The Idaho Humanities Council seeks applications to fill a public position from Southeast Idaho and an academic position from Southwest Idaho on its volunteer board of directors. An academic member currently is defined by the Council as either a scholar in the humanities or an administrator of an educational or cultural institution.
Southeast Idaho is defined by the Council as the region from Twin Falls County to the Wyoming border and from the Utah border to the Montana border. Southwest Idaho is geographically defined by the Council as the region from the Oregon border to the western border Twin Falls County, and from the Nevada border to Riggins.
The IHC’s 19-member board is comprised of academic members and public members from all regions of the state. In addition to fair regional representation and gender balance, the Council especially encourages applicants that reflect the state’s ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity.
Board members serve three-year terms, with the possibility of renewal for a second three-year term. The board meets three times each year in February, June, and October to award grants and conduct other business. The IHC covers travel expenses for board members to attend meetings.
The IHC awards grant funds to organizations and individuals throughout the state to support public programs in history, literature, philosophy, cultural anthropology, law, and other humanities disciplines. The IHC also supports a number of its own council-conducted programs, such as regional Distinguished Humanities Lectures, weeklong summer institutes in the humanities for Idaho K-12 teachers, a Humanities Speakers Bureau, statewide tours of Smithsonian traveling exhibits, and other programs and activities. IHC receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and donations from foundations, corporations and individuals.
Information about the Council and applications for board membership are available online at www.idahohumanities.org, under “About”, and then under “Board.” Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the button titled “Application for Board Membership.” The deadline for applications is September 3, 2019. The board will review applications and elect the new members at the Council’s October meeting.
For more information about the IHC’s mission and board member responsibilities, prospective applicants are invited to call IHC Executive Director David Pettyjohn at (888) 345-5346, email david@idahohumanities.org, or write to the Idaho Humanities Council, 217 W. State Street, Boise, Idaho 83702.