Date Approved by Council: October 18, 2023
Date Ratified by Unit Membership: May 31, 2024
PREAMBLE
In the following text "Society" shall signify the American Physical Society; "Council" shall signify the Council of Representatives; and “Board” shall signify 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 Polymer Physics (DPOLY).
ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Division shall be the advancement and diffusion of knowledge of the physics of natural and synthetic macromolecular substances.
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 payment of designated dues or by other method established by 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, three Members-at-Large elected to staggered three-year terms, and two Early Career/Student Members elected to staggered two-year terms.
3. Executive Committee Meetings. The Executive Committee shall hold at least two meetings each year, one of which shall occur during the Regular Meeting. Any member of the Executive Committee unable to attend a meeting may name an alternate who is a member of the Division in good standing to represent them, subject to the approval of the Chair. 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 at which their 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 their 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 their 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 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 and to the Society Corporate Secretary 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.
The Secretary/Treasurer, through 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 Secretary/Treasurer shall present a financial report at each meeting of the Executive Committee. The financial report so presented at the Regular Meeting shall be examined by auditors appointed by the Chair and shall be presented, together with the auditors' report, at the ensuing Business Session.
6. Duties of the Division Councilor. The Division Councilor shall serve as liaison between the Council and the Executive Committee of the Division. Following each Council meeting, the Division Councilor shall report to the Executive Committee regarding Council actions that affect the Division.
ARTICLE VII - ELECTION AND TENURE OF THE OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND DIVISION COUNCILOR
1. Qualifications. Officers, Division Councilor, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee must be members of the Division for at least two years prior to nomination.
2. Ballot. The Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Division Councilor, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall be elected by ballots cast electronically or by mail 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 of the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consult with the Chair before approving the nomination of any candidate for a consecutive term. The Nominating Committee shall notify the Secretary/Treasurer of the results not later than sixteen weeks before the Regular Meeting. 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 one percent of the total Division membership determined on 31 December of the year preceding the election suggest 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 electronic or mail ballot, stating a closing date at least three weeks prior to the Regular Meeting. Ballots shall be cast electronically or returned to and counted by the Secretary/Treasurer or their designate. In the case of an election when the Secretary/Treasurer is a candidate for a consecutive 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 Executive Committee and to 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 their 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 following their election. The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve for a term of four years. The tenure of a Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall terminate in the event of their assumption of a post as an elected Officer of the Division, and the unexpired portion of their term shall be filled as hereinafter provided for a vacancy.
The term of office of the Division Councilor shall begin at the beginning of the calendar year following their 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 office of both Chair and 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 Division Chair to staggered two-year terms and one member appointed by APS for a one-year term. The Nominating Committee Chair shall ascertain from the Society Corporate Secretary the identity of this member. The Division 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 appointment. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for the positions of Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee according to Article VII.3 of these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee shall advise the Division 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 Division Chair, the Division Chair-Elect, the Division Vice Chair, the Division Secretary/Treasurer and four other members appointed by the Division Chair, upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, to staggered four-year terms. The appointed member in their fourth year of service on the Committee shall serve as Chair of the Program Committee. The Program Committee shall have the responsibility of assisting the Society Director of Meetings or their 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 their 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 either the Division Secretary/Treasurer or Division Councilor, serving alternating two-year terms, and four APS DPOLY Fellows appointed by the Division Chair, upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, to staggered two-year terms. One appointed member in their second year of service shall serve as Chair of the Fellowship Committee and one appointed member in their first year of service shall serve as Vice Chair of the Fellowship Committee. The member serving as Vice Chair of the Fellowship Committee shall serve as Chair of the Fellowship Committee in the following year. The Fellowship Committee shall review the qualifications of candidates nominated for Fellowship and shall report its recommendations to the Executive Committee for approval before submission is made to the Society Honors Program.
4. Membership and Publicity Committee. The Membership and Publicity Committee shall consist of the Member-at-Large in their third year of service, the Member-at-Large in their second year of service, the two Early Career/Student Members, and three additional members appointed to staggered two-year terms by the Division Chair. The Member-at-Large in their third year of service shall serve as Chair of the Membership and Publicity Committee. The Membership and Publicity Committee shall oversee efforts to publicize the Division’s activities and initiatives broadly, and to attract new members to, and retain members of, the Division.
