Constitution
Women, Money and Markets Constitution
The Women, Money and Markets Association (hereafter WMM) is a Membership Association. It exists in order to facilitate, sustain and promote excellence in research through and into all aspects of gender, the economy, and literary studies.
All proceeds accrued by WMM are returned to the organisation; there are no salaried members of staff on the Executive Committee, although WMM will from time to time employ the services of professionals (solicitors, administrators, accountants) to facilitate the smooth running of the organisation.
Article One
WMM does not express a political affiliation but will, via the Executive Committee, seek to represent and protect the best interests of research and researchers (the membership) with respect to issues that pertain to the profile and policies affecting the research community.
WMM fosters the creation and ongoing activities of the annual conference that address specific areas of research through and into the history and literature of gender and the economy. The conference is intended to be inclusive, to allow for creative synergies and to cut across institutional, disciplinary and cultural/geographic boundaries.
WMM’s official language is English.
WMM’s membership is largely made of academics working in the UK research environment, whether or not they are formally affiliated to an institution of Higher Education or other Research Organisation, but welcomes international members.
WMM will hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM), chaired by the WMM Chair or delegated Executive Committee member, normally at its annual conference. AGMs may take place online, virtually or remotely.
Article Two - Aims
WMM is based on collegiality within a formal structure. It exists to advance the interests of research and researchers in women’s economic history, financial fiction and literary representations of women in the economy; its aims are:
To foster, sustain and promote original and innovative research at the highest level.
To promote and defend the future of research and researchers in the broad area of economic history and literary criticism.
To enable and advance productive and dynamic research networks through an annual conference and wider research events/activities curated or organised by Working Groups and/or Executive Committee.
To generate links and collaborate with the Economic History Society (EHS) and other cognate organisations involved in research across Arts subjects in the UK and internationally.
To encourage dynamic research among the PG community and among independent researchers.
To encourage and, where possible, fund initiatives for supporting and sustaining research excellence among ECRs as they enter employment.
To facilitate dissemination of works of scholarship and research through publication.
Article Three - Membership
Membership is on an individual basis. WMM does not admit group or institutional memberships.
Membership is normally open to any individual on payment of the appropriate fee. In exceptional cases the Executive Committee may refuse an application for membership or renewal of membership.
Members undertake to observe the frameworks laid out by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and the Universities UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity, with particular reference to promoting research integrity and maintaining highest standards of good practice. The Executive Committee reserves the right to refuse membership and/or attendance at WMM events and/or presentation of work that is demonstrated to have breached acceptable research conduct resulting in fabrication, falsification, misrepresentation, or plagiarism.
Subscription is on an annual basis and runs from the first day of the annual conference to 11.59pm the day before the next conference (or from the point of joining to 11.59pm the day before the next scheduled conference), unless either otherwise noted at point of joining or the membership is extended thereafter. A concessionary rate is available where eligibility can be demonstrated.
The Executive Committee will review the level of the Annual Subscription each year and propose any changes to it at the AGM.
Honorary life membership may be granted by the Executive to individuals who have given distinguished service to the organisation. Such memberships will be confirmed at the Annual General Meeting.
All members have a right to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting.
Article 4 - Executive Commitee
WMM is managed by an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for managing the Association’s affairs and finances and executing the decisions made by the membership at the Annual General Meeting and is empowered to seek, where appropriate, the means to support and maintain the aims of the Association. The Executive Committee consists of named offices, some of which may be staffed by more than one member, each of whom is a full member of the Executive Committee.
The offices are as follows:
Chair
Vice-Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Lead organizer of next annual conference (not elected)
Executive Committee members are elected by ballot by all members of WMM for a period of appointment of three years (unless otherwise noted in their role descriptor), which may be extended to four years with the approval of at least half of the current Executive Committee. The term for the Immediate Past Chair and Lead organizer of next annual conference is normally one year.
Any Executive Committee member may run for a second consecutive period of office in the same role. They are also able to stand for election for other roles on the Executive Committee.
Candidates for election to the Executive Committee must be members of WMM. Nominations must be made by two members of WMM. Nominees must declare in writing that they are willing to stand as candidates. The names of all candidates will be circulated to all members for election.
The Secretary is responsible for inviting and receiving nominations and for the conduct of the elections. Notice of forthcoming elections and the closing date for nominations will be published and circulated to all members.
Where there are no candidates for nomination to any one post, or in the cases of parental leave or job shares, the Executive Committee has the power to co-opt members for a fixed term of no more than two years.
The Executive Committee may invite nominations for officers without portfolio in the interests of ensuring full representation on the Executive Committee.
The incoming officer will usually take up their office at annual conference and AGM.
The Executive Committee will meet at least three times a year, which normally includes a formal scheduled meeting at the annual conference. Reasonable expenses for attending formal meetings of the Executive Committee are reimbursed.
Postholders will not necessarily need to attend every meeting but all Executive Committee members are expected to attend at least half of the meetings scheduled per annum in addition to the AGM. Should an officer fail to meet the minimum attendance requirement the Executive may agree to open the post to ballot.
The Chair of WMM will oversee the business of the Executive Committee. The Chair will be required to call a meeting of the Executive Committee at the request of any three members of the Committee. The Executive Committee is considered quorate when 50% +1 of voting members are present. Decisions shall be taken by majority vote. The Chair does not vote unless the vote is tied.
The Executive Committee entrusts to the Secretary the administration of funds, the operation of bank account(s) and the preparation of the annual budget and the accounts. The accounts will be presented annually for approval at the formal Executive meeting at annual conference.
