Subcommittees

The subcommittees of the Trustee Board and Council advise the Trustee Board on specific areas of COPE's operations. Each subcommittee consists of a Chair, usually at least four other Council members and, ex-officio, the Executive Officer. Additional individuals may be recruited as needed to complete specific tasks.

The Trustee Board has delegated authority to the subcommittees to implement their objectives. Its decisions are reported to the Trustee Board as recommendations for ratification.

Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives:

Conduct research into the needs of members of the arts, humanities & social sciences.
Identify the gaps in, and subsequently help to develop, COPE support and resources for members of arts, humanities & social sciences disciplines.

Chair: Caroline Porter

Members: Simon Linacre, Anubhav Pradhan, Daniel Kulp, Deborah Poff

Books

Scope: This subcommittee limits its scope to scholarly publications, and defines a scholarly book as a long-form output of published research that has been peer reviewed and makes an original contribution to the body of knowledge.

Objectives:

Conduct research into the needs of book publishers.
Identify the gaps in, and subsequently help to develop, COPE support and resources for publishers of books.
Establish liaisons with organisations involved in other aspects of publication ethics to reach the broadest audience possible through collaboration and licensing of selected educational offerings.

Chair: Deborah Poff

Members: Simon Linacre, Anubhav Pradhan, Jennifer Wright, Mary James (representative of Springer Nature), Kira Hopkins (representative of Ubiquity Press), Aliaksandr Binikou (representative of Springer), Time Wakeford (representative of Ubiquity Press)

Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Accessibility (DEIA)

Purpose: (1) to develop COPE as an organisation in terms of our practice, approach and development of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, particularly in support of individuals and groups who experience systemic discrimination or who have been historically marginalised and; (2) to formulate and recommend policies and procedures relating to accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion in relation to research integrity and publication ethics.

Aims:

To ensure that COPE drives the conversation on this issue within the wider publishing community.
To ensure that diversity, equity, inclusivity and accessibility (DEIA) principles are fully embedded in all new and existing COPE resources, documentation, policies, events and across the COPE website.
To support the COPE Trustee Board, Council, subcommittees and working groups in embedding DEIA principles into any activity they develop on behalf of COPE.
To improve the representation within the Trustee Board and COPE Council so that COPE's leadership reflects a broader diversity of all backgrounds, experiences, and characteristics.

Chair: Caroline Porter

Members: Kim Eggleton, Deborah Poff, Anubhav Pradhan, Rachel Safer

Education

Objectives:
1. Enhance the educational offerings of COPE to address the needs of the members
2. Enhance educational options for all levels of members and others involved in publication ethics
3. Establish liaisons with organizations involved in other aspects of publication ethics to reach the broadest audience possible through collaboration and licensing of selected educational offerings

Chair: Trevor Lane

Members:
Itamar Ashkenazi, Howard Browman, Nancy Chescheir, Tara Hoke, Ana Marusic, Jigisha Patel, Heather Tierney, Daniel Kulp, Deborah Kahn

Engagement & Outreach

Purpose: (1) to increase awareness and understanding of publication ethics issues and ways to address and resolve them; and (2) to increase members' and non-members' engagement with, and awareness of, COPE and its vision to educate, support, and lead the debate on publication ethics.

Objectives:

Increase engagement with, and awareness of, COPE's activities, resources and events among the COPE membership.
Undertake outreach activities to increase engagement with, and awareness of, non-member publishers, journals and those working in publication ethics, particularly in underrepresented regions and disciplines.
Engage with journalists and bloggers to bring publication ethics to a wider audience.
Devise a content strategy, determining what types of content are created, reused, repackaged and shared. Ensure the content supports COPE’s wider strategic objectives and mission.
Seek member feedback through surveys or other mediums for consideration of new initiatives or improvements to current offerings.
Working with the Web Manager and Engagement & Outreach Officer, ensure COPE reaches and supports the needs of its members and outreach activities effectively via its website — including Search Engine Optimisation — newsletters, social media channels and any other media as appropriate.
Work with the Strategy and Education subcommittees to support the planning of COPE resources and planning and hosting of seminars, webinars and workshops.

Notes:

A sub-group of this subcommittee will meet monthly to create, develop and schedule content across all of COPE’s media channels.
A sub-group of this subcommittee will provide input into the development of the website.

Chair: Deborah Kahn

Members:
Nancy Chescheir, Trevor Lane, Daniel Kulp

Facilitation & Integrity

Objectives:
1. Evaluate concerns and issues regarding COPE-member journals raised to the attention of COPE which come within the remit of what COPE can look into.
2. Advise on necessary follow up and provide guidance to journals and publishers as necessary.
3. Review and recommend updates to the remit and process for consideration of concerns and issues.
4. Provide recommendations on general communication and expectations from journals and publishers in relation to concerns raised to their and COPE’s attention
5. Refer concerns to the COPE sanctions process if/when deemed appropriate.

Submit a concern or issue to the Facilitation & Integrity Committee

Chair: Tara Hoke

Members: Howard Browman, Kim Eggleton, Paul Graham Fisher, Ana Marusic, Jigisha Patel, Frits Rosendaal, and Marie Soulière

Finance

Objectives:
1. It shall confer with and advise the Trustee Board and Council on budget and resource allocation.
2. It shall confer with and advise the Trustee Board and Council on financial strategies to protect the long-term health and sustainability of COPE.
3. It shall review the financial statements and recommend them for approval to the Trustee Board.

Chair: Michael Wise (Treasurer)

Members: Daniel Kulp, Rachel Safer

Governance

Objectives:

Chair:
Tara Hoke (Secretary)

Members: Dan Kulp, Trevor Lane, Caroline Porter, Deborah Poff

Membership

Objectives:
1. It shall review, and make decisions on, all applicants for membership of COPE against the criteria as outlined on the COPE website here: http://publicationethics.org/join-cope.
2. It shall annually review criteria for membership.
3. It shall annually review COPE’s membership categories and make recommendations as appropriate.
4. It shall ensure all members’ are served and their interests represented where appropriate.

Chair: Michael Wise (Interim Chair)

Members:
Eleanor Gendle, Matt Hodgkinson, Stephanie Kinnan, Siri Lunde Strømme, Anubhav Pradhan, Dan Kulp, Nancy Chescheir, Patrick Franzen and Jennifer Wright

Nominations

Objectives:
1. Identify the need for new Trustees/Council members based on a gap in skills, experience, geography, and/or knowledge.
2. Review the process for recruitment; ensuring compliance with any specific requirements set out in the Articles of Association.
3. Consider the best methods for attracting a diverse range of candidates with the skills required.
4. Produce a shortlist of candidates for interview.

Chair: Rachel Safer

Members: Howard Browman, Sarah Elaine Eaton, Dan Kulp, Jason Hu, Tara Hoke

Strategy

Objectives:
1. Lead the development, regular review, and reporting of the COPE Strategic Plan.
2. Prepare and regularly review and update as needed documentation on strategy.
3. In collaboration with other subcommittees, decide who to collaborate with in furtherance of COPE strategy, and develop and maintain those relationships.

Chair: Daniel Kulp

Members: Tara Hoke, Deborah Kahn, Simon Linacre, Michael Wise, Deborah Poff, Nancy Chescheir