Call for Nominations | Vice President of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies
BRISMES is seeking nominations for the position of BRISMES Vice President. The term of service for this position is three years. The post-holder will be eligible for re-election at the end of this period.
We welcome nominations of candidates from groups who are under-represented in BRISMES leadership, or in academia more broadly. We believe that a diverse leadership is essential for fostering an environment that is aligned with our aims and purpose.
About BRISMES
Founded in 1973, BRISMES is the largest national academic association in Europe focused on the study of the Middle East and North Africa, and a leading voice for the discipline both within the UK and internationally. Since 2019, the Society has undertaken an extensive process of reform, becoming more diverse and more democratic.
BRISMES is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales. The Society has two part-time employees – a Manager and a Conference Coordinator. It is run by a Council whose members are trustees of the charity and directors of the company. The council is comprised of the officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) and Council members elected or co-opted from among the membership.
All members of Council are required to fulfil all the duties and responsibilities statutorily required of trustees to ensure that the Society conducts itself and its business in a manner consistent with its charitable status.
What the Position Involves
Upon assuming the role of Vice President, the successful nominee will become one of the Society’s four officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) and will, together and equally with the other officers, take a leading role in the strategic development and promotion of the Society. They will be responsible, in liaison with the other officers, for promoting the Society’s interests nationally and internationally with academic bodies.
More specifically, the Vice President will:
- chair the BRISMES Committee on Academic Freedom.
- attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and annual conference.
- attend meetings of BRISMES Council (usually three per year), particularly the Council meeting preceding the AGM, which is normally held in June or July.
- liaise with the Secretary over the follow-up from decisions taken by Council at meetings.
- stand in for the President on occasions which would normally be attended by the President and which they are unable to attend.
- act as ‘Conference Lead’ for one year during their term.
- be legally registered as a director and trustee of BRISMES with Companies House and the Charity Commission.
- benefit from such administrative support as is necessary to fulfil the aforementioned activities.
- Undertake other duties as appropriate, as agreed with the other BRISMES officers and, where appropriate, with BRISMES Council.
Responsibilities as a Trustee
As a trustee, you will serve on the governing body of BRISMES (the Council). Trustees have and must accept ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of a charity, and ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public for which it has been set up. Please ensure that the nominee reads the Charity Commission’s guidance on being a charity trustee before the nomination is submitted.
Nomination Process and Timeline
Anyone who is thinking about being nominated is encouraged to contact the current Vice President, Neve Gordon (neve.gordon@qmul.ac.uk), to arrange an informal conversation about the position.
Nominations will close at 5pm (UK time) on Monday 19th February 2024 and should be submitted via the form below.
All nominations must have a proposer and a seconder (interested members may nominate themselves and ask two other colleagues to second the nomination). Proposers must have obtained the agreement of both the nominee and the seconder. Proposers, seconders and nominees must be members of BRISMES.
Proposers must provide a biography and a short statement (250 words maximum each) explaining their reasons for nominating the candidate. This information may be circulated to members should an election be necessary.
We welcome applicants who are interested in role-sharing, but please note that the role is considered a single post with a single vote on council. Each nominee would need to submit a separate nomination form and indicate on the form that their nomination should be considered together with that of another candidate (please include the name of your co-nominee).
The successful candidate(s) will formally take office at the Society’s Annual General Meeting in early July 2024, but an informal handover period will commence as soon as possible after their election.
Please email office@brismes.org if you need to check your membership status or if you have any questions about the nomination process.