CES Ontario Announcement: Annual General Meeting 2019 & Nominations for the Board of Directors
May 13, 2019
Updated May 21, 2019
Dear Chapter members,
The Board of Directors of the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) – Ontario Chapter hereby gives notice that the 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Association will be held:
Date: June 19, 2019
Time: 1:30 – 4:15 PM
Location: Oakham House, Ryerson University, 63 Gould Street, Toronto ON, M5B 1E9
Registration URL: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2019-ces-ontario-agm-learning-event-tickets-62239544152
Why Attend the AGM?
The AGM is a great opportunity to:
- Learn more about recent and planned chapter activities and budgets;
- Elect new board members and approve any bylaw changes;
- Network with Chapter members;
- Participate in the annual Learning Event. This year, Heather Krause, from Datassist, will present on Feminist Data Analysis.
This year’s AGM also provides members with the opportunity to provide input on CES-ON recently drafted strategic plan. Members will review and vote on our new Mission, Vision, Values, Strategic Directions, and Goals. Then, we’ll facilitate the first of a series of regional discussions with members in different parts of the province to help us identify and plan how to best achieve our goals.
To gather input on achieving our goals for members in the East, West, and North, we will host web conferences shortly after the AGM.
Event Agenda:
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Registration, Breakfast & Networking
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Annual General Meeting + Integrated Strategic/Operational Plan update and consultation
3:00 PM – 3:30 AM: Break & Networking Event
3:30 PM – 4:25 PM: Learning Event: Feminist Data Analysis
4:25 – 4:30 PM: Closing Statements
Annual General Meeting + Integrated Strategic/Operational Plan update and consultation
CES Ontario is undergoing a year-long planning process to create long-term strategic and operational goals. In this update, Board members will present our recently revised Vision, Mission, and Values statements and Strategic Directions. We will also be asking members to work together in small groups to brainstorm ways of bringing those goals to life through chapter activities.
Learning Event: Feminist Data Analysis
Very few people become evaluators because they want to promote racist or sexist ideas. However, it’s very easy to accidentally fall into these traps, particularly in the data-centric aspects of evaluation. A working understanding of how to incorporate ethics and equity into quantitative evaluation is essential. Heather’s talk will tell stories and show real world examples that will guide you through the process of learning to identify inequity and hidden bias at seven key stages of the evaluation data lifecycle.
About the Speaker:
Heather Krause is a data scientist working on projects for equity and ethics in data. As a statistician (PStat) she attacks the largest questions facing societies today, working with non-profit and social sector organizations, local and national governments, and data journalists. Her relentless pursuit of clarity and realism in these projects pushed her beyond pure analysis to mastering the entire data ecosystem including ground-breaking work in evaluation, data sourcing, design, visualization, communication, and journalism, each incorporating bleeding edge theory and technologies. Her unique contributions have been sought across a range of clients from individual researchers to large international organizations including FiveThirtyEight, Orb Media, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CARE, MasterCard, the UNHCR, and several national governments.
Nominations and Elections
Electing your Board of Directors
A key component of the AGM is electing new board members. Joining the Board of Directors is a wonderful opportunity for interested evaluation practitioners to help develop and deliver services to members, as well as promote and strengthen closer ties with peers. Subsequent to the Annual General Meeting, as per the Chapter bylaws, the Board of Directors elects and/or appoints Board Officers (President, Treasurer, Secretary, National Representative and Past President) and committee chairs to serve the association. CES Ontario’s Officers serve for a 2-year term running January – December, allowing for transition time of new directors over the summer after the AGM.
Nominations for 2018-21 Term
NB: This page has been updated to reflect two vacancies instead of one. May 21, 2019
This year the CES-Ontario Chapter has two (2) vacancies for directors and two (2) directors renewing for their second term. Chapter members who meet the following requirements are strongly encouraged to apply:
- Be a CES Ontario member in good standing; and
- Leadership experience serving on a non-profit board and/or previous experience serving with a CES Ontario committee/ board; and
- Ability to commit for a 3-year term in a working board. This means scheduling 8-10 hours of time per month for Board and Committee activities; and
- Passion and experience in MARKETING AND PROMOTION that will support the association’s next strategic plan.
