Get Involved

There are numerous opportunities to volunteer your time and service with ASHE! From the Board of Directors to micro-volunteering opportunities like reviewing conference proposals, more than 25% of ASHE members serve the association each year. 

This page provides details on volunteer opportunities and how to get involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact ASHE Executive Director Dr. Jason P. Guilbeau (he/him) at jason@ashe.ws
 


ASHE Board of Directors

The ASHE Board of Directors is responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the Association. Elections are held annually for a president, graduate student representative, and members at large. Nominations typically open in March and close in April, with elections occurring in July and August. 

  • President of the Board of Directors: The individual who is elected to the ASHE Presidency will serve a three-year term, taking office as President-Elect then President then Immediate Past President. For more information on the responsibilities of the ASHE President, you can review the ASHE President position description.
  • Members-At-Large of the Board of Directors (2 vacancies occur each year):  Those elected to these positions will serve a two-year term. For more information on the responsibilities of the ASHE Members-At-Large, you can review the ASHE Members-At-Large position description.
  • ​Graduate Student Members of the Board of Directors (1 elected each year): Those elected to these positions will serve a two-year term. For more information on the responsibilities of the ASHE Graduate Student Reps, you can review the ASHE Graduate Student Reps. position description.

ASHE Council Leadership

Each of ASHE's four councils are led by an executive committee. Positions vary between each council as do terms of service. All positions are elected and follow the ASHE Nominations and Elections timeline (nominations open in March, close in April; with elections in July and August).

For a list of current council executive committee members and their terms, you can visit the following pages: Additionally, many councils have standing committees (such as awards, nominations, program, etc.). If you are interested in serving on a council standing committee, you are encouraged to email the council chair directly for more information.

Standing Committees

The ASHE Board of Directors has a variety of standing committees. Committee members are recommended by the president for approval by the board of directors. Most committee members serve a three-year term. Call for nominations for vacant committee positions is typically advertised in the ASHE Listserv or in a special email from the president.

