Nominations for 2023 

Voting is open for the SRF Ordinary Council elections.

Each eligible member of the SRF has been sent an email with a unique voting link and instructions.  If you have any queries please email srf@conferencecollective.co.uk

There is currently one Ordinary Member vacancy on the SRF Council due to the retirement of Dr Mark Fenwick who has completed his term of office.

Members of the Society are cordially invited to stand for nomination and if elected to take full responsibility from the date of the next SRF AGM, currently scheduled to take place on Thursday 12 January 2023 during the Fertility 2023 meeting.

What does the role of an SRF Council Member entail?

Successful candidates will be working alongside the Council Members listed below.  At the AGM, all members of the Council will be invited to confirm their intention, given their current circumstances, to fulfill the next year of their term on Council.

Period of Office
Council Members hold office for a period of four years.

Under the current constitution Trustees (all voting) and Ex Officio members may not be beneficiaries of the Society and are ineligible to receive, awards, grants, travel support and other such benefits available to members.

Attendance at meetings

Council Members are expected to attend Council Meetings and are also expected to serve on Sub-Committees* and could be asked to participate in future task groups.

*The Grants and Awards, Finance, Programme, Public Engagement and Membership Sub-Committees

The foreseeable meetings are due to be held in 2023:    

 Spring (April or May TBC) Council Meeting is held at a hotel in an accessible UK location, and currently, this is at Manchester Airport. Council members are asked to block 2 days to include travel time, sub-committee meetings on the afternoon of Day 1 and Council business conducted on Day 2 (9:00 to 5:00). Meetings are usually held on a Thursday and Friday and a working dinner is held on the evening of Day 1. Overnight accommodation is provided, and travel expenses are reimbursed.

Autumn (October or November TBC) Council Meeting is held virtually usually on a Thursday and Friday.  Committee meetings will be held in the week prior to this meeting and are organised by the sub-committee chairs.

SRF AGM is scheduled to take place at the annual Fertility conference.

You should expect to attend both the face to face and on-line SRF Council meetings for the 1.5 to 2 working days allocated (including travel time for the Spring meeting). You will also be expected to attend an additional short Council meeting at the start of the annual joint Fertility Society conference in January. Council members are also expected to attend the Fertility conferences and to perform duties prior to and during these conferences.  Council officers will also meet virtually 4 to 6 times a year for 2 hours and additional virtual sub-committee meetings will be called as required  (approximately 4 times a year for 2 hours).

Council Members are also expected to be available throughout the year to assist in ad-hoc decision making and have a key role in running and leading the Society, supported by the Secretariat.

Role as Charity Trustee

As a Member of the Council, you are taking on the responsibility as a Charity Trustee, whose responsibilities cover the following:

You and your co-trustees must make sure that the charity is carrying out the purposes for which it is set up, and no other purpose. This means you should:

• ensure you understand the charity’s purposes as set out in its governing document
• plan what your charity will do, and what you want it to achieve
• be able to explain how all of the charity’s activities are intended to further or support its purposes
• understand how the charity benefits the public by carrying out its purposes

To assist with your understanding of the Society, please refer to the Articles of Association and Byelaws which can be found under the “Who We Are” tab on the SRF Website www.srf-reproduction.org

Further details about the duties of a Charity Trustee can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-what-you-need-to-do#trustees-duties-at-a-glance

Eligibility (Articles of Association 47 – 50)

• Under the Society’s rules, eligible SRF Members (fully paid as of Friday 14 November 2022) may stand for election.
• Members who have previously served on Council as an Officer may stand if one year has elapsed since the end of their previous years of service.
• Nominations must be supported by two references from two fully paid (as of Monday 14 November 2022) members of the Society. (For reference, a list of current Members can be found in the Members Area of the SRF website under “Notice of Elections”).

Procedure

Members wishing to stand for election must complete the Nomination to Council form below and submit this with their letters of recommendation to the SRF Secretariat (via the SRF website).  Nominations must be submitted by 09.00 hrs GMT on Monday 21 November 2022.

Please include:

• What you would bring to the role and goals for your term as a Council member, brief details about yourself including your research and interest in reproductive biology

• Nominees must obtain at least two letters of support from at least two SRF Members (who have paid for 2022 membership). Letters must be uploaded with their applications.
• Recent photo – head and shoulders.

Timeline

Deadline for Nominations: 09.00 hrs GMT, Monday 21 November 2022 Should the number of nominations received by Monday 21 November 2022 exceed the number of vacancies, then, as stated in the Articles of Association Article 50.7 to 50.10, the Secretary shall issue voting instructions to each Full Member of the Society.  In the case that only one application is received, the successful candidate will be notified prior to the announcement at the SRF AGM.

Monday 28 November 2022: If more than one application is received for the Ordinary member position, all Voting members will be sent a unique link to vote online to elect the next Ordinary member.

Friday 16 December 2022: Voting closes at 11.59pm.

January 2023: The names of those successfully elected as Trustees will be formally announced at the SRF AGM.

Applications for nominations are now closed.