Governance

Bylaws

Date approved by Council: July 22, 2024
Date ratified by Members: August 16, 2024

Preamble

In the following text, "Society" and "APS" shall signify the American Physical Society; "Council" and "Board" shall signify the Council of Representatives and Board of Directors of the Society, respectively; "Division" and "Unit" shall signify the APS Division of Soft Matter (DSOFT); and "Regular Meeting" shall signify the principal meeting held once a year by the Division.

Article I - Name

This Unit of the American Physical Society shall be called the Division of Soft Matter (DSOFT).

Article II - Objective

The objective of the Unit shall be the advancement and diffusion of knowledge regarding soft matter.

Article III - Enabling Constitutional Provision

Article VII 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 Board and 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 Unit including changes to the areas of scientific inquiry of the Division.
2. Composition: The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Division, the most recent Past Chair, the Division Councilor, six Members-at-large elected to staggered three-year terms, two Student Representatives elected to staggered two-year terms, and one Postdoctoral Representative elected to a two-year term.  If a Student or Postdoctoral Representative’s status changes, they shall be allowed to finish their term.
   
3. Executive Committee Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each year, as described in the Unit Operating Procedures. 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 Councilor

1. Officers: The Officers of the Unit shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a 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 their attendance is possible. The Chair shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws or Operating Procedures of the Division.
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 and the Division Operating Procedures.
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 and Division Operating Procedures.
5. Duties of the Past-Chair: The Past-Chair shall chair the Nominating Committee. The Past-Chair shall perform such functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws and Division Operating Procedures.
6. Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain all records of the Division, oversee regular communication with Division membership, oversee elections, 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 and to the APS Corporate Secretary within two weeks after each meeting. Following elections, such minutes are to include the results of the election. 
   The Secretary/Treasurer, in coordination with the Division Councilor, shall keep the APS Council of Representatives informed of the activities and needs of the Division. In accordance with Article VIII.1 of the Society Bylaws, the Secretary/Treasurer shall have responsibility for all funds in the custody of or placed at the disposal of the Division. The Secretary/Treasurer, in collaboration with 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. The Secretary/Treasurer shall present a financial report at each meeting of the Executive Committee and at the annual Business Session of the Division.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws and the Unit Operating Procedures.
   
7. Duties of the Division Councilor: The Division Councilor shall serve as liaison between the APS Council of Representatives 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, the Division Councilor, Members-at-Large, Student Representatives, and the Postdoctoral Representative of the Executive Committee must be members of the Division and must retain membership throughout the period of election and tenure in office. The Student Representatives must be students at the time of their nomination. The Postdoctoral Representative of the Executive Committee must be a postdoc at the time of their nomination.
2. Ballot: The Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, the Division Councilor, Members-at-Large, Student Representatives, and Postdoctoral Representative of the Executive Committee shall be elected by ballot as hereinafter provided.
3. Nomination and Election of the Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Division Councilor, and Executive Committee Members: Each year, the Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two candidates for the office of Vice Chair, for the Division Councilor during the final year of the term of the current Division Councilor, for the Secretary/Treasurer during the final year of the term of the current Secretary/Treasurer, and for open positions of Members-at-Large, Student Representatives, and Postdoctoral Representative of the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consult with the Chair regarding all nominees being considered for a consecutive term to determine the appropriateness of their nomination. Further duties of the Nominating Committee are described in the Unit Operating Procedures. The Secretary/Treasurer shall conduct the election; further details are in the Unit Operating Procedures. In the case where the Secretary/Treasurer is a candidate for a consecutive term, the election shall be administered by a process determined by the Executive Committee. The Secretary/Treasurer shall notify the Executive Committee and APS Corporate Secretary of the election results as soon as possible following the close of the election.
   
4. Official Year: The official year defining terms of service is as described in the Unit Operating Procedures.
5. Vice Chair, Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past 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 as Past Chair. The Past Chair shall not be eligible for the office of Vice Chair in the year following their term of office.
6. Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve for a term of four years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The Secretary/Treasurer will remain on the Executive Committee in an advisory, non-voting capacity for one year after their term concludes, as Past Secretary/Treasurer. Following a break in service, former Secretary/Treasurers may be considered by the Nominating Committee for election. 
   
