APSA is open to the formation of Specialist Groups and Caucuses that can assist members to network and cooperate in areas of common interest.
Framework and Funding Guidelines for APSA Specialist Groups and Caucuses
Last updated 17 March 2023
Definition of terms
- APSA recognises two types of groups: Specialist Groups; and Caucuses.
- Specialist Groups provide either a research focus or community of practice for APSA and its members. Specialist groups that provide a research focus are typically organised around significant sub disciplinary areas, research fields or broad research themes, whilst those that organise around a community of practice typically form around a shared professional interest or concern, including teaching. Specialist Groups exist over an indefinite period, have a sizeable membership base and typically offer a range of activities.
- Caucuses typically represent a particular group and its interests within APSA. They may, for example, promote activities concerning advancement and the professional development of scholars from underrepresented groups within the discipline. Caucuses exist over an indefinite period and typically offer a range of activities.
Establishment
- Any APSA member is entitled to propose the establishment of a Specialist Group or Caucus, which should be submitted to the Executive Committee for consideration.
- The information required to propose a Specialist Group or Caucus includes: (a) a description of the field, community of practice or group to be covered/represented, including an explanation as to its distinctive contribution relative to those groups that already exist; (b) a description of the activities planned; (c) an indication of the Specialist Group or Caucuses’ governing structure; and (d) the minimum number of convenors plus support from at least 10 fully paid up members at APSA who support the group’s application.
- Before submitting a proposal, the group’s convenors must confirm that they have read and agree to conform to this framework.
- The proposal will be circulated to the Executive Committee who will be asked to comment and evaluate on the suitability of the proposed Specialist Group or Caucus.
- Based on the proposal and any comments received, the Executive Committee decides whether to establish a new Specialist Group or Caucus.
- Schedule A provides a list of the Specialist Groups and Caucuses currently recognised by APSA.
Governance
- APSA requires that eachSpecialist Group and Caucusgroup have a constitution available on the group’s entry on the APSA website (see Schedule C for a ‘model’ constitution).
- Specialist Group and Caucus Convenors should ensure that its members meet at least once a year to plan their activities. This will typically occur at the Annual Conference.
- Standing Groups and Caucuses have no independent legal status.
- The operation and governance of Specialist Groups and Caucuses must conform to the rules laid out in this Framework and to the APSA Constitution.
Convenors
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses are run day-to-day by its Convenors. Convenors are elected by the group’s members according to the rules set out in the group’s constitution.
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses must have at least three convenors. Steering Committees can organise individual roles and responsibilities of their members as they see fit, but all Specialist Groups and Caucuses are required to elect a treasurer who will be responsible for managing any funding that the group receives from APSA.
- Each Specialist Group and Caucus Convenor should also nominate at least one convenor who will act as the main point of contact with APSA staff and the Executive Committee.
- Specialist Group and Caucus convenors must be fully paid up APSA members.
Membership
- APSA members have the right to join any Specialist Group or Caucus that they consider is relevant to their interests. They can join a Specialist Group or Caucus through their My APSA account on the APSA website.
- Specialist Group and Caucus convenors are asked to actively encourage their members to become full members of APSA. Membership subscriptions are a key component in ensuring the financial sustainability of APSA and the support provided to its Specialist Groups and Caucuses.
- APSA will maintain a record of its members who join each of its Specialist Groups and Caucuses via their My APSA account. Members can also update their membership at any time via their My APSA account.
- APSA will send to the Convenors the names and contact details of the members who have joined their Specialist Group or Caucus at least twice a year. Convenors may also contact the APSA National Office to request an updated list of members.
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses who consider a member of the group to be in breach of this Framework may refer the matter to the Executive Committee for consideration.
Funding and Financial Management
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses may receive financial support from APSA to support their activities(see Schedule B below).
- Financial support is provided to help support a variety of different types of activity.
- To be eligible for funding, at least 10 fully paid up APSA members must have registered via their My APSA Account to the Specialist Group or Caucus making the application.
- For Specialist Groups, access to funding allocations will be determined by the number of fully paid up APSA members who have joined a Specialist Group or Caucus via their My APSA account login. Convenors are encouraged to get their members to join their groups via their My APSA account login.
- Funding can only be provided on receipt of an invoice from an Australian university by one of the convenors of a Specialist Group or Caucus (typically the treasurer). Funding will only be deposited into a university account.
