It’s election season everywhere, even at the SSDP Alumni Association. It’s been a year since the inception of the Association, which means it’s time to have our very first Leadership Board elections. The first Leadership Board members were appointed by staff and other Board members. But their one-year terms are expiring, and they need to be re-elected or replaced. Here’s our election schedule:

• Nominations Open: Today!
• Nominations Close: Friday, February 19
• Candidate Statements Available Online: Monday, March 7
• Deadline for Voting Eligibility:* Friday, March 18
• Voting Opens: Monday, March 21
• Voting Closes: Friday, April 1

*Only Association members in good standing may vote

This will allow us to announce results before the conference, so the new Leadership Board members will have an opportunity to network with their fellow Board members and Association members while there. This also means the 30-day transitional period between Board members occurs during the conference, giving new members an unique opportunity to consult with their predecessors in person.

To run, nominees need only meet these simple qualifications:

• Be a member of the Association in good standing*
• Be nominated by February 19

*Students may join the Association the semester they plan to graduate for the purpose of running for the Board

Each region is represented by three members on the Leadership Board. You may only vote for Board members in your region. Each region has these seats to fill: President, Vice President, and Secretary, with these responsibilities:

President (1-10 hours/week)

• Proactively facilitate communication within Leadership Board
• Develop, implement plans for achieving goals for regional Alumni Network
• Keep regional Association informed

Vice President (1-5 hours/week)

• Assist President as needed

Secretary (1-5 hours/week)

• Keep track of important dates and events
• Assist President and Vice President as needed
• Record meeting minutes (and file in appropriate Google Drive documents/folders)

All Leadership Board members are expected to expand the Association’s numbers and contribute to ongoing conversations on improving the Association and developing and implementing programs.

If you’re interested in running but have questions about what it’s like, ask the current Leadership Board. They know best. (Speaking for myself, I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.)
For me, personally, serving on the Leadership Board has been one of the most rewarding experiences as an SSDPer. I have loved the opportunity to connect my fellow alumni to the SSDP network, without which my life would be unrecognizable. I hope you’ll consider running for the Leadership Board for your region. We can’t make it happen without great people like you!