Mission Statement and By-Laws

Mission

The Yale Postdoctoral Association (YPA) exists to support and enrich Yale’s mission in the pursuit of scholarship, education, preservation, and practice, through facilitating postdoctoral scholars at Yale University in their efforts toward the betterment of the university and society by:

  1. Acting as a liaison for postdoctoral scholars to the university and representing the interests of postdoctoral scholars to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) and to the Schools and Offices of Yale University
  2. Supporting the professional development of postdoctoral scholars by connecting them to Yale University resources and enriching the available career development opportunities
  3. Fostering connections between postdoctoral scholars to create a community network at Yale University
  4. Encouraging inclusion and diversity among all postdoctoral scholars at Yale University, and advocating on their behalf to achieve a supportive and enriching environment

The YPA strives to maintain diversity among scientific disciplines as well as advocate for national and foreign national representation in the postdoctoral community. The YPA also seeks to promote diversity and inclusion for all postdocs in YPA membership, leadership, and activities regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, national origin, socioeconomic status, or religion. 

Membership

We consider all individuals with the title of Postdoctoral Associate or Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University members of the YPA. Any individual who meets these criteria is eligible to serve on the YPA Executive Board in any capacity.

Organization

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The structure of the YPA is as follows:

1.    The overarching organization of the YPA and the Executive Board shall be overseen by two (2) Chairs with roles to be outlined further in the succeeding sections of this document.

2.    The YPA Executive Board shall oversee the creation and management of activities, partnerships, and overall vision of the YPA in accordance with its mission. The YPA Executive Board shall be organized into the following working Committees:

1.    Professional Development: In charge of organizing career events, seminars, and workshops with the goal of preparing postdocs for careers both inside and outside of academia, and organizing activities with the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Office of Career Strategy.

2.    Community and Networking: In charge of organizing events to bring postdocs together in informal settings with the goal of facilitating collaboration and friendships across all disciplines at Yale University, and cooperating with the Office of International Students and Scholars, as well as other groups on campus, to generate programming for postdocs to explore their community.

3.    Advocacy: In charge of advocating on behalf of postdocs to address unmet needs in the postdoc community, particularly those related to inclusion, diversity, and their general wellbeing. Will also identify areas where the YPA can support postdocs to enrich their experience at Yale University.

4.    Communication: In charge of advertising all YPA events via managing our mailing list, cooperating with committee coordinators to create flyers, generating the monthly newsletter, managing the web presence (Website, Facebook, etc.) and developing the YPA brand. 

5.    Treasury Committee: In charge of identifying the YPA events for which sponsorship could be sought both from with Yale and from outside groups. The Treasury Committee will also overview and track the spending of the YPA annual budget.

3.    The YPA Committee members are volunteers who assist with the logistical details of event organization.

4.    The YPA Advisory Board is open to all former Executive Board members who want to stay engaged and informed about the developments at the YPA. The YPA Advisory Board will also include all the friends of the association who want to help shaping the organization. The YPA Chairs are expected to contact the Board members once a year with a report about the developments in the organization. The Advisory Board has an advising role to the Executive Board without any executive responsibilities.

5.    Any changes or amendments made to this document, shall be compiled by the YPA Chairs and affirmed by the majority of the YPA Executive Board through a formally written vote (hand-written or electronic)

Meetings

1. The regular meetings of the YPA Executive Board shall be open to all postdocs and held on the second Tuesday of every month at 6:00 pm in a location to be determined by the YPA Executive Board members. The meetings shall be scheduled for one hour. Unfinished business shall be relegated to the next meeting.

2. Meetings with the YPA Committee’s shall be held as needed.

Executive Board

 

The Executive Board of YPA shall include two (2) Chairs, two (2) Professional Development Committee Coordinators, two (2) Community and Networking Committee Coordinators, two (2) Advocacy Committee Coordinators, two (2) Communication Committee Coordinators, and two (2) Treasury Committee Coordinators who shall hold office for one year. All current postdocs are eligible for nomination to any officer position, provided that they intend, to the best of their knowledge, to remain as a postdoc at Yale for the duration of their term. The planned hand-over of duties is twice a year (e.g. June and December) with an overlap of six (6) months in order to maintain institutional knowledge, unless otherwise required.

