Kelli Cargile Cook
Texas Tech University
Spring 2011

The 2011 annual conference is fast approaching, and your ATTW conference planners are working diligently to prepare for your arrival. Conference program chair Jason Swarts and his program committee have organized a stellar program; Lee Tesdell and his team have designed the program graphics; and conference coordinator Michelle Eble, treasurer Ann Blakeslee, and secretary Brenda Sims are scheduling, finalizing room arrangements, and fundraising. The preliminary program can be found at https://conferences.tdl.org/attw/attw_2011/schedConf/schedule.

From the opening welcome to the closing reception, you can expect a great conference this year!

Before the conference begins, however, we have some important work to do. The conference this year marks the end of the current ATTW officers’ terms, and we have an election on the horizon. At the beginning of March ATTW members will receive a ballot in the mail, which will include the election slate as well as three proposed constitutional amendments. 

The first proposed amendment will allow the membership to vote on constitutional changes by electronic vote, rather than by mail balloting through the postal service. The second related amendment will allow officer elections to be held by electronic voting, rather than by mail-in balloting. The final amendment proposes the addition of two positions to the executive committee, the Communications Officer and the Conference Arrangements Coordinator/Fundraiser. Both of these positions were originally established ad hoc, but they have become essential to organizational and conference planning.  The ballot includes current as well as proposed language changes to the constitution.

To alert you that the ballots are mailed, we will send out announcements to the listserv and to the ATTW membership list. Please consider these amendments carefully and return your ballot by mail as quickly as possible. Results will be announced at the annual business meeting immediately following the conference.

To participate in the election, you will need to be an active ATTW member. Your subscription to TCQ includes your ATTW annual dues. You can subscribe to TCQ at the Taylor & Francis website (http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/10572252.asp). There’s also a quick link to subscribe from the ATTW conference registration site, also hosted by Taylor & Francis, at https://journals.taylorandfrancis.com/register/attw/ .

I am optimistic about our organization and its future. When you see the election slate and the conference program, I’m certain you will be, too. I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!