Nominations Committee Job Description

Position Overview

The Nominations Committee is seeking new members to play a key role in organizing and recommending candidates for all open, elected positions within AAA. Committee members will ensure a fair, transparent, and timely election process for leadership roles, helping to diversify and strengthen AAA’s governance. This is a unique opportunity to play a role in shaping leadership and engaging in the governance of the AAA.

Committee members are elected at-large with the following designated seats that represent the 4 subfields and 2 dimensions of Anthropology:

  1. Archaeologist
  2. Biological Anthropologist
  3. Cultural Anthropologist
  4. Linguistic Anthropologist
  5. Minority Anthropologist
  6. Practicing/ Professional Anthropologist
  7. 2 Undesignated Seats
  8. This committee is Chaired by the Secretary of the Association.

AAA Mission Statement, Values, and Vision

AAA’s mission is to advance anthropology as a discipline of scientific and humanistic research, practice, and teaching that increases our fundamental understanding of humankind, and applies this understanding in addressing the world’s most pressing problems. AAA’s vision is to enrich the discipline’s intellectual terrain, challenging ourselves to dismantle the barriers that have hindered preparation, entry and career progression for scholars and practitioners, with special focus on anthropologists who have been alienated from, harmed by, or marginalized by the Association. The core values that guide the AAA in realizing this vision are equity, inclusion, accessibility, quality, and sustainability.

Nominations Committee Responsibilities

  1. Organizing and recommending nominated candidates for elected leadership positions within AAA for consideration by the Executive Board.
  2. Composing a slate of candidates to represent different realms of the discipline, minoritized social statuses, and varied institutional backgrounds, utilizing resources from the Association and the Executive Board.
  3. Meet annually to select nominees to put before the Executive Board, in person at the AAA Annual Meeting.
  4. Work collaboratively with other committee members to finalize candidate selections before presenting the slate to the AAA Board for approval.

Desired Qualifications

  1. Broad knowledge and networks within the anthropology community, including connections across different career stages (students, mid-career, senior anthropologists).
  2. Experience with board-level governance, either within or outside of AAA. Commitment to AAA’s core values of equity, inclusion, accessibility, quality, and sustainability.
  3. An interest in broadening participation and creating opportunities for those who have not previously been involved in AAA governance.

Individual Responsibilities

  1. Know the organization’s mission, policies, programs, and needs as well as understand its collective purpose.
  2. Attend the AAA Annual Meeting in person, to finalize and present slated nominees to the Executive Board.
  3. Leverage connections, networks, and resources to develop comprehensive nominations in line with the AAA mission.
  4. Help identify connections within your own cohort, across generations, and the discipline.
  5. Ensure that no nominees hold professional positions which place them in a situation of conflict of interest with the obligations of officership in the American Anthropological Association.
  6. Prepare for, attend, and conscientiously participate in meetings.
  7. Uphold the legal duties and laws regarding nonprofit governance
  8. Follow the organization’s bylaws, policies, and board resolutions.
  9. Maintain confidentiality about all internal matters of the organization.

Note: This job description is subject to modification based on the evolving needs of the AAA.

Commitments

  1. 3 Year term as a member of the Nominations Committee
  2. Committee members are expected to participate in and attend meetings and engage in the nomination process leading up to the AAA Annual Meeting.
  3. Attend the AAA Annual Meeting to finalize the nominations process and present the slate to the Executive Board.

How to Apply

AAA members interested in serving on the Nominations Committee should submit their applications. Letters of support are encouraged. View previous examples of applications and letters of support.