Reflections on Being Secretary

Cynthia Taylor, Sandi Cooper, & Nicole Rigelman

Are you considering running for Secretary of AMTE? As current and past secretaries, we have all found this role to be a rewarding experience and we do hope you will consider running for the position this year! We’d like to share our experiences so that you can have a better idea of what it means to serve in this important role. Below are some responsibilities of the position that we would like to share to give you a sense of the time commitment for the position.

Highlights of the role…	We recommend…
Take minutes at monthly board meetings (two hours each month), the annual conference business meeting, and the Fall Board Retreat.	Finalize the board meeting minutes right after/soon after the board meeting. We found this to be less time consuming than if there is a gap [several days/weeks] in the time between the board meeting and finalizing the minutes.
Attend the Membership Division’s quarterly meetings for which you are board liaison. These meetings include the Affiliate Connections Committee, the Awards Committee, and the Membership Committee.	Support committees with knowledge of AMTE’s broader efforts and find ways to leverage cross-committee and cross-division collaboration.
Maintain accurate documentation of board actions (e.g., motions made during board meetings and motions made via email in between meetings).	Contribute to AMTE Board through an important skill set (i.e., synthesizing discussions into notes, organizing, attending to detail).
Serve as an active member of the AMTE Board, providing input for important issues that influence the work of the organization.	Stay informed of issues important to AMTE membership and brainstorm ways the Board can support members through innovative initiatives.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the current/past secretaries of AMTE:

Cynthia Taylor (cynthia.taylor@millersville.edu)

Sandi Cooper (Sandra_Cooper@baylor.edu)

Nicole Rigelman (rigelman@pdx.edu)

Reflections on Being Board Member-at-Large

Farshid Safi

Farshid Safi, a current AMTE Board Member-at-Large reflects on his time in the position, including why he decided to run and advice he has for those considering.

Why did you decide to run for a Board position at AMTE?

I believe in advocating and empowering our colleagues and strategic efforts to bring about more just and equitable practices in mathematics teacher education. By running for an AMTE Board position, I am hoping to listen, learn and elevate the voices and concerns of the MTE community towards achieving our goals together in a collaborative and transparent fashion. I feel that throughout my involvement with AMTE over the last 15+ years - first as a graduate student and then as a faculty member - I have been very fortunate to connect with many individuals and communities of colleagues. The passion, brilliance, diversity and commitment of our MTE community needs to be represented and I hope to be able to do my part in bringing that voice on the AMTE Board.

Can you describe what was involved in your position at AMTE?

As I enter my 2^nd year as a Board Member-At-Large, I am continuing to support the organization in multiple capacities aligned with the strategic priorities of AMTE. During my 1^st year, I was the board liaison to the Publications Division where I had the opportunity to work with phenomenal colleagues in supporting the CITE journal as well as the Professional Book series in progress. For the upcoming two years, I am very excited to be working with the Professional Learning Division in supporting the Annual Conference Committees including the Conference Program, as well as the STaR program and webinars. Through all these efforts, my goal is to contribute to our ongoing efforts to better serve the mathematics education community and be an advocate for communities and educator that feel marginalized professionally or personally.

Reflecting on your time as a Board Member-at-Large what would say was one of your important contributions and what would you say was the most fun?

Engaging with colleagues who are so committed and so brilliant brings such joy! Much like the energy we get from teaching, working/thinking/reimagining with colleagues to elevate and engage our MTE community in increasingly inclusive ways brings a smile to my face. Specifically, the role that we have as mentors is very near and dear to my heart and why I love being in mathematics teacher education. The social/human part of service to our field is a privilege and a responsibility. During the AMTE 2022 Annual conference, I was asked to serve as a panelist for the AMTE Advocacy Committee's session on mentoring early-career faculty of color. The opportunity to share experiences, elevate and provide hope/guidance to our colleagues, specifically faculty of color and MTE's who are members of marginalized groups, is an honor that holds special significance to me.

What would you say to others who are considering applying?

I have found service with AMTE to be a wonderful way to connect more personally and professionally with our colleagues while giving back to our profession and national efforts. I would highly encourage others to apply and bring their expertise, passion and brilliance so that we can do this important work together to move us all forward in connected, human and authentic ways. Happy to speak further with anyone who is considering as serving AMTE as a graduate student and a faculty member has helped me grow in my teaching, research and service.