5. Education Committee. The Education Committee shall consist of the Division Vice Chair, the Member-at-Large in their first year of service, and two members appointed to staggered two-year terms by the Division Chair, upon recommendation of the Executive Committee. A third appointed member, typically the nominator of the most recent recipient of the Padden Award, shall serve a one-year term. The appointed member in their second year of service shall serve as Chair of the Education Committee. The appointed member in their first year of service shall serve as Vice Chair of the Education Committee, and as Chair of the Education Committee in the following year. The Education Committee shall solicit suggestions for topics and instructors for short courses and tutorials to be sponsored by the Division, shall evaluate the suggestions and make recommendations to the Executive Committee. The Education Committee shall oversee presentation of such courses and tutorials approved by the Executive Committee and shall work in cooperation with the Society Director of Meetings or their designate when courses and tutorials sponsored by the Division are offered in conjunction with Meetings of the Society. The Education Committee shall participate in such other educational endeavors as the Executive Committee may direct.
6. Polymer Physics Prize Committee. The Polymer Physics Prize Committee shall consist of the Division Chair, Division Chair-Elect, two members appointed by the Division Chair to staggered two-year terms, and the winner of the Polymer Physics Prize from the prior year. The Chair and Vice Chair of the Polymer Physics Prize Committee shall be the Division Chair and Division Chair-Elect, respectively. The Polymer Physics Prize Committee shall review the qualifications of candidates nominated for the Polymer Physics Prize and report its recommendation for the Prize winner to the Society Honors Program.
7. Dillon Medal Committee. The Dillon Medal Committee shall consist of the Division Chair-Elect, Division Vice Chair, either the Division Councilor or Secretary-Treasurer, serving alternating two-year terms, and two appointed members serving staggered two-year terms. The Chair and Vice Chair of the Dillon Medal Committee shall be the Division Chair-Elect and Division Vice Chair, respectively. The Dillon Medal Committee shall review the qualifications of the candidates nominated for the Dillon Medal and report its recommendation for the Medal winner to the Society Honors Program.
8. Honors Policies & Procedures. All APS Society and APS Unit Honors, including prizes, awards, and fellowship, and the selection committees established to determine recipients of these honors are overseen by the Council and governed by a set of honors policies & procedures. All committee members involved with the selection of recipients for honors should make themselves familiar with and follow the Council-approved policies & procedures, including rules related to limits, canvassing, promotion, reporting, nominations, committee composition, committee onboarding, and conflict of interest.
9. Terms of Office of Appointed Committee Members. The terms of committee members appointed or recommended by an incoming Division Chair shall commence at the beginning of the official year in which they assume office.
10. Ad Hoc Committees. The Division Chair shall appoint other ad hoc committees as necessary, which shall serve only during the Division Chair’s one-year term.
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 with the Society Director of Meetings. Whenever it shall be feasible and not to the disadvantage of 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 Membership. Non-members of the Society shall pay a surcharge equal to the cost of yearly 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 reports of Officers and Committees, election results and transaction of business affairs. No scientific program of the Division shall be presented simultaneously with the Business Session. A majority of those Division members present at the Business Session shall be sufficient for approval of actions.
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 rules and regulations specified in the Society Constitution and Bylaws and associated Polices & Procedures.
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, 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 matters 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 length of time allowed for 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 Policies & Procedures.
ARTICLE X - DUES
Dues for maintenance of membership in the Division shall be established by Board.
ARTICLE XI - OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Official announcements shall be made in the News of the American Physical Society (at the discretion of the APS News Editor), on the Division web site, 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 Council, by the Society Governance Committee, by the Executive Committee or by petition to the Chair signed by not fewer than five percent of the members of the Division. However an amendment or revision is initiated, it must be reviewed by the Society Governance Committee and approved by Council before further action may be taken. Following Council approval, the Secretary/Treasurer shall distribute copies of the proposed Amendment to members of the Division not less than three weeks before the Regular Meeting, and opportunity shall be given for discussion during the Business Session. Not later than twelve weeks after said Regular Meeting, the Secretary/Treasurer shall again distribute copies of the proposed Amendment, accompanied by ballot forms. Ballots shall be cast electronically or returned to and counted by the Secretary/Treasurer or their designate. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two thirds vote of those voting.