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What are the responsibilities of the different members of the Executive Committee?

If you are considering standing for one of these posts when they are due for election, please check the role descriptions below. To make contact with the current postholder, find their email addresses here.

Chair

The Chair provides leadership to the BALEAP executive committee and to the wider BALEAP community. The Chair has oversight of the various sub-committees and working parties and can attend meetings of these when required. The Chair is automatically a member of the BALEAP Accreditation Scheme Committee. The Chair, together with the treasurer, has responsibility to ensure that the legal requirements for reporting of BALEAP activity to Companies House and the Charity Commission are followed. The Chair manages the relationships between the consulting firms who provide BALEAP with administrative and web design services. The Chair liaises with external bodies as appropriate and maintains established links such as the link with The Journal of English for Academic Purposes.

 

Deputy Chair

Occupied by the incoming or outgoing chair, this role facilitates transitions to the chair role and assists in carrying out the duties listed above. Elections are for a chair for a five-year term, with the first and last years in deputy role.

 

Treasurer

All Executive Committee members have an equal share of responsibility for the financial health of the organisation. To facilitate key decision-making, the Treasurer collates financial management data from online systems (currently WooCommerce, Xero, Stripe and the BALEAP Bank Account) and provides the Executive Committee with financial information on a regular basis. The Treasurer is supported by the BALEAP administrator, who is the first port of call for membership, event and accreditation payment queries and who processes incoming payments. Additional duties within the Treasurer role remit are:

  • Processing invoice and expense payments from the BALEAP Bank Account and updating online and paper records accordingly
  • Overseeing the presentation of end-of-year financial data and liaising with the BALEAP accountant to arrange completion of annual (accruals) accounts
  • Reporting annually to BALEAP members at the AGM on the financial status of BALEAP.

 

Events Officer

The main responsibility of the Events Officer is to organise three Professional Issues Meetings (PIMs) a year.  The Officer also provides support and guidance to the organisers of the Biennial Conference and liaises on other events that are organised by BALEAP providing a wide range of events to the EAP community.

Responsibilities include:

  • Soliciting local hosts and topics for PIMs (three per year) and biennial conference
  • Working together with local organisers on PIM/conference planning and administration, providing guidance on timing, costing, web information, etc.;
  • Agreeing a budget with local event organisers.
  • Updating and circulating as necessary:
    • Templates for Call for Papers; letter to publishers; registration form for publishers/exhibitors; late registrations form; Certificate of Attendance; feedback form
    • PIM checklist
    • Conference Handbook
  • Liaising between BALEAP Administrator, Web Officer and PIM organisers during registration of participants; liaise with delegates, Administrator and PIM organisers where queries arise over registrations, exhibitor bookings, accommodation, etc.
  • Liaising with Web Officer to ensure that registrations from website are working effectively
  • Acting as main contact for queries about events arising from the website
  • Working together with the Treasurer and Administrator to prepare a financial profit and loss report on every PIM or Conference
  • With Chair, visiting prospective conference venues to ensure that they are suitable for the biennial conference (if deemed necessary)

 

Web Officer

The main aim is to maintain an overview of the functionality of all areas of the BALEAP website including the online shop for membership subscriptions and event registrations, and trouble-shoot as required.

Responsibilities include:

  • Providing first-point-of-call for help, advice and guidance to content authors and users of the various sections of the site. This includes responding to technical queries by members and event delegates that go beyond the administrator’s remit.
  • Liaising with the Administrator, Events Officer and local events organisers regarding registrations, and Administrator regarding membership renewals.
  • Providing support to the administrator and the Executive in the use of BALEAP’s online systems (currently WooCommerce on the website, Xero, Stripe, G-Suite).
  • Researching, assessing the feasibility and managing the implementation of new systems and functionality where applicable.
  • Creating, editing and developing content for the site in liaison with BALEAP Executive, event organisers and other content authors.
  • Liaising directly with the web hosting company with regard to higher level troubleshooting and requests for added functionality.
  • Participating on behalf of the BALEAP Executive in negotiations/meetings with the website provider in order to best meet the interests of BALEAP.

