Governance

PREAMBLE

In the following text, "Society" shall signify the American Physical Society, "Council" and "Board" shall signify the Council of Representatives and the Board of Directors of the Society, respectively­; "CEO" shall signify the Chief Executive Officer of the Society; and "Regular Meeting" shall signify the principal meeting held once a year by the Division.

ARTICLE I - NAME

This Division of the American Physical Society shall be called the Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (DAMOP).

ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Division shall be the advancement and diffusion of knowledge regarding atoms, simple molecules, and their constituents. The scope of this Division shall comprise the fundamental principles of atomic, molecular, and optical physics; physical phenomena involving electrons, ions, atoms, simple molecules, and the electromagnetic field; and the applications of these principles and phenomena.

Article III - ENABLING CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION

Article VIII of the Constitution and Bylaws, and the associated Policies and Procedures of the Society, as said Article and Policies and Procedures may be subsequently revised or amended, is hereby incorporated in these Bylaws by reference.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

The members of the Division shall consist of members of the Society who have indicated in accordance with procedures established by Council their desire to join the Division and who retain membership from year to year by the payment of designated dues or by other method established by the Board.

ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. Governance: The Division shall be governed by an Executive Committee, which shall have general charge of the affairs of the Division.

2. Composition: The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Division, the most recent Past Chair, the most recent past Secretary/Treasurer for one year, the Division Councilor, six Members-at-Large elected to staggered three-year terms, and one Student and one Early Career Representative elected to staggered two-year terms.  The definition of Student and Early Career Members are as defined by APS, at the time of the election.

3. Executive Committee Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each year. Any member of the Executive Committee unable to attend a meeting may name a nonvoting alternate to represent him or her, subject to the approval of the Chair. The Chair of the Division shall preside over the Executive Committee meetings. A majority of the voting members, including at least two Officers, shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS AND DIVISION COUNCILLOR(S)

1. Officers: The Officers of the Division shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a Vice-Chair, and a Secretary/Treasurer.

2. Duties of the Chair: The Chair has overall responsibility for the operations of the Division and shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and Business Sessions of the Division at which his or her attendance is possible.

3. Duties of the Chair-Elect: The Chair-Elect shall act in place of the Chair if the latter is unable to perform his or her duties. The Chair-Elect shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws.

4. Duties of the Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall act in place of the Chair-Elect if the latter is unable to perform his or her duties. The Vice-Chair shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws.

5. Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain the records of the Division including minutes of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions, Division activities, and membership lists. The Secretary/Treasurer shall notify the Executive Committee of matters requiring the decision of said Committee and, in collaboration with the Chair, shall prepare the agenda of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions. The Secretary/Treasurer shall prepare minutes of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions and shall submit these minutes to each member of the Executive Committee within two weeks after each meeting. Following elections, such minutes are to include the results of the election and a roster of the current Executive Committee membership.  The Society Corporate Secretary shall also be notified of election results.

   The Secretary/Treasurer, in coordination with the Division Councilor, shall keep the Council and Society Corporate Secretary informed of the activities and needs of the Division.

   The Secretary/Treasurer shall have responsibility for all funds in the custody of or placed at the disposal of the Division and, with the concurrence of the Chair, shall authorize disbursements from such funds for expenses in a manner that is consistent with the general policies of the Society and the Division. Financial records shall be kept on an annual basis consistent with the fiscal policies of the Society. The Secretary/Treasurer shall present a financial report at each meeting of the Executive Committee and at the annual Business Session of the Division.

6. Duties of the Division Councilor: The Division Councilor shall serve as liaison between the Council of the Society and the Executive Committee of the Division. Following each Council meeting, the Division Councilor shall report to the Chair and the Secretary/Treasurer regarding Council actions that affect the status and operations of the Division. Reports shall be made to the entire Executive Committee during their regularly scheduled meetings.

ARTICLE VII - ELECTION AND TENURE OF THE OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND DIVISION COUNCILLOR

1. Qualifications: Officers, Division Councilor, Members-at-Large, and Student/Early Career Representatives of the Executive Committee must be members of the Division before assuming office and during their tenure in office.

2. Ballot: The Vice-Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Division Councilor, Members-at-Large, and Student/Early Career Representatives of the Executive Committee shall be elected by mail and/or electronic ballot as hereinafter provided.

