Article 1: Name of the Organization
This organisation is known as McGill Sociological Review, or MSR.
Article 2: Mission
To facilitate a relevant scholarly exchange of ideas by publishing an academic journal on sociological topics written and produced by graduate and post-doctoral students.
Article 3: Objectives
To achieve its mission, MSR has outlined four main objectives.
• To build a stronger public profile for participating and contributing graduate students, and more generally, the McGill Department of Sociology.
• To establish a wide variety of contributors and readers through effective publicity and a formal selection process.
• To create opportunities for graduate students to gain knowledge and skills related to the publishing process.
• To foster dialogue between graduate students and the wider sociological community in Canada and abroad.
Article 4: Equity
Section 1: Equity Statement
MSR is committed to engaging persons who are members of equity seeking groups who may not have equitable access to similar opportunities in the publishing process.
This includes, but is not exclusive to women, people of colour, migrants, immigrants and refugees, Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Article 5: The Steering Committee
Section 1: Membership
Potential active members of the steering committee are volunteers drawn from the pool of current sociology graduate students.
The steering committee shall be composed of all active members. This includes members of the Editorial Board and one or two central coordinators, plus other active members.
Attendance of active members of the steering committee at meetings garners the right for participation in discussions and voting in decision-making.
To be considered an active member must attend a consistent number of meetings throughout the annual journal cycle.
Active membership is open to all potential members at the beginning of an annual journal cycle. Thereafter, new members may become active at the discretion of the steering committee.
Section 2: Functions and Responsibilities
The steering committee is responsible for the administrative or non-editorial aspects of the journal. This includes but is not exclusive to visioning, fundraising, marketing, and Information and Technology (IT).
All active members are expected to take on appropriate levels of duties to ensure the smooth functioning of the journal.
The formation of sub-committees or working groups may occur to work on ad hoc aspects of the journal. These are to be led by a delegated active member.
Section 3: Decision-Making
Quorum must be present at steering committee meetings in order for decisions to be valid.
Quorum consists of a majority of members from the editorial board and at least one other non-editorial board member of the steering committee.
Decisions regarding steering committee issues will be the result of a collective decision of the steering committee.
If consensus cannot be reached, a formal motion for a majority rule vote can be made. This motion must be seconded by another active member.
A majority rule vote will undergo a maximum of three rounds of discussion. Each round permits all members present to voice their views. Following this discussion, a majority rule vote will take place.
A motion may be made to extend discussion by another two rounds. This motion must be seconded by another active member.
If an extended motion does not pass by a majority, further attempts at consensus building may resume at another meeting.
At steering committee meetings, each member in attendance is entitled to one vote, including all members of the editorial board.
Active members reserve the right to abstain.
Those active members should consider the concerns of MSR and its partners, beyond the steering committee when appropriate, in decision-making.
Section 4: Frequency of Meeting
The steering committee is required to meet at least once during an annual journal cycle.
For all other meetings, the steering committee will convene at the discretion of its members.
Section 5: Minutes and Minute Taker
The role of minute taker for steering committee meetings will rotate among the members in attendance.
Minutes are to be recorded, leaving the speaker anonymous. The minute taker should record all decisions, including the vote count, and any abstentions.
All tasks or delegated duties should also be recorded.
Minutes are to be distributed among members of the steering committee prior to the next meeting.
Minutes are a matter of public record as it relates to MSR, and can be requested by contacting the co-ordinator(s).
Article 6: The Editorial Board
Section 1: Composition
Members of the editorial board are volunteers drawn from the pool of potential active members.
The Editorial Board shall consist of a minimum of three members, up to a maximum of eight members, with no member having supremacy over another. The possibility of an editor-in-chief may be considered at a later time.
The Editorial Board should have at least one person who is capable of reading and writing in French.
At their discretion, the Editorial Board is permitted to invite guest editors from outside the current EB, and beyond the potential active membership of MSR to assist in fields outside of the expertise and skills of the current EB members.
Section 2: Decision-Making
Quorum must be present at Editorial Board meetings in order for decisions to be valid.
Quorum requires all members of the Editorial Board to be present.
If members cannot be physically present, video or telephone conferencing would be an acceptable form of participation, with advance notice given to the Chair prior to the meeting.
Decisions will be the result of a collective decision of the Editorial Board members.
If consensus cannot be reached, a formal motion for a majority rule vote can be made. This motion must be seconded by another active member.
A majority rule vote will undergo a maximum of three rounds of discussion. Each round permits all members present to voice their views. Following this discussion, a majority rule vote will take place.
A motion may be made to extend discussion by another two rounds. This motion must be seconded by another active member.
If an extended motion does not pass by a majority, further attempts at consensus building may resume at another meeting.
At editorial board meetings, each member in attendance is entitled to one vote, including the editor-in-chief, if applicable.
Editorial board members reserve the right to abstain.
Editorial board members should consider the concerns of MSR and its partners, beyond the editorial board when appropriate in decision-making.
Section 3: Functions and Responsibilities
The Editorial Board is responsible for ensuring the academic quality and integrity of the journal by selecting appropriate submissions for peer-review and publication.
Individual members of the Editorial Board will work closely with authors and peer-reviewers during revision period to ensure clarity and high academic quality. This also includes acting as an additional reviewer.
The Editorial Board is responsible for communicating and liaising with the graduate student community regarding submissions and the publishing process.
The Editorial Board members will also perform appropriate administrative functions to assist in the smooth operation of the journal and the publishing process.
Members are not permitted to submit articles to the MSR while they are active members of the Editorial Board.
Section 4: Terms of Office
Members of the Editorial Board shall serve for a one-year period or until such time that one annual cycle of the journal is complete, whichever is the longer of the two periods.
Members may serve up to five annual journal cycles in a row, as long as they remain potential active members.
It is suggested that for the sake on continuity, at least one member of a previous editorial board for MSR remain active on the editorial board as an editor or an advisor. Voting rights will not be extended to advisors.
Section 5: Elections
Potential members interested in sitting on the Editorial Board will nominate themselves for a position.
Members who are nominated and are unopposed may be acclaimed to their position by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee reserved the right not to acclaim a nominee to their position.
Elections will be held at a Steering Committee meeting, following at least a 2-week advance notice to members.
Section 6: Minutes and Minute Taker
The role of minute taker for editorial board meetings will rotate among the members in attendance.
Minutes are to be recorded, leaving the speaker anonymous. The minute taker should record all decisions, including the vote count, and any abstentions.
All tasks or delegated duties should also be recorded.
Minutes are to be distributed among members of the Editorial Board prior to the next meeting.
Minutes are a matter of public record as it relates to MSR, and can be requested by contacting the co-ordinator(s).
Article 7: Co-ordinator(s)
Section 1: Terms of Office
Co-ordinators shall serve for a one-year period or until such time that one annual cycle of the journal is complete, whichever is the longer of the two periods.
Co-ordinators may serve up to five annual journal cycles in a row, as long as they remain potential active members.
It is suggested that for the sake on continuity, at least one of the co-ordinators be a previous steering committee member. If this is not possible, a previous steering committee member may act as an advisor to the co-ordinator(s). Voting rights will not be extended to advisors.
Section 2: Elections
Potential active members interested in being a MSR co-ordinator will nominate themselves for the position.
Members who are nominated and are unopposed may be acclaimed to their position by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee reserved the right not to acclaim a nominee to their position.
Elections will be held at a Steering Committee meeting, following at least a two-week advance notice to members.
Section 3: Functions and Responsibilities
The Co-ordinator(s) are responsible for overseeing the general operations of the journal and publishing process.
At least one of the Co-ordinators is responsible for presiding over Steering Committee meetings. The Co-ordinators may also attend Editorial Board meetings given potential agenda items not related to editing, but are not permitted to vote on editing related decisions. They may choose to chair the Editorial Board meetings as well.
The Co-ordinator(s) may take on a reasonable amount of editorial work, if they so choose. In which case, they will be extended appropriate editing related voting rights, as those members of the Editorial Board.
The Co-ordinator(s) will take on a reasonable amount of administrative work to ensure the smooth functioning of the journal and publishing process. Otherwise, the Co-ordinator(s) can expect to delegate duties to other members of the Steering Committee.
The Co-ordinator(s) are responsible for liaising between the Editorial Board and the Steering Committee as well as external stakeholders that do not fall under the responsibility of the Editorial Board.
Article 8: Role of Faculty and the Sociology Department
Section 1: Faculty Advisory Role
Faculty members of the Graduate Colloquium will serve as advisors to the Steering Committee concerning administrative and strategic issues on an ad hoc basis. The Co-ordinator(s) or a delegate will liaise with these stakeholders upon request from the Steering Committee.
Section 2: Faculty Editorial Role
The Editorial Board will consult with individual Faculty members with relevant expertise on the topic of a written submission on an ad hoc basis. Individual members of the Editorial Board will liaise with these stakeholders upon direction from the Editorial Board.
Article 9: The Charter
Section 1: Expiration
Evaluation of the Charter’s relevance must be completed at least once in every two annual journal cycles, at which time revisions and amendments will be accepted.
Section 2: Notice of Amendments
Charter amendments are made at Steering Committee meetings following at least a two-week advance notice to members.