 

Information and Publicity Officer

The IP Officer is responsible for all public-facing aspects of BALEAP’s work, including the content of the website and maintaining links with other organizations. This role works in conjunction with the Web Officer (who facilitates the technical aspects of our web presence).

Responsibilities include:

  • Liaising with the Web Officer with regard to the operation of the website, ensuring that not only is it functioning optimally but that changes are made to reflect the evolving nature of the organisation, the needs of its membership, and that of the wider EAP community
  • Liaising with and chair the Web Resources Sub-Committee in order to achieve 1 above
  • Administering jobs, sent via <jobs@baleap.org> or to the IP Officer on the EAP jobs page of the website.
  • Reviewing the use & application of the BALEAP identity. Produce copies of BALEAP literature and to ensure that this is formatted to a high standard and produced/printed at an acceptable price
  • Responding to any enquiries directed to <information@baleap.org>, liaising with other members of the Exec or general membership as and when necessary
  • Responding to any other enquiries or requests for information that might be received by BALEAP
  • Recruiting associate members and, where applicable, to negotiate discounts for BALEAP members
  • Creating and maintaining a list of EAP/EAP-related events at which BALEAP might wish to be represented, either by a speaker or by having a ‘publicity’ stand

 

Research and Publications Officer

The remit of the Research and Publications Officer position is to facilitate, support and give recognition to research within BALEAP for the benefit of the BALEAP membership as a whole.  The role aims to widen representation and showcase work from the UK and beyond. This involves facilitating members’ access to EAP research and scholarly activity and encouraging its application to practice and developing methods of supporting research within the BALEAP community. It includes stimulating and extending the research knowledge base amongst BALEAP members through initiatives that support members in conducting their own research, maintain networks for collaboration and data collection, and support the publication and dissemination of findings.

Responsibilities include:

  • Overseeing the work of the Research and Publications sub-committee which includes the Book and Article Reviews Officer, Critical Friend network Officer, Web Officer and two additional members for projects and ad-hoc initiatives. 
  • Organising the yearly, the MA Dissertation Award 
  • Organising the biennal PhD Dissertation Award
  • Planning the ResTES programme (which focuses on scholarship themes, methods, ethics..). ResTES are often collaborative and display expertise from various regions.
  • Organising the yearly BALEAP Research Funding stream
  • Calling for and encourage BALEAP members’ contributions to the initiatives above (i.e panel for Awards).
  • Encouraging the development and use of valid, reliable and ethical research methods within the BALEAP community of practitioners through the ResTES workshops or similar style workshops
  • Liaising with the treasurer and the events officer about the organisation and finances when planning ResTES or other similar events
  • Curating the Research Website
  • Organising the PhD Research Group meetings
  • Proposing specific research projects to the Exec to obtain funding.
  • Ensuring the delivery of conference proceedings which reflect the theme and quality of the biennial conference for distribution at the following conference
  • Maintaining and extending research networks for both practising EAP teachers and researchers. The aim of such networks is to enable career EAP practitioners and post-graduate students to share good practice and experience.

 

BAS Chair

The BALEAP Accreditation Scheme (BAS) is designed to establish and sustain the standard required of specialist courses in English for Academic Purposes to enhance the student experience. The Chair manages the scheme and supports BAS assessors to visit institutions applying for accreditation and to write reports which assess the EAP provision against the agreed criteria for the scheme. Because of the complex nature of BAS the role of Chair is only open to BAS assessors with experience of the scheme.

Responsibilities include:

  • Managing and overseeing the BALEAP Accreditation Scheme for courses within member institutions and working with the TEAP Officer to manage and oversee the TEAP Portfolio accreditation for individual members
  • Actively promoting the scheme to attract new members through conference and workshop presentations
  • Visiting institutions that are interested in seeking accreditation for the first time, to provide training and answer questions (can also be done by more experienced Assessors)
  • Engaging with other accreditation/QA bodies, especially AUK/ British Council / Eaquals
  • Managing the selection of Assessors, their training/ development and their allocation for assessment visits
  • Scrutinising all reports, as part of the BAS, also acting as mentor for report writers
  • Managing the quality and consistency of all reports
  • Chairing at least 2 BAS Committee meetings a year (usually May and October) an assessors’ day and a ratification meeting to review and approve accreditation reports
  • Running a BAS Assessors’ Day, and an associated Accreditation event once a year, in May
  • Ensuring the Scheme is constantly reviewed and updated, using feedback following visits and the Assessors’ Day to develop the Scheme
  • Revising the Handbooks every few years (as necessary) with the support of a working group of volunteers from the BAS
  • Responding to queries about the Scheme and providing information for the BAELAP web pages
  • Working with the BALEAP Administrator and Treasurer to set up meetings and visits, monitor finances and manage production of reports
  • Providing support to Assessors, as required
  • Providing advice to institutions, as required
  • Attending and reporting to BALEAP Exec committee meetings

TEAP Officer

The TEAP officer is responsible for ensuring BALEAP contributes to enhancing the student academic experience through providing leadership and support in developing teaching quality across the sector. Because of the complex nature of TEAP scheme this officer role is only open to those with direct experience of the scheme.

Responsibilities include:

The TEAP Working Party

  • Recruiting, leading, coordinating, supporting and facilitating the on-going work of the TEAP working party in developing the competency framework, the individual and institutional accreditation schemes and associated CPD resources. . The work of the Testing Officer is supported by the Testing Working Party. The TEAP Officer is responsible for monitoring expenditure of the working party to ensure it operates within annual budget.

The TEAP Accreditation Scheme

  • On-going development of the scheme
  • Recruiting, training and coordinating a team of TEAP Assessors
  • Coordinating and supporting institutional TEAP Mentors
  • Coordinating and maintaining standards of BALEAP Associate Teacher institutional internal verification

The Baleap Accreditation Scheme Committee (BASC)

  • Participating in the BASC to coordinate the TEAP portfolio accreditation assessment procedures and standards
  • Ensuring the TEAP and EAP course accreditation schemes are effectively integrated

Communication

  • Disseminating the TEAP competency framework and scheme to all EAP providers
  • Promoting the TEAP CPD work of BALEAP to all relevant bodies across the sector and beyond
  • Supporting the BASC in linking TEAP Education providers with the TEAP competency framework and accreditation Scheme
  • Developing BALEAP links with ELT education and training providers
  • Developing the TEAP accreditation and CPD sections of the website in conjunction with the Web officer
  • Updating the content of the TEAP section of the website and all documentation
  • Responding to enquiries about the TEAP scheme, CPD and EAP education & training

Development (current):

  • Integrating the TEAP competency framework and accreditation Scheme with TEAP education and training providers
  • Leading the TEAP scheme CPD website resources project

 

Testing Officer

The Testing Officer is responsible for promoting assessment literacy among BALEAP members and BALEAP member institutions.

Responsibilities include:

  • Promoting good practice in the use and development of assessments for EAP.
  • Developing and maintaining links between BALEAP and assessment organisations whose work relates to HE entry and EAP more generally
  • Keeping the membership apprised of changes to testing practices related to Home Office Immigration requirements.

The work of the Testing Officer is supported by the Testing Working Party.  The Testing Officer is responsible for monitoring expenditure of working party to ensure within annual budget.

Ordinary Member (three posts)

An elected ordinary member helps to progress the business of the exec committee, attending exec meetings and taking on appropriate responsibilities as they arise in accordance with their special interests.   The three ordinary members share the responsibility for taking the minutes at executive committee meetings and AGMs. They also have a networking role at conferences and PIMs, seeking the views of the wider membership in order to bring these to the attention of the executive committee.  Ordinary members can also shadow exec positions which they might be interested in being nominated for in due course.

 

Note

All BALEAP Executive Committee roles are voluntary. Executive committee members are named as trustees of the charity on the Charity Commission website. Certain officer roles may also claim an annual recharge of hours. This is a payment to their institution for the hours that they spend on BALEAP business while at work. These roles are:

Chair -£3500

Treasurer- £2000

BAS Chair – £2500

TEAP Officer – £2500

Information Officer – £1000

Events Officer – £2500

Web Officer – £2500

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