Due to vacancies on Council, we are seeking nominations for five new candidates.
These are voluntary positions. Council is responsible for COPE’s policy and management. Council members are expected to attend four meetings a year (in London) as well as take part in subcommittees and other COPE related tasks. It may be possible to attend some meetings by phone. There are also occasional strategy meetings and annual seminars in the UK and North America which we hope Council Members will attend one of. Council members are also trustees of COPE as a charity.
In accordance with COPE’s constitution, the candidate, or the organisation they represent, must have been a member of COPE for at least 1 year.
Ordinary Council Members shall be elected by the Full and Associate Members with voting rights or (if the candidates are unopposed) by the approval of the Council.
We are particularly seeking applications from journal editors with expertise in areas other than biomedicine, specifically humanities, law and ethics. Publishers and non-native English speakers are also particularly welcome.
Further details, including a job description, can be found below.
Those who are interested should send a short CV (no more than 4 pages) plus a covering letter stating what they can contribute to COPE Council. A Candidate for Council membership should be nominated by two other current members of COPE, at least one of whom must not be employed by the same organisation as the nominee.
Further information can be obtained from the COPE Administrator, Linda Gough to whom applications and nominations can be emailed.
The closing date for applications is 6 April 2012.
COPE council member: role description
Purpose of role
- To be responsible, together with other council members, for the policy and management of the Committee on Publication Ethics.
Appointment and length of tenure
- Council members will be appointed by COPE Council for three years, with the possibility of an additional three years.
- A candidate for Council membership must be nominated by two other current COPE members. If the candidate is the nominated representative of a member, at least one of the nominees for Council membership must not be employed by the same organisation as the nominee.
- The candidate, or the organisation they represent, must have been a member of COPE for at least one year.
Key responsibilities
- Act as a Trustee for COPE, as a UK charity
- Attend and take a full part in quarterly meetings of Council
- Attend and contribute to quarterly Forum meetings (Council and Forum meetings are held on the same day)
- Take part in additional policy discussions (usually by email) and approve annual budget
- Monitor expenditure and supervise the administration of COPE
- Make appointments to Council and other positions
- Take part in sub-committees and other tasks as agreed by Council
- Represent COPE externally when required to do so by Council
Person specification
- Good understanding and judgment of business matters
- Experience of academic publishing (in particular, gained as the editor or publisher of a peer-reviewed publication)
- Experience of committee work or involvement with charitable organizations
- Understanding of ethical issues in academic publishing (eg, having published on such matters)
- Expertise that will benefit COPE, such as writing, editing, publishing, training, law, accountancy, charity administration, public relations, human resources, fundraising, etc.
- Sufficient time to commit to COPE activities, including attending meetings and contributing to the work of Council as required