The Executive Committee is chaired by the director, who is a non-voting member. It also comprises the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences (or delegate) and eight additional voting members appointed by the dean who are tenure-stream or tenured faculty members from various disciplines in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. While the day-to-day affairs of the Institute are managed by the director and staff in the main office, the Executive Committee meets to consider and make key decisions.

A multi-disciplinary Awards Panel makes recommendations about funding decision to the Executive Committee. All members of the Executive Committee are also members of the Editorial Advisory Board of Memorial University Press and are frequently asked to sit on Editorial Advisory Board panels to consider specific volumes.