Coalition of Ancient Studies Organization (CASO) Coordinator

SASA is looking for a volunteer to support the development of the Coalition of Ancient Studies Organizations (CASO) and its projects, and liaise with member organizations and SASA Teams. 

Coalition for Ancient Studies Organizations (CASO):

SASA along with the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and the Society for Classical Studies (SCS) has created a new formal network of academic organizations involved in any field of Ancient Studies, the Coalition of Ancient Studies Organizations. CASO’s goals include:

• To bring together our organizations and their memberships and constituencies to work together on projects promoting public outreach, advocacy, and greater access to Ancient Studies.
• To create a broader platform for our fields in order to engage with national humanities advocacy organizations and further the cause of Ancient Studies within the Humanities.

To date, CASO has begun working on one major project and has several others in planning. The first project is Lives in Ancient Studies: An Advocacy Project of Alumni Video Testimonials of Closed or Threatened Departments​. This project is collecting video-recorded stories of alumni of closed and threatened Ancient Studies departments, and presenting them as living proof of the deep value of these departments and fields to their former students, schools, and communities.

For more information about CASO, see saveancientstudies.org/caso.

Position Description:

This is a volunteer (unpaid) position to manage the administration and support the ongoing development of a multi-organization coalition and contribute to its structure and management.

SASA has an exciting opportunity for a self-starting and management-minded individual in our latest supra-organizational venture. CASO is a new functional body dedicated to centralizing the work and research of Ancient Studies Organizations to find common goals and optimize the effectiveness of all member organizations in lobbying, outreach, and educational awareness. The CASO Coordinator will help support CASO in its early stages and help define its structure and future projects while working to recruit other organizations to join CASO.

Expected hours are 5-10 hours per week. All meetings take place via video call and all work is done remotely. CASO meets monthly, with work and communication via email in between meetings. The CASO Coordinator will work directly with SASA Director, David Danzig, and set a time for bi-weekly meetings.

This position is most well-suited to an advanced Ph.D. Student, Ph.D. Candidate, or Early Career Scholar in an Ancient Studies field who wants to actively pursue public outreach or work in a nonprofit setting, particularly at the executive level. People with project management and organizational liaising experience who are currently not affiliated with a university are also welcome to apply.

Responsibilities: 

• Assist in organizing CASO’s structure in practice and as written documents
• Planning and executing CASO member organization recruitment
• Liaising with current and prospective CASO members
• Managing CASO Communications
• Preparing for and notetaking at CASO monthly meetings
• Other duties as assigned

Necessary skills: 

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work remotely
• Excellent organizational, writing, and networking skills
• Ancient Studies knowledge
• Project management experience and inter-organizational liaising experience, including recruitment, communication, and collaboration. 

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to recruitment@saveancientstudies.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

About SASA

SASA is a non-profit organization, tax-exempt under IRS code 501(c)(3). SASA's mission is to counter the downward trend in Ancient Studies fields in academia, by (1) uniting graduate students to (2) engage students by guiding the widespread American interest in ancient times toward Ancient Studies, to (3) facilitate ease of access to studying the ancient world, and to (4) support and reimagine scholarship as a lifelong pursuit for those who work as professionals in other areas after receiving their PhDs.

At this time, all positions with SASA are unpaid, including management, volunteers, and interns, except for a few positions on grant-funded projects. Since work for SASA is all done remotely, we take a proactive approach to supporting our volunteers and interns. Our goal is that internships with SASA are mutually beneficial, such that volunteers help work on various SASA projects and gain experience in multiple areas, learn skills, gain knowledge, and build connections with numerous people in Ancient Studies and the nonprofit world. Interns work alongside volunteers with more experience and under the guidance of our Team Leaders and the Director. Our work atmosphere is exploratory and collaborative. We all enjoy the company of people who have varied backgrounds and interests of all ages, and who are passionate about their pursuits.