Committee Elections

Warren K. Leffler, ‘ Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party supporters holding signs while marching on the boardwalk at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, Atlantic City – Wikimedia Commons

Committee Elections

Each year, the existing members of the HOTCUS steering committee stand down. The vacant positions are then subject to a new nomination and – if necessary, election – process.

All HOTCUS members are eligible to nominate themselves for all positions on the committee. Their nomination application form (available here) must be seconded by another HOTCUS member, and submitted to the committee secretary (Miguel Hernandez – [email protected]) by 5:00pm, Friday 16 May 2025. Where ballots are required, they will take place online between 30 May and 13 June 2025. The new committee will then be presented to the membership at the HOTCUS AGM at the annual conference at Lancaster University.

The eight committee positions are:

  • Chair (1-year term)
  • Vice-Chair (1-year term)
  • Committee Secretary (1-year term)
  • Treasurer (1-year term)
  • Membership Secretary (1-year term)
  • Events Secretary (1-year term)
  • Early Career Secretary (1-year term)
  • Postgraduate Secretaries x1 (2-year terms for those currently registered as PhD students)

This year we are particularly encouraging nominations for the following positions:

  • Events Secretary
  • One Postgraduate Secretary

Descriptions of the responsibilities of each committee position are available below. As well as completing their duties, committee members are expected to participate in 4 committee meetings per year over Zoom, and to help judge the annual HOTCUS prizes and other awards.

HOTCUS is dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusion and equality in our organizational structure. We seek to develop an intellectual and organizational environment built on the premise of equity in terms of gender, age, race, sexuality, disability, career stage, and employment status.

If you have any questions about the nomination and election process, please contact Miguel Hernandez at the address above.

Description of HOTCUS Committee Roles 

Chair 

  • Chair meetings of the HOTCUS Committee 
  • Represent HOTCUS in the broader academic community and act as a link with associated organizations in History, American Studies, Politics, among others 
  • Define and realise strategic goals 
  • Help raise the profile of HOTCUS in the international community of U.S. historians and play a role in enhancing membership 
  • Produce annual report to AGM 
  • Planning for all HOTCUS events (in collaboration with Events Secretary), including arrangements for the plenary speaker and chairing the lecture at the annual conference 

Vice Chair 

  • Act as Chair pro tempore of Committee meetings as required 
  • Lead Mentorship scheme 
  • Promote and deliver EDI in all HOTCUS activities 
  • Ensure a voice for the alt-academic community (in collaboration with EC Secretary) 
  • Support Chair in representing HOTCUS in broader academic community 

Committee Secretary 

  • Arrange Committee meetings and keep minutes 
  • Monitor the planning calendar to ensure committee work and tasks are completed in a timely fashion 
  • Serve as HOTCUS webmaster 
  • Manage social media accounts, ensuring consistency of comms (in collaboration with Membership Secretary) 
  • Organise Committee elections 

Treasurer  

  • Prepare budgets and provide advice on the financial implications of HOTCUS activities and strategic planning 
  • Manage HOTCUS banking and financial accounts 
  • Process membership payments and fees (in collaboration with Membership Secretary) 
  • Advice and assistance in financial planning for HOTCUS events (in collaboration with Events Secretary) 
  • Pay awards and grants 

Events Secretary 

  • Organisation of Annual Conference, including liaison with personnel of host institution on all aspects of the event 
  • Disseminate CFP for Annual Conference, review submissions, and draft programme 
  • Lead planning for future events 
  • Oversee PG-EC workshop (in collaboration with PG and EC Secretaries) 
  • Coordinate Winter Symposium (in collaboration with PG Secretaries)  

Membership Secretary  

  • Maintain membership list 
  • Manage and record membership dues (in collaboration with Treasurer) 
  • Produce and send news bulletin to HOTCUS members 
  • Ensure news is disseminated on webpage and social media accounts (in collaboration with Committee Secretary) 
  • Administer HOTCUS award schemes 

Early Career Secretary 

  • Represent Early Career researchers and academics, including those on temporary contracts and non-permanent employment, ensuring HOCUS activities meet the needs of the EC community 
  • Lead HOTCUS’s sponsorship and marketing work, including contact with publishers for paid publicity at events (in collaboration with Events Secretary) 
  • Alongside PG Secretaries, organise the PG-EC workshop that takes place before the Annual Conference (in collaboration with Events Secretary) 
  • Maintain links with counterparts on BAAS committee and other academic organisations 

Postgraduate Secretaries x 2 

  • Represent Postgraduates, ensuring events and activities meet the needs of the PG community 
  • Alongside EC Secretary, organise the PG-EC workshop that takes place before the Annual Conference (in collaboration with Events Secretary)  
  • Assist in organisation of Winter Symposium (in collaboration with Events Secretary) 
  • Maintain links with counterparts on BAAS committee and other academic organisations
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