HighEdWeb is powered by volunteers. From coordinating our annual conference to maintaining our website, we would not be able to operate without the dedication of our committed volunteer community.
Volunteering is not only a way to give back, but a way to push our Association forward. As the year comes to an end, we are excited to welcome eight new volunteers to serve in important leadership positions that drive the mission of HighEdWeb. If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering as a chair or member of a committee, sign up to attend a Volunteer Information Session on Friday, October 23rd (held at 12 p.m. EDT and 12 p.m. PDT).
You can also submit a volunteer interest form if you’d like to become a volunteer on any of our committees! Access the volunteer interest form here.
Open Chair Positions
Academies Committee Chair
The Academies Chair is responsible for the details of the Academies. In general terms, the chair is responsible for bringing together the logistical details of the event, organizing the activities of the committee, reporting to the Association Board of Directors on any concerns that arise, and training the following year’s chair.
Review responsibilities and requirements for Academies Committee Chair >
Accessibility Summit 2021 Chair
The Accessibility Summit Chair leads the committee that plans and runs the annual accessibility summit. The chair is responsible for organizing the activities of the committee and the conference, reporting to the Association Board of Directors any concerns that arise, and in making suggestions for future summit chairs.
Review responsibilities and requirements for Accessibility Summit Chair >
Annual Conference 2022 Chair/Co-Chairs
The conference chair is responsible for implementing an Annual Conference. In general terms, the chair is responsible for bringing together the logistical details of the event, organizing the activities of the conference committees, reporting to the Association Board of Directors on any concerns that arise, and training the following year’s chair.
Review responsibilities and requirements for Annual Conference Chair >
Link Journal Committee Chair/Editor-In-Chief
Link, The Journal of Higher Education Web Professionals is the official publication of the HighEdWeb Association. Link publishes, in a way that’s both informative and fun, high-quality content by well-qualified Web professionals working in higher-ed. We’ve tackled topics as diverse as mobile integration, the latest in social media, successful project management and “girls under trees.” The chair is responsible for managing the content calendar, assigning stories, coordinating with guest bloggers, and serving as an editor before publishing.
Review responsibilities and requirements for Link Journal Committee Chair >
Marketing and Communications Committee Chair
The charge of the Marketing and Communications Committee is to highlight the expertise of current membership by promoting association members as experts through the association’s social media channels and other online assets. The committee will also encourage — through internal communication — volunteerism in the form of committee participation as well as the sharing of professional resources, guidelines, and personal knowledge between members.
Review responsibilities and requirements for Marketing and Communications Committee Chair >
Sponsorship Committee Chair
The Sponsorship Chair is responsible for leading the sponsorship committee, which works in procuring vendors to help support the association and its events. The chair is responsible for managing sponsors and their relations with the association throughout the year, organizing the activities of the committee, reporting to the Association Board of Directors on any concerns that arise, and helping to train potential new chairs.
Review responsibilities for responsibilities and requirements for Sponsorship Committee Chair >
Safety and Inclusion Committee Chair
The Safety and Inclusion (S&I) Committee makes recommendations, educates, and informs the association about best practices and methods to foster a safe, equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment. The Committee also leads responses to or advises on Code of Conduct responses.
Review responsibilities for responsibilities and requirements for Safety and Inclusion Committee Chair >
Technical Committee Chair
The Technical Committee supports the technical infrastructure needs of the association, including the board and committees. Whether in-person at our events or via our digital communications, the committee upholds the mission of HighEdWeb to our constituents.
Review responsibilities for responsibilities and requirements for Technical Committee Chair >
Volunteering Myths Busted
As you consider if volunteering as a chair is right for you, don’t let yourself get caught up in these common myths of serving as a committee chair.
Myth: I’ve never been on a volunteer committee for HighEdWeb, so I’m not qualified to be chair yet.
Fact: While experience on a committee is helpful for your HighEdWeb “resume,” it’s not the only factor we consider when selecting a chair. Each position has its own unique qualifications and expectations, and we want the best-fit volunteer to lead the committee to success.
Myth: I don’t have enough time to be a chair.
Fact: Each committee has its own responsibilities which can vary throughout the year. On average, chairs can expect to commit 5 to 10 hours per month to committee work. A committee chair’s main responsibility is to equally distribute the tasks the committee members, and we have an amazing group of folks in each committee that are eager to help advance our community. As a chair, you have the personal support of a board member who acts as a liaison to the committee and is available to help with time management, project prioritization, and task delegation.
Myth: I’m not employed in a leadership or management position, so I am not fit to be a chair.
Fact: Serving as a chair allows you to build crucial professional skills that will go well beyond the Association. You will have the opportunity to practice leading a small, dedicated team of HighEdWeb volunteers in a supportive community. As chair, you are not alone! You will have direct support and guidance from a board member, as well as assistance from Sara Clark, our full-time Operations Director and employee of the Association.
Myth: I’m not sure if I can attend the annual conference, so I don’t think I should be a chair.
Fact: Annual conference attendance is certainly encouraged for all volunteers, but for many chair positions, it is not required. Review the job descriptions for each chair position to learn more about the expectation of conference attendance.
Myth: I have never attended the annual conference, so I do not have enough HighEdWeb experience to be a chair.
Fact: HighEdWeb expands far beyond conference planning! We work to build a supportive, engaged community of higher education professionals who interact year-round – at conferences and between them. The annual conference chair(s) recruit leaders of sub-committees to handle tasks such as marketing, program development, and event planning so that other HighEdWeb committees can focus on driving the mission and vision of the Association.
Myth: The same people tend to serve as chair year after year. Why bother applying?
Fact: Beginning this year, chair positions have been assigned term limits based on committee responsibilities. Most committee chairs selected in this round will serve for two years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. Review the job descriptions for each chair position to learn more about the term limit.
Myth: I have no experience in (event planning, safety and inclusion, sponsorship…) so I shouldn’t apply as chair for that committee.
Fact: As a volunteer, this is an incredible opportunity to explore your passions outside of your comfort zone or day-to-day job responsibilities. A number of our volunteers on committees serve because they are interested in the committee’s mission or want to build a new skillset outside of their professional expertise.
Myth: There are no professional perks to being a chair, how will I convince my supervisor that I should apply?
Fact: Aside from representing your institution as a leader within our Association, you will develop additional leadership skills that will immediately pay off in your current professional role. We’re also proud to award dedicated volunteers with discounts on professional development opportunities through our newly-announced Volunteer Rewards Program.
Myth: Only members can apply for chair positions, and I do not have the funding for membership this year, so I cannot apply.
Fact: Yes, only members can apply for volunteer positions, but we are pleased to offer a free membership tier for higher education professionals. You may sign up for membership as you apply for a volunteer position, or in advance on our membership portal. Institutional members also qualify to apply for volunteer positions.
Ready to apply? Want to learn more?
We’re so excited to welcome new volunteers to our leadership team to help drive our Association forward. You can apply for an open chair position or express your interest in volunteering on a committee by using this form. If you have any questions about our Association, chair responsibilities, or what it takes to be a volunteer, connect with a member of the Board of Directors or sign up for our upcoming Volunteer Information Sessions on October 23, held at 12 p.m. EDT and at 12 p.m. PDT.
