SCRCM

Society for Clinical Research Coordination and Management

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Charter

Name

The name of the organization shall be the "Society for Clinical Research Coordination and Management” (SCRCM) of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn).

Purpose

The SCRCM supports the professional development of Penn clinical research personnel, i.e. Clinical Research Coordinators, Research Project Managers and other research staff (i.e. Business Administrators, Research Assistants etc.). In addition, working alongside the Office of Clinical Research (OCR), it strives to optimize the clinical research environment, enhance research compliance and facilitate research conduct.  This is accomplished by:

  • Provide input to create and improve upon processes that maximize the quality of research programs, promoting human subject protections and fostering compliance with local, state and federal regulations and University and Perelman SOM policies.
  • Providing a forum for networking and collaboration with peers, and for educating SCRCM members
  • Establishing a platform that enables communication and collaboration among SCRCM members, the broader research community, the University and Health System administration
  • Defining the professional status of our community and promoting the recognition of the profession among SCRCM members, faculty, Penn Medicine (PSOM and UPHS) administration and the University.

Membership

SCRCM

The SCRCM is comprised of Penn Medicine staff who perform various clinical research coordination and management functions as part of their professional activities. Current staff is invited to join the SCRCM and have the ability to self-register via email: psom-penncrc@pobox.upenn.edu

Executive Committee

The SCRCM shall be governed by the Executive Committee whose members shall be elected by the SCRCM membership.

  1. The Executive Committee will consist of nine (9) members, at least six(6) of whom are members of the SCRCM. Up to but not exceeding three (3) members may be representatives from the Office of Clinical Research.
  2. Executive Committee members shall serve a term of two (2) years with the ability to serve only two consecutive terms before being required to step down for a minimum of one year. 
  3. The Executive Committee will be chosen by the SCRCM. SCRCM members will nominate potential Executive Committee members and a ballot will be created by OCR from the list. The SCRCM as a whole will then select their Executive committee from the ballot.
  4. The Chairperson (the presiding officer) of the SCRCM, and thus the Executive Committee, will be elected by the other SCRCM members .The Chairperson shall remain in the position for 24 months with the option of a 36 month term if proposed by the members of the SCRCM in specific situations.
  5. A chair elect will serve on the Executive Committee for 12 months and take over for the Chair at the end of his or her term. Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee.
  6. The Office of Clinical Research shall provide administrative support to the Executive Committee, including coordination of meetings and distribution of meeting minutes.

Governance & Responsibilities

Chairperson

  1. The Chairperson's shall:
    • Act as chief executive of the SCRCM
    • Be a liaison between members of the SCRCM and the OCR and PSOM
    • Chair the Executive Committee
  2. The Chairperson shall prepare agendas with the input of the Executive Committee and OCR representatives.
  3. Preside over general and Executive Committee meetings with a general structure that includes:
    • Review and approval of minutes of last meeting
    • Discussion and resolution of old business
    • Discussion and resolution of new business
      1. New business on the agenda takes precedence over ad hoc new business raised in the meeting
      2. Unaddressed ad hoc new business will be added to the next agenda
      3. Resolution of new or old business will be determined by voting by the Executive Committee on each item and will be recorded in the minutes.
    • Planning the next agenda
    • Confirming action items and deliverables as needed,
    • Closing the meeting.

Chair Elect

  1. The Chair Elect  shall:
    • Support the Chairperson in chairing the Executive Committee and the SCRCM
    • Act in place of the Chairperson in the event that he/she cannot attend a meeting
    • Step into the position of Chairperson should the situation arise

Secretary

  1. The Secretary shall:
    • Attend all general and Executive Committee SCRCM meetings.
    • Take attendance at meetings and appropriately record the proceedings via written notes.  Voice recordings are not appropriate.
    • Prepare the minutes of all Executive committee meetings.
    • Take attendance and document minutes from the SCRCM meetings, with the help of OCR.
    • In the event the Secretary cannot attend a meeting, he/she will nominate a substitute to perform these duties.

