[Air-l] AoIR Elections announcement & Call for Nominations

[Steve Jones]

The current executive committee of the Association of Internet 
Researchers was elected two years ago this fall. We are now beginning 
the process of electing a new executive committee. All dues paying 
members are eligible to run and any dues-paying member of AoIR is 
invited to run or to nominate someone to run. You are all urged to 
participate to your fullest by raising the issues of importance to 
you and by voting. If you are not a dues-paying member of AoIR, 
becoming one now (or renewing) enables you to participate in this 
process (and provides other benefits -- see http://www.aoir.org for 
more information). What follows is a brief overview of the positions 
at stake, procedural information on nominating, and detailed 
descriptions of the positions.

TIME FRAME OF THE ELECTION:

1. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: Now! <----------------------
2. END OF NOMINATION PERIOD:  June 13, 2003
3. DISCUSSION PERIOD BEGINS:  June 20, 2003
4. DISCUSSION PERIOD ENDS:  July 11, 2003
3. VOTING PERIOD BEGINS: July 14, 2003
4. VOTING PERIOD ENDS: July 28, 2003
5. NEW COMMITTEE ASSUMES DUTIES: At the end of the General Meeting at 
the fourth annual AoIR conference, October 16 - 19, 2003.

Note that voting instructions will be provided later and separately 
from this message.

A QUICK ELECTION PRIMER:

The organizational structure of AoIR is simple. There are 4 officers, 
3 open seat representatives, and 4 appointed positions who together 
make up the 11 member executive committee that runs the show. In this 
election, you are invited to nominate yourself or anyone else whom 
you think would do a good job, for any position other than the 
President (as the current Vice President assumes the Presidency). 
Here are brief descriptions of each position (full descriptions from 
the bylaws are at the end of this message):

The 4 OFFICERS (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer):

1. President -- "CEO," supervises the organization. 2 year term.

2. Vice President (President-elect) - "Back up" for President, 
handles variety of duties as they arise. 2 year term as VP, followed 
by 2 years as President.

3. Secretary: Handles membership and records. 2 year term.

4. Treasurer: Handles the money. 2 year term.

OPEN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SEATS:

5 - 7. Three open Seats on the Executive Committee, one of which is a 
designated Graduate Student Representative: Represent membership of 
AoIR, contribute to decision making, and handle variety of duties as 
they arise. 2 year terms.

WHO CAN RUN AND WHO CAN NOMINATE:

Anyone may nominate anyone else for an office, but only a dues-paying 
member of AoIR can run for a position. If nominated for more than one 
position a nominee must choose to run for one (and only one) position 
in this election. If you have opinions about what you would like this 
organization to become or the kinds of things you think it should be 
doing, then you should put those opinions into action by running. If 
you have talents or experience that you think AoIR could use, and 
you'd like to put them to use for AoIR, you should run. Just about 
all of AoIR's business is conducted online, apart from meetings at 
the annual conference.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO NOMINATE SOMEONE?

Nominations can be made via the air-l list (and if sent there should 
include "nomination" in the subject line) or e-mailed off-list to 
Jeremy Hunsinger at nominate at aoir.org. <mailto:nominate at aoir.org.>

Self Nominations: Email nominate at aoir.org and you will be added to 
the list and given space for your bio and platform and instructions 
as to how to submit them.

Nominating Others: Email nominate at aoir.org with the name of the 
person you want to nominate, the position for which you are 
nominating this person, contact information for that person, and an 
indication of whether you know if this person would accept this 
nomination (if you don't know, we'll contact them and ask). Once a 
nomination has been accepted by the nominee, the nominee will be 
asked to proceed as described above.

Nominees will be expected to provide answer to the questions below, 
have the answers posted on the AoIR web site, and participate in an 
online candidate forum. If you would like to contribute a question 
the executive committee may consider asking nominees please email it 
to Steve Jones at sjones at uic.edu.

   1) What is your interest in this position?
   2) How have you participated in AoIR in the past?
   3) What are your qualifications for this position?
   4) What two or three issues do you believe AoIR should focus on in 
the next one to two years? Please give a rationale for each issue.
   5) What are your long-term goals for AoIR?
   6) What else should voters consider when deciding whether or not to 
vote for you?

Position Specific: Treasurer
   1) What experience do you have in managing money for an organization?

Position Specific: Open Seat
   1) How would you define the duties of the Open Seat you wish to 
occupy and why?

Position Specific: Graduate Student Rep

  1) What do you think AoIR should do for graduate students, and how 
will you facilitate these goals?

