The International Writing Centers Association invites nominations and self-nominations for the following Board roles, to begin in October 2024:

  • Vice President (Vice President commits to 6 years of service: Two years as Vice President, then two years as President, then two years as Past President)
  • At-Large Representative (3 total)
  • Graduate Student Representative (1 total)
  • Peer Tutor Representative (2 total)

Being an elected member of the IWCA Executive Board means having an opportunity to sit at the table when a variety of important decisions are being made that will inform IWCA’s

  • conference and event planning (annual conference, the Summer Institute, and the Collaborative);
  • organizational priorities such as those being addressed in the Social Justice Task Force and the Accessibility Task Force;
  • Mentor Matching program;
  • decisions about grants and awards;
  • finances;
  • and more!

Requirements for Running for a Board Position

To be eligible, a candidate must be an IWCA member in good standing. The Vice President must also be current on their NCTE membership during their term of office.

Preferred Qualifications for Board Positions

Vice President

Candidates will ideally have substantial writing center leadership experience and excellent communication skills. Candidates for this executive leadership office are also expected to have one or a combination of the following experiences:

  • Held a leadership position in IWCA or an IWCA affiliate;
  • Served on the IWCA Board in the past;
  • Held a leadership position in a writing-center related organization other than IWCA and its affiliates, such as a local writing center organization;
  • Participated regularly in IWCA or other writing-center-related professional gatherings, such as conferences;
  • Chaired or co-chaired an IWCA, affiliate, or other writing-center-related conference;
  • Managed a budget in a professional context.

At-Large Representative

The At-Large position is a nice entry-point for those writing center professionals who want to serve the IWCA organization and international writing center community and to develop their leadership skills. Ideally, candidates will have one or more of the following experiences:

  • Strong commitment to writing centers as a field;
  • Substantial experience working in a writing center;
  • Regular participation in IWCA or other writing-center-related professional gatherings, such as conferences.

Graduate Student Representative and Peer Tutor Representative

These positions provide students an opportunity to serve the IWCA organization and international writing center community and develop their leadership skills. The Graduate Student Rep and the Peer Tutor Reps are expected to have:

  • Strong interest in writing centers as a field;
  • Experience working in a writing center.

Nomination Process

IWCA is committed to recruiting a slate of candidates from a range of institutions and across a variety of identities. The IWCA Board is made richer when its elected members represent the broader writing center community. We encourage nominations and self-nominations of Black, Asian American, Latinx, Native American, and Pacific Islander writing center professionals; members of the LGBTQ+ community; individuals with disabilities; our international colleagues; and writing center folk at two-year colleges, secondary schools, HBCUs, HSIs, and tribal colleges.

Nominations and self-nominations for any of the above positions are encouraged. To nominate yourself or a colleague, please complete our nomination form by June 1, 2024. Detailed information about these roles and their expectations are below.

If you cannot access the Google Doc to submit a nomination, please send the following information to IWCA Secretary Rachel Azima:

  • The name of the nominee
  • The email address for the nominee
  • The name of the position you are nominating the individual for
  • Any supporting comments you feel are appropriate

Nominations are open until June 1, 2024. After the window for nominations closes, IWCA will reach out to each nominee to request short personal statement(s) about your experience and goals. Elections will be open from September 1 through September 15. Newly-elected board members and officers will be notified by October 1, 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I learn more about serving as an IWCA Board member or officer?

The IWCA Constitution and Bylaws outline the responsibilities of Board members and officers. Potential nominees can also contact any of the current officers with questions. IWCA officers will be available for a town hall Zoom meeting in late May to answer any questions, as well. Email IWCA Vice President Christopher Ervin if you would like to receive information about the town hall meeting.

I read that officers (Vice President, President, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Past Treasurer) are expected to attend the IWCA Conference and Collaborative @ CCCC each year of their term. Does IWCA provide any financial support for officers to travel to those conferences?

Yes. While all Board members’ roles are voluntary and unpaid, IWCA Officers are expected to attend both of those events in order to participate in Executive Committee and Board retreats, be present to conduct IWCA business meetings, and help coordinate the events, in addition to other obligations. For those reasons, IWCA officers are supported financially to attend the IWCA annual conference and the Collaborative @ CCCC. IWCA provides support up to $1500 per event for reasonable expenses related to IWCA conference travel. When an IWCA officer needs to attend other IWCA-related events (the Summer Institute, NCPTW, or a U.S. or international affiliate conference), financial support is available for these events as well. The IWCA Board adopted this travel reimbursement policy on March 30, 2016.

What is the time commitment involved in the various Board positions?

The time commitment for the Vice President varies throughout the year. While it is difficult to name a particular number of hours per week for this position, work for the organization generally happens every week. Some weeks require more work than others, especially around the time of the annual conference. It is a substantial time commitment.

The time commitment for non-officer board positions includes attending board meetings several times a year, and, as much as possible, attending IWCA-sponsored events like the annual IWCA Conference and the Collaborative@CCCC.. Non-officer board positions also involve committee work, which varies based on the committee. Serving on the IWCA board is manageable for most writing center professionals and student representatives.