Governance

Bylaws

Preamble

In the following text, “Society” or “APS” shall signify the American Physical Society; “Council” and “Board” shall signify the Council of Representatives and the Board of Directors of the Society, respectively; “AAPT” shall signify the American Association of Physics Teachers; and “Regular Meeting” shall signify the principal meeting held once a year by the Forum.

Article I - Name

This Forum of The American Physical Society shall be called the "Forum on Education” with the acronym (FEd).

Article II - Objective

The objective of the Forum shall be the advancement and diffusion of knowledge regarding the inter-relation of physics, physicists, and education. The Forum shall provide for all members of the Society an opportunity for discussion of and involvement with matters of physics education.

Article III - Enabling Constitutional Provisions

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

Article IV - Membership

The members of the Forum shall consist of members of the Society who have indicated in accordance with procedures established by Board and Council their desire to join the Forum and who meet any other requirements established by Council.

Article V - Executive Committee

  1. Governance: The Forum on Education shall be governed by an Executive Committee that shall have general charge of the affairs of the Forum.

  2. Composition: The voting members of the Executive Committee shall be the five officers of the Forum, seven Members-at-Large, and a Forum Councilor if any. The non-voting members of the Executive Committee shall be the Chair of the APS Committee on Education, the Editor of the Forum Newsletter, the APS Director of Education and Diversity, and a member from the AAPT Executive Board appointed by the President of the AAPT. All members of the Executive Committee must be members of the Forum.

  3. Executive Committee Meetings:

    1. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each year at a meeting called by the Chair of the Forum.

    2. If at least four voting members of the Executive Committee submit a request in writing to the Chair to convoke a meeting, the Chair must do so within sixty days.

    3. A quorum shall consist of six voting members of the Executive Committee, two of whom shall be Officers.

    4. The Chair may conduct Forum business and hold a vote of the Executive Committee by mail, electronic mail, phone, or other means on issues that require attention in the time between annual meetings.

    Article VI - Officers and Forum Councilor

    1. Officers: The Officers of the Forum shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a ViceChair, a Past Chair, and a Secretary-Treasurer.

    2. Duties of the Chair: The Chair shall have overall responsibility for the affairs of the Forum and shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee at which his or her attendance is possible. The Chair, in collaboration with the Secretary-Treasurer, shall prepare the agenda of Executive Committee meetings and shall perform such other functions as may be provided in these Bylaws. After consultation with the Executive Committee, the Chair shall make all appointments necessary to conduct the affairs of the Forum. The Chair shall prepare a yearly report of the activities of the Forum to be presented at the Annual Meeting and to be made available to the Council and members of the Forum. In the absence of a Forum Councilor, the Chair shall serve as liaison between the Council of the Society and the Executive Committee of the Forum. The Chair will serve as Chair of the Membership Committee. The Chair will also serve as a member of the Committee on Education.

    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 serve as Chair of the Program Committee. The Chair-Elect will also serve as a member of the Committee on Education.

    4. Duties of the Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall act in the place of the ChairElect if the latter is unable to perform his or her duties. The Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee.

    5. Duties of the Past Chair: The Past Chair shall serve as Chair of the Fellowship Committee. The Past Chair shall also serve as a member of the Committee on Education.

    6. Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer:

      1. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain and preserve the records of the Forum. The Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the Executive Committee of budgetary and financial matters requiring the decision of said Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare minutes of Executive Committee meetings and shall submit these minutes to each member of the Executive Committee within six weeks after each meeting. The Secretary-Treasurer shall supervise the Forum elections in accord with Article VII of these Bylaws. In the case of an election when the Secretary-Treasurer is a candidate for a consecutive term, the election shall be administered by the Past Chair. This process may be modified by the Executive Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer shall approve and coordinate communications with Members via electronic mail or the Forum Newsletter. The Secretary-Treasurer will notify the Chair of all financial transactions.

      2. The Secretary-Treasurer shall have responsibility for all funds in the custody of, or placed at the disposal of, the Forum, and shall, in collaboration with the Chair, authorize disbursements from such funds in a manner that is consistent with the general policies of the Society and the Forum. The Secretary-Treasurer shall present a financial report and a proposed budget annually at the meeting of the Executive Committee.