What you need to know
Our Structure: As a working board, our directors act as departmental heads for their areas. The Executive Committee, led by the President oversees day-to-day operations performed by our staff/ contractors. Committee Chairs are responsible for overseeing their work plans and specific targets are set annually by the Board as a whole. The Board meets virtually ten (10) times per year except July and December via GoToMeeting. However, the Board may hold occasional in person meetings in the Greater Toronto Area.
Our Culture: We respect diversity and different perspectives. As an association, we pride ourselves on balancing due diligence and evidence-informed decision making with pragmatism and risk taking.
Your Engagement: Board members serve a three-year term and typically spend 8-10 hours per month on Board initiatives. Officers and committee chairs, in leadership positions, may spend up to 25 hours per month on Board initiatives. This is a purely voluntary role for which there is no financial remuneration.
Directors are expected to be engaged, attend monthly meetings, participate in cross-functional teams or on committees, or lead special projects. As CES Ontario grows in influence, there will be opportunities to serve on working groups externally with stakeholders as well, along with opportunities to build partnerships.
In order to bring new directors to speed, we provide trainings in all key areas of the association’s business, board policies and procedures manual and a mentor/ buddy from among the veteran directors. We’re there to guide and help, but we expect directors to take ownership and be proactive about learning about the association and its work.
An important note: Director turnover is a key issue for all non-profit associations. We recruit new directors every year as directors retire and/or leave part-way through their terms due a variety of reasons e.g. new job responsibilities, relocation, personal reasons, etc. To minimize turnover, we want to ensure that we educate potential directors as to the reality of volunteering for CES Ontario. You will contribute to decisions that impact the association but you will be expected to miss no more than 3 meetings per year, barring extenuating circumstances. A substantial amount of work will occur in-between meetings and via email and Dropbox.
Board Member Benefits
The Chapter recognizes directors’ volunteer service to the association. We understand that members volunteer for different reasons, ranging from the chance to give something back to the community to providing an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Regardless of the motivation, what unites us all is that we find our work both challenging and rewarding.
Directors participate in group-based training on financial oversight, governance, strategic planning, project management or any other topic the Board determines. Individual directors are eligible for either $250 per person for training and development of their choice reimbursed by the Chapter, or for an early-bird ticket to the CES National Conference (a $575 value) upon completion of one year of service.
I’m interested. How do I proceed with my nomination?
Submit the following to nominations@evaluationontario.ca by Friday May 31, 2019 at 11:59pm.
– Completed nomination form (available on evaluationontario.ca);
– Brief Cover Letter (750 words or less) outlining:
- Why you’re interested in volunteering on the Board of Directors;
- Leadership experience and passion; and
- Your experience in a specific role or with sector expertise.
– Current resume including volunteer and board experience; and
– Two references.
How are Board positions filled?
Once nominations for vacant positions are received, the Nominations Committee will review all applications for eligibility. Applicants may be invited for an interview with the Nominations committee. As per Chapter bylaws, a full complement of the Board has thirteen (13) members. Please refer to the Chapter bylaws for more information.
A complete Slate of Nominees will be presented to the CES Ontario members prior to the Annual General Meeting. For any vacancies not filled through the Nominations process, the Board may accept Nominations from the floor at the Annual General Meeting.
Election of the Board of Directors will take place at the Annual General Meeting. As per Chapter bylaws, a minimum of ten (10) CES Ontario members in good standing must be present for there to be quorum at the AGM.
Chapter bylaws require that two CES Ontario members support a nomination (nominator and seconder). Members of the Nominations Committee may not support a nomination. The members of the 2019 Nominations Committee are: Nikhat Rasheed, Arubah Nadeem, and Kelsey Chawla.
Questions?
For further information regarding nominations and board requirements, please contact the Nominations Committee at nominations@evaluationontario.ca.