Terms of Reference
Postdoc Council Terms of Reference
Revised and approved February 2024
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE POSTDOC COUNCIL (PC)
The aim of the PC is to establish and maintain a stable and responsive channel of interaction between the postdoc community and the CfA Administration. In this regard, the PC will aim to
Create and maintain initiatives to improve the working conditions of the postdoctoral employees and fellowship holders.
Provide representation of the postdoctoral researchers at CfA and give voice to postdoctoral researchers’ concerns and ideas within the CfA
Encourage social and educational interaction
GENERAL CODE OF CONDUCT
The PC is entrusted with the authority to speak for the postdoctoral researchers at CfA as a whole. All PC members will uphold certain basic values:
Be open to postdoctoral researchers at CfA, and to their ideas.
Ensure that activities and/or initiatives of the PC are available/accessible to all postdoctoral researchers at CfA.
Provide a safe space for sensitive topics or problems that any postdoctoral researcher may divulge. In this case, the information should be handled in a confidential manner.
Decisions should be made objectively, free of bias or personal feelings and communicated with the goal of transparency.
Represent the staff by respecting the views of the majority but protecting the diverse view of all staff.
Be accountable for decisions and actions.
COMPOSITION, NOMINATIONS, AND ELECTIONS
The Council shall consist of no more than 13 members. Eligible voters and candidates for election shall include all postdocs and ECRs at the CfA. Terms on the Council are nominally for one year, but shorter terms can occur in some circumstances, such as employees leaving CfA or to ensure that approximately ⅓ membership turnover occurs each year.
The Council shall seek to have broad representation of the CfA community by reserving seats for a member from:
each of CfA's 6 Scientific Divisions (Atomic and Molecular Physics, High Energy Astrophysics, Optical and InfraRed astronomy, Radio and Geophysics, Solar, Stellar, and Planetary, Theoretical Astrophysics), and one representative form the Science Education Department
The maximum number enables multiple members from each of these divisions/departments
Voting is by anonymous ballot. The process is managed by an elections sub-committee established by the Council. This sub-committee shall solicit nominations from the CfA postdocs/ECRs. These nominees must accept their nominations to become candidates, and candidates are encouraged to write a brief statement that will be posted prior to voting.
The election sub-committee and the CfA governance shall do their best to ensure that each of the above-mentioned groups is represented on the Council.
OFFICERS
The Council officers are the Chair, the Deputy Co-Chair(s) and the Secretary, who are elected by the Council members to 6 month terms at the first meeting following Council elections, then re-assessed at the 6 month mark. The duties of the Chair are to set meeting agendas and to conduct Council meetings. The Deputy Co-Chair(s) substitutes for the Chair when the Chair is unavailable. The Secretary keeps the minutes.
MEETINGS
The Council shall meet at least monthly. We also send one representative to the monthly Executive Council meetings.
FUTURE CHANGES
Each iteration of the Council may revise this terms of reference as desired.