Nominees Sought for CRA Board

By J Moore, Chair, CRA Board of Directors

The Computing Research Association seeks your help in suggesting nominations for its Board of Directors.  We seek individuals who have time, energy, initiative, and resources to work on CRA issues on behalf of the entire CRA community.  Ours is a working board, and all members are expected to do a fair share of the work.

The 32 member Board provides the membership for various standing committees, including the Communications, Government Affairs, Snowbird Conference, Taulbee Survey, Finance, and Elections committees.  In addition, issues affecting computing research arise unexpectedly and Board members must take the initiative and lead CRA’s responses.  Many CRA committees and initiatives involve year-round attention, regular conference calls, communications with lab directors and department chairs, proposal writing, and sometimes travel at the expense of the individual Board members.

The Board as a whole meets twice a year, with travel and hotel costs paid by the individual members. Board members serve staggered three-year terms.  At the discretion of the Elections committee and based upon a member’s proactive service record during the expiring term, members wishing to stand for re-election may be included on the draft ballot.  There is a three term limit.  Candidates need not be affiliated with CRA member organizations.  Anyone can nominate a candidate but candidates must agree to be nominated.

Recent board activities include:

• Working with the computing research community to envision the future computing research.
• Increasing the participation of women and minorities in computing research.
• Thinking strategically about computing education and its impact on the research enterprise.
• Testifying before Congress and meeting with policymakers to explain the role of computing and computing research
• Developing workshops on critical policy issues
• Planning the biennial CRA Conference at Snowbird
• Conducting the annual CRA Taulbee Survey
• Monitoring the CRA’s budget and expenses

Important dates and events:

• The deadline for receipt of nominations is December 6, 2013.  The Elections Committee will carefully consider all nominations, with the aim of a final ballot containing about twice as many candidates as there are open slots.  Important criteria considered by the committee will include distribution of candidates and current Board members among member institutions, distribution among types and sizes of institutions, evidence of leadership, and evidence of interest in and capacity for service beyond that expected of all faculty members and researchers.
• On January 17, 2014, the Elections Committee will announce the draft ballot.  Additional names may be added by the CRA community as described below.
• On February 7, 2014, nominations by petition are due.  Each such nomination must be signed by the heads of at least 10 Constituent Member Organizations that are current in dues payment.  Current CRA members are listed at http://cra.org/about/members-list/.
• On February 14, 2014, final ballots will be distributed to all CRA department chairs and lab directors.  Each will have one vote for each open slot on the board.
• On February 28, 2014, completed ballots must be returned to CRA.
• In early March, the election results are announced.

Additional information on CRA and its activities is available on the Web at http://www.cra.org.

Nomination forms and additional information are available at: http://www.cra.org/about/elections/.

Questions can be sent to elections [at] cra.org.