Call for Nominations for SAH Vice President

Deadline: March 11, 2024

The SAH Nominating Committee seeks your nominations and self-nominations for the position of Vice President whose term will begin at the conclusion of the SAH 2024 Annual International Conference in Albuquerque (April 17–21).

SAH is governed by two main boards of oversight: an Executive Committee and a Board of Directors. The Vice President is one of four elected officers and one appointed officer that make up the Executive Committee. The other elected officers are the President, Treasurer, and Secretary, and the one appointed officer is the Executive Director. The Executive Committee serves in tandem with a Board of Directors comprised of 15 voting members and a shifting number of non-voting Ex Officio members who represent SAH’s publications, committees, chapters, and Affiliate Groups.

Together the Executive Committee and Board of Directors are responsible for the governance of SAH; the financial health of the organization; and the membership. The Executive Committee and the Board of Directors work closely with SAH Staff.

Term of Office

The Vice President serves a one-year term, renewable to a maximum of two consecutive terms. At the end of two terms, the Vice President is nominated to serve as President. The President serves a one-year term, renewable to a maximum of two consecutive terms. Serving as Vice President and President requires a four-year commitment.

Responsibilities

• The Vice President is expected to be in regular communication and work closely with the President and SAH Staff on all SAH actions and initiatives. Serving in this capacity offers an opportunity to shape the future of the Society and the profession.
• The Vice President is expected to serve on various committees including the Nominating Committee, SAH’s financial committees (Budget and Audit Committee, Investment Committee, and Joint Finance Committee), and may be asked to attend meetings of the Development Committee.
• The Vice President as part of the executive committee is expected to advise on responses to issues affecting the built environment on a national and international scale and advise on any legal questions or other issues that require executive counsel.
• The Vice President serves as the General Chair of the SAH Annual International Conferences that are held during each of their terms in office and advises on the intellectual content of the conference program.
• The Vice President is expected to facilitate and provide advice on the content of SAH virtual programs.

Time Commitment

The Vice President is one of the most important positions in SAH with direct influence on the operations and functions of the organization. With responsibility for planning meetings, guiding programs, committee participation, etc., the Officers of SAH devote on average eight hours per week, sometimes more, to SAH work. 

Creating Greater Equity and Accountability at SAH

SAH is actively working towards creating a more equitable organizational structure, one that is inclusive and whose leadership represents the wide range of perspectives in the field of architectural history at large. To that end, SAH welcomes the nominations and self-nominations of candidates who will add racial and ethnic diversity to the SAH Board; those who are working outside the tenure track, including contingent faculty; and those who are working outside the academy; and those working in allied fields. Nominees should represent the diversity of the field of architectural history and contribute to a more inclusive discipline.

Governing Structure of SAH

SAH is governed by two main boards of oversight: an Executive Committee and a Board of Directors. The Executive Committee is composed of four elected Officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, and one appointed Officer, the Executive Director of SAH. Serving in tandem with the Executive Committee is a Board of Directors that is constituted by a body of 15 voting members and a shifting number of non-voting Ex-Officio members who represent SAH’s publications, committees, chapters and Affiliate Groups. All voting members of the governing body are selected from a pool of nominated and self-nominated candidates that are reviewed by an SAH Nominating Committee appointed by the SAH President. The Nominating Committee deliberates about the current expertise needed on the SAH Board and prepares a list of finalists to be formally voted into office by the SAH membership at large at the Annual Business Meeting in April. Nomination and selection to serve on either the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors is a formal acknowledgement of several potential factors, including one’s contributions to scholarship within the field, one’s long-term service to the organization, or one’s potential to diversify the future impact and oversight of the organization.

How to Apply

To submit a nomination or self-nomination, please complete the nomination form in the SAH Online Portal. Nominations will be confidentially compiled in the SAH office and forwarded directly to the Chair of the Nominating Committee. The nomination form requests the following information: name and email address of the nominator; the name, affiliation (if applicable), email address and phone number for the nominee; nominee qualifications; explanation of why the nominee should be considered for the Executive Committee; confirmation that nominator has reached out to the nominee to ask if they will serve; and the candidate's statement of intent (no more than 500 words and please see criteria below.) Also attach the nominee’s CV.

The nomination form requests the following information:

• name and email address of the nominator
• name, affiliation (if applicable), email address and phone number of the nominee
• nominee's qualifications
• explanation of why the nominee should be considered for the Executive Committee and what they would contribute if elected to the Board
• confirmation that nominator has reached out to the nominee to ask if they will serve
• nominee's statement of interest (no more than 500 words; please see criteria below)
• nominee’s CV

Nominations will be considered on the following criteria and the candidate’s statement should address them:

1. Achievements in scholarship, teaching, leadership, or other professional work relative to the candidate’s career stage and circumstances.
2. Potential to diversify the board with expertise, perspectives, and professional connections that would complement those of current members.
3. Capacity and desire to support the mission of SAH with regards to participation, recruitment, funding, and serving as an ambassador of the organization.

The deadline for submitting nominations is March 11, 2024.