 From the Bylaws, here are the full duties of each elected role:

DUTIES OF PRESIDENT

The President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation 
and shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, 
supervise and control the affairs of the corporation and the 
activities of the officers. He or she shall perform all duties 
incident to her or his office and such other duties as may be 
required by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these 
Bylaws, or which may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of 
Directors or membership. Unless another person is specifically 
appointed as Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the President 
shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and at all 
meetings of the members. Except as otherwise expressly provided by 
law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or these Bylaws, he or she 
shall, in the name of the corporation, execute such deeds, mortgages, 
bonds, contracts, checks, or other instruments which may from time to 
time be authorized by the Board of Directors or the membership.

SECTION 7. DUTIES OF VICE PRESIDENT

In the absence of the President, or in the event of her or his 
inability or refusal to act, the Vice President shall perform all the 
duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers 
and be subject to all the restrictions on, the President. The Vice 
President shall have other powers and perform such other duties as 
may be prescribed by law, the Articles of Incorporation, these 
Bylaws, or as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or 
membership.

SECTION 8. DUTIES OF SECRETARY

Certify and keep at the principal office of the corporation the 
original, or a copy, of these Bylaws as amended or otherwise altered 
to date. Keep at the principal office of the corporation or at such 
other place as the board may determine, a book of minutes of all 
meetings of the directors, the members, and if applicable, meetings 
of committees of directors and of members, recording therein the time 
and place of holding, whether regular or special, how called, how 
notice thereof was given, the names of those present or represented 
at the meeting, and the proceedings thereof. See that all notices are 
duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as 
required by law. Be custodian of the records and of the seal of the 
corporation and affix the seal, as authorized by law or the 
provisions of these Bylaws, to duly executed documents of the 
corporation. Keep at the principal office of the corporation a 
membership book containing the name, address, and dues status of all 
members, and, in the case where any membership has been terminated, 
he or she shall record such fact in the membership book together with 
the date on which such membership ceased.

Exhibit at all reasonable times to any director or officer of the 
corporation, or to her or his agent or attorney, on request therefor, 
the Bylaws, the membership book, and the minutes of the proceedings 
of the directors and other units of the corporation. In general, 
perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other 
duties as may be required by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, 
or by these Bylaws or which may be assigned to him or her from time 
to time by the Board of Directors or the membership.

SECTION 9. DUTIES OF TREASURER

Have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all funds and 
securities of the corporation, and deposit all such funds in the name 
of the corporation in such banks, trust companies, or other 
depositories as shall be selected by the Board of Directors. Receive, 
and give receipt for, monies due and payable to the corporation from 
any source whatsoever. Disburse, or cause to be disbursed, the funds 
of the corporation as may be directed by the Board of Directors or 
Executive Committee, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements. 
Keep and maintain adequate and correct accounts of the corporation's 
properties and business transactions, including accounts of assets, 
liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains and losses.

Exhibit at all reasonable times the books of account and financial 
records to any director or officer of the corporation, or to her or 
his agent or attorney, on request therefor.

Render to the President and directors, whenever requested, an account 
of any or all of his or her transactions as Treasurer and of the 
financial condition of the corporation. Prepare, or cause to be 
prepared, and certify or cause to be certified, the financial 
statements to be included in any required reports. In general, 
perform all duties incident to the office Treasurer and such other 
duties as may be required by law, the Articles of Incorporation of 
the corporation, or by these Bylaws, or which may be assigned to her 
or him from time to time by the Board of Directors, the Executive 
Committee or the membership.

SECTION 1. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall direct the day-to-day operations of the 
corporation. It shall consist of eleven members. the five elected 
officers, and the Past President will serve on the Executive 
Committee. Additionally the membership, during regular elections of 
officers, will also elect three open seats. Duties are flexible, 
consisting largely of:

Committee and project assignments, as assigned by the Executive 
Committee.. Two other members shall be appointed by the Executive 
Committee to serve as officers. The Systems Administrator is 
responsible for the association's technical systems on which its Web 
site, e-mail list and other means of Internet communication operate. 
The Systems Manager is responsible for the content and appearance of 
the association's Web site and other means of Internet communication 
(except its e-mail lists). The Systems Administrator and Systems 
Manager will coordinate their efforts to the best of their abilities. 
The Board of Directors may delegate to the Executive Committee the 
powers and authority of the board in the management and affairs of 
the corporation, to the extent permitted and except as may otherwise 
be provided, by provisions of law.

By a majority vote of its members, the Board of Directors may at any 
time revoke or modify any or all of the Executive Committee authority 
so delegated. The Executive Committee shall keep regular minutes of 
its proceedings, cause them to be filed with the corporate records, 
and report the same to the Board from time to time as the board may 
require.

Thank you.

Steve Jones
President, AoIR