Governance

Bylaws

Date Approved By Council: November 9, 2018

Date Ratified By DLS Membership: May 1, 2019

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; and "Regular Meeting" shall signify the principal meeting held once a year by the Division of Laser Science.

Article I - Name

This Division of the American Physical Society shall be called the Division of Laser Science (DLS).

Article II - Objective

The objective of the Division shall be the advancement and diffusion of knowledge in the area of science related to the use of lasers in research, the application of lasers in technology, and the development and characterization of new laser systems. This will be accomplished by representing the American Physical Society in joint sponsorship of meetings with other societies, by organizing a Regular Meeting of the Division, by sponsoring symposia on laser science topics at regular meetings of the Society, and its affiliate societies, and by other means approved by the Executive Committee of the Division. It is intended that the meetings of the Division shall involve both the dissemination of state-of-the-art subject matter in laser science for researchers in the field and tutorial overview of topics in laser science for scientists and students in related fields.

Article III - Enabling Constitutional Provision

Article VIII of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society and associated Policies & Procedures, as said governing documents may be subsequently revised or amended, are 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 the Board and Council their desire to join the Division and who retain membership from year to year by the payments 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 Division Councilor, and six Members-at-Large elected to staggered three-year terms. Division representatives to the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO) Steering Committee who are not already Executive Committee members shall also serve as non-voting ex officio members of the Executive Committee. The Editor of the Division newsletter, if not already an Executive Committee member, will also serve as a non-voting ex officio member of the Executive Committee.

3. Executive Committee Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet during the Regular Meeting of the Division and, in addition, shall meet or confer as necessary to carry out the business of the Division. A majority of the voting members, including at least two officers, shall constitute a quorum.

Article VI - Officers and Forum Councilor

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

2. Duties of the Chair: The Chair has overall responsibility for the operation 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. The Secretary/Treasurer shall notify the Executive Committee of matters requiring the decision of said Committee and shall, in collaboration with the Chair, 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 four 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. A report of election results will also be forwarded to the Society Corporate Secretary within four weeks after the close of an election. The Secretary/Treasurer, in collaboration with the Division Councilor, shall keep the Council 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 shall, in collaboration with the Chair, 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 approval of the Executive Committee shall be required for disbursements in excess of $1,000.00 per expenditure unless otherwise specifically delegated by the Executive Committee. 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 and Executive Committee Members

1. Qualifications: Officers, Division Councilor, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee must be members of the Division during their terms in office.

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

3. Nomination and Election of the Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Division Councilor, and Executive Committee Members: The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two candidates for the office of Vice Chair each year, for Secretary/Treasurer during the final year of the term of the current Secretary/Treasurer, for Division Councilor in the final year of the term of the current Division Councilor, and for open positions of Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee each year. The Nominating Committee shall notify the Secretary/Treasurer of the results not later than twelve weeks before the Regular Meeting, except under extraordinary circumstances. All nominations shall include a letter from the candidate indicating a willingness to serve. An attempt shall be made to ensure a broad representation of the various sub-fields of laser science on the Executive Committee. Candidates for an office or a position on the Executive Committee may also be proposed by the membership of the Division. If as many as five percent of the total Division membership determined on December 31 of the year preceding the election suggests the same person for the same office not later than twelve weeks before the Regular Meeting, that person shall be deemed to have been nominated.

   The Secretary/Treasurer shall poll the Division membership by paper and/or electronic ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting. In the case of an election when the Secretary/Treasurer is a candidate for a consecutive term, the election shall be administered by a person determined by the Executive Committee, usually the Past Chair. Ballots shall be returned to and counted by the Secretary/Treasurer or his or her designate. 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 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, then for one year as Chair, and then for one year on the Executive Committee as Past-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 and Members-at-Large 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. Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall not be eligible for election to more than two consecutive terms. The tenure of a Member-at-Large 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 term of office for the Division Councilor shall be four years, beginning on the first day of the calendar year following his or her election.

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 therm. 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, the Executive Committee shall determine whether there is a need to call a special election to fill the offices in the following year. If a special election is not held, candidates for both Chair-Elect and Vice Chair shall be nominated at the next scheduled election.

Article VIII - Appointed Committees

1. Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members, two appointed by the Chair, with the advice of the Executive Committee, to one-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 form among the members. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for the positions of Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Division Councilor, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee according to Article VII 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 Committees: The Program Committee for the Regular Meeting shall be chaired by the Past-Chair. The DLS representative to the March Meeting Program Committee shall be the Chair-Elect, who shall be considered the Program Committee Chair of the DLS portion of that meeting. The Program Committee Chairs shall appoint other members of the Program Committees with the advice of the Executive Committee. The Program Committee Chairs shall have, with the advice of the Program Committees, final authority on and be responsible for the scientific content and execution of the meeting. In the event that the Chair-Elect or Past-Chair is unwilling or unable to carry out this duty, a Program Committee Chair will be appointed by the Division Chair with the advice of the Executive Committee. The Division shall have two representatives to the CLEO Steering Committee, appointed by the Division Chair with the advice of the Executive Committee to three-year terms.

3. Fellowship Committee: The Fellowship Committee shall consist of the Vice Chair and four members appointed by the Chair to staggered two-year terms. The Vice Chair shall chair the Fellowship Committee. The Fellowship Committee shall promote the nomination of candidates for Fellowship, shall review the qualifications of candidates for Fellowship and shall report its recommendations to the Executive Committee of the Division and to the Head of the Honors Program of the Society.

4. 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

5. 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 annually at such time and place as shall be ordered by the Executive Committee, subject to coordination with 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 surcharge equal to the APS membership dues paid by regular members.

2. Annual Business Session: Each year the Division shall hold a Business Session which shall be a session at 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.

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 coordination 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 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 allow 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 associated Polices & Procedures.

Article X - Dues

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

Article XI - Newsletter

The newsletter of the Division shall be managed and edited by an Editor, who shall be appointed by the Chair, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee. The Editor shall oversee the preparation and distribution of the newsletter. There shall be at least one issue per year; the frequency and timing of these issues shall be determined by the Editor in consultation with the Secretary/Treasurer. The Executive Committee may direct the Secretary/Treasurer to distribute complimentary copies of the newsletter to specified non-members of the Division.

Article XII - Official Announcements

Official announcements shall be made in the APS News at the discretion of the APS News Editor, in such other publications as the Executive Committee may direct, and through direct electronic communication to the membership.

Article XIII - 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. It 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 to all members of the Division not less than three weeks before the Regular Meeting and opportunity shall be given for discussion during the Business Session. Unless a special election on the amendment is to be held, the Secretary/Treasurer shall again distribute copies of the proposed amendment to all members of the Division and incorporate a vote on the amendment as part of the next regular election. Adoption of the amendment shall require a two-thirds vote by those voting.