A list of current committee members can be found by logging in to your ASHE Member Portal and clicking "Committees and Groups" in the left menu.
  • The budget committee shall conduct financial analyses and make recommendations to the board about the annual budget and financial policies.  The committee shall be chaired by a member of the association, not otherwise serving on the board as an elected member, and consist of:  (1) two other members of the association; and (2) the executive director, serving without vote.  The chair of the budget committee serves as an ex officio member of the board of directors.
  • The nominations committee shall manage elections to the board, including soliciting nominations annually and making recommendations and recommending a slate of candidates.  The committee shall be chaired by the immediate past president and consist of three additional members. 
  • The membership committee shall make recommendations to the board and undertake efforts concerning building the membership of the association.  The committee shall consist of a chair and two additional members.
  • The publications committee shall oversee the publication program of the association and advise the board on related issues.  The committee shall be chaired by a member of the association, not otherwise serving on the board as an elected member, and consist of:  (1) the immediate past president; (2) three other members of the association appointed to three-year terms; and (3) the editors of any ASHE publications as ex-officio members.  The present ASHE publications are:  the Review of Higher Education, ASHE Higher Education Report, and the ASHE Reader series.  The chair of the publications committee serves as an ex officio member of the board of directors.
  • The awards committee shall make recommendations to the board concerning awards that the association bestows.  The executive committee shall act on these recommendations in advance of the annual conference at which the awards are presented.  The committee shall consist of a chair and five additional members, with a member of the board appointed by the president serving, ex officio and without vote.
  • The Bobby Wright Dissertation of the Year committee shall make recommendations to the board concerning the dissertation awards that the association bestows.  The executive committee shall act on these recommendations in advance of the annual conference at which the awards are presented.  The committee shall consist of a chair and five additional members.
  • The site selection committee shall make recommendation to the board and advise the executive director about the sites of future conferences.  The committee shall consist of a chair and two other members, as well as the executive director serving without vote.
  • The conference evaluation committee shall conduct a thorough evaluation of the annual conference immediately following the event and provide the results to the executive director, president, and program chair in a timely manner. The evaluation team will also write a brief report for dissemination to the members within 6 months of the annual meeting. The committee shall consist of a chair appointed by the president to serve a two-year term and three other members on staggered two-year terms.
  • The history committee shall make recommendations to the board and advise the executive director on how to preserve the history of the association, including how to archive association documents, photographs, and other historical artifacts. The committee will create a work plan and provide an annual report to the board on its activities. The committee shall consist of a chair and other members as deemed necessary by the chair, acting in consultation with the president.
  • The position-taking committee, pursuant to the ASHE Policy on Position-Taking, shall review, analyze, and make recommendations to the board regarding whether ASHE should take a position, and if so, a recommendation on possible position- taking actions. Position-taking actions require affirmative approval by two-thirds vote of the board. The committee shall consist of four members and an elected member of the board. Members will serve with staggered three-year appointments, with the exception of the board member, who shall serve only during the duration of their term on the board.
  • The committee on organizational structure, pursuant to the ASHE Guidelines for New Affinity Groups and Councils, shall review petitions for new councils and make recommendations to the board. The committee shall also liaise with existing councils, review annual reports and conference evaluations, and make recommendations to the board regarding council activities. The committee shall consist of four members and the executive director. Members will serve with staggered three-year appointments.
  • The committee on advancement and fundraising shall recommend and once approved by the board, execute policies and practices regarding fundraising and naming of awards, lectures and other ASHE activities and programs, recommend fundraising goals, and assist in the association’s fundraising activities as directed by the board. The committee shall be chaired by a member of the association, not otherwise serving on the board as an elected member, and consist of:  (1) three other members of the association; and (2) the president sitting ex officio. Members will serve staggered three-year appointments, with the exception of the president, who shall serve only during the duration of their term on the board. The chair of the advancement and fundraising committee serves as an ex officio member of the board of directors.
  • The ASHE Outstanding Book Award committee shall make recommendations to the board concerning the book award that the association bestows.  The executive committee shall act on these recommendations in advance of the annual conference at which the awards are presented.  The committee shall consist of a chair and at least five additional members.
  • The committee on professional development shall coordinate the association’s professional development events, including Council events, special initiatives, etc. The committee shall consist of a chair and five other members, with at least one member being a graduate student. Chairs/coordinators of the association’s professional development events shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting members.

Conference Program Committee

Annually, the ASHE President appoints a program committee chair(s) who then appoints program section chairs. This is a one-year volunteer opportunity and more info can by found by clicking here.

In recent years, an open call for applications has been sent to the ASHE membership.

Conference Volunteer Opportunities

Proposal reviewers and session chair and discussants are the heart of the annual conference. These volunteer opportunities typically require 5-10 hours annually and a great way to serve the association. More info can be found at the Call For Volunteers website. Volunteer applications are reviewed and selected by the Program Committee Section Chairs.

Additionally, on-site volunteers for the ASHE conference include Check-in Volunteers, Conference Engagement Volunteers, New Attendee Ambassadors, and ASHE DASH Volunteers. We'll post info at www.ashe.ws/volunteer as the conference approaches.

Review of Higher Education

ASHE's scholarly journal, the Review of Higher Education, appoints an editorial board on a rotating basis. Editors are appointed to a 5-year term and editorial board members are appointed to a 3-year term. For more information on serving as an editorial board member or manuscript reviewer, email RHE Editors Penny Pasque and Tom Nelson Laird at rhe-editors@ashe.ws.

ASHE Grads Volunteer Opportunities

Graduate students are able to serve in a variety of volunteer roles across the association. While some opportunities are limited to terminal degree holders, many are open to all ASHE members.

The two Graduate Student Representatives on the Board of Directors coordinate a variety of events during the conference and throughout the year. You can learn more about getting involved with these specific events and other opportunities at https://www.ashe.ws/grads_gettinginvolved.