3. Nomination and Election of the Vice-Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, and Executive Committee Members: Each year the Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two candidates for the office of Vice-Chair, for Secretary/Treasurer during the final year of the term of the current Secretary/Treasurer, for Councilor during the final year of the term of the current Councilor,  and for open positions of Members-at-Large and Student/Early Career Representatives of the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consult with the Chair before approving the nomination of any candidate for a second consecutive term. The Nominating Committee shall provide the Secretary/Treasurer a slate of candidates not later than sixteen weeks before the Regular Meeting, except under extraordinary circumstances. The Secretary/Treasurer shall inform the Division members of the nominations made and shall invite these members to suggest candidates for the various offices and Executive Committee positions. If as many as five percent of the total Division membership determined on 31 December of the year preceding the election suggests the same person for the same office, that person shall be deemed to have been nominated.

   The Secretary/Treasurer shall poll the Division membership by mail and/or electronic ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting. Ballots shall be returned to and counted by the Secretary/Treasurer or his or her designate. In the case of an election when the Secretary/Treasurer is a candidate for a second term, the election shall be administered by a process determined by the Executive Committee.  Election shall be decided by a plurality of those voting. If there is a tie, the Executive Committee shall decide the election, with the Chair voting only in the case of a tie among the other Executive Committee members. The Secretary/Treasurer shall communicate the results of the election to the Chair and the Society Corporate Secretary at least two weeks prior to the Regular Meeting and shall publish the results in a manner designated for official announcements.

4. Official Year: The official year shall extend from the close of one Regular Meeting to the close of the next Regular Meeting.

5. Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect, and Chair: The member elected as Vice-Chair shall serve in that office for one year, then for one year as Chair-Elect, and then for one year as Chair. The Chair shall not be eligible for the office of Vice-Chair in the year following his or her term of office.

6. Terms of Office: The terms of office of the Officers, Members-at-Large, Student and Early Career Representatives of the Executive Committee shall begin at the close of the Regular Meeting of the Division following their election. The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve for a term of three years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. In addition, the Secretary/Treasurer shall serve an additional year as past Secretary/Treasurer to provide support to his or her successor during their first year in office. The tenure of a Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall be three years and shall terminate in the event of his or her assumption of a post as an elected Officer of the Division, and the unexpired portion of his or her term shall be filled as hereinafter provided for a vacancy.  The Student and Early Career Representatives shall serve for a term of two years and may not serve two consecutive terms.

   The term of office of the Division Councilor shall begin on January 1 of the calendar year following his or her election. The Division Councilor shall serve for a term of four years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms unless otherwise specified by Council.

7. Vacancies in Offices: If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair, the Chair-Elect shall succeed and complete the term and shall serve as Chair also in the following year. The Vice Chair shall serve simultaneously as Chair-Elect during the remainder of the term and shall continue to serve as Chair-Elect in the following term.

   If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair-Elect otherwise than through advancement to Chair, the Vice Chair shall become Chair-Elect. In this case, and also if the office of Vice Chair becomes vacant for other reasons, the office of Vice Chair shall remain vacant for the remainder of the term. In the next scheduled election, candidates for both Chair-Elect and Vice Chair shall be nominated.

   If vacancies occur in the offices of both the Chair and the Chair-Elect, the Vice Chair shall become Chair and shall complete the term. In this case a special election shall be held to fill the offices of Chair-Elect and Vice Chair. The members so elected shall continue to serve as officers in the normal succession order.

   Vacancies in any other elected office shall be filled (or left unfilled) by the Executive Committee until such time as the vacancy can be filled by regular election procedures.

ARTICLE VIII - APPOINTED COMMITTEES

1. Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of four members appointed by the Chair to staggered two-year terms and one member appointed by the APS for a one-year term. The Chair shall ascertain through the Society Corporate Secretary the identity of this member. The Chair shall appoint the Chair of the Nominating Committee from among its members, with the restriction that the member appointed by APS for a one-year term shall not be eligible for Chair. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for the positions of Vice-Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Members-at-Large, Student and Early Career Representatives of the Executive Committee according to Article VII.3 of these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee shall advise the Chair on suitable candidates for Society committees, including relevant Society Prize and Award committees, and on candidates for Society offices. The Nominating Committee shall perform such other duties as described in the Bylaws.

2. Program Committee: The Program Committee shall consist of the Chair, the Chair-Elect, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary/Treasurer and at least twenty other members appointed by the Chair, upon recommendation of the Chair-Elect, to staggered three-year terms. The Chair-Elect shall serve as Chair of the Program Committee. The Program Committee shall have the responsibility of assisting the Society Director of Meetings, or his or her designate, in arranging the meetings of the Society. This activity shall include the scheduling of contributed papers within the areas of interest of this Division, as well as the arranging, in cooperation with the Society Director of Meetings or his or her designate, of symposia and sessions of invited papers sponsored by the Division for a meeting. For meetings of the Division, including the Regular Meeting, the Program Committee shall be responsible for the solicitation and selection of invited and review papers and for the arrangement of the programs of such meetings.