A postdoc wishing to fill an open position in the YPA needs to express interest at one of the monthly meetings, or by e-mail, to the Chairs after the announcement of an open position. Nominations for these roles can be put forth by the postdoc seeking the position or another postdoc and shall be elected by an open vote during the monthly meeting. If more than one postdoc desires to fill the same position, preference shall be made to the postdoc involved in the association for a longer period of time, defined by attendance at the monthly meetings, participation in the organization and implementation of YPA events.

Before leaving their position, the outgoing coordinators shall inform the Executive Board two months in advance and be willing to train the incoming officer, as well as pass all information and access (web, mailing list, Facebook administrative privilege, etc.) depending on the role.

Roles

 

Chairs

Preference for this role shall be given to those who have served as an officer on the YPA Executive Board. The role of the Chairs is to lead the association in collaboration with the Executive Board. Therefore, the responsibilities of the Chairs are as follows:

  • Schedule the monthly meetings of the YPA Executive Board, and prepare and disseminate the agenda at least one day before the meetings.

  • Maintain a strong and active relationship with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

  • Maintain active relationships with the Professional Development, Community and Networking, Advocacy, Communication, and Treasury Committee Coordinators.

  • Ensure suggestions, issues, and concerns brought to the YPA are discussed in the monthly YPA meetings.

  • Oversee the timely election of new coordinators.

  • Facilitate the scheduled monthly meetings in accordance with the YPA By-laws.

  • Maintain a record of monthly YPA Executive Board meeting attendance and determine if a quorum is present when required.

  • Maintain the YPA email address by replying to emails or directing them to the appropriate YPA committee in a timely manner.

  • Meet together once a month separately from the YPA steering committee meetings to discuss upcoming events, activities, and partnerships with the organization.

  • Encourage active participation of postdocs and YPA members in committees and meet with the appropriate committees when required.

  • Encourage and facilitate the active participation of the YPA in the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) in collaboration with the Yale Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. The chairs shall endeavor to keep up to date with respect to the activities of the NPA or have another YPA member responsible for reporting.

 

Professional Development Committee Coordinators

The role of the Professional Development Committee is to organize career events, seminars, and workshops with the goal of preparing postdocs for careers both inside and outside of academia. The responsibilities of the Professional Development Committee coordinators are as follows:

  • Maintain a strong relationship with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), including sustaining a productive dialogue, representing postdoc needs to the CTL, organizing events in collaboration with the CTL and ensuring postdocs are aware of opportunities provided by the CTL.

  • Maintain a strong relationship with the Office of Career Strategy (OCS), including sustaining a productive dialogue, representing postdoc needs to the OCS, organizing events in collaboration with the OCS and ensuring postdocs are aware of opportunities provided by the OCS.

  • The coordinators shall be appointed to the position of “liaison to CTL” or “liaison to OCS” to facilitate cooperation with these organizations. The liaison to OCS shall attend the monthly Student Advisory Board meeting to engage with OCS and other student/postdoc groups on campus.

  • Ensure that postdocs are aware of opportunities and events hosted by other organizations on campus related to professional development at Yale University.

  • Collaborate with other professional development organizations on campus, such as the Biomedical Careers Committee, CNSPY, and the Science Diplomats to co-organize events of interest to postdocs.

  • Compile and maintain a collection of on-campus and off-campus resources for the support of the career development of postdocs.

  • Develop and organize YPA events focused on career development, such as the Postdoc Career Café and Postdoc Orientation 201, and collaborate with the Communication officers to advertise these events.

 

Community and Networking Committee Coordinators

The role of the Community and Networking Committee is to organize events to bring postdocs together in informal settings with the goal of facilitating collaboration and friendships across all disciplines at Yale University. The responsibilities of the Committee Coordinators are as follows:

  • Maintain a strong relationship with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), including sustaining a productive dialogue, representing postdoc needs to the OISS, organizing events in collaboration with the OISS and ensuring postdocs are aware of opportunities provided by the OISS.

