The Nominations Committee is one of the three elected committees serving the Association. The Nominations Committee nominates candidates for membership on the three elected committees of the Association: The Publications Committee, the Committee on Committees, and the Nominations Committee and for each elective office in the Association: President, Vice-President, and Members of the PSA Council. The Nominations Committee consists of the Past President who serves ex officio as chair without a vote, and three members elected at-large by the entire voting membership of the Association. One elected member shall retire each year on a rotating basis so that a member from each successive geographical division is elected each year.
Except as otherwise provided in the Constitution or By-laws of the Association, the Nominations Committee shall nominate two candidates for each elective vacancy. While there shall be no geographical residency requirements for positions of President-elect and Vice President-elect, the Nominations Committee shall attempt to nominate candidates of scholarly distinction in such a manner that no region will be favored in the long run.
1. Responsibilities and duties of the committee other than those stated in the Constitution.
This Nominations Committee has no additional responsibilities other than those stated above.
2. Procedures for taking committee action.
Early in the year and well before the PSA annual meeting, all members of the Nominations Committee will receive from the Secretary/Treasurer a letter which details the vacant positions for elective office and membership. The Chair of the Committee will then begin communication with the members of the Nominations Committee by email or regular mail seeking from each member a list of suggested nominees for the vacant membership, Council and Officer positions. At the meeting of the Nominations Committee at the annual PSA meeting, the combined list is then discussed by the committee. By majority vote the Committee decides upon two candidates and at least two alternates for each vacant position. Committee members are then assigned the task of contacting the first two nominees for the open positions to get the nominee's approval to appear on the fall PSA ballot, which is usually sent to the membership in late October or early November. If one or both of the first two nominees for each vacant position refuse, then the alternates are contacted. This process continues until there are two candidates who have agreed to run for each vacant position.
Once the nominees have said yes to running for election, the committee members inform the chair who then sends the complete list to the Executive Director.
Nominees for office must have been members of the Association the previous year and must pay membership dues for the year they are listed on the ballot.
3. Specific duties of the chair of the committee.
The chair serves exofficio and has the responsibility to see that the three members of the committee are following the procedures detailed above. The chair also chairs the meeting of the Nominations Committee at the PSA Annual Meeting and communicates the Committee's final decisions to the Executive Director.
In addition, the Chair may want to personally contact by phone the nominees for the
office of President and Vice President, so that questions could be answered of the potential candidates regarding the role of the President and Vice President, the amount of work and time required, and so forth.
The Chair is also responsible for keeping a committee "archive" or folder of pertinent information and passing this on to the incoming Chair of the Committee.
Finally, the chair is responsible for writing a brief account of the Committee's activities for the PSA Newsletter. This report is sent to the Secretary/Treasurer. It can be sent by email and should be brief.
4. Calendar of Committee Activities.
As stated above, early in the year (January), the Secretary/Treasurer will mail to each member of the Committee the list of vacancies for the ballot in the fall (late October or November).
During January and March, the Committee members should be generating names of possible nominees for each opening on the fall ballot.
At the meeting of the Committee at the annual PSA meeting (late March to mid-April), the Committee finalizes its list of names for nomination.
Immediately after or during the annual PSA meeting the Committee seeks approval from those nominated to be on the fall ballot.
By May 15, the list of nominees who have accepted the nomination should be sent to the Secretary by the Chair of the Nominations Committee.
