Report of the OAH Nominating Board
May 15, 2001
Submitted by Stephanie J. Shaw

The Nominating Board met at the 2001 meeting of the AHA at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.  We wish to submit the following slate for 2002.

President Elect:  Jacqueline Dowd Hall

Executive Committee
1. Jim Patterson
    David Kennedy

2. Laurel Ulrich
    Mary Kelley

3. Al Hurtado
    Julie Roy Jeffrey
 

Nominating Board
1. Sylvia Frey
    Peter Onuf

2. Dwight Pitcaithley
    Jim Gardner

3. Merline Pitre
    Carlton Wilson

After a substantial discussion in the committee, we propose the following suggestions.  The recommendations come from two different sources, which are identified in the text.  All the suggestions, however, are related and are mutually reinforcing.

1. One of the candidates who was not elected in this year's balloting was particularly upset to have heard from the candidate she ran with that he had been elected.  I apologized to her and explained that the results of the balloting were e-mailed to me on Thursday, I read the e-mail on Friday, and that I called everyone on Monday.  Unfortunately, not a single person was in when I called, and because of the urgency of reaching everyone, I made an instant decision to leave messages for those who had won and to keep calling those who had not rather than leave a message for them.  I reached the person who complained of the process on Tuesday. 

A.  She suggested that in the future we should contact those who did not win before contacting those who were elected. 
B. She suggested that we make these calls sooner so that people can make decisions about whether or not to attend the meeting.  The notification comes after the deadline for hotel reservations and after the deadlines for receiving the cheapest airfares. 

The committee agreed with the recommendations above and recommends, further:

1. that the OAH return to the separate ballot which, historically, resulted in more participation.
2. that the OAH mail the ballot earlier with an earlier return deadline so that people are notified in a more timely manner.
3. that the OAH provide the committee with the list of nominees earlier so that the most effective use can be made of it.  If the list is not compiled early enough (with the late deadline, it must be difficult), the committee could be provided with the previous year’s list. 
4. that the OAH discuss ways of making more use of the Volunteers.
5. that the OAH provide some financial support for committee members from institutions that don’t provide support.
6. that the OAH update its source materials more regularly. The information in the Directory of Minority Historians, for example, is about seven years old, and although the Service Record notebook is up-to-date, it is not possible to identify members of target groups to make certain that the committee's slate is diverse. 
7. that the committee meeting room come equipped with a computer with internet connections so that we can access curriculum vita of potential nominees being discussed.
8. that the committee meeting room come equipped with a telephone with long distance access so that nominees can be contacted at once about their willingness to run for office.