Duties of the Steering Committee

The Steering Committee of the Women's Classical Caucus consists of 10 voting members: the secretary-treasurer, the newsletter editor, and 8 elected officers. Two new officers are elected annually to serve 4-year terms, of whom one will normally serve as co-chair in the 3rd and 4th year. The following list of responsibilities is intended as a general guide and checklist for Steering Committee members. Like all such lists, it is rather mechanical and bureaucratic. It is important to note, however, that the most crucial responsibility of a Steering Committee member is to provide the vision and leadership that will keep the WCC growing, vital, and activist.

GENERAL

  • Membership in good standing at time of nomination and service on the committee.
  • Identify and implement initiatives that the WCC should pursue; represent and advocate the WCC and its goals whenever and wherever necessary.
  • Attend APA annual meetings and participate in WCC functions there (e.g., Steering Committee meeting, receptions, business meeting, panel).
  • Serve as Director of the corporation for four years: first two years are spent learning and assisting the current co-chairs; third and fourth years are spent either as a co-chair or assisting the co-chairs.
  • Serve on various sub-committees (e.g. reading and evaluating papers or articles for WCC awards; merchandising; archives; etc.).

CO-CHAIRS

  • Assume office at conclusion of annual WCC Business Meeting at beginning of third year of your term.
  • Contact APA office to reserve rooms necessary for WCC events at upcoming
    annual meeting (deadline possibly April 1 but this should be checked):
  1. Steering Committee Meeting (room for app. 20 people) on December 27 from 7:00-9:45 pm.
  2. Joint reception with Committee on Status of Women & Minority Groups and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Caucus (large room for app. 100-150 people with a microphone) on December 27 from 10:00-12:00 pm. APA office usually helps in planning of this event and takes care of food arrangements.
  3. WCC Panel (room for 100-150 people, with microphone and slide projector/s as needed); work with WCC panel coordinator/s on this. Panel should not be scheduled opposite other events of significant interest to WCC members if at all possible (e.g. other panels on gender or sexuality issues, etc.).
  4. WCC Business Meeting (room for at least 50 people with microphone); usually scheduled in a late afternoon slot (4:30-6:00 pm), this should not be scheduled opposite the LGB Caucus business meeting. Program should list this as an Open Business Meeting of the WCC.
  5. WCC Networking Reception (room for app. 50 people), usually scheduled right after the Business Meeting (6:00-7:00 pm). Co-chairs order food from the hotel for this reception.

  • Represent WCC at annual breakfast meeting with the APA leadership (time and place scheduled by APA); raise and explain issues/concerns and propose concrete stratagems and initiatives for addressing these.
  • Assist as needed coordinator/s of WCC panel (postmark deadline for completed panel description, including speakers and abstracts, is March 24).
  • Assist as needed newsletter editor; call for candidates, award nominations, etc. should be in spring issue (deadline March 1), and call for panel proposals, papers, etc in fall issue (deadline September 1).
  • Serve on Executive Committee (dealing with any emergency decisions or actions) and Equity Fund Committee.
  • Assist Elections Officer with call for nomination and preparation of slate of candidates for election to Steering Committee; candidates' election statements and ballot should be sent to newsletter editor by September 1.
  • Determine who is to be honored at APA joint reception and organize the tribute (should be set by November 30); participate in reading for WCC awards (final determination of recipients should be made by September 30 so recipients can be notified in time to make plans to attend reception).
  • Prepare agendas for WCC meetings at APA annual meeting; one co-chair usually takes responsibility for Steering Committee meeting, and the other for the Business Meeting (items for these agendas should be solicited from all Steering Committee members and associates by end of November, so they can receive copies of final agendas at least a week prior to the meeting). Regular agenda items include reports from Secretary/Treasurer, Elections Officer, other Steering Committee Associates (liaisons), plans for future WCC panels, etc.
  • Appoint secretaries for Steering Committee meeting and Business Meeting (usually the two incoming co-chairs) and conduct these meetings. Hand over imaginary gavel to the new co-chairs at end of Business Meeting. Minutes for Steering Committee meeting and for Business Meeting should be sent to all Steering Committee members and associates; after approval, minutes of the Business Meeting should also be sent to the newsletter editor by March 1.
  • Provide APA Office with statistics required annually to maintain affiliated group status; every five years, file new application for affiliated group status.
  • At end of term, notify APA Office of names and addresses (including e-mail addresses) of new co-chairs.