Eligibility
USEA’s Leadership Development Committee will accept board nominations from:
- faculty, staff, Master Teachers, etc. from fully implemented UTeach programs
- alumni of any UTeach program
Nominations open once a year.
What Does the USEA Board Do?
Board members are responsible for strategic planning, evaluation and leadership on behalf of the association. The Board is responsible for envisioning association initiatives, setting their direction, and evaluating them for progress and success. As leaders, Board members set the agenda.
Benefits of Serving on the USEA Board
- Connect with other programs and alumni and enhance your own practice and program.
- Leverage your expertise to support and launch new initiatives.
- Grow as a leader and support others on their leadership journey.
How Much Time Does Board Service Require?
The USEA Executive Board meets three times per year—the first meeting is in-person in conjunction with the annual UTeach STEM Educators Conference in June and the other two meetings are via web conference in October and February. Board members should be willing to invest time to prepare and for participate in Board meetings and any ad hoc conference calls.
The USEA president and vice president usually meet with USEA management for 30 minutes once a week or as needed throughout the year.
2023 Timeline
- January 17: Deadline for nominations submitted via this form
- January 25: Leadership Development Committee reviews finalists
- February 15: Board slate presented to USEA president
- February 28: Board slate presented to USEA membership
- Early April new board members confirmed and plans made to attend the in-person meeting in Austin, Texas in June
Criteria and Selection Process
USEA seeks individuals with diverse work, life, social, and educational backgrounds so that it can make well-rounded decisions that reflect its entire membership. USEA seeks true diversity—in terms of age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, industry, location, and work roles—in its board.
We seek candidates with the following:
Skills and Background
- Thinks strategically about USEA, STEM education, and teacher preparation
- Brings diversity and new ideas/perspectives to the current Board
- Uses knowledge for decision making that benefits the overall organization
- Has an appreciation for and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Has an understanding of UTeach and/ or USEA
- Has experience on other boards or has held previous leadership positions—a plus, but not a must
Commitment
- Has support from employer and colleagues regarding the time required for board service
- Is able to attend Executive Board meetings and the annual UTeach STEM Educators Conference, as well as participate in ad hoc conference calls
Board Diversity
- Diverse in age, race/ ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, geographic representation, etc.
- Broad representation of UTeach programs
- Broad representation of the roles within UTeach (e.g., alumni, co-directors, master teachers, faculty, student support staff, etc.)
- Diverse special interests and/ or expertise
Evaluation Criteria
Quality of candidate's CV
- Experience with STEM education in general
- Experience with UTeach and/or USEA
- Experience on other boards and/or in leadership positions
- Overall impression of candidate’s CV
Quality of candidate’s personal statement
- Statement clearly articulates personal strengths and how these would add value to the USEA Board
- Statement demonstrates strategic thinking about USEA, STEM education, and teacher preparation
- Statement discusses how candidate would bring diversity and new ideas/perspectives to the current Board
- Overall quality of personal statement
Diversity for USEA Board
- Does the candidate bring diversity to the Board and complement the current USEA Board membership? (e.g., age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, geographic representation, gender, roles within UTeach program)
- Based on your review of the applicant’s materials (or other personal interactions, if applicable) what is your overall impression of the candidate and their potential to positively contribute to the USEA Board?
Nominate yourself or someone else. (Nominations for 2023 are now closed.)
FAQs
Can I Nominate Myself?
Yes. USEA members may nominate themselves for board service by following the same procedures they would use to nominate someone else.
Leadership Mentoring Opportunity
If you're interested in meeting with a mentor from the current USEA Leadership Development Committee, please send an email to info@uteach.utexas.edu and indicate the general days/times when you are available. We will pair you up with an available mentor and you can schedule a meeting. You will have a 30-minute one-on-one Zoom meeting with your mentor during which you can ask questions about Board roles and receive feedback on the ideas you might have for your application. Please know these folks are volunteering their time for this (as with all USEA Board and committee activities) and let them know they are appreciated for that!
Growing into Leadership with USEA
Have you wanted to become more involved with the UTeach Nation? Are you interested in taking on or growing into a leadership position within this dynamic group of STEM educators? We invite all members of the UTeach community — leaders, faculty, staff, alumni, and students — to view this presentation from members of the UTeach STEM Educators Association (USEA) leadership committee to learn what opportunities are available, how to become involved, and what USEA is looking for in leadership to help guide our community into the future. We explicitly address the desire for increased diversity within USEA. You may also download this presentation as a PDF.