Purpose

Womxn of Materials Science (WXOMS) is a group in the Department of Materials Science (DMSE) at MIT, which aims to both build a community and provide social and professional support for womxn and gender diverse members of the DMSE community. WXOMS also focuses on advocacy of womxn and gender diverse people within DMSE and MIT in general. We use the umbrella term “womxn” (pronounced wi-muhn) to indicate that transgender women, cisgender women, non-binary people, and gender diverse people are all welcome in WXOMS. Towards this goal, WXOMS shall fulfill the following duties:

  • WXOMS shall organize social events for womxn and gender minorities to foster a sense of community within DMSE.
  • WXOMS shall organize professional development events for womxn and gender minorities, such as career development seminars or office hours with professors.
  • WXOMS shall send a representative to Graduate Womxn at MIT (GWAMIT) board meetings to align and coordinate with GWAMIT and other groups supporting womxn and gender diverse students at MIT.
  • WXOMS shall maintain an email list of WXOMS members who shall be informed of any upcoming events.
  • WXOMS shall perform outreach to undergraduates, postdocs, and staff in DMSE.
  • WXOMS shall maintain a website including, but not limited to, upcoming events, mission statement, and current leadership and resources.
  • WXOMS shall have a general board meeting at least once a semester, to involve board members who are not part of the Executive (Exec) Team.
  • WXOMS shall organize discussion with DMSE leadership, or other MIT offices to advocate for womxn’s and gender non-conforming students’ issues. 
  • WXOMS shall organize several annual events including but not limited to:
    • Visit weekend breakfast
    • Back to school welcome dinner
    • A event with undergraduate womxn and gender minorities interested in applying to graduate school

Membership

Membership shall be open to all womxn and gender diverse graduate students and postdocs in the MIT DMSE community. WXOMS will not discriminate based on any characteristic in the MIT non-discrimination policy. Membership is opt-in, and all members are invited to attend all events and board meetings. Other members of the DMSE community shall be included in events on a case-by case basis. The Outreach and DEI chairs will solicit membership from postdocs and graduate students and revisit the membership eligibility of the DMSE community more broadly each year.

General Board Meeting

Three general board meetings shall be held per year, in the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters. These meetings will be open to all members of WXOMS, and are required for the WXOMS Executive Team and Board Members. An email will be sent to the WXOMS list-serve 2 weeks before the general board meeting, and the board meeting will be added to the Graduate Materials Council (GMC) calendar. Attendance will be recorded at board meetings. This meeting will include (but is not limited to) the following:

  • An update on WXOMS events and initiatives
  • An opportunity to discuss the events and initiatives, and areas where WXOMS could improve effort
  • Addendums to the WXOMS constitution, which must have a ⅔ vote to pass
  • Elections in the spring semester (see Elections section)

Executive Team 

The Executive Team of WXOMS shall consist of the Coordination Chair (1), Outreach Chair (1), DEI Chair (1), Social Chair (1), Professional Development Chair (2), Advocacy Chair (1) and Website and Communications Chair (2).

In addition to maintaining the records of their offices in the google drive to be turned over to their successors, the duties of the officers shall be as follows:

Coordination Chair (1):

  • The Coordination Chair, together with the DEI and Advocacy chair, shall sign or appoint a signee for Institute-wide petitions and calls to action that don’t fall under the DEI or Advocacy chair on behalf of WXOMS, after consultation with the rest of the Executive Team (⅔ majority vote).
  • The Coordination Chair shall serve as the official correspondent for WXOMS, and is responsible for maintaining the WXOMS general list-serve and Exec Team email account.
  • The Coordination Chair shall be in charge of maintaining a meeting agenda, which shall include any lists of deliverables.
  • The Coordination Chair shall track and check in on deliverables at the beginning of each new meeting.
  • The Coordination Chair officers shall appoint a volunteer to facilitate and take meeting minutes each WXOMS meeting.
  • The Coordination Chair officers shall schedule all WXOMS meetings, including one board meeting every semester (see Board Meeting and Elections sections).
  • The Coordination Chair shall create and maintain the Google Drive for group meeting minutes and constitution.
  • The Coordination Chair shall be in charge of maintaining the WXOMS constitution, and bringing constitutional changes forward to a vote by the Executive Team (⅔ majority).
  • The Coordination Chair shall maintain the WXOMS Slack account and brainstorm methods to streamline methods of communication between members.
  • The Coordination Chair shall ensure transparency of WXOMS executive decisions and board meetings for WXOMS members.
  • The Coordination Chair should maintain the list of WXOMS events each year, and add it to a document containing events from previous years.
  • The Coordination Chair shall be in charge of obtaining any funding for WXOMS.
  • The Coordination Chair shall manage and maintain the budget and financial records of WXOMS, including drafting an annual budget prior to the end of the spring semester that is presented to and approved by the rest of the Exec Team.
  • The Coordination Chair shall coordinate with relevant DMSE academic administration for budget-related discussions and updates on WXOMS initiatives.
  • The Coordination Chair shall be in charge of appointing signatories and making sure food is ordered for events.
  • The Coordination Chair shall preside over any reimbursements to keep track of the budget. The treasurer should assign budgets for events and reconcile them with the annual budget.

Outreach Chair (1):

  • The Outreach Chair shall maintain correspondence with undergraduate, postdoctoral, and staff womxn and gender diverse members of the DMSE community.
  • The Outreach Chair shall decide, on a case by case basis, whether the target audience of an event includes undergraduate, postdoctoral, staff, and faculty womxn or gender diverse people or allies and notify the relevant groups 1 week before the event. 
  • The Outreach Chair should evaluate the inclusion of members of the DMSE community in WXOMS each year.
  • The Outreach Chair shall maintain a role as DMSE rep to GWAMIT, duties of which include:
    • Attendance of GWAMIT board meetings
    • Updating GWAMIT on WXOMS initiatives and advertising WXOMS events to GWAMIT
    • Updating WXOMS on GWAMIT initiatives and advertising GWAMIT events to WXOMS
  • The Outreach Chair shall organize at least one event a year, preferably in the fall before graduate school applications, for the undergraduate womxn and gender diverse students in DMSE to have lunch with current graduate womxn and gender diverse students in DMSE.
  • The Outreach and Community Chairs should try to organize at least one ally event a year.
  • The Outreach Chair shall coordinate with the Website and Communications Chair to advertise GWAMIT events and other womxn supporting initiatives across MIT on the WXOMS website.
  • The Outreach Chair should try, where appropriate, to coordinate one event per year that is shared between WXOMS and another group supporting womxn in a different department at MIT.
  • The Outreach and Community Chairs should organize the visit weekend breakfast. They should coordinate with DMSE administration to ensure orientation includes a WXOMS breakfast.

DEI Chair (1):

  • The DEI Chair shall coordinate with other minority groups at MIT (LGBTQIA+, BGSA, etc) to organize and publicize events.
  • The DEI Chair shall keep up to date on DEI initiatives within MIT through coordination with the GSC, G4HMIT, other graduate student advocacy groups, and other minority groups at MIT and shall report back to the Exec Team with any initiatives taking place outside of WXOMS.
  • The DEI Chair shall keep up to date on DEI initiatives within the department through coordination with the GMC DEI officer and the DMSE DEI Task Force, and report actions that WXOMS can take to accelerate DEI related action items within the department to the Exec Team for a vote (⅔ majority).
  • The DEI Chair shall act as a representative of WXOMS on DEI related issues/panels/committees.
  • The DEI Chair, together with the Coordinator and Advocacy Chairs, shall sign Institute-wide DEI-related / intersectionality-related petitions and calls to action on behalf of WXOMS, after consultation with the rest of the Executive Team (⅔ majority vote).
  • The DEI Chair should evaluate inclusivity and purpose statements of WXOMS each year.
  • The DEI Chair shall maintain the purpose statement of WXOMS, and ensure that the most up-to-date language is used, in coordination with the Website and Communications Chair.
  • The DEI Chair shall maintain the campaigns and initiatives section of the website, in coordination with the Website and Communications Chair and Advocacy Chair.
  • The DEI Chair shall organise one event per semester focussed on intersectionality within WXOMS at MIT or in a broader context of womxn and womxn’s movements.

Community Chair (1):

  • The Community Chair shall organize bimonthly (every two months) events for community building (e.g. lunches, activities).
  • The Community Chair should maintain, in coordination with the Website and Communications Chair, the social events calendar for WXOMS.
  • The Community Chair should, in coordination with the Website and Communications Chair, send notices for any upcoming WXOMS social events.
  • The Community Chair should maintain the collection of materials and items owned by WXOMS for future events.
  • The Community Chair shall make a concerted effort to reach out to incoming first years during the first semester and facilitate openness and easy access into the WXOMS community. This could include a beginning of the year WXOMS Welcome Dinner.
  • The Community Chair shall keep up to date on DEI initiatives within MIT through coordination with the GSC, G4HMIT, other graduate student advocacy groups, and other minority groups at MIT, and shall report back to the Exec Team with any initiatives taking place outside of WXOMS.
  • The Outreach and Community Chairs should organize the visit weekend breakfast. They should coordinate with DMSE administration to ensure orientation includes a WXOMS breakfast.
  • The Outreach and Community Chairs should try to organize at least one ally event a year.

Professional Development Chair (1-2):

  • The Professional Development Chair shall organize bimonthly (every two months) professional development events for WXOMS. Professional development events may include but are not limited to:
    • Office hours with professors
    • Coffee/lunch with alumni
    • Career development seminars
    • Academic journal clubs about womxn-related topics
  • The Professional Development Chair shall coordinate with the graduate community fellows (GCFs) to publicize the OGE Programs for Women to WXOMS members.
  • The Professional Development Chair shall maintain a list of Fellowship opportunities within DMSE, MIT, and broader US that WXOMS members may be eligible for. The Professional Development Chair should send an email to WXOMS members informing them of such opportunities..
  • The Professional Development Chair should coordinate with the Website and Communications Chair to put professional development related resources on the WXOMS website.

Advocacy Chair (1)

  • The Advocacy Chair shall be in charge of any campaigns or initiatives within WXOMS, and be the correspondent of WXOMS for any gender-based initiatives taking place involving  WXOMS.
  • The Advocacy Chair shall coordinate with the DMSE academic officers, admissions committee, and GMC to facilitate initatives that deter gender discrimination in DMSE. These include but are not limited to
    • DMSE application form 
    • Discussions at visit weekend/orientation
    • TAE procedures
    • Pronoun-based discussions
    • Availability of resources
    • Input on Title IX trainings within the department
  • The Advocacy Chair shall maintain the campaigns and initiatives section of the website, in coordination with the Website and Communications Chair and DEI Chair.
  • The Advocacy Chair shall coordinate events that are related to education of WXOMS members on gender-based issues. These include but are not limited to:
    • Academic journal clubs about womxn related topics
    • Movie screenings/discussions
  • The Advocacy Chair shall maintain WXOMS presence in the DMSE commons and coordinate with the Website and Communications Chair on badges/signs/stickers, etc.
  • The Advocacy Chair shall keep up to date on DEI initiatives within MIT through coordination with the GSC, G4HMIT, other graduate student advocacy groups, and other minority groups at MIT, and shall report back to the exec team with any initiatives taking place outside of WXOMS.
  • The Advocacy Chair should remain in good communication with the DEI Chair and collaborate on relevant initiatives.

Website and Communications Chair (2):

  • The Website and Communications Chair will maintain the WXOMS website.
  • The Website and Communications Chair will coordinate articles for the website by
    • Seeking contributors to write featured blogs about various topics related, but not limited, to WXOMS ideas, life, and research.
    • Write profile posts featuring WXOMS members, faculty members, and other members of interest on the website, and advertise on social media.
  • The Website and Communications Chair will maintain social media (Twitter and Instagram) platforms to connect with the community, publicize events, and publicize blog posts and profile posts.
  • The Website and Communications Chair will be in charge of taking photos at each event for publicizing purposes and getting permission to publish these photos on the website.
  • The Website and Communications Chair will be in charge of developing WXOMS visibility, with tasks such as (but not limited to):
    • Maintaining WXOMS links on the DMSE and GMC website
    • Making sure WXOMS events are put on the GMC calendar
  • The Website and Communications Chair should send a monthly email to the WXOMS list about upcoming events, professional development resources, and other resources.
  • The Website and Communications Chair should coordinate with other officers about relevant information they need to have on the website.

All officers:

  • All officers shall faithfully execute their office in accordance with this constitution.
  • All officers shall ensure that all other WXOMS officers likewise perform their duties in accordance with this constitution.
  • All officers shall attend the General Board Meeting.
  • All officers can appoint committees if Members-at-Large want to help them plan events.
  • For accountability within each officer position, all officers will be assigned to periodically check-in with one other officer to see how they are doing and if they need help with their assigned roles. All officers shall check in with other members of the Exec Team if unable to fulfill their roles for an extended period of time for personal reasons. This shall be discussed openly and compassionately in accordance with the community values of WXOMS!

Board Members (open number)

While not members of the Executive Team, Board Members are important in the development, community involvement, and accountability of WXOMS. They provide valuable feedback and ideas for how WXOMS can grow. As such, responsibilities include:

  • Attendance at WXOMS board meetings once a semester
  • Board members are welcome and encouraged to attend Executive Team meetings.
  • Providing ideas for WXOMS events and collaborating if interested in WXOMS Initiatives
  • Participation in helping organize at least one WXOMS-related activity within the roles noted above or collaborating in one WXOMS-related initiative per year.

Open Call for Executive Team and Board Members

An email shall be sent to the WXOMS list-serve to notify all members of the upcoming board meeting to discuss leadership roles and the existing constitution. Interested members can discuss and rank their preference for different leadership roles. Should there be multiple nominations for the same role and all other roles are filled, we can discuss the option of co-chairs. Interested members running for the same role should decide whether they would be open to co-chairing. Current members of the Executive Team should rank their preferences later to enable newer members to participate more actively in the Executive Team. The current Executive Team will be responsible for deciding the next officer positions based on the ranking preferences or will find the appropriate software to determine the officer positions based on the ranked preferences. Board Members are not elected and can join at any time of the year. A transition meeting will be held between previous leadership team members and new ones before the end of the Spring semester.