WCC UK Rules

This page houses the Rules of the WCC UK and other relevant documents.

The job description of the Administrator can be downloaded here; last updated July 2020.

The job description of the Treasurer can be downloaded here; last updated March 2020.

The following rules were first ratified at the AGM on April 11 2016 and amended at the AGM on April 24 2020.

1. Aims of the Women’s Classical Committee:

The Women’s Classical Committee was founded in 2015 in the United Kingdom with the following aims:

(1) Support women* in classics**.
(2) Promote feminist and gender-informed perspectives in classics.
(3) Raise the profile of the study of women in antiquity and classical reception.
(4) Advance equality and diversity in classics.

*By ‘women’ we include all those who self-define as women, including (if they wish) those with complex gender identities which include ‘woman’, and those who experience oppression as women.

** By ‘classics’ we understand the study of the ancient Mediterranean world and its reception, including but not limited to scholarship by students and post-holders in academic departments teaching and researching Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology.

People of any gender expression or identity who support these aims are welcome to become members and to put themselves forward for office.

We seek to achieve these aims by working independently and with other organisations. Our activities include:

(1) Proposal and sponsorship of regular panels at the Classical Association and other UK-based significant conferences for the discipline.
(2) Financial support for members to cover the cost of travel, childcare and other expenses related to their scholarly activities.
(3) Creation and sharing of resources for teaching both feminist approaches within Classics and women in antiquity.
(4) A mentoring programme for PhD students and early-career academics
(5) Promotion of the positive representation and presence of women on-line

2. Ratification of organising committee positions, duties and terms of office including names of current officers.

WCC UK shall be organised by a committee including the following positions:

• Co-chairs (two elected positions, one to retire each year)
• Administrator
• Treasurer
• Steering committee (six elected members, one to retire each year)
• Email/website manager
• Graduate liaison officer
• ECR liaison officer
• Part-time/alt-ac liaison officer
• Disability, staff and post-PhD liaison officer
• Schools liaison officer
• LGBTQI liaison officer

Duties of office-holders and schedule for rotation of offices:

Steering Committee members holds membership in good standing at the time of nomination and have the following duties:

• Identify and implement initiatives that the WCC UK should pursue; represent and advocate the WCC UK and its goals whenever and wherever possible.
• When possible, attend the annual AGM, normally in April.
• When possible, attend the CA annual meeting and participate in WCC UK functions there (e.g., any meetings, organised panel).
• Spend the first two years of service assisting the current co-chairs, and spend the third and four years either as a co-chair or assisting the co-chairs.
• Serve on sub-committees and working groups as required.
• Provide timely feedback to co-chairs, web editors and other committee members as requested through electronic discussions and sub-committees.

Each liaison officer is a person whom members can contact as a first port of call when needing information, advice or further direction. Their duties are as follows:

• Advocate for the specific group they represent at all WCC UK events and Steering Committee meetings.
• Ensure specific issues relevant to their group are foregrounded as appropriate.
• Play a role in organising events specifically focused on the interests of that group.
• Work proactively rather than reactively to represent the needs of their group.
• Work with the support of the co-chairs and the steering committee rather than having sole responsibility for action, particularly on difficult issues like those around race and discrimination.
• Encourage others to become active in the WCC UK.

Co-Chairs:

The Chairperson(s) of the WCC UK is responsible for overseeing and managing the running of WCC UK events and activities for the duration of the two years of their term.

The Chairperson will:

• Assume office at conclusion of WCC UK AGM in spring of each year.
• Serve as the first line of contact for all liaison officers.
• Track liaison terms of service and coordinate smooth transitions when new liaisons take office.
• Serve as the first line of contact for all triads organising events.
• Facilitate event proposal process to ensure events are approved by the steering committee.
• Maintain light-touch oversight of event triads to track progress.
• Liaise with event triads and web team to publicise events and activities through our blog and social media channels.
• Ensure event triads submit final reports on their events for inclusion in the shared Dropbox.
• Coordinate with Elections Officer to ensure smooth running of the elections cycle (November-February)
• Publicise the nomination and voting periods of the election cycle
• Serve on Triad and/or assist as needed the coordinator/s of WCC UK panel at the CA and LMC
• Provide support as needed to the Administrator and Treasurer.
• Chair Steering Committee meetings and host if not held remotely.
• Assist the Administrator in fixing the agenda for SC and AGM business meetings.
• Develop and coordinate the programme for the AGM including designing and organising a theme, speakers, and facilities with the support of the SC.
• Facilitate the drafting and distribution of rapid responses to events or other issues arising of concern to the membership (with support from the SC, especially if the Chairperson(s) are EC or precariously employed.)
• Actively work to promoting the WCC UK and increase the profile and membership of the organisation.
• At end of term, coordinate hand over of responsibilities and on-going projects with new chairperson.

The Steering Committee may conduct its business both in person and electronically.
Terms of office are as follows:

• A four year term for Steering Committee members; SC may serve two consecutive terms but must wait four years before standing again. Voted for electronically by the membership.
• A five year renewable term for the Administrator and Treasurer. Elections are to be held where possible, and nominations by the Steering Committee are to be approved where there is only one candidate.
• A two year renewable term for liaisons, who volunteer to hold their positions.

Elections to the steering committee and any other ballot of the membership shall be conducted by electronic ballot.

4. Amendments to the constitution should be proposed for discussion at the Annual General Meeting

5. The WCC shall have a bank account into which subscriptions and funds raised from universities and other bodies shall be paid:

• We authorise the treasurer to open a bank account for WCC UK.
• The treasurer, administrator and co-chairs shall act as signatories on the bank account.
• The signatures of two of the four signatories shall be required on cheques.

6. The WCC shall raise funds to support its aims and activities from membership subscriptions and from universities, learned societies and other membership and support organisations within the UK Classics community.

• The treasurer shall present a budget at the AGM outlining the current financial situation, membership levels, funds raised for the previous year’s activities, and any funding requirements for future activities.
• Subscription rates per calendar year shall be set at the AGM.
• The full rate subscription for 2020 shall be £20.
• The reduced rate for graduate students, retired, unemployed and underemployed members (those on hourly-paid, part-time or short-term academic contracts) shall be £5.