3. Fellowship Committee. The Fellowship Committee shall consist of the Vice Chair and five other members appointed by the Executive Committee, upon recommendation of the Chair, to staggered two-year terms. The Vice Chair shall serve as Chair of the Fellowship Committee. The Fellowship Committee shall promote the nomination of candidates for Fellowship, shall review the qualifications of such candidates, and shall report its recommendations to the Executive Committee for approval before submission is made to the Society Honors Program Manager.

4. Education Committee: The Education Committee shall consist of three or more members appointed by the Executive Committee, upon recommendation of the Chair, to staggered two-year terms.  One member of the Education Committee will be the Student Member of the Executive Committee. The Chair of the Committee is appointed by the DAMOP Chair, normally in their second year on the Committee.   The Education Committee shall promote student engagement in DAMOP.  Tasks of the Committee may include, at the discretion of the Chair, fundraising for student travel support for the division’s annual meeting and organizing tutorial and invited sessions at the annual meeting.

5. Terms of Office of Appointed Committee Members: The terms of committee members appointed or recommended by an incoming Chair shall commence at the beginning of the year in which he or she assumes office.

6. Ad Hoc Committees: The Chair shall appoint other ad hoc committees as necessary. which shall serve only during his or her term as Chair.

ARTICLE IX - MEETINGS

1. Regular Meeting: One meeting of the Division, to be known as the Regular Meeting, shall be held annually at such time and place as shall be ordered by the Executive Committee, subject to coordination by the Society Director of Meetings. Whenever it shall be feasible and not to the disadvantage of the members of the Division, the Executive Committee may order this or any other meeting to be held conjointly with a Meeting of the Society or of another society, conference, or group, so long as such joint meeting does not conflict importantly with the schedule of Meetings of the Society as determined by the Society Director of Meetings. The registration fee for the Regular Meeting, when not held jointly with a Meeting of the Society, shall be fixed after consultation with the Society Director of Meetings. Non-members of the Society shall pay a registration surcharge equal to the current cost of Society membership.

2. Annual Business Session: Each year the Division shall hold a Business Session which shall be a session of the Regular Meeting. This Business Session shall be devoted exclusively to the reports of officers and committees, election results, and the transaction of business affairs. No scientific program of the Division shall be presented simultaneously with the Business Session. A quorum for the transaction of business shall be five percent of the membership of the Division. A majority vote of those Division members present shall be sufficient for approval of actions. The Secretary/Treasurer shall notify the Division members of the agenda for the Business Session no later than three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting.

3. Other Meetings: Meetings of the Division, other than the Regular Meeting, may be initiated by the Executive Committee or by petition of twenty percent of the members of the Division, subject to consultation with the Society Director of Meetings. Special conferences may be sponsored in whole or in part by the Division, subject to the rules and regulations specified in the Society Constitution and Bylaws.

4. Papers at Meetings: Programs of meetings of the Division may provide for the inclusion of both invited and contributed papers. When a meeting of the Division is held in conjunction with a meeting of the Society, the rules of the Society shall apply to submitted papers. When a meeting of the Division is not held in conjunction with a meeting of the Society, the Executive Committee shall prescribe the subject and character of the meeting, which may include limitations on the subject matter of submitted papers. The Secretary/Treasurer shall fix the deadline date for receipt of titles and abstracts in consultation with the Society Director of Meetings and shall designate the place to which they should be sent. The amount of time to be allowed for the presentation of a paper at the Regular Meeting shall be determined by the Program Committee, except as otherwise directed by the Executive Committee. These allotments of time shall be consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society and with Policies and Procedures of Council.

ARTICLE X - DUES

Dues for maintenance of membership in the Division shall be established by the Board.

ARTICLE XI - OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Official announcements shall be made in the APS News (at the discretion of the APS News Editor), on the DAMOP website, through E-mail notifications to the DAMOP membership, and in such other publications as the Executive Committee may direct.

ARTICLE XII - PROCEDURE OF AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Proposal of an Amendment to these Bylaws may be made by the Council, by the Society Governance Committee, by the Executive Committee, or by a petition to the Chair signed by not fewer than ten percent of the members of the Division. However initiated, revisions or amendments must be reviewed by the Society Governance Committee and approved by Council before further action can be taken. Following Council approval, the Secretary/Treasurer shall distribute copies of the proposed Amendment at the Regular Meeting and opportunity shall be given for discussion during the Business Session. If a Special Election of the membership is not scheduled, copies of the proposed amendment will be distributed at the next regularly scheduled election and incorporated in the regular ballot. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two-thirds vote by those voting.