    7. Duties of the Forum Councilor: The Forum Councilor, if any, shall serve as a liaison between the Council of the Society and the Executive Committee of the Forum and shall keep the Council informed of the current activities and needs of the Forum. Following each Council meeting, the Forum Councilor shall report to the Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer regarding Council actions that affect the status and operations of the Forum. Reports shall be made to the entire Executive Committee during their annual meeting.

    Article VII - Election and Tenure of the Officers, Forum Councilor, and Members-at-large

    1. Qualifications: Officers, the Forum Councilor, and Members-at-Large must be members of the Forum on Education. The APS/AAPT Members-at-Large must also be members of AAPT. The Graduate Student Member-at-Large must be enrolled in graduate school at the time of his or her nomination. The Graduate Student Member-at-Large may serve his or her full two-year term even if he or she graduates during that term.

    2. Nomination and Election Procedures

      1. Nomination Procedure: The Nominating Committee is responsible for preparing a slate of candidates for each year’s election. No later than August 1 of each year, the Vice-Chair shall invite, via email or the Forum newsletter, all Forum members to suggest candidates for all positions that will be elected that year. If as many as twenty-five members of the Forum, or 1% of the membership, whichever is larger, suggest the same person for the same office by October 1, that person shall be deemed nominated. The Nominating Committee, taking into account suggestions received from members, shall nominate at least two candidates for each open position. The Nominating Committee shall consult with the Chair before submitting the nomination of any candidate for a consecutive term. The Nominating Committee shall submit the slate of candidates to the Secretary-Treasurer not later than October 15 of each year.

      2. Balloting Procedure: The Secretary-Treasurer shall distribute election ballots to all Members, electronically and/or by mail, not later than November 15 of each year, setting a closing date four weeks after balloting has commenced. Ballots shall be returned to and counted by the Secretary-Treasurer or his or her designee. The 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 before January 1.

      3. Procedures For Members-At-Large: The six General and APS/AAPT Members-At-Large shall be elected by the membership for three-year staggered terms in two equal categories, General Member-At-Large and APS/AAPT Member-At-Large, of three members each. The Graduate Student Member-at-Large shall be elected for a two-year term.

    3. Terms of Office of the Executive Committee: The tenure of the members of the Executive Committee shall begin at the beginning of the calendar year following their election.

      1. Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall be elected by the membership for a one year term and shall successively become Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair in the following years. The Chair shall not be eligible for the Vice-Chair office for four years after service as Past Chair.

      2. Secretary-Treasurer: The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected by the membership for a term of three years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

      3. Forum Councilor: The term of office of a Forum Councilor shall begin at the beginning of the calendar year following his or her election. The Forum Councilor shall serve for a term of four years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

      4. Members-At-Large: Each General and APS/AAPT Member-At-Large shall be elected by the membership for a term of three years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The tenure of a Member-At-Large of the Executive Committee shall terminate in the event of his/her assumption of a post as an Officer of the Forum, either through election or appointment, and the unexpired portion of his or her term shall be filled as hereinafter provided for a vacancy. The Graduate Student Member-at-Large shall be elected by the membership for a term of two years and may not serve a second term.

    4. Vacancies in Office: If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair, the Chair-Elect shall become Chair and shall serve as Chair also in the following year. The ViceChair shall serve simultaneously as Vice Chair and Chair-Elect during the remainder of the term and shall continue to serve as Chair-Elect in the following year.

      If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair-Elect, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair-Elect and shall advance to Chair in the following year. 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. If the Vice-Chair position is vacant before or during the service of the Nominating Committee, the Chair shall appoint a member of the Executive Committee to be Chair of the Nominating Committee. The offices of both Chair-Elect and Vice-Chair will be filled at the next scheduled election.

      If vacancies occur in the offices of both the Chair and the Chair-Elect, the ViceChair shall become Chair and shall continue to serve as Chair in the following year. In this case, the Executive Committee will appoint one of their members to serve the remaining term as Chair-Elect, and the offices of both Chair-Elect and Vice-Chair will be filled at the next scheduled election.

