Individual Members! Please vote by November 22nd,, 2011. AWP has two categories of membership: institutional, for colleges & universities & their faculty & students, & individual, for members who pay dues of $65 or $110 for one or two years. Elections rotate between the two categories. Only individual members are eligible to vote in this year’s election.

HOW TO VOTE:

Individual members should have received ballots by e-mail. If you did not receive a ballot, please contact AWP at awp@awpwriter.org.

(1) Review all of the biographical notes & campaign statements in the elections e-mail. (This information also appears in the Governance section of AWP eLink.)

(2) Select only three candidates & enumerate them 1, 2, 3, with your most preferred candidate first.

(3) Respond to the e-mailed ballot with your enumerated list. You must cast your vote no later than Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011. You must use the same e-mail account to which AWP sent you this message. Your votes are confidential, & AWP will never disclose your choices. However, you must cast your votes using this e-mail account so that AWP may authenticate you as an eligible voter.

This year’s candidates for election are:
 
Elise Blackwell
David Haynes
Robin Reagler
Lois Roma-Deeley

You may only vote for three candidates. E-mailed ballots with more than three votes will be disqualified. Votes will be tallied using Robert’s Rules of Order.

Board members are among AWP’s most visible advocates. Board members attend board meetings, participate as members of committees, give or raise money for AWP’s services & programs, shape the future of AWP’s development, & serve as guardians of the association’s financial resources.

Thank you for voting. Vote for three candidates by November 22, 2011.

A Statement From the AWP Board Regarding This Election

AWP serves its members & joins other organizations in serving the literary culture at large. Accordingly, the AWP Board of Directors supports nominees who will add to the collective expertise of the Board in helping AWP meet its challenges & achieve its goals.

In the spring & summer leading up to fall elections, Board members discuss future vacancies & potential nominees for those seats. They also welcome suggestions from the broader membership. With AWP’s strategic objectives in mind, the Board considers the strengths of each potential nominee, solicits more information when necessary, & works toward presenting the relevant voting constituency (regional program directors or individual members) with a Board-endorsed slate for its consideration. In the weeks leading up to fall elections, AWP continues to welcome nominations & seconds from the membership at large.

An ideal candidate is someone who would be able to make immediate contributions to the work of the Board & possesses three or more of the following:

• An ability to represent at-large individual members, as well as member programs, program directors, teachers, & students of the respective regions
• An understanding of literary culture & creative writing, including the place of literature & writing in the academy
• Previous administrative experience (acquaintance with budgeting, personnel, & management)
• Previous non-profit board experience
• A special skill or knowledge that is currently lacking on the Board & that would enhance the Board’s effectiveness.

For the coming election, the AWP Board of Directors recommends:

Elise Blackwell
David Haynes
Robin Reagler

AWP seeks Board members who are dedicated to AWP’s mission, in possession of expertise that will help the organization succeed, & committed to collective leadership. Only with an effective, functional Board can AWP serve its members & have the greatest possible impact on matters central to the lives of writers.