AAJA will be seeking a slate of new officers for the term of 2016-2017. Electronic voting will begin Wednesday, July 22 with the final results announced at the AAJA Gala Banquet scheduled for Saturday, August 15. This will be the first year the new executive officer structure takes effect.
The positions up for election this year are: Senior Vice President (new position), Vice President of Journalism Programs (formerly Vice President for Print), and Secretary. The role of each officer, as written in the AAJA bylaws, is below:
- Senior Vice President: This officer shall oversee directors of platforms and affinity groups, to ensure direct representation of members. The senior vice president’s duties include identifying and pursuing opportunities for chapter development. The senior vice president serves as acting president in the event the president is unable to fulfill his or her duties.
- Vice President, Journalism Programs: This officer shall be dedicated to fulfilling the following two tenets of AAJA’s mission, as well as making sure AAJA’s professional training and support stays ahead of industry changes.
- To provide a means of association and support among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) journalists, and to advance AAPI journalists as news managers and media executives.
- To provide encouragement, information, advice and scholarship assistance to AAPI students who aspire to professional journalism careers.
- Secretary: This officer shall keep, or cause to be kept, a book of minutes at the principal office or such other place as the board of directors may order, of all meetings of the directors and membership. Minutes shall include time and place of the meeting; whether regular or special, and if special, how authorized; the type of notice given; the name of those present at the directors’ meetings; the number of members present; and the proceedings of the meeting.
The other new officer, Vice President of Civic Engagement, will be elected in summer 2016, along with the President and Treasurer.
This year’s election schedule (all times listed are Pacific Standard Time):
- June 3 Nomination period starts, 5 p.m.
- June 17 Nomination period ends, 5 p.m.
- June 22 Announcement of candidates, 5 p.m.
- July 22 Voting starts, 5 p.m.
- Aug 14 Voter eligibility deadline, 12 p.m.
- Aug 14 Voting ends, 12 p.m.
- Aug 15 Announcement of officers elect at Gala Banquet
Please e-mail National Secretary Michelle Lee if you have any questions.