SIGCHI is a membership-based, volunteer-driven organization, and every three years, it holds an election for some of its officers (called the Executive Committee.) 2018 is an election year, and this is the first of a short series of posts explaining the election process. Subsequent posts will cover topics such as: the Executive Committee’s roles and responsibilities, an introduction to the nominees, and how to vote in this year’s election.
What is SIGCHI and the Executive Committee?
SIGCHI is the premier international society for professionals, academics, and students who are interested in human-technology and human-computer interaction (HCI). We provide a forum for the discussion of all aspects of HCI through our 24 sponsored and over 40 in-cooperation conferences, publications, communities, websites, and other services. We advance education in HCI through workshops and outreach.
SIGCHI is run by the Executive Committee (EC), which includes elected officers, appointed office-holders, and the President of the most recent EC. The ACM structure and function of a typical SIG provides general details with respect to this committee.
The Executive Committee develops policies and takes actions to ensure the success of all of the SIGCHI conferences. They also set the vision and advocate for the entire domain of HCI (e.g., promoting involvement in HCI in new regions, better HCI education.)
What positions are up for election?
The following positions are up for election:
- President and Executive Vice President (who run together as a pair)
- Vice President of Membership and Communications
- Vice President of Finance
- Two Vice President At Large positions
There are other Executive Committee positions, but those are appointed rather than elected positions.
Why should I care about voting?
The Executive Committee is responsible for making decisions that affect SIGCHI as a whole. The term lasts three years, but the effects of an Executive Committee’s decisions can last far beyond that. Voting is an opportunity for you to influence the direction of the SIGCHI organization.
Examples of outcomes by recent Executive Committees include holding the first CHI conference in Asia and working with the local HCI community in Korea to make that happen, and the redesign and development of the new SIGCHI website.