Treasurer:

  1. The treasurer shall:
    • Manage monies in the budget for the SCRCM
    • Report to the Executive Committee on an as needed basis, but no less than once a quarter.
    • Facilitate SCRCM events that are budget reliant including but not limited to CARE Awards, inviting speakers from outside University of Pennsylvania, organizing meeting with professional CRC societies like ACRP, SOCRA.
    • Receive administrative assistance from OCR.    

Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee shall:
    • Facilitate the business of the SCRCM as a whole by managing initiatives, organizing SCRCM meetings, and constructing proposals and documents as needed.
    • Scheduling and attending, organizing SCRCM meetings
    • Recommending and approving the establishment of work groups and task forces to accomplish SCRCM, Institutional, and PSOM needs and/or goals
    • Solicit and review comments and incorporate them as appropriate into committee business.
    • Grant final approval for all initiatives, proposals and documents.
  2. The Executive Committee shall meet on a regular basis, typically monthly, unless there are extenuating circumstances, but no less than quarterly.
  3. A majority vote by attending Executive Committee members is required to approve any motions.  A quorum of fifty percent of the Exec Committee members plus one will be required in order to hold a vote.
  4. Executive Committee members shall:
    • Attend all scheduled executive committee meetings or provide advance notice when they are unable to attend.
    • Provide input to pending agendas through email  as well as in meetings.
  5. Executive Committee members who are unable to fulfill the duties described above may be asked to relinquish their position by the Executive Committee.

SCRCM Members

  1. SCRCM members contribute to the goals and mission of the SCRCM by:
    • Communicating with the Executive Committee
    • Reviewing posted communications regarding SCRCM business.
    • Attending SCRCM meetings.
    • Participating in the nomination and election process for Executive Committee members..
  2. SCRCM meetings shall be held as needed, with a goal of meeting at least once quarterly.
    • SCRCM meetings shall be announced through the Clinical Research Registry mass email function.
    • SCRCM meetings will be open to all members to attend. 
    • SCRCM members who are not registered through the Clinical Research Registry may attend one (1) meeting, but after which must formally register through the Clinical Research Registry to continue to attend meetings.
    • Guests may be invited by any member of the SCRCM. Guests are expected to sign-in.

Appointments & Elections

Executive Committee

Elections are to be run by held every 2 years in June, five (5) to six (6) members shall be elected to the Executive Committee by the current members SCRCM. Elections are to be run by Robert’s Rules of Order in a situation where in-person elections are conducted.

  1. SCRCM members may nominate themselves or any other SCRCM member to the Executive Committee ballot.
  2. Only one representative from each department, division or center may serve on the Executive Committee.
  3. In the event there would be a complete change of all members of the Executive Committee, the Chairperson of the new Executive Committee shall appoint the Chairperson of the outgoing Executive Committee to serve as ex-officio for a period of four (4) months.
  4. Ballots will be sent out via an anonymous online survey to members of the SCRCM. Voting SCRCM members will be asked to select as many members to the Executive Committee as there are outgoing members. Via the survey they will also be asked to indicate their choice for the Chairperson, the Chair Elect, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Taskforces

  1. The Executive Committee will create taskforces to further the goals of Professional Development, Education and Operations. Additional taskforces may also be created.
  2. A taskforce is formed to address a particular issue, and is expected to continue only until the project is completed.
  3. Members of each taskforce can be comprised of Executive Committee members, SCRCM members, representatives from other Penn offices or departments and interested members from out the University of Pennsylvania, as needed for the purpose of the taskforce.
  4. Each taskforce will appoint a Chair for that taskforce. The taskforce’s Chair will report to the SCRCM Chair and/or the Executive meeting monthly at the Executive Committee meeting or as needed.

Charter Amendments

Before an amendment may be voted on, it must be made available for public comment by all SCRCM members for at least 1 week at the most 10 business days. Mechanisms to make the amendment public may include but are not limited to a mass email via the Clinical Research Registry and posting the amendment on the SCRCM website.

Any charter amendment may be passed by the Executive Committee. A quorum of fifty percent plus one SCRCM members is required for a vote. In the event that a SCRCM member cannot attend an Executive Committee meeting, s/he may submit an absentee ballot in advance of the meeting. 

 

Charter Last Updated on - May 2019


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