Memo from the President
Plenary speakers for Denver conference; registration begins tomorrow
Dear VRA colleagues,I am very pleased to announce the exciting plenary speakers for our upcoming 33rd Annual Conference in Denver (March 11-14, 2015). Opening speaker Aaron Straup Cope, Head of Engineering at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum and also an artist, will discuss how the New Cooper Hewitt Experience engages visitors with interactive and immersive creative technologies. Closing speaker Emily Gore, Director for Content with the Digital Public Library of America, will address the strategic vision for DPLA content and oversight of the DPLA Hub program.Kudos and many thanks to Vice President for Conference Program Steven Kowalik for coordinating these innovative thinkers' presence at our conference.See the conference website for more information about the preliminary program (including more details about our plenary speakers), accommodations, travel arrangements, and more. As you will see from the preliminary program, we have stellar sessions, workshops, meetings, and events lined up for attendees.And get ready: conference registration begins tomorrow! Keep an eye out for an e-mail with registration information.I'm looking forward to seeing many of you in the Mile High City for what promises to be an outstanding conference.Best wishes,Elaine
Election Results
Dear VRA colleagues,I am pleased to report the outcomes of the recent VRA membership vote, held November 1-30, 2014.Please join me in congratulating and welcoming our incoming Executive Board members, who will take office at the Annual Business Meeting in Denver, March 13, 2015.President-Elect: Jen Green, Plymouth State University Secretary: Jasmine Burns, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Vice President for Conference Program: Chris Strasbaugh, Vanderbilt UniversityOn behalf of the Executive Board I would like to warmly thank all of the candidates for being willing to serve the Association in leadership roles. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the Nominating Committee: Jolene de Verges (Co-Chair), Robb Detlefs, Marcia Focht, Jeannine Keefer (Co-Chair), and Heidi Raatz, with special thanks to Robb Detlefs and Heidi Raatz for serving as election tellers.The following are the results for the votes on the amendments to the VRA Constitution and Bylaws:Amendment to VRA Constitution, Article VII (New): RELATIONS WITH THE VRAF: Passed with a 90% margin Amendment to VRA Bylaws, Article III: NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Passed with a 90% margin Amendment to VRA Bylaws, Article V: DUTIES OF OFFICERS: Passed with a 90% margin Affiliation with the Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC): Passed with an 89% marginMany thanks to the membership for voting on these important Association matters.Best wishes,Elaine
NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2014 EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTIONS
Good afternoon membership!
Three positions on the Executive Board – President Elect, Vice-President for Conference Programs, and Secretary – come vacant at the 2015 annual meeting. The Nominating Committee, co-chaired by Jeannine Keefer, University of Richmond and Jolene de Verges, Southern Methodist University, is actively seeking nominations for these positions.
Running for office is an excellent way to serve the Visual Resources Association, get to know more of your colleagues in the field, and give yourself the opportunity to grow professionally. If you are interested in serving on the Executive Board, please feel free to contact previous Board Officers; they would be happy to share their experiences and reflections of their time in office. The Committee encourages members to place qualified individuals or themselves in consideration for nomination by contacting one of the Co-Chairs.
For the first year the President Elect performs such duties as the President may assign until taking over the office as President. The President serves as the executive officer of the organization, oversees and coordinates the activities of the other officers and the committees, convenes the Executive Board meetings, and represents the organization.
The Vice President for Conference Programs serves as program coordinator for the annual conference, working with the Vice President for Conference Arrangements, the Secretary and the Public Relations and Communications Officer.
The Secretary is in charge of conference pre-registration, keeps minutes of all VRA meetings and handles other official paperwork for the organization.
For more information please consult Articles III, IV, and V of the VRA Bylaws, which can be found on the VRA website. The VRA Organizational Policies and Procedures manual provides detailed descriptions of each office and may be found in the My VRA section (you must login to Memberclicks) of the VRA website under Community —> Info.
If you have further questions please feel free to contact:
Jeannine Keefer, Nominating Committee Co-ChairBoatwright Memorial LibraryUniversity of Richmond, VA 23172804.289.8275Jkeefer@richmond.edu
Or
Jolene M. de Verges, Nominating Committee Co-ChairDirector, Hamon Arts LibrarySouthern Methodist UniversityPO Box 750356Dallas, TX 75275-0356214-768-1855 Fax 214-768-1800jdeverges@smu.edu