Nominations & Elections

Nominations

During the nominations process, we invite you to invest in the future of AFA by assisting the Governance & Nominations Committee in the process of identifying members to serve on the board of directors. Per the AFA Bylaws, all active and current professional, graduate, affiliate, or emeritus members are eligible to run for the board of directors.

The Governance & Nominations Committee is actively soliciting candidates for Board service through the Call for Nominations. The Call for Nominations provides an opportunity for any AFA members to either nominate a colleague for Board service, or to nominate themselves for Board service. The Call for Nominations for the 2026 Board of Directors will close on Monday, April 28th.

Submit a Nomination Here

If you have any questions about the nomination and elections process or the ballot, please contact the AFA Central Office. Please contact Dr. Joshua Schutts, Governance & Nominations Committee chair , with any questions regarding the candidate recruitment, review, and selection process.

Qualifications, Essential Characteristics & Duties of Executive Board Officers for the Nominations & Elections Process

Qualifications/Eligibility

Board of Directors:

• Board members must hold affiliate, emeritus, graduate or professional membership in AFA at the time of nomination/election and maintain throughout their term of office.
• The demand may average 10-15 hours per month.
• It is imperative for board members to have the support of their employer in relation to time that AFA responsibilities may take away from their regular responsibilities.

President/Board Chair:

• In addition to all Board of Directors qualifications, eligible candidates for AFA President/Board Chair must have served a minimum of one (1) year on the AFA Board of Directors.

General Duties/Expectations

The Board of Directors shall perform the following duties:

• Be conversant in the organization’s mission and purpose.
• Support the executive team and provide performance feedback.
• Articulate organizational ends through policy and clear objectives.
• Ensure adequate resources for AFA’s operations.
• Serve as a steward for AFA financial resources.
• Participate in fundraising activities of the AFA Foundation.
• Complete other duties as designated by the AFA president.

Board members are expected to:

• Attend all in-person board of directors meetings annually (3).
• Participate in monthly board teleconference calls.
• Attend the AFA Annual Meeting each year of service.
• Be available and responsive to AFA staff and board members.
• Conduct themselves in a professional manner consistent with AFA’s Code of Professional Responsibility.
• Represent AFA at events as requested.
• Work in partnership with the Board to identify potential conflicts of interest and exercise discretion in decision making.
• Contribute in a substantial or sacrificial way to the AFA Foundation.

Ideal Board of Directors candidates should have the following skills or experience:

• Be flexible working with volunteers and staff to achieve strategic goals.
• Have excellent management and communications skills.
• Articulate the value and importance of our organization as it aligns with the principles of higher education.
• Understand the partnerships of AFA within the higher education sphere and the interfraternal industry.
• Focus on the Strategic Framework and organize work around fulfilling the vision and mission of AFA.
• Have a broad understanding of association management, fiduciary responsibilities, and the fundamentals of non-profit organizations.
• Assess information to make data-driven decisions.
• Understand some information may be confidential, and therefore should not be discussed with others outside of the board.

Nominations & Elections Frequently Asked Questions

How does the elections process work?

The process begins with the solicitation of nominations. Affiliate, emeritus, graduate, and professional members may nominate others for the positions being elected this year. Affiliate, emeritus, graduate, and professional members may also nominate themselves.

Anyone nominated will be contacted and asked to either accept or decline their nomination. Candidates who accepted a nomination will receive a nomination acceptance statement. The AFA Governance & Nominations Committee carefully considers all of the acceptance statements and determines the final slate of nominees. Affiliate, graduate, professional, and emrtitus members will then vote on the slate.

What is the Governance & Nominations Committee and what do they do?

The purpose of the Governance & Nominations Committee oversees the Association Nominations and Elections process and maintains responsibility for cultivating interest in board service, on-boarding, and maintenance of strong directors and effective
Association governance.

What if I don’t know who the candidates are?

The Governance & Nominations compiles candidate information and provides recorded interview responses with each individual candidate. These materials will be available on our website to help you make an informed choice.

I think I’d like to run for an office. Can I nominate myself?

Yes. The Governance & Nominations Committee slates candidates based on the skill sets they can bring to a specific office, so nominate yourself if you are interested in this leadership challenge.

How can I best evaluate my own skills and talents as a function of the nominations and elections process?

Effective boards reflect a variety of skills and talents across all Board members. No single Board member is expected to be proficient in all critical areas of Board service. However, those interested in Board service are encouraged to self-evaluate their own knowledge/expertise in the following areas:

• Knowledge of AFA and the fraternity/sorority profession
• Nonprofit financial management
•  Strategic planning and performance metrics
• Management of staff and volunteer talent
• Nonprofit compliance (insurance, laws, regulations)
• Public policy & legislative impact
• Relationship management
• Equity, inclusion, and belonging in membership associations
• Fundraising and foundation management

How do I vote?

Ballots are sent from the Central Office via email to all eligible voting members.

Where can I learn more about the positions?

All members interested in running for office are encouraged to speak to the present board members. Current board members can provide a wealth of information about their responsibilities, the time commitment, and their overall satisfaction with their involvement in the association’s leadership.