Chapter V, Section 2.1 of the bylaws, “Election of Board Directors,” states: To be elected a board director, a candidate must be a Fellow of the Academy. Board directors are elected at the annual business meeting of the Academy for three-year terms and may succeed themselves for a second three-year term not counting partial terms.
Only Academy Fellows in good standing are eligible candidates to stand in the elections to the Board of Directors in November. Regular Members are not eligible to apply. The application deadline is March 31; please continue reading for details on the nominations process and how to nominate yourself or someone else for consideration.
Declarations of candidacy are only accepted online via this application process and must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, March 31. The deadline will not be extended and applications submitted via other means will not be accepted. Candidates must apply directly; nominating others for board elections is no longer permitted. Candidates must be a Fellow in good standing at the time of application.
The most essential element of the process is the Letter of Candidacy which must include the following:
Candidates are permitted one (1) letter only in support of their candidacy; this is optional, not mandatory. This letter must be received by the Executive Office by the application deadline.
Three board director positions become available in November, all of which are for a full 3-year term; two incumbents are eligible for re-nomination. The nomination of a Secretary from the pool of directors may create a fourth vacancy , the term of which will not be known until the candidate is selected later this year.
There are usually two physical meetings of the Board each year: at the annual meeting and in the spring.
If you are elected at the annual business meeting your first meeting as a board director will be on the Saturday afternoon of the annual meeting. Thereafter, there are two board sessions at the annual meeting: the Wednesday afternoon prior to the start of the annual meeting, and again on Saturday. The Academy does not reimburse costs for your attendance at board meetings held in conjunction with the annual meeting.
The spring meeting of the board occurs in April or May for two full days; the date and location is determined by the president and is usually announced at the annual meeting. Your costs to attend this meeting are reimbursed by the Academy.
The board meets by video conference call several times during the year; the schedule is usually announced at the Sunday annual meeting of the board. The Executive Committee meets monthly by video conference call and board directors are invited, however, participation is not mandatory.
Board directors are expected to chair a standing committee; your appointment to one will be determined by the board and depends on your skills and capabilities. You will be expected to fully participate in the work of the board, reading and writing reports, and contributing fully to discussions.
The call for nominations closes on Sunday, March 31. The Nominating Committee will evaluate applications and determine which candidates should be included on the electoral ballot. The slate of candidates is presented to the Board for approval by July 31. Once approved, candidates are notified by mid-August if they will be included on the electoral ballot. No later than two months prior to the annual meeting, the electoral ballot is announced to the Academy membership. The elections are scheduled for the annual business meeting of members in November, date to be announced.