Board Position Descriptions

President:

The President is the presiding officer of CHAT, its Representative on the Section Assembly, and serves on the executive board of the American Anthropological Association in appropriate rotation. Acting on the advice and consent of the Board, the President appoints necessary committees and define their duties, appoints representatives of the Association to other societies, agencies, or councils, and selects representatives from such organizations. The President’s actions in exercising the office’s duties and responsibilities are subject to review and approval of the Board. In the absence, death, resignation, or incapacity of the President, the duties of the office shall be assumed by the Secretary.

President-Elect:

The President-Elect serves as an advisor to the President and the Board. In the absence of the President or in the President’s inability to serve, the President-elect assumes the duties of the President.

Secretary:

The Secretary manages the minutes, transactions, and other reports of the CHAT. The Secretary organizes, plans, and coordinates both the Nelson Graburn and Ed Brunner book prizes, along with the Kathleen Adams Student Paper prize. The prizes are awarded at the CHAT Annual Business Meeting.

Communications Chair:

The Communications Chair shall be responsible for CHAT’s contributions to Anthropology News and oversees the website and social media accounts, and their appointed designees (i.e., web editor or social media director).

Treasurer:

The Treasurer is responsible for the administration of the finances of the Section, subject to budgetary and other policies approved by the Board of Directors and by the Association. The Treasurer shall submit a draft budget for the approval of the Board of Directors of CHAT no less than ninety (90) days before the close of the fiscal year, and shall present a complete financial statement at the Annual Meeting of the Council. The Treasurer shall receive all bills from the Officers and members of the Board, ensure that they have the President’s approval, present them to the American Anthropological Association for payment, and provide follow-up as necessary to ensure that all such bills are paid promptly.

Program Chair:

The Program Chair organizes and plans activities related to the Annual Meeting. These activities include but are not limited to panels, the annual business meeting, receptions, and events.

At Large Seats (3):

There are three at-large seats, which are intended to balance CHAT’s dual thematic focus and to ensure adequate representation among different levels of membership. They are:

  1. Member at Large – Heritage seat: The Member at Large- Heritage seat is responsible for advising the board about the distinct needs and interests of members engaged in critical heritage studies.
  2. Member at Large – Tourism seat: The Member at Large – Tourism seat advises about the needs and interests of the membership engaged in critical tourism studies.
  3. Student Member at Large: The student representative is responsible for advising the Board about the needs and interests of student members irrespective of their topical focus, as well as means for involving students in Section activities.

The heritage and tourism seats can be held by students or professionals. All three representatives shall report to the board annually.