Are YOU interested in getting involved in AERA's Graduate Student Council?

IMPORTANT ELECTION INFORMATION 

 Beginning July 15, 2013, nominations will be open for the four elected positions on the Graduate Student Council:
(1) Chair-Elect 
(2) Newsletter Editor 
(3) Secretary Historian, and 
(4) Web Secretary. 

The terms of service and responsibilities for these positions are detailed below. If you’d like to work with a great group of graduate students from across the continent, to serve the 7,000+ graduate students in AERA, we hope you will consider running.

 Elections Process and Timeline 
(1) Self-Nominations (by 01 September)
(2) Slate Selection by Nomination Committee (mid to late August)
(3) Notification to candidates regarding status (late August to Early September)
(4) AERA central office collections biographical statements
 (5) Elections (January 2014)
(6) Winner notified of results (March 2014)

1) To run, please send your CV, a statement of interest, and the information listed below to GSC Past Chair, Cathy A.R. Brant, at gscpastchairelections@gmail.com Your statement of interest should be between 250 and 500 words and should address the reasons you would like to run and why you believe you would be a good candidate for the position. In addition to your CV and statement of interest, please include the following information:
- your name
- the university where you are pursuing your graduate degree
- the name of the degree you are pursing
- your anticipated date of graduation
- the position for which you would like to run.

Applications will be accepted until midnight, August 15. Incomplete applications, including those that fail to provide the information listed above, will not be considered. If you have any questions regarding the nomination and election process, please feel free to contact Cathy A.R. Brant, GSC Past-Chair and nominations committee chair, at the email address above.

 GSC Elected Positions: 

1. Chair-Elect 
The chair-elect position has a three-year term, taking office in April 2014 and serving through April, 2017. In the first year, the chair-elect is primarily responsible for the Graduate Student Resource Center. In the second chair, the Chair-Elect becomes Chair, and oversees the activities of the Graduate Student Council. Also during this year, the Chair serves as a member of AERA’s Association Council. In the third year, the Chair becomes the Past Chair, who chairs the nominating committee and serves in an advisory capacity to the incoming Chair and to the GSC.

 Eligibility: 
- Must be a graduate student for Fall and Spring semesters of first two years (through spring, 2016)
- Must be a member of AERA
- Should have prior experience being a member of the GSC; if there is no nominee for Chair-Elect with prior GSC experience, nominations will be opened to the full graduate student membership of AERA 

Responsibilities, Year 1 (as Chair-Elect): 
- Plan and coordinate the Graduate Student Resource Center at the Annual Meeting.
- Plan and chair the Chair-Elect’s Fireside Chat session at the Annual meeting
- Attend the October Coordinated Committee meeting in Washington, DC. Chair GSC if it is necessary for Chair to be absent for some portion of the GSC meeting.
- Attend the GSC orientation, open, and closed business meetings at the Annual Meeting.
- Attend Association Council meeting at the Annual Meeting in year rising to Chair position
- Prepare article for each issue of the Graduate Student Newsletter.
- Prepare Chair-elect annual report. - Assist GSC Chair in creation of a budget for GSC.
- Serve on GSC executive committee.
- Assume responsibilities of Chair if Chair is unable to complete his/her term of office

 Responsibilities, Year 2 (as Chair of the GSC): 
- Set agenda for GSC activities for the year.
- Create GSC budget for the upcoming year and submit to Central Office.
- Attend Association Council Meetings at Annual Meeting for year as Chair; attend Council meetings in meetings in June and February.
- Attend Coordinated Committee meeting in Washington, DC in October; chair GSC during this meeting, including agenda setting.
- Attend GSC orientation, open and closed business meeting at Annual Meeting; chair GSC business meetings, including agenda setting.
- Present summary of GSC activities at GSC Open Business Meeting.
- Report the pertinent actions and events occurring at all Association Council, and GSC Executive Committee meetings to the GSC.
- Publicize GSC functions through announcements in Educational Researcher, the AERA graduate students email list, and GSC newsletter; when appropriate, submit announcements to the GSC Web Secretary for inclusion on the web site.
- Prepare article for each issue of the Graduate Student Council Newsletter.
- Prepare GSC Annual Report for year served as Chair.
- Prepare pass -down materials for incoming Chair. - Send email letter to Division VPs encouraging the appointment of new Division representatives by date of Annual Meeting.
- Participate in Discussion Forum on GSC web site.

 Responsibilities, Year 3 (as Past Chair): 
- Chair the nominating committee, to assemble slate for election of new GSC officers.
- Attend the Coordinated Committee Meeting in Washington, DC, in October.
- Attend GSC orientation and open and closed business meetings at the annual meeting.
- Serve in advisory capacity to incoming GSC Chair.

 2. Jr. Newsletter Editor 
 Newsletter editors serve two year terms (April 2014-April 2015). Each year, a junior newsletter editor is elected to collaborate with the senior newsletter editor (who was elected as junior editor the year before). The newsletter editors are responsible for producing three issues of the GSC newsletter, Connections. 

Eligibility: 
- must be a graduate student for Fall and Spring semesters of both years of service (2014-2016).
- must be a member of AERA. Responsibilities:
- Manage and edit the GSC newsletters. This is a collaborative position between the senior and junior editors.
- Produce fall and spring issues of the GSC newsletter, with the option to produce a summer issue.
- Select a theme for each issue.
- Disseminate call for submissions for each issue.
- Outline due dates for newsletter submissions.
- Design, layout, and edit articles.
- Submit completed issue to GSC Web Secretary for publication on GSC website.
- Submit annual report on newsletter activities.
- Attend GSC orientation and open and closed business meetings at the annual meeting.
- As senior editor (year 2), attend Coordinated Committee Meeting in Washington, DC in October.

3. Secretary/Historian 
The Secretary/Historian serves a one year term (April 2014-April 2015) and is responsible for record keeping for the GSC.

 Eligibility: 
- Must be a graduate student for Fall and Spring semesters (2014-2015).
- Must be a member of AERA. Responsibilities:
- Attend the Coordinated Committee Meeting in Washington, DC in October.
- Attend the GSC orientation and open and closed business meetings at the Annual meeting.
- Record minutes for all GSC meetings and business.
- Disseminate minutes to GSC within thirty days of the meeting date.
 - Submit approved minutes to Web Secretary for posting on the GSC Web site.
- Act as GSC historian. Collect photographs of GSC events, make these available to Web Secreatry and Newsletter Editors. Maintain updated version of GSC history.
- Maintain contact information for all GSC Members.
- Assist in coordinating the Graduate Student Orientation at the annual meeting.
- Submit annual report on activities for the year.
- Serve on GSC executive committee.

4. Web Secretary 
 The GSC Web Secretary serves a one year term (April 2014-2015) and works with the AERA Central Office to maintain the GSC website.

 Eligibility: 
- Must be a graduate student for Fall and Spring semesters (2014-2015). 
- Must be a member of AERA. Responsibilities:
- Update and maintain GSC website
- Maintain contact with Division Representatives to ensure that the website contains current information.
- Get trained on latest AERA CMS software.
- Keep in contact with AERA web personnel about changes and other issues related to the GSC website.
- Communicate with AERA web personnel about GSC web priorities
- Keep GSC updated about AERA web issues, concerns, priorities, feedback, etc.
- Assist GSC officers in planning new GSC initiatives and programs for graduate students across AERA. Support and become involved in these new AERA GSC initiatives.
- Prepare annual report for the AERA GSC. - Moderate GSC discussion list serv. AERA-GS AERA Graduate Studies Forum