BAM is a registered charity with its own Constitution, and SIGs as formal subgroups of BAM are governed by and accountable to the parent body. Each Sig should be open to all BAM members to join. As SIGs have grown in number in recent years, and they represent an important face to BAM, each SIG with full status is expected to conform to a minimum level of annual activity:

• An organising committee with named key roles (chair, secretary, treasurer etc)
• An events calendar – at least one event normally to be held each year (in addition to conference activity)
• Provision of information for the website (with specified minimum requirements)
• Production of a publicity poster (and other publicity materials for internal and external use)
• Production of a one page summary of the SIG for the new members pack
• Contribution to the BAM newsletter (i.e. publicity material as appropriate, and a short report on the SIG’s activities at least annually)
• Contribution to conference activities:
  • Organise (or liaise) with conference track organisation
  • doctoral programme (in research conversations where appropriate)
  • new members welcome (both informally, and formally via the new members breakfast)
  • SIG publicity stand (provide materials and volunteers)
  • SIG AGM with formal minutes available to members, ideally on the website (this AGM might occur at a different time of the year)
• Production of an Annual Report, Accounts and requests for future funding and a written Constitution and Aims (see Annex 1)
   

In recognition of the importance of the role of SIG chair and to maintain continuity, it will normally be expected that SIG chairs hold a minimum term of office of three years; that there are transparent procedures for change of chair and a handover period is in place to ensure seamless transition (preferably for the last year of outgoing chair’s office).

More generally, SIGs should:

• Contribute to the attainment of BAM’s objectives, including membership growth.
• Represent BAM in a positive and appropriate way in interactions with other organisations and through the web and other public media.
• SIG membership is only open to BAM members, and overall BAM membership numbers need to grow to sustain an attractive range of SIGs. Therefore SIGs are expected to play a part in the recruitment and retention of members. This may involve maintaining a mailing list of potential members and inviting them to events, to encourage them to join BAM and benefit from free or subsidised SIG activities.

Effective SIGs tend to have a small core organising committee or group with clear roles, and succession plans so people do not feel they have taken on a role for life. A wider group of active members who share tasks or take on the organisation of particular activities can be helpful especially for larger SIGs. Sharing experiences between SIGs about what has worked well and what may not have lived up to expectations is encouraged, and the Co-ordination Group will try to facilitate this. Each SIG is expected to send a representative to one meeting of SIG Chairs each year organised by the SIG Co-ordination Group.

To facilitate the BAM office record keeping please ensure that the SIG Administrator is notified promptly of any changes to the Officers (or their contact details), especially the convenor / chairperson.

• In turn, SIGs can expect support from BAM, mainly through the SIG Administrator and the SIG Co-ordination Group) in terms of:
• Monthly lists of paid-up BAM members who have asked to join their SIG, with contact details (name, email address or postal address)
• A presence on the BAM web site with up to date information including (as a minimum): SIG Aims and Constitution, contact details for the organiser(s), and details of forthcoming events. Links to appropriate BAM and non-BAM web pages or sites may be enabled, depending on site design, resources and BAM policies. (See Annex 4.)
• Opportunities to publicise forthcoming events, and report on past ones, to all members through the BAM newsletter and web site.
• A prompt response to reports and funding requests that are submitted according to the reporting and budgetary calendar.
• Opportunities to be consulted on, and contribute to, BAM policy development.
• Advice or support in connection with the development of the SIG, changes to its remit or name, and other needs that may arise from time to time where an independent view may be beneficial.