From the SFRA Executive Committee
From the President
Ida Yoshinaga
Continuing from last issue’s column, I want to reach out about more ways to get involved at the organizational level of the SFRA. The daily (and yearly) tasks of the SFRA are largely carried out by the elected Executive Committee (comprised of the Immediate Past President, President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and two At-Large officers). Coming up later this summer into early fall, we’ll be holding elections for the Vice President and Treasurer positions. If you are interested in either position, no prior experience is necessary. All we ask is for a candidate statement that outlines your interest in and vision for the position (previous candidate statements can be found here). We publish the candidate statements here in the SFRA Review in the summer and run the elections in the Fall.
SFRA Vice President (the VP serves 1 term of three years):
The Vice President does a lot to shape the makeup of the SFRA, as they have the special remit to work on recruitment. For example, over the last couple of years, the VP has instituted and run the Country Representative Program in order to help increase and grow the SFRA’s international reach and influence. They’ve also been involved in shaping the annual conference through organizing DEI and Early Career Scholar presentations and workshops (and on this note, please see current VP Ida Yoshinaga’s column in this issue). Through these efforts, the VP helps to build the membership while also fostering connections and points of contact across new and existing members. I’m copying the official by-law language for the VP below:
“The vice president shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the president during the absence of the latter and shall have such other duties as may, from time to time, be determined by the Executive Committee. At any meeting at which the president is to preside, but is unable, the vice president shall preside. The vice president shall have special responsibility for membership recruitment for the SFRA (working along with the secretary, the web director, and the outreach officer).”
SFRA Treasurer (the Treasurer can serve up to 2 terms at three years per elected term):
The second position of Treasurer holds a soft spot for me, as it’s where I got my start serving on the Executive Committee. Alongside the usual tasks of making sure the bills are paid and lights kept on, one of the more rewarding aspects of the Treasurer position, in my experience, is in giving back to the membership through travel grants and other awards. Sometimes there is simply no better service work than giving people money. While it can sound daunting, because we are a relatively small organization, the Treasurer position requires no real experience with budgets or complex financial skills. I had no prior experience to draw on, and no one looking at my high school and undergrad math grades would’ve ever expected me to occupy the role! I’m copying the official by-law language for the VP below:
“The treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the association and have charge of all receipts and disbursements of the association and shall be the custodian of the association’s funds. The treasurer shall have full authority to receive and give receipts for all monies due and payable to the association and to sign and endorse checks and drafts in its name and on its behalf. The treasurer shall deposit funds of the association in its name and such depositories as may be designated by the Executive Committee. The treasurer shall furnish the Executive Committee an annual financial report within 60 days of the fiscal year; the fiscal year shall end on December 31. At any meeting at which the president is to preside, but is unable, and for which the vice president and secretary are unable to preside, the treasurer shall preside.”
Of course, I’m just scratching the surface here, and if you have any questions about these positions, then please feel free to contact me (hugh.oconnell@umb.edu) or the current officers. We’ll be happy to chat with you about any of the positions. Or alternately, if you’re in Estonia for the conference, please feel free to find me to chat in person!
SFRA Review 