The CAMWS President serves as the chair of the Program Committee (Charter: https://camws.org/organization/committees/program.php) and puts together the program of panels, workshops and individual papers for the annual meeting.
The President traditionally chooses a topic for the President Panel and commissions a colleague to organize it. This panel is submitted anonymously and reviewed by the Program Committee with all other proposed panels.
Working with the program committee in August, the President reviews and selects panels, workshops, and undergraduate papers to be presented at the annual meeting.
In early October, after the submission deadline, the President works with the program committee to evaluate abstracts. The President reads all the abstracts and assigns individual members of the committee to read abstracts in their area of expertise. The President collects the abstract rankings from individual committee members and makes the final decision about each abstract.
After abstracts have been accepted (typically by mid-November), the President organizes them into sections consisting of no more than five papers (minimum of three), taking into account audio-visual needs.
Once the program is posted online, the president invites presiders to chair over each section. A CAMWS presider guideline should be included with each request (Late December through January).
In early March, the President, Past President, and President-elect review submitted graduate student papers to select the Presidential Award (https://camws.org/awards/pres.php). Papers are submitted directly to the President and s/he is responsible for acknowledging receipt and informing candidates of the outcome.
As head of the Program Committee, the President generates a brief (1-2 page) report on its activities to be distributed at the meeting of the Executive Committee on Wednesday afternoon. The president also gives a brief version of this report to the general membership at the annual Business Meeting.