Charter

Name

The name of the organization shall be the "Society for Penn Clinical Research Professionals” (SPCRP) of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM). The organization was established as the “Society for Clinical Research Coordination and Management” and the name was revised in 2024 to better encompass the Clinical Research Professionals the society represents.

Purpose

The Society for Penn Clinical Research Professionals 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:

  • Providing 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 PSOM policies.
  • Providing a forum for networking, mentoring, and collaborating with peers, and for educating SPCRP members.
  • Establishing a platform and ongoing outreach that enables communication and partnership among SPCRP members, the broader research community, the University and University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) administration.
  • Defining the professional status of our community and promoting the recognition of the profession among SPCRP members, faculty, Penn Medicine (PSOM and UPHS) administration and the University.

Membership

The SPCRP is comprised of Penn Medicine staff who perform various clinical research professional functions as part of their role. Current staff are invited to join our organization and have the ability to self-register by signing up for the CRISPR listserv.

https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/ocr/crspr/

Levels of Participation

SPCRP Members

All Penn Clinical Research Professionals (CRPs) who participate in SPCRP activities and join the CRSPR listserv are automatically registered as society members. This is the option for passive participation in the society; a CRP may enjoy society resources and events with no additional commitments to the group. At this level of membership:

  • No invitation is needed; individuals can self-select to be SPCRP members.
  • Members do not vote on updates to SPCRP policies and initiatives.
  • Members are invited to send questions or requests to the board for consideration, including content for the monthly SCOOPs educational series and the Clinical Research Forum Day.
  • Members are encouraged to recognize their peers with a CREATE Award nomination.
  • Members vote on representation by electing the executive board members.  

SPCRP Board Members-At-Large (non-voting)

Board members-at-large are non-voting members of the society board who attend SPCRP meetings and participate in organizing and executing society initiatives. The “non-voting” title of the board member-at-large role refers to abstaining from voting on SPCRP actions that are determined by the executive board, but they can (and should!) vote in the elections for executive board members since that vote is open to all members. At this level of membership:

  • Board members-at-large do not need to be elected to this role during the regular election cycles; they do need to be confirmed by the executive board members.
  • Board members-at-large are invited to participate actively in developing or carrying out SPCRP initiatives and will be assigned specific tasks depending on their interest & availability.
  • Board members-at-large are required to support at least one society initiative each term year.
  • Board members-at-large are required to attend at least half of all scheduled board meetings.
  • Board members-at-large comprise the review panel of the Selection Committee who scores completed submission packages for the CREATE Awards and selects a winner in each category.

SPCRP Executive Board Members

These are the individuals who are elected by their peers and serve a specific term length. Once they have completed their term they may choose to stay on as a non-voting board member-at-large to provide continuity and support to the current executive board. While in the executive board member role they vote on updates to SPCRP policies/initiatives, attend all board meetings, and complete tasks specific to their elected position and as needed. The executive board roles and responsibilities are defined in the section below.

Executive Committee

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

  1. The Executive Committee will consist of nine (9) members, at least six (6) of whom are members of the SPCRP. 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 up to two consecutive terms before being required to step down for a minimum of one year. 
  3. The Executive Committee will be chosen by the SPCRP. SPCRP members will nominate potential Executive Committee members and a ballot will be created by OCR from the list. The SPCRP as a whole will then select their Executive committee from the ballot.
  4. The Chairperson (the presiding officer) of the SPCRP, and thus the Executive Committee, will be elected by the other SPCRP 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 SPCRP 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 their term.
  6. The outgoing Chairperson will provide leadership support and continuity to the Chair and Chair Elect.
  7. The three chairs will be referred to as the tri-chairs.
  8. Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee.
  9. The Office of Clinical Research liaisons shall provide administrative support to the Executive Committee, including connecting the SPCRP to the wider CRP communities and PSOM administration. Society funding will be housed in the OCR accounts and their administrators shall provide monthly reports for the society’s treasurer’s use.

Governance & Responsibilities

Chairperson

  1. The Chairperson shall:
    • Act as chief executive of the SPCRP
    • Be a liaison between members of the SPCRP 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 SPCRP
    • Act in place of the Chairperson in the event that they cannot attend a meeting
    • Step into the position of Chairperson should the situation arise

Outgoing Chairperson

1. The Outgoing Chairperson shall:

  • Support the Chairperson and Chair Elect by providing continuity and facilitating connections with the Penn community.

Secretary

  1. The Secretary shall:

    • Attend all general and Executive Committee SPCRP 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 for distribution
    • Take attendance and document minutes from the SPCRP meetings
    • Maintain SPCRP electronic files
    • In the event the Secretary cannot attend a meeting, they will nominate a substitute to perform these duties

Treasurer

  1. The treasurer shall:
    • Manage monies in the budget for the SPCRP in collaboration with OCR administrators
    • Report to the Executive Committee on an as needed basis, but no less than once a quarter
    • Facilitate SPCRP events that are budget reliant including but not limited to CREATE Awards, invite speakers from outside the institution, organize meetings with external professional CRP societies including ACRP and SOCRA
    • Coordinate internal and external fundraising efforts with the executive committee

Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee shall:
    • Facilitate the business of the SPCRP as a whole by managing initiatives, organizing SPCRP meetings, and constructing proposals and documents as needed
    • Schedule and attend SPCRP meetings
    • Recommend and approve the establishment of work groups and task forces to accomplish SPCRP, 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 Executive Committee members plus one will be required in order to hold a vote. A vote may be held over e-mail if an expedited decision is required.
  4. Executive Committee members shall:
    • Attend all scheduled executive committee meetings or provide advance notice to the Chairperson and Secretary when they are unable to attend.
    • Provide input to pending agendas through email as well as in meetings.
    • Appoint themselves or be assigned to at least one society initiative per term and be prepared to provide status updates to colleagues during meetings.
  5. Executive Committee members are full-time University of Pennsylvania employees. Individuals who are employed by the health system or other entities may collaborate with the Executive Committee but may not sit on the board.
  6. Executive Committee members who are unable to fulfill the duties described above may be asked to relinquish their position by the Executive Committee.

SPCRP Members

  1. SPCRP members contribute to the goals and mission of the SPCRP by:
    • Communicating with the Executive Committee
    • Reviewing posted communications regarding SPCRP business
    • Attending SPCRP meetings in the role of observer or guest speaker
    • Participating in the nomination and election process for Executive Committee members
  2. SPCRP meetings shall be held as needed, with a goal of meeting at least once quarterly.
    • SPCRP meetings shall be made available to members upon request
    • SPCRP members who are not registered through the Clinical Research Staff Portal and Registry (CRSPR) may attend one (1) meeting, but after which must formally register through CRSPR to continue to attend meetings.
    • Guests may be invited by any member of the SPCRP. Guests are expected to sign-in.

Appointments & Elections

Executive Committee

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

  1. SPCRP members may nominate themselves or any other SPCRP member to the Executive Committee ballot.
  2. It is preferential to maintain diversity and representation across the Executive Committee board with the goal of only one representative from each department, division or center serving on the Executive Committee simultaneously.
  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 SPCRP. SPCRP 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, SPCRP members, representatives from other Penn offices or departments and interested members from 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 SPCRP Chair and/or the Executive board at the Executive Committee meetings or as needed.

Charter Amendments

Before an amendment may be voted on, it must be made available for public comment by all SPCRP members for a minimum of 10 business days. Mechanisms to make the amendment public may include but are not limited to a mass email via CRSPR and/or posting the amendment on the SPCRP website.

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

Charter Last Updated on - 28 Oct 2024