B. Nominating Process

Because the operating guidelines are somewhat vague, the working process has been to have the Chair recruit a committee member to work on nominations, either alone or with others.  In the ideal scenario, the nominations are  lined up before the March/spring Gauge and a mail-in ballot is attached with the candidate’s biography.   This ballot is then returned to the nominating chair before the AAM annual meeting.  At the meeting, those ballots along with the votes of those at the business meeting are counted, and new officer(s) take charge at the end of the business meeting.

The chair is elected in odd-numbered years; the other two officers are elected in even-numbered years.

C.  Officer Job Duties 

The Operating Guidelines define each job in generalities.  These descriptions are based upon the experience of the officers in 2001-2003.

I.                   Chair: 

A.     Council of Standing Professional Committees – The chair sits on this group, and through it, advocates for CARE and its positions within AAM.  The SPC Council meets three times a year:  at the annual meeting (usually the Sat and Sun. before the meeting begins), in August and in November.  The last two meetings are in DC.  CARE’s budgets can help reimburse travel.  The chair of SPC Council (a chair of one of the committees is elected by the Council) circulates agendas and travel information. 

At these meetings, about half the time is spent learning about AAM initiatives, and the other half is spent evaluating the last and planning for the next annual meeting.  August’s meeting includes a second day that the chair attends with the program chair. 

AAM has a separate book that describes in more detail the duties of the SPC Council and provides AAM information.

B.     Korenic Award sub-committee of the SPC Council – CARE provides a member to this group who chooses the recipient of the award.  AAM advertises the award in the fall through Aviso.  The Korenic committee members (of which there are 3) also need to have other SPCs list the award in their fall newsletters in order to increase the pool of applicants.  Decisions should be made in winter so that the recipient can use the award for AAM, if s/he desires.  (See files for letter samples.)

C.     Answering questions – About once every couple of weeks, a phone call or email arrives from someone who has gotten the Chair’s name from AAM or the web.  These people usually want one of three things:

                                                              i.      Who to hire as an evaluator – send to the AAM Bookstore to buy the Directory

                                                            ii.      Information on the state of museum evaluation – usually a member of the press – refer to AAM’s Information Service or suggest publications; in general, AAM asks that SPC chairs do not make statement for the press without clearing it with AAM first

                                                          iii.      Membership information – provide info needed; refer to AAM’s web site to become a member

D.    AAM Annual Meeting -  See Annual Meeting section for deadlines.

                                                              i.      Prepares a one-page annual report for SPC chair and AAM Board

                                                            ii.      Sets agendas and orders refreshments, AV equipment, etc. for Board and Business meetings

                                                          iii.      Acts as contact for AAM with volunteers heading different aspects (like luncheon, booth, etc.).   Ensures that all stay on deadlines.

                                                          iv.      Attends pre-meeting weekend meetings that include:

1.      SCP Council meeting

2.      SPC meeting with other Councils

3.      AAM program meeting

4.      receptions for SPC chairs

E.     Keeps in contact with AAM staff liaison for the committee – currently Janet Campbell – should add her to any email and mailing lists

F.      Finds volunteers for various tasks, including appointing regional reps

G.    Gauge -  Consults with the editor on content.  Writes a column for each issue.

II.                Vice-chair

A.     Main duty is the Directory of Evaluators, which is published in May in the odd-numbered years

III.             Secretary/Treasurer

A.  Tracking finances and reconciling with AAM records monthly

B.     Processing CARE deposits and check requests two to three times per month (in batches)

C.     Working with the Chair to develop the budget to be voted on at AAM annual meeting

D.  Distributing the monthly membership update from AAM monthly

E.     Laying out, printing and mailing the annual membership directory in (October)

F.     Updating the new member letter and materials sent out by AAM (annually)

G.  Responding to member queries (occasional)

H.  Sending out member updates by email as requested by the Chair

I.        Preparing and shipping materials for members representing CARE at regional and national conferences (2 or 3 times per year)

J.       Fulfilling publications sales (including AAM Bookstore) a couple times per year

IV.              Regional representatives

A.     Gather information about evaluation and research projects in their region to share in The Gauge

B.     Represent CARE at regional museum meetings, distributing CARE literature, offering sessions on evaluation, etc.

C.     Advise the CARE officers in topics of concern to audience research and evaluation field

D.    Help develop sessions for the AAM annual meeting