7. Division Councilor: The Division Councilor shall serve for a term of four years, beginning January 1 of the year following election. The Division Councilor may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
   
8. Members-at-Large: The tenure of a Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall be three 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 Unit, and the unexpired portion of their term shall be filled as hereinafter provided for a vacancy.
9. Student Representatives: Student Representatives shall serve for a term of two years and may not serve two consecutive terms.
10. Postdoctoral Representative: The tenure of the Postdoctoral Representative shall be two years and may not serve two consecutive terms.
11. Terms of Office: The terms of office of the Officers, Members-at-Large, Student Representatives, and Postdoctoral Representative of the Executive Committee shall follow the dates set forth in the Unit Operating Procedures.
    
12. 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 be comprised of the Past Chair, who shall be chair of the committee, the Members-at-Large and Student Representatives of the unit, and one member appointed by the APS for a one-year term. The Chair shall ascertain through the APS Corporate Secretary the identity of this member.  If the Past Chair is unable to serve, the Chair may nominate a member of the Executive Committee as a replacement. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for the positions of Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Councilor, and other members of the Executive Committee according to article VII.3 of these Bylaws. There shall be at least two nominations for any vacancy. 
2. Program Committee: The Program Committee shall be comprised of a four-person chair line appointed by the Chair from the members of the Unit, two Members-at-Large, and the Postdoctoral Representative.  The Unit Chair-elect will serve on the Program Committee ex officio.  The Program Committee shall have the responsibility of assisting the Director of Meetings for the Society, or their designee, in arranging the meetings of the Society.  This activity shall include the scheduling of contributed papers within the area of interest of the Division, as well as the arranging, in cooperation with the Director of Meetings for the Society or designate, of symposia and sessions of invited papers sponsored by the Division.  
3. Fellowship Committee: The Fellowship Committee shall include four members of the Unit appointed by the Chair to two-year terms. Committee appointments shall be made in consultation with the members of the Executive Committee.  The Fellowship Committee shall review the qualifications of candidates for Fellowship and report its recommendations to the Head of the APS Honors Program to the Fellowship Committee of the Society.
4. Ad Hoc and Other Committees: The Chair shall appoint other ad hoc committees as necessary. 
5. Terms of Office of Appointed Committee Members: The terms of committee members appointed or recommended by an incoming Chair shall commence at the start of the Chair's term after the annual Business Meeting.
6. 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. 

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 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 to be set each year equal to the Society membership dues.
2. Annual Business Session: Each year the Division shall hold a Business Session during one of the regular meetings of the Society. This Business Session shall be chaired by the Chair of the Division and be devoted to affairs of the Division. The Business Session will be conducted as described in the Unit Operating Procedures.
   
3. Other Meetings: Other meetings of the Division may be conducted per the Unit Operating 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, 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 main theme of the meeting. The Program Committee Chair shall fix the deadline date for receipt of titles and abstracts in consultation with the Society Director of Meetings and shall designate the rules for their submission.
   

Article X - Dues

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

Article XI - Regular Communication

The Unit shall provide regular e-mail communications with the membership. These email communications will provide updates on the activities of the Division and the Executive Committee. The preparation and distribution of email communications will be overseen by the Secretary/Treasurer. The frequency and timing of these communications shall be determined by the Chair, as specified in the Unit Operating Procedures.

Article XII - Official Announcements

Official announcements shall be made in the APS News (at the discretion of the APS News Editor), electronically on the Division website, via email, in special mailings to the membership, or in such other publications as the Executive Committee may direct.

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 Unit. However an amendment or revision is initiated, the amendment or revision must be reviewed by the Society Governance Committee and approved by Council before further action can be taken. Unless a special election is held to ratify the Amendment following Council approval, the Secretary/Treasurer shall distribute copies of the proposed amendments or revisions to all members of the Unit and the Unit membership will vote on the Amendment during the next regularly scheduled unit election. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two-thirds vote by those voting.