- The convenor of a Specialist Group and Caucus who is in receipt of APSA funds (typically the treasurer) must maintain accurate records of their expenditures and report these at least once a year (see Reporting).
- The treasurer is accountable to both the Specialist Group and Caucus membership and to the Executive Committee for the expenditure of any funding received from APSA.
- The prior approval of the Executive Committee is required for any single expenditure of more than $2,000.
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses cannot enter long-term contracts or financial obligations without prior approval from the Executive Committee.
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses cannot ask members for a discretionary donation towards the running costs of the group without prior approval from the Executive Committee.
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses should seek approval from the Executive Committee before approaching third parties with funding requests.
- Members of Specialist Groups and Caucuses must not benefit in any way financially from the activities of their group.
- Funding allocations for the Specialist Groups and Caucuses will be reviewed annually by the APSA Executive.
Reporting
- The convenors of Specialist Groups and Caucuses must submit a brief report on the group’s activities to the Executive Committee once a year approximately one month before the AGM detailing:
- the convenors and their contact details
- the activities that the Specialist Group and Caucus has undertaken since the previous reporting cycle
- a list of its members (if different from those who have joined via the My APSA login page)
- Convenors of Specialist Groups and Caucuses must also submit an updated budget once a year of projected income and expenditure for the group to the Executive Committee at least one month before the AGM. This must reconcile the funding received and funding spent relative to the activities that were proposed at the time that an application for funds was approved.
- Reports from Specialist Groups and Caucuses will be tabled at the APSA AGM for noting.
Publicity
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses are required to have an entry on the APSA website.
- If a Specialist Group or Caucus has an external site, then a link should be provided to it from its entry on the APSA website. External sites must also link back to this entry.
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses may choose to setup their own social media accounts in which case a link to it should be provided from their entry on the APSA website.
- Convenors are required to acknowledge APSA at any events or activities that have been supported by APSA financially or otherwise.
- Convenors may request updates to their web presence via the APSA National Office.
Participation in the Annual Conference
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses are strongly encouraged to submit sponsored panels and proposals at the annual conference (e.g. panels, roundtables etc).
- Proposals from Specialist Groups and Caucuses will be considered favourably but final decisions will rest with the APSA Executive in consultation with the Local Organising Committee.
Termination or Merger
- Only the Executive Committee can take the decision to terminate or merge a Specialist Group or Caucus.
- Specialist Groups or Caucuses wishing to merge apply in writing to the Executive Committee.
- Should the Convenors of a Specialist Group or Caucus consider that the group is no longer necessary, relevant or tenable, they must refer to the Executive Committee for consideration at the earliest stage, allowing for an opportunity for the Group to be dissolved, re-shaped or revitalised under new Convenors, as appropriate.
- Specialist Groups or Caucuses wishing to change the name or alter the thematic scope of the group apply in writing to the Executive Committee.
- The Executive Committee may decide to review and ultimately close a Specialist Group or Caucus if it is deemed to be insufficiently active. Examples of an inactive group would include those who have fewer than 10 members for two consecutive years or those who do not submit an annual report of their activities. In this instance, the Executive Committee will contact the Specialist Group’s Convenors to discuss the prospects for the Group that may recommend that it be wound up.
- Failure to comply with the rules laid out in this Framework, other APSA policies and procedures or relevant laws and regulations may lead the Executive Committee to suspend and/or remove some Convenors and conduct elections to replace them.
- Failure to comply with the Framework may lead the Executive Committee to close a Specialist Group or Caucus.
Implementation and Review
- This Framework comes into effect upon its publication on the APSA website. On publication, it replaces any prior rules regarding entities with a similar name or purpose (including Standing Groups, Sub-Committees, Groups, Caucuses and Research Networks).
- Specialist Groups and Caucuses are given a maximum of nine months to comply with the provisions of these guidelines from the time that they come into effect (including any new or revised Constitution).
- The Framework will be reviewed on an ongoing basis by the Executive Committee.