The Executive Committee may decide urgent matters by electronic correspondence within a 48 hour period, subject to the participation of at least two thirds of the Committee. Where a vote is tied, the Chair will have the casting vote.
The Executive Committee may appoint ad-hoc Sub-Committees to fulfill different tasks, whose chairs shall be chosen from the WMM membership and whose terms of reference shall be established by the Executive Committee.
The Chair and Secretary of WMM are the Directors of the WMM Association. and are subject to all of the responsibilities therein. Executive Committee meetings constitute Directors Meetings.
Article Five - Amendments & Dissolution
The Association’s Annual General Meeting may amend this Constitution subject to a majority of two thirds of the members present and voting, provided that a quorum of at least 15% of the membership at the time of the AGM be present and that written notice of the amendment proposed has been circulated to all members not less than four weeks before the Annual General Meeting.
TaPRA is established for an unlimited period. TaPRA may be dissolved by the agreement of not less than three quarters of those members present at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting specifically summoned for the purpose by the Executive Committee, giving all members at least one month’s notice of the date of the meeting and the reasons for the proposed dissolution.
In the event that the motion is passed, the Executive Committee shall be charged with dissolving WMM.
Any remaining funds shall be given to organisations pursuing similar aims with a view to supporting research in the discipline for unaffiliated researchers, as determined by the Executive Committee.
Role Descriptors
Chair of WMM: Role Description
The main responsibility of the Chair is to lead WMM, both strategically and as a role model, in ways that support and advance the aims, core values and purposes of the organisation as expressed in the Constitution. They are a Director of the WMM Association. and are subject to all of the responsibilities therein.
The Chair leads WMM’s Executive Committee by identifying the key governance decisions to be made; ensuring well founded and transparent decision-making; and managing potential conflicts of interest. They will create productive relationships between members of the Executive Committee and facilitate an environment in which all Executive members are able to fulfil their roles so that the work of WMM is delivered in a rewarding way. Working with the Vice-Chair, they ensure the financial health of the organisation.
They will have a demonstrable commitment to anti-racist, equitable and inclusive practices in research and will bring this commitment to enabling the scholarship and careers of individuals and groups who are historically underrepresented in these disciplines.
This is a non-salaried voluntary position which requires, on average, 24 days of work each year.
Duties may include, but not be limited to:
· Chairing meetings of the Executive Committee (currently approximately 9 times per year, held primarily online);
· Chairing the Annual General Meeting (AGM);
· Financial approval (e.g. of expenditure and budgets);
· Chairing or judging prize panels;
· Liaising and collaborating regularly with other leaders of higher education and research organisations in the performing arts, nationally and internationally, to shape, steer and support the field and its researchers;
· Responding on behalf of the discipline to consultation requests from governmental and research bodies and organisations, as well as making nominations to the REF sub-panels, etc.;
· Setting the tone and priorities of the organisation, and field more broadly, through a variety of communication platforms, including the design of and opening/closing remarks to annual conferences and events, commentary in membership newsletters, and in media;
· Representing, sharing and celebrating the achievements and concerns of the WMM membership.
Vice-Chair of WMM: Role Description
The main responsibility of the Vice-Chair is to help lead WMM both strategically and as a role model, in ways that support and advance the aims, core values and purposes of the organisation as expressed in the Constitution. In particular, they are a Director and the legally nominated Secretary of WMM Association.; are subject to all of the responsibilities therein, particularly in terms of legal reporting to Companies House and HMRC. Where necessary, the Vice-Chair may need to deputise for the Chair.
With the Chair, the Vice-Chair helps lead WMM’s Executive Committee by identifying the key governance decisions to be made; ensuring well founded and transparent decision-making; and managing potential conflicts of interest. The Vice-Chair holds responsibility for ensuring WMM adheres to the terms of its own constitution, as an organisation and, especially, operationally at Executive Committee. They oversee Executive Committee nomination and election processes. Crucially, the Vice-Chair ensures the financial health of the organisation and is responsible for all aspects of the financial operation of WMM.
They will have a demonstrable commitment to anti-racist, equitable and inclusive practices in research and will bring this commitment to enabling the scholarship and careers of individuals and groups who are historically underrepresented in these disciplines.
This is a non-salaried voluntary position which requires, on average, 24 days of work each year.
Duties may include, but not be limited to:
· Ensuring clear, sustainable financial oversight of WMM, and compliance with all legal reporting responsibilities of WMM Ltd.;
· Liaising with external parties to ensure WMM Ltd. is legally compliant in all aspects of its operation (e.g., solicitors, accountants, HMRC, banks etc);
· Financial operation of WMM at all levels (e.g, managing accounts; financial approvals and payments; accounting; cost-benefit analysis of spend proposals from Executive Committee, Working Groups and members);
· Financial reporting to members at AGM;
· Maintaining oversight of and compliance with WMM’s Constitution (especially in relation to WMM Associations’s legal obligations);
· Overseeing Executive Committee elections;
· Introducing proposed changes to the Constitution to members at the AGM; managing voting processes to approve or reject these;
· Chairing or judging prize panels;
· With the Chair, responding on behalf of the discipline (often at short notice) to consultation requests from governmental and research bodies and organisations;
· With the Chair, setting the tone and priorities of the organisation, and ensuring these are appropriate in relation to the Constitution and legal requirements of the organisation;
· Work closely with and, where necessary, deputise for the Chair.