The Annual Meeting is almost upon us. Whether featured by our SIG, or elsewhere on the Annual Meeting program, there is a wide range of intriguing papers and posters that should appeal to our membership. We have Caroline Guardino and Hannah Dostal to thank for bringing this information together in the following pages of this newsletter.
Though the 2015 election closed in early March, AERA has not yet announced the results. Let us be sure to thank Robert Hoffmeister and Kimberly Wolbers for being our Program Chair-Elect candidates in this year’s election. I’m looking forward to announcing our new Program Chair-Elect very soon.
Remember that we have a rotating, two-year term model for our program officers (i.e., year one of term: Program Chair-Elect; year two of term: Program Chair), which means that annually we are seeking new candidates to stand for Program Chair-Elect. In addition to this office, during the 2016 SIG elections we will be electing a new Secretary/Treasurer (three-year term). Nominations will be due in early November of this year. Please consider running for one of these offices. Nominations may be sent to the SIG Chair (Ross Mitchell) or the SIG Secretary/Treasurer (Peter Crume).
In addition to thinking about officer nominations, it is time to consider volunteering as a member of the review panel for next year’s proposal submissions. Having done this before becoming an officer, I highly recommend the experience. Just be sure to set aside sufficient time in August to do so.
As always, our SIG membership experiences turnover from one year to the next. Please, continue inviting people to join our SIG and, whether they join or not, to participate in our Annual Meeting program. Particularly for those people doing research in the field of Deaf Education, now is the time to get the word out about AERA and our SIG. Encourage researchers you know to think about submitting a paper or poster to our SIG for the 2016 Annual Meeting, which will be in Washington, DC. Let them know that proposals will be accepted through the online submission system beginning in June and are due no later than the middle of July of this year.
I encourage everyone presenting a paper or poster to the SIG to also enter their paper for The Best Paper Award. Neither entry received from last year’s Annual Meeting was judged as both sufficiently complete to meet all of the review criteria—the same content criteria used to assess proposals—and executed well enough to merit being recognized as the strongest research from within the SIG. Since I can only speculate as to why we had so few entries, the Business Meeting agenda will include time to discuss our recruitment and review processes for The Best Paper Award.
Finally, our Business Meeting will conclude with a discussion with invited panelists and a reception (fruit, vegetables, cheeses, antipasti, and tapas). I look forward to seeing all of you in Chicago!
Your SIG Chair, Ross Mitchell
This message fittingly comes during the Thanksgiving season (USA). Over the last few months, our SIG achieved three important accomplishments, none of which were possible without the generosity of SIG members. Join with me by celebrating these achievements and thanking our colleagues for their contributions.
First, we have a great program for the Annual Meeting in Chicago (April 16–20, 2015). Details are found in Caroline Guardino’s message, including thanks to our volunteer reviewer panel. Thank you to Caroline, our Program Chair, and Hannah Dostal, Program Chair-Elect, for bringing this year’s program together.
Let me recognize and thank Catherine O’Brien and Marlon Kuntze for meeting with AERA folks in Washington, DC, about interpreters. On our behalf, they initiated a process for providing highly qualified interpreters at the Annual Meeting. The AERA Meetings division has yet to finalize an agreement with Gallaudet Interpreting Services—both are negotiating in good faith. Please notify AERA as to which sessions/events you wish to attend by March 6, 2015—program available in February—so a sufficient number of interpreters are contracted.
Second, we exceeded the 75 member minimum requirement, just barely, and are positioned to sustain it. Moreover, because we sustained membership at this level, we have sufficient funds for refreshments—food and beverages—at the SIG Business Meeting!
During the last-minute membership drive in September, and since then, some members helped me by reaching out to invite graduate students, co-workers, and colleagues, or providing contact information so that I might reach out on their behalf. Let me thank Stephanie Cawthon, Lon Kuntze, Claudia Pagliaro, Brenda Schick, and Kimberly Wolbers for their assistance with new member recruitment. (Apologies to anyone not mentioned.)
Continue to invite people to join the SIG! Let me know if there are people to whom I should send personal invitations from the SIG Chair—let’s encourage them to join.
Third, thank you to our full slate of nominees for 2015 election of Program Chair-Elect. (See elsewhere in this newsletter—again, we are a “healthy and vital” SIG.) Whoever is elected will replace Hannah as Program Chair-Elect; Hannah becomes Program Chair. Caroline’s term ends with the close of the Annual Meeting. Caroline, we thank you!
Let’s also thank our Nominating Committee: Thomas Allen, Robert Hoffmeister, Marlon Kuntze, Pamela Luft, and Ye (Angel) Wang.
Remember, there are SIG elections every year. In addition to Program Chair-Elect, the office of Secretary/Treasurer is up for election. Please, plan your commitments to include service to the SIG, following the 2016 Annual Meeting, and accept nomination for one of these two offices.
Finally, we have two submissions for the Best Paper Award that need judging. Additional volunteers are needed to round out the committee. Please contact me as soon as possible, if you are able to serve in this role.
With thanksgiving, I close by wishing you the happiest of holidays ahead and hoping you share my anticipation for a great Annual Meeting in Chicago next April.