EuroLFT Governance

1. Purpose

This document defines the governance structure of EuroLFT, establishing the rules for board composition, elections, eligibility, and representation criteria. The objective is to ensure transparent, democratic, and inclusive governance of the community.

2. The Board

  1. Composition
    • The EuroLFT Board consists of up to 20 members.
    • Members are elected by the community through a transparent and democratic process.
  2. Term of Office
    • Each board member serves a term of 3 years, with the possibility of reelection.
    • A system of continuous turnover applies, so that each year a subset of positions becomes available
  3. Elections
    • Elections take place once per year.
    • The number of positions available in each election depends on the vacancies arising from term completions or resignations.
    • The election process follows two steps:
      1. Nomination: Candidates may be nominated by community members.
      2. Election: Nominated candidates are elected by the community through voting.
    • Only community members affiliated with institutions located in geographical Europe or in European Union member states are entitled to vote.
  4. Eligibility
    • To be eligible, candidates must hold an open-ended, tenure-track, or equivalent position at a European institution.

3. Executive Board

  1. After each annual election, the Board elects an Executive Board consisting of:
    • Chair
    • Co-Chair
    • Three additional members
  2. Chair Term
    • The Chair serves for 3 years, followed by a 1-year shadowing period.
    • During the shadowing period, the outgoing Chair supports and mentors the incoming Chair.
  3. Turnover and Availability
    • The composition of the Executive Board follows the principle of continuous turnover.
    • The number of available roles in each election cycle depends on vacancies from term completions or resignations.

4. Representation and Diversity Criteria

To ensure broad and fair representation, the following criteria are normally applied when determining board membership:

  1. Gender Balance
    • No more than 75% of the board members may belong to the same gender.
  2. Early-Career Researchers
    • At least 25% of the board members must be classified as early-career researchers, defined as individuals within 12 years of receiving their PhD, with allowances made for career breaks.
  3. Country Representation
    • Board composition must reflect representation across European institutions.
    • Representation is defined by the institutional affiliation of candidates, not their nationality.
  4. Exceptional Circumstances
    • While these constraints apply under normal circumstances, exceptions can be defined by the Board to maintain functionality or continuity.

5. Implementation of the election procedure

  1. Candidates are ranked according to the number of votes received.
  2. Representation and diversity criteria are applied to the ranked list to finalize board membership.
  3. In case of unresolved conflicts between criteria, the Board decides on a resolution.

6. Amendments

This governance document can be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board.