      If a vacancy occurs in any other elected position, the Executive Committee may appoint a member of the Forum to fill the position until the next scheduled election or may leave the position vacant. If the vacancy continues beyond the next scheduled election, the position will be filled for a shortened term at the next scheduled election.

      If any member of the Executive Committee is absent from two consecutive Annual Meetings of the Executive Committee without consent of the Chair, that position shall be declared vacant. A member is considered present if he or she attends either in person or electronically.

    5. Official Year: The official year shall be the calendar year.

    Article VIII - Appointed Committees

    1. Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of the ViceChair, and at least two members appointed by the Forum Chair, in consultation with the Vice-Chair, no later than August 1 of each year. All appointed members must be members of the Forum. The APS Chief Executive Officer shall be invited to appoint one member to the Nominating Committee. The Vice-Chair shall serve as the Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for election to the Executive Committee in accord with Article VII of these Bylaws. The term of office for members of the Nominating Committee shall be one year.

    2. Program Committee: The Program Committee shall consist of the ChairElect, and up to nine members appointed by the Chair, in consultation with the Chair-Elect, no later than June 1 of each year. In addition, one member shall be appointed by the Executive Committee of the Forum on Outreach and Engaging the Public. The Chair-Elect shall serve as the Chair of the Program Committee. The Chair-Elect will remain Chair of the Program Committee until the April Meeting which he or she planned is complete. The Program Committee shall be responsible for the solicitation and selection of invited papers for Forum sponsored sessions at meetings of the Society and for the arrangement of the programs of such meetings. The term of office for members of the Program Committee shall be one year.

    3. Fellowship Committee: The Fellowship Committee shall consist of the Past Chair and up to five members appointed by the Chair, in consultation with the Past Chair, no later than May 1 of each year. All appointed members must be members of the Forum. The Past Chair shall serve as Chair of the Fellowship Committee. This Fellowship Committee shall solicit the nomination of candidates for Fellowship, review the qualification of such candidates, and report its recommendation to the Executive Committee for approval before the submission is made to the Head of the Honors program of the Society. The term of office for members of the Fellowship Committee shall be one year.

    4. Membership Committee: The Membership Committee shall consist of the Chair, the Graduate Student Member-at-Large, and General or APS/AAPT Members-at-Large in the second or third year of their term. The Chair may change the composition of the Committee if desired. The Membership Committee is tasked with addressing special requests from the members and with creating and implementing initiatives to increase Forum membership.

    Article IX - Programs and Activities

    1. The Program Committee shall work with the Society Director of Meetings, or his or her designee, in arranging Forum-sponsored sessions at meetings of the Society. This activity shall include the scheduling of invited and contributed papers at meetings of the Society and organizing of Forum-sponsored conferences. The programs of the Forum shall be developed in consultation with the Committee on Education and AAPT as appropriate.

    2. The Chair, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, may appoint committees or study groups to conduct studies of subjects of concern to the Forum. The results of such studies when made available to members of the Society, and to the general public, shall be done in a manner compatible with such limitations as may be set by the Council.

    3. The Executive Committee may authorize Forum sponsorship of or participation in special conferences or workshops, subject to the rules and regulations specified in the Society Constitution and Bylaws, and associated Policies and Procedures.

    4. The Chair is responsible for the appointment of Members-at-Large to committees. The following suggested schedule of assignments may be altered by the Chair in consultation with the Members-at-Large:

      • First-year Members-at-Large: the Excellence in Physics Education or the Jonathan F. Reichert and Barbara Wolff-Reichert Award for Excellence in Advanced Laboratory Instruction selection committees.
      • Second-year Members-at-Large: Program Committee and Membership Committee
      • Third-year Members-at-Large: Nominating Committee and Membership Committee
      • Graduate Student Members-at-Large: Program Committee and Membership Committee

    Article X - Publications

    1. Official Announcements: Official announcements shall be made in an appropriate publication of the Society, the Forum web site, or in such a manner as the Executive Committee may direct.

    2. Newsletter

      1. The Forum shall publish a Newsletter and distribute it electronically to all members of the Forum and