Conference Co-Chair
The Online Writing Centers Association (OWCA) is accepting applications for a Conference Co-Chair on our Executive Board. This is a volunteer position.
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Position Details
- Length of term: 2 years total (June 2024 – May 2025 as Co-Chair; June 2025 – May 2026 as Chair)
- Time commitment: 10-20 hours per month (includes synchronous and asynchronous work; hours may increase closer to conference)
- Renewable?: No
- Elected by: OWCA Executive Board
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Qualifications
We welcome your application regardless of your prior experience with conference planning or online events. You should apply for this position if you:
- Would like to develop skills in virtual conference planning and inclusive event design
- Can apply feedback from others throughout the process
- Would enjoy planning a fully online conference
- Have ideas for ways an online conference could better meet the needs of OWCA members
If elected, you would work closely with the Conference Chair for the first year of your term and receive mentoring and training on how to plan a virtual conference. You would then become the Conference Chair during the second year of your term and help to mentor the incoming Conference Co-Chair.
You would also be supported by the Diversity & Social Justice Committee, Accessibility Committee, and Virtual Events Committee while planning the conference.
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Responsibilities
If elected, you would serve 1 year as Conference Co-Chair, followed by 1 year as Conference Chair.
Year 1: Conference Co-Chair
As Conference Co-Chair, you would do the following within your monthly time commitment:
- Work closely with the current Conference Chair and receive mentoring as needed
- Assist the Conference Chair in planning and coordinating the OWCA conference to be held sometime in March-May 2025.
- Attend Conference Committee meetings and lead the meetings when the Conference Chair is not available
- Help manage deadlines leading up to the conference
- Help work with the Diversity & Social Justice Committee, Accessibility Committee, and Virtual Events Committee throughout the year
- Attend monthly Executive Board meetings to help report on your committee’s progress, review items that need Board feedback/approval, and vote on Board and committee projects
Year 2: Conference Chair
As Conference Chair, you would do the following within your monthly time commitment:
- Lead the planning and coordinating of the OWCA online conference to be held sometime in March-May 2026, including providing the overall vision for the conference theme and organization.
- Work closely with the incoming Conference Co-Chair and mentor them as needed
- Chair the OWCA Conference Committee, which involves scheduling and leading committee meetings, delegating tasks to committee members for both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration, and organizing committee files
- Set, maintain, and track deadlines leading up to the conference
- Work with the Diversity & Social Justice Chair, Accessibility Chair, and Virtual Events Chair throughout the year
- Attend monthly Executive Board meetings to report on your committee’s progress, review items that need Board feedback/approval, and vote on Board and committee projects
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The Conference
The OWCA conference is held annually. The conference is fully online and uses OWCA resources, including the OWCA Google Team Drive, Zoom, email accounts, website, and budget. Information about past conferences is available at these links:
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The Conference Committee
In the past, the Conference Committee has worked synchronously and asynchronously to accomplish the following:
- Choose conference dates and deadlines
- Draft the conference CFP and proposal rubric, with feedback from the Accessibility Committee and Diversity & Social Justice Committee
- Develop accessibility requirements for the conference, in collaboration with the Accessibility Committee
- Provide writing consultations for conference proposals, in collaboration with the Virtual Events Committee
- Review and approve conference proposals
- Create the conference schedule
- Provide consultations for conference presenters, in collaboration with the Virtual Events Committee
- Review presenter materials for accessibility requirements
- Work with the Website Coordinators on the conference website
- Facilitate conference sessions
- Compile recommendations for future conferences
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Learn More
If you’d like to learn more about this position, please email election@onlinewritingcenters.org.
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How to Apply
Please create a written statement (200-300 words) OR video statement (2-3 minutes). Video statements should be uploaded to YouTube and include edited closed captions for accessibility (please review OWCA Guide for Video Applications for assistance).
Your statement will be shared privately with the OWCA Executive Board. In your statement, you should answer the following questions:
- Tell us about any prior experiences you had that would help you to plan an online conference and collaborate with committee members.
- What themes, topics, or features would you find interesting for an online conference?
- Why do you want to be more involved with the OWCA?
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Submit
Applications for this election are due May 6 (by end of the day).