Schedule A
List of Specialist Groups and Caucuses in APSA
Last updated 17 March 2023
Specialist Groups
- Environmental Politics and Policy
- International Relations
- Policy Studies
- Political Organisations and Participation
- Political Theory
- Quantitative Methods
- Teaching and Learning
Caucuses
- Postgraduate Student Caucus
- Women’s Caucus
- First Peoples’ Politics Forum
- LGBTIQ+ Caucus
Schedule B
Funding Guidelines for APSA Specialist Groups and Caucuses
Last Updated 17 March 2023
Background
Specialist Groups and Caucuses perform a crucial role in APSA. This scheme supports these groups and their activities by providing them with the opportunity to apply for a set amount of funding. Applications for funding require approval by the APSA Executive.
To be eligible for funding, Specialist Groups and Caucuses must have at least 10 fully paid up APSA members registered via their My APSA Account. Specialist Group and Caucuses also need to meet and follow the requirements set out in the “Framework and Guidelines for APSA Specialist Groups and Caucuses.”
Funding will be provided for activities that help promote Specialist Groups and Caucuses as well as the discipline of Political Science more broadly conceived. This could include funding to support activities and events such as:
- Conferences – e.g. organizing sponsored panels or roundtables at the annual conference
- Workshops
- Networking events
- Doctoral workshops
- Training workshops (e.g. workshops, methods, research training, summer schools)
- Mentoring support
- Public engagement and public impact events
- RA support for digital and social communications (e.g. social media)
- Other activities or events that support the Specialist Group or Caucus, as endorsed by their members and proposed to the APSA Executive
Application Process
Applications for funding must briefly detail:
- the amount of funding requested (by budget item)
- the purpose for which the funds will be expended
- a statement on how the funding will increase the impact and visibility of the Specialist Group or Caucus (including benefits to the discipline)
- confirmation that the events and activities proposed for funding have been endorsed by the Specialist Group and Caucus and its members
- the name of the convenor who will be financially responsible for managing and reporting on the expenditure of funds back to the APSA Executive and the APSA AGM
Proposals for funding activities should be endorsed by the membership of the Specialist Group or Caucus making the application. Applications will be considered by the APSA Executive.
Funding Allocation for Specialist Groups
Funding allocations for Specialist Groups will be determined by the number of fully paid up APSA members who have subscribed to the group via the APSA member login page.
In 2023, the following funding thresholds will apply:
| Number of fully paid up members via their My APSA Account | Funding cap | |
| Small groups | Up to 20 members | Up to $3,000 |
| Large groups | 21 or more members | Up to $5,000 |
A call for applications will be made once a year (centralised deadline).
Funding Allocation for Caucuses
In 2024, each caucus can apply for up to $5,000.
A call for applications will be made once every two years (centralised deadline).
Schedule C
Model Constitution for APSA Specialist Groups and Caucuses
Matters which the Rules must cover.
Italicised criteria are optional requirements.
RULES
NAME
- Name of the APSA Specialist Group or Caucus
PURPOSE
- The aims of the Specialist Group or Caucus
- Who/what the Specialist group or Caucus is intended to benefit and by what means
MEMBERSHIP
- Procedure for joining (via the My APSA Account)
- Register of members (who will have carriage (e.g. Secretary) where and how the register will be held (e.g. the My APSA Account))
CONVENORS
- Requirements to be a convenor (e.g. membership of the Specialist Group or Caucus, public identification of their role etc)
- The number of convenors of the Specialist Group or Caucus (with officeholder titles, where appropriate). Specialist Groups and Caucuses must have at least 3 convenors, at least one of whom must be a treasurer and at least one of whom must be nominated as the point of contact with APSA and the APSA Executive
- Term of office for convenors (e.g. duration, term limits etc)
- Process for electing convenors (e.g. when, where and how)
- Process for mid-term vacancies
- Duties of the convenors
MEETINGS
General Meetings
- When (e.g., APSA conference)
- How members will be notified of a general meeting (e.g. notice period)
- What business will be conducted (e.g., a report of activities over the previous 12 months, forward planning of activities, elections etc)
- How business will be conducted (e.g., rules of procedure for the meeting, any quorum etc)
- Special General Meetings
GENERAL MATTERS
- Alteration or amendment to the Rules
- Procedure for amending the Rules, including mention of the threshold for assent
- Forum where amendments to the Rules are considered (e.g., by email, or at a General Meeting or Special General Meeting)
- Dissolution of the Specialist group or Caucus
- Procedure by which the Specialist group or Caucus can be dissolved
- Disposal of remaining money and other assets (e.g., returned to APSA once outstanding debts have been paid).