  • Collaborate with other campus organizations to facilitate networking opportunities for postdocs on-campus and in the community.

  • Organize a monthly happy hour for the Friday after the OPA’s postdoc orientation.

  • Develop and organize YPA events focused on networking and community outreach, such as the Postdoc Potluck and Food Drive, and collaborate with the Communication Committee to advertise these events.

  • Connect postdocs with the Rivendell Institute, a center that fosters exploration of the intersection between faith and contemporary scholarship.

  • Develop and organize a wide and vibrant variety of events as a source for well-being and for intellectual wealth such as outdoor and indoor sport activities and music, art and cultural events.

 

Advocacy Committee Coordinators

The role of the Advocacy Committee is to advocate on behalf of postdocs to address unmet needs in the postdoc community, including those related to inclusion, diversity and their general wellbeing, as well as identify areas where the YPA can support postdocs to enrich their experience at Yale University. The responsibilities of the Advocacy Committee Coordinators are as follows:

  • Maintain a strong relationship with campus entities such as the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, Medical School Dean of Diversity, the Yale Minority Scientist Research Network, and the Advisory Committee for Postdoctoral Affairs, in order to represent postdocs needs and work collaboratively toward productive action for underrepresented postdocs at Yale University.

  • Compile demographic data on Yale University’s postdoc community to identify underrepresented groups, and educate the Yale University community on these disparities.

  • Generate and maintain a collection of on-campus and off-campus resources to empower the postdoc community, particularly members of underrepresented groups, those with disabilities, and individuals facing discrimination or harassment.

  • Identify and promote solutions for issues facing postdocs at Yale University, such as affordable and safe housing, health insurance and fair wages.

  • Develop and organize YPA events to support and celebrate diversity and inclusion of all postdocs within the Yale University postdoc community, and collaborate with the Communication Committee to advertise these events.

  • Communicate relevant campus and off-campus events that support and celebrate a diverse Yale University/New Haven community and collaborate with the Communication officers to advertise these events.

  • Recruit committee members to advocate on behalf of specific groups of postdocs (e.g. parents, LGBTQ+) or specific issues (e.g. mental health, visas).

 

 

Communication Committee Coordinators

The role of the Communication Coordinators is two-fold. First, they shall facilitate communication between the YPA and the postdoctoral community. Second, they shall act as the contact point for the communities and organizations that want to connect with the YPA. To achieve these goals, the responsibilities of the Communication Coordinators are:

  • Maintain a strong relationship with the Association of Yale Alumni (AYA), including sustaining a productive dialogue, representing postdoc needs to the AYA, organizing events in collaboration with the AYA and ensuring postdocs are aware of opportunities provided by the AYA.

  • Collaborate with committee coordinators to advertise YPA events.

  • Manage the YPA website by keeping it up-to-date, adding events to the calendar, and adding new sections and resources when necessary.

  • Manage the YPA Facebook group.

  • Produce a monthly YPA newsletter.

  • Present at the new postdoc orientation to introduce the YPA to new postdocs and invite them to participate in YPA events, committees and other activities.

  • Promote the mission and values of the YPA to other communities, inside and outside of Yale University, and mediate the initial contact between these organizations and the appropriate YPA committees.

 

Treasury Committee Coordinators

The role of Treasury Committee is to identify the YPA events for which sponsorship could be sought both from with Yale and from outside groups. The Treasury Committee will also overview and track the spending of the YPA annual budget. To achieve this, the responsibilities of the Treasury Coordinators are:

  • To meet with the coordinators of all existing committees and identify the events for which to seek sponsorship.

  • Seeking and securing sponsorship for selected YPA events both from within Yale and from outside groups.

  • Familiarizing and strictly following the fundraising regulations and communication code of conduct.

  • Tracking the usage of the purchasing card between the PDA Office and event organizers (above $100.00 an approval of the p-card usage need to be done by Chairs).

  • Familiarize with the current budget and the money allocation among Committees.

  • Prepare a budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year.