McGill.CA / Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain / About Us

By-Laws

 

  1. NAME OF RESEARCH CENTRE

    The Centre has the English name of “Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain” and the French name of “Centre de recherche sur la douleur Alan-Edwards.”

  2. LOCATION

    The Centre’s administrative office and core facilities are located at 3775 University Street or at other locations as determined by the University from time to time.  

  3. MANAGEMENT

    The Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain reports to the faculties of Dentistry, Medicine and Science, and its overall management is the responsibility of the Board (see 4 below). The Director of the Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, assisted by its Executive Committee (see 5 below), is responsible for the day-to-day management and reports to the Chair of the Board.  In the event of an extended absence of the Director, a designated member of the Executive Committee will be in charge of managing the Centre.

  4. MEMBERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT BOARD

    Membership of the Board will include the Deans (or delegates) of Dentistry, Medicine and Science, each of whom will act as Chair of the Board on a rotating basis, in the order listed above. Also on the Board will be the Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations) or delegate, the Centre Director, and three additional Full Members and two Trainee Members (a graduate student and a postdoctoral scholar) of the Centre, elected at the Annual General Meeting, and one person from outside the University, appointed by other members of the Board and not directly involved in the Centre.  The Board will meet at least once annually.  The terms of appointment of the Board Members, other than those of the University officials, will be for three years, with the opportunity of renewal once only. 

  5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    The Centre Director and three Full Members of the Centre who serve on the Board will also serve as its Executive Committee.  This committee will assist in the management of the Centre and will also act as a scientific advisory committee.  The Executive Committee will meet at least bi-monthly, either in-person or via teleconference.  All Full and Associate Members may upon request attend Committee meetings as ex officio participants.  Centre operations and financial proceedings will be approved by consensus, or if necessary, a majority vote of the Executive Committee, with the Director holding a casting vote. Minutes of each meeting will be distributed upon request to all members of the Board, all Full Members and all Associate Members of the Centre.

  6. APPOINTMENT OF THE DIRECTOR

    The appointment of the Director of the Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain will be the responsibility of the Board.  The Board has the right to open a search for a Director, if the Board deems that this is necessary.  The appointment of the Director will be for three years, with the opportunity of renewal once only.  Nominations for Director will be made to the Board by a sub-committee consisting of the Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations) or delegate as Chair, two active members of the Centre, and one member of the Board. The recommendation of the Board for the appointment of a Director (decided by consensus or, if necessary, majority vote) will be conveyed to the Provost by the Chair of the Board. The Provost has the responsibility of approval of the appointment. The Director is responsible for managing the Centre, for preparing its budget for presentation to the Board and for preparing the Annual Report (including full financial details) for presentation to the Board and, subsequently, to the Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations). The position of Director does not automatically carry teaching release with it.  Any decision on teaching release is the prerogative of the head of the home unit of the Director or the Dean of the faculty implicated.

  7. ANNUAL REPORT

    The Director will prepare the Annual Report of the Centre, which will include all financial details of the operation, and will present this Annual Report to the Board for approval. Following its approval, the Annual Report will be submitted to the Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations), in his/her capacity as the chief research officer of the University. 

  8. MEMBERSHIP IN THE RESEARCH CENTRE

    Membership is open to all persons with an interest in Pain Research or Pain Medicine. There will be four classes of membership: Full Member (a senior researcher (e.g., a faculty member or a senior researcher from Industry) whose principal research affiliation is with the Centre, Associate Member (a senior researcher (e.g., a faculty member or a senior industrial researcher) with significant research affiliation with the Centre), Visiting Member (a visiting scholar, appointed to the Centre for a limited term), and Trainee Members (e.g. a graduate student, postdoctoral scholar or research associate working under the supervision of a Full or Associate Member of the Centre). New members are nominated, in writing, to the Executive Committee by any Full or Associate Member.  Nominations for new Full and Associate Members, which must include full curricula vitae and letters from the nominees or nominators expressing the fit of the nominees with the mission of the Centre, will be ratified by the Board and announced at the Annual General Meeting. Membership in the Centre does not imply any change in teaching or administrative duties. Teaching and administrative release of the Director and any other Full Members must be negotiated with the Chair(s)/Director(s) of the relevant home unit(s) and should be considered as part of the support of the Chair(s)/Director(s) to the Centre. 

  9. RESEARCH RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AND BUDGET

    The Centre’s budget is prepared by the Director for approval by the Board. Recommendations for allocation of the Centre’s resources to any Members of the Centre will also be made by the Director to the Board for ratification.  These will be based on recommendations from the Executive Committee of the Centre.  Any appeals against the recommendations of the Director and the Executive Committee will be heard by the Board, and its decision will be final.

  10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE CENTRE

    There will be an Annual General Meeting of all Members of the Centre once a year to discuss and approve the Annual Report.  Only Full and Associate Members will be permitted to vote on motions presented.

  11. EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE BOARD

    An Extraordinary Meeting of the Board must be convened if the Chair of the Board has been informed, in writing, of such a request and the letter has been signed by at least 2/3 of the Full and Associate Members of the Centre. 
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