At the 2006 meeting of the Emily Dickinson International Society, the Board of Directors decided to seat three Members-at-Large on the Board (instead of only one) with elections each year to replace one person rotating off, thereby increasing participation of the membership in decision-making. In March 2007 two Members-at-Large were elected, Barbara Dana and Cindy MacKenzie. Their terms will be staggered so they rotate off in successive years. In early 2008 the third Member-at-Large will be elected for a three-year term. Members can be re-elected. Society members are invited to present themselves as candidates for the anticipated vacancies.

The Board ordinarily meets once a year in conjunction with the Society's annual meeting (generally in the summer), and the Members-at-Large are expected to attend the annual meetings. Candidates should expect to fund annual meeting attendance either on their own or with institutional assistance. In addition, board members work during the year on Society projects and frequently communicate via email, regular mail, or telephone, at their own expense.

If you are interested in providing leadership for the Emily Dickinson International Society and supporting its mission of promoting interest in Dickinson and her poetry, you are invited to submit your name for consideration for the position of Member-at-Large. Members are eligible without regard for geography or profession. Nominations are also welcome. By February 2008, the Nominations Committee, headed by Ellen Louise Hart, will compile a list of candidates to present to the general membership for selection of the new Member-at-Large. There will be an election by mail in late February 2008, with the winner announced in the spring Bulletin.

Anyone wishing to become a candidate should contact Ellen Louise Hart, Chair of the Nominations Committee, by January 31, 2008, at ehart@ucsc.edu. Be sure to include a brief statement of goals and qualifications pertinent to your candidacy. If you wish to nominate a candidate, please ensure that the person is willing to run and ask him or her to forward the aforementioned statement to the Nominations Committee Chair