Dear Colleagues:
On behalf of NORDP’s Nominating Committee and Board of Directors, I am writing to invite nominations and applications for Board of Directors positions. Nominations for Board positions are due March 31, 2020, and applications for the same are due April 15, 2020. You may self-nominate and do so starting March 17, 2020.
Available positions: Four Board of Director positions are available in 2020. One seat is designated for an eligible NORDP member affiliated with either a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) and/or a Regional Institution, one seat is designated for an eligible NORDP member affiliated from a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI), and two seats are open to eligible NORDP members from any type of institution or region (at-large). New Board members are elected for four-year terms. (The cover page of the board application form contains definitions of MSI, Regional, and PUI.)
Eligibility: All regular members of NORDP in good standing who meet the qualifications outlined below are eligible to apply for Board of Director positions. Any NORDP member employed by a for-profit company that employs more than 25 people is an affiliate member of NORDP and not eligible for election to the Board. Current Board members whose terms are expiring are eligible for nomination and re-election unless they have already served two consecutive terms (in which case they must wait at least one year before becoming eligible for re-election).
Qualifications: Qualifications for serving on the Board of Directors encompass a number of factors, including:
- Active support and/or service to NORDP (e.g., at least three years of service on committees, working groups, or other efforts on behalf of the organization). Demonstrated leadership in NORDP activities is preferred. While conference presentations are highly valuable to the organization, they do not in and of themselves constitute active support of the organization or demonstrate that an individual has knowledge of how NORDP operates and how its mission is served.
- At least five years of research development experience or very closely related experience.
- Demonstrated progression of duties and responsibilities within the research development profession, including, but not limited to: supervision of other research development professionals, management of a significant research development portfolio, or other major contributions to the research development profession (or a closely related field).
- Experience serving on community-or institutionally based non-profit boards and/or other forms of organizational leadership (e.g., technical working groups, strategic planning or reaccreditation working groups, etc.).
Expectations: The expectations for NORDP Board members are significant in terms of time and effort. Members are expected to actively participate in the board, head special projects or liaise with committee chairs, and pursue activities that advance the NORDP mission and goals. The time requirement for Board members averages 10 to 12 hours per month with additional commitment for officers. For a full description of the duties, roles, and responsibilities of Board members, please see the Board Member Duties and Responsibilities document and the relevant articles in the NORDP Bylaws.
It is expected that applicants participate in the Board candidate forum at the NORDP Annual Conference. The forum will be recorded for posting in the “members” section of the NORDP website.
Selection Criteria: The Nominating Committee will evaluate applicants for the ballot based on the following criteria:
- Potential of applicants to serve NORDP effectively, as reflected in their application materials and other evidence – their description of interests in serving on the Board and the contributions the candidates think they can make, their specific goals for NORDP, and why they think they would make good candidates.
- Diversity of Board Members is highly desirable, although there are no formal requirements.
- Diversity of institution type (e.g., location, size, focus, public, private, etc.) is also highly desirable.
Nomination and Application: Nominators and applicants are requested to prepare submissions in a word processing program and then cut and paste the information into online submission forms. The forms will time out after ten minutes and information is not saved once timed out.
Applicants must also upload a brief résumé/CV (three pages maximum) in PDF format, a brief biographical sketch (200-word maximum), and a high-resolution headshot (2MB maximum file size; 72 dpi is acceptable). Applicants may also submit a letter of support (two pages maximum) from their direct supervisor or a member of NORDP.
- Nomination: You may nominate another individual for a Board position using the online nomination form by March 31, 2020. Upon receipt of a nomination, the Nomination Committee will contact the nominee to request completion of an on-line application.
- Application: If you are interested in serving as a Board member, please complete your application using the online application form by April 15, 2020.
Selection and Voting Processes: All members of NORDP in good standing (including affiliate members) are eligible to vote in the election, which will be held online. The Nominating Committee will review applications and present the nominees to the membership for a voting process according to the following schedule:
- Two weeks prior to the planned start of the Annual Meeting: The Nominating Committee will notify candidates regarding eligibility and placement on the election ballot.
- Candidates’ Forum: Nominees placed on the ballot by the Nominating Committee will be invited to participate in an online candidates’ forum (specific date, time, and location will be sent via email to NORDP members, published on the organization’s website, and promoted on its social media platforms). Candidate information will be posted to the NORDP website, and the voting period will run from May 18 to June 8, 2020.
- July 1, 2020: Newly elected Board members assume their duties.
- September 11 to 14, 2020: Newly elected Board members should plan to participate in a Board retreat on these dates.
Thereafter, I moved to the Office of Research and settled into my new role as Director of Research, Development, and Infrastructure. In this role, I oversee the Interdisciplinary Research Support Office (IRSO), which is designed to support the development of proposals and the administration of large and strategic projects. IRSO partners with the Office of Proposal Development and other internal departments to submit complex interdisciplinary proposals. Through IRSO, I oversee a number of university centers and institutes. I work in consultation with faculty, department heads, deans, and research center and institute directors to determine the level of support necessary for each proposal or project. We provide strategic planning and administrative support beginning in the startup and continuing through the execution and sunset phase of interdisciplinary projects. We also offer comprehensive pre- and post-award support for these centers and institutes, and coordinate all of our support activities with research administrators and financial officers across campus, including those in Research Accounting, the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Compliance, and the Controller’s Office. In addition to these responsibilities, I oversee the Rice Office of STEM Engagement, Evaluation and Assessment, the Shared Equipment Authority, the Research Support Shop, and the Animal Resource Facility.
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