- Elections will be held by online ballot
- Declare your candidacy!
- Option 1 (recommended): Submit your name to the Officer Recruitment Committee by Monday, April 10, 2023. Fill out this form
- Option 2: Get nominated from the floor during the MIPA annual meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2023, via Zoom video conference. (A Zoom link will be distributed to all MIPA member advisers)
- Balloting Period: Ballots will be distributed via email to members following the annual meeting, opening a 20-day voting period.
Consider running for an open seat on MIPA’s executive board.
Being on the board is a great chance to learn more about scholastic journalism and to become a part of the decision-making process when it comes to conferences, workshops, contests and other MIPA programs.
Five MIPA executive board positions are open this year: second vice president, secretary, treasurer and two trustees. More information about these positions is included below. Each of these positions is a two-year term.
MIPA’s board has formed an Officer Recruitment Committee to evaluate the overall makeup of the board and recruit member advisers to run for open offices. The committee will nominate its candidates for office at MIPA’s annual meeting. Additional candidates may be nominated from the floor at this meeting. You can let the committee know you would like to run for an office by completing the candidate form.
MIPA’s volunteer board generally meets six times per academic year on Saturdays in East Lansing or via Zoom (MIPA’s bylaws require board members to attend least four of those meetings to continue in their positions). Meetings typically are held in September, October, December, January, late February/early March (this is a Friday evening meeting immediately before MIPA’s annual Saturday Judging Day) and May. The next year’s meeting schedule is typically set by May.
The first board meeting following the close of elections is 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 20 via Zoom. New board members are strongly encouraged to attend, although their terms don’t officially start until adjournment of this meeting.
Please consider running. We know everyone is busy, but this might just be the time for you to get active at the state level in an organization that serves students and teachers all over Michigan.
Open Positions on MIPA’s Board
MIPA’s executive board sets policy and direction of the organization. The board includes elected officers (president, first vice president, second vice president, secretary, treasurer and four trustees), the immediate past president and chairpersons of standing committees (newspaper, yearbook, video and digital media). All officers are elected for two-year terms. The current board can be found here.
All members of MIPA’s board play a critical role in ensuring the organization meets the needs of its members and that MIPA’s activities fulfill its mission to promote and enhance scholastic journalism in the state. All elected officers must be current teachers/advisers of member student media staffs at the time of nomination. See MIPA’s bylaws for more information about these positions and the role of MIPA’s board.
Here’s a look at the role of each of elected officer positions up for election this year:
Second Vice President
MIPA’s bylaws state that the second vice president “shall assist the President and Vice President as warranted.” This work may vary from time to time, and generally includes similar duties as those carried out by MIPA’s trustees. MIPA’s current leadership would like this person in this position to lead MIPA’s adviser mentor program. This is a two-year term. Run for this position
Secretary
MIPA’s bylaws state that the secretary “shall maintain files and records of the Corporation and keep them under supervision and control and will provide minutes to board members prior to each board meeting.” This job includes taking minutes of MIPA’s board meetings and ensuring those minutes are available for board review before its next meeting. This is a two-year term. Run for this position
Treasurer
The main role of MIPA’s treasurer is to watch over the financial health of the organization. According to the bylaws, the treasurer will: “(a) have charge and custody over corporate funds and securities; (b) keep accurate books and records of corporate receipts and disbursements; (c) deposit all moneys and securities received by the Corporation at such depositories in the Corporation’s name that may be designated by the Executive Board; (d) complete all required corporate filings; and (e) perform all duties incident to the office and other duties assigned by the president or the Executive Board.” The bylaws also say that the treasurer may delegate some of these duties to the executive director. In practice, all bookkeeping is handled by MIPA’s executive director at the main office, but the treasurer takes a lead role in reviewing financial statements and ensuring all transactions meet the board’s standards. This includes being a signatory on MIPA’s financial accounts. Run for this position
Trustee (2 openings)
MIPA’s board has four trustee positions. Two of these seats are up for election this year for two-year terms. The bylaws state that trustees “shall be responsible for outreach and will work with the Second Vice President on helping advisers and schools who request such. Trustees will handle elections, on-site contests at the spring conference and take photos (or arrange to have them taken) of MIPA events, such as the spring conference.” Run for this position
If you’d like more information about the duties of the board, please contact Past President Kaitlin Edgerton, chairperson of the Officer Recruitment Committee, or MIPA Executive Director Jeremy Steele.