To continually identify and engage members and create strategies to recruit and retain COGS membership by working to identify and engage researchers, academics, advocates, clinicians, policy makers, and people with lived experience.

The COGS Membership committee (MC) will comprise no fewer than 2 and no more than 6 members. Members of the MC will all be members of COGS and will have the following composition:

Chairs or co-chairs will be appointed by the Executive Committee and are full COGS members:

Chair or co-Chairs are appointed by the Executive.

Co-Chairs with diverse experience and networks are encouraged to best reach prospective members and balance committee efforts.

Composition of the committee members with voting rights:

At least 2 Full COGS members

At least 1 student/trainee member

If possible with representation from the following groups: community, social sciences, humanities, sciences, NGO, government, business

Consideration of BIPOC representation

Selection process for committee members:

Calls for committee members will be made soon after the preceding conference (e.g. after the 2021 conference broadcast widely for the 2022 committee members) and sent throughout the COGS membership.

Application for committee members will be reviewed and approved by the Executive.

Decision regarding committee members will be based on:

Disciplinary Expertise

EDI

Term of appointment: 3 Years

Calls for committee members will be sent in cycle with the COGS meetings (either annually or biannually) in order to maintain a balance between junior and senior members.

The incoming co-chairs, the past co-chairs, the President, the President-Elect, and the Secretary serve as ex officio members of the committee. The co-chairs are empowered to act on behalf of the committee on matters that require decisions between meetings of the full committee.

The committee chair or co-chairs report to the Executive

To reach out to organizations and individuals who may contribute to and benefit from involvement in COGS

Devise and implement strategies for reaching potential members across diverse communities.

Advise Executive Committee and Program Committee on potential areas of growth for membership and possible approaches to achieve growth that involve format and content of annual/biannual meeting.

Advise Communications Committee on reaching broad society membership, including potential areas for growth.

Provide the Executive Committee with suggestions for new members to the Membership Committee to ensure appropriate balance of the Committee.

To communicate with the Executive and other Committees in order to co-create and share information about the benefits of involvement in COGS

Note: Activities that result in a substantial change in practice or policy, especially in matters affecting financial liability, public relations, or relations with other societies, must be approved by the Executive committee.

All the committee’s responsibilities will operate within principles assuring equity and diversity.

All committee members are expected to attend two annual Membership Committee meetings. The first occurs virtually in the first part of the year, usually in early February, to strategize and plan approaches for membership growth. The second meeting is in person during the annual/biannual meeting to assess progress based on meeting attendance and identify areas for future growth. Additional correspondence is conducted by e-mail and conference call, as needed, throughout the calendar year to address committee-related issues.