procedures will be posted on the SSAWW website two weeks prior to the conference. The vote is open to all members in good standing, not just those in attendance at the conference. Members will vote online (a link is forthcoming). Voting will begin at the time of the conference and will stay open until December 2nd.

Please contact Jennifer Putzi (Chair, Nominations and Elections Committee) if you have questions.

Thank you on behalf of SSAWW!

Jennifer Putzi, jlputz@wm.edu

Chair, SSAWW Nominating and Elections Committee