Patricia Dennis
USITT Secretary

The USITT Nominations Committee has prepared a slate for the 2008 election cycle.

John Uthoff, as Immediate Past President, is chair of the Nominations Committee. He and the committee diligently sought input from the membership at large, Commissioners, Regional Sections, Conference Committee, and Directors at Large. The committee is confident the slate includes a strong list of individuals well prepared for these positions and representing the wide variety of interest groups, professions, and regions within the Institute.

The Nominations Committee presents the following slate for the 2008 election.

Officers elected will serve two-year terms starting July 1, 2008.

Candidates for Directors at Large (six to be elected) are: Dan Culhane, Mary Heilman, Michael Hooker, William Kenyon, Tom Korder, David Krajec, Brian Reed, Carolyn Satter, Bob Thurston, John Uthoff, Monica Weinzapfel, and David Will. Those elected Directors at Large will serve three-year terms beginning July 1, 2008.

The slate may be amended by following the By-Laws that state: "Additional nominations for each elective office may be presented by petition, supported by no fewer than 50 signatures verified as those of members in good standing in the Corporation. Additional nominations shall be accompanied by written approval of the nominee and a brief biographical description."

Additional nominations may be made electronically for candidates who wish to be included on the ballot. To file an e-mail petition, the process is to:

• Confirm the willingness of the individual to stand for election;
• Collect the names of at least 50 current USITT members who have agreed to support the nomination; and
• Send an e-mail by October 15 to Nominations Committee Chair John Uthoff at jsutd@ksu.edu. The e-mail must contain the name and brief biography of the nominee as well as names and e-mail addresses of those supporting the nomination.

A form which can be used to nominate additional candidates can be found here and on the USITT website.

Once the electronic petition is received, the membership of those who endorse the nomination will be verified and the support of each signer will be confirmed. If all is in order, the name will be added to the slate.

The Nominations Committee hopes that this option will allow the membership a convenient process for participation and involvement. Petitions may still be filed on paper and mailed to Mr. Uthoff at Kansas State University, Department of Speech Communication, Theatre & Dance, 129 Nichols Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506. Any member with questions can also call USITT Secretary Pat Dennis at 218-726-8778 or Mr. Uthoff at 785-532-6864.

USITT's officers and Directors at Large shape the future of the organization; it is critical that all members participate in the election process. By doing so members invest in the future of the Institute.

This 2008 election will initiate Institute members to e-balloting, a confidential electronic means of casting votes for the future leadership of USITT. In the months ahead, USITT members will receive additional information about this process. During the 2007 Annual Conference & Stage Expo, when this change was announced, members were enthusiastic in endorsement of this updated method of electing Institute leadership.

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