1.NAME
The organisation’s name is University Museums Group, abbreviated as UMG.
2. PURPOSE
The purpose of the organisation is to bring together university museums across England, Northern Ireland and Wales in order to foster collaboration, innovation, and resilience, build up structures through which we can better support our local, national, and international audiences, and improve our ways of working collectively.
This group also advocates to sector and government bodies and to funding organisations for the resource and support that is vital for our research, visitor offer, and continued contribution to science, heritage and cultural work across the UK.
3. MEMBERSHIP
UMG’s members consist of university museums and collections from higher education institutions across England, Wales and Northern Island. Representatives of other institutions may be co-opted into the Executive at the Committee’s discretion.
The UMG operates a membership system that includes full members, co-opted members, and a UMIS ex-officio member.
4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee is comprised of between ten and twelve representatives of UMG member institutions, who are elected onto the Executive and serve terms of three years that may be renewed once.
The Committee may co-opt non-voting members from related sector groups. All members of the UMG may vote in elections regarding membership, representation on the Exec and other major group decisions.
5. OFFICERS
The officers of the Executive Committee include two Co-Chairs, a Treasurer, and a Membership Secretary. The Officers plan and oversee the smooth operation of the UMG across the year and are currently supported by a Coordinator post.
Executive Co-Chairs are nominated by a member of the UMG and must be seconded. If more than one person is elected in a given cycle there is an election available for all members of the UMG. The Treasurer and Membership Secretary are elected by the UMG Executive. All Officer positions have a term limit of three years, which can be renewed at the discretion of the Executive.
We encourage collaborative working with other sector groups and are consistently interested in having UMIS, UMAC, and other sector collaborators involved.
6. MEETINGS
The UMG executive meets four times a year, alongside an annual conference for members and an annual networking event or Annual General Meeting (which can be virtual).
7. FUNDS
The UMG is supported by subscription fees for its members, calculated against each institutions’ budgets. This ensures that membership is possible for university museums regardless of their size. The Treasurer holds the bank account for the group and tracks expenditures, disburses funds, and plans expenses.
