Why not submit your nomination to be a PSA trustee by 15 April 2020?

It is an exciting time to be a Trustee of the PSA. With the appointment of our new Chair, Roger Awan-Scully and Vice-Chair, Claire Dunlop, the Association is embarking on the next stage of its journey to excellence, sustainability, diversity and growth as the leading learned society in our discipline. This builds on the considerable achievements of our outgoing Chair, Angie Wilson and Vice-Chair, Feargal Cochrane. And while none of this would be possible without the diligence of our Chief Executive, Michelle Doyle Wildman and her excellent staff team, the Association looks to the Executive Committee of Trustees to provide them with strategic leadership and support.

Trustees serve on the Executive Committee for a maximum of two three-year terms. This year, we have three trustee positions, serving a three-year term, open for election.

The Executive Committee meets around four times a year, at our London HQ in Camden. As such, the roles involve a time commitment in between meetings that fluctuates throughout the year but is not insignificant.

Trustees of the PSA have a chance to shape the organisation’s strategy and hence achieve more for our 2000+ members. It’s an opportunity for you to develop your skills, broaden your networks and make your contribution to improving the PSA as well as providing an opportunity to give something back to the discipline and support others in their endeavours. You can find out more about our trustees and governance here.

Those elected will become legal trustees of the Association as a charity and, therefore, must act in accordance with Charity Commission guidelines. Please see here for more information.

You will be given training and support in carrying out this important and fulfilling role.

The timeline for the election is as follows:

• Call for nominations opens: Friday 7 February 
• Call for nominations closes: Wednesday 15 April
• Voting opens (if required): Wednesday 22 April 
• Voting closes: Wednesday 6 May 
• New trustees’ first Executive Committee: Thursday 18 June to Friday 19 June.

To run, please email [email protected] with the following information:

• Your name 
• Your institutional affiliation (if you have one)
• Your PSA membership type 
• The name and email address of a seconder for your nomination, who is also a PSA member (they may be based at your own institution or elsewhere), whose name as your seconder will be made public on your profile as a candidate
• An indication as to whether you are interested in the three-year or one-year trustee term
• A personal statement (max. 150 words) that will be used within the election publicity as the rationale for why members should vote for you.
• A headshot photograph to go alongside your personal statement. 

You and your nominator may be asked by the PSA office to provide more information to verify your current PSA memberships.

If an election takes place, please note the following campaigning rules for candidates:

• Please keep the election a positive and good-humoured affair. If you happen not to be elected, there will be another election the following year, so please focus on telling others of your possible contributions, rather than other candidates’ weaknesses. 
• In terms of campaigning techniques, please feel free to canvas to your colleagues, send emails to colleagues in other institutions, and post on social media. If tweeting, please use #PSAelection20
• There is a strict budget of £0 for each candidate in the election; in other words, you cannot spend any money on your election, be it to purchase gifts for voters, take out newspaper advertisements, or otherwise.
• If Specialist Groups wish to highlight individual candidates, they must please highlight every candidate who is a member of their Group when doing so. 

We look forward to recieving your nomination!

If you have any questions about standing, or the election, please contact the Returning Officer, PSA Honorary Secretary, Fiona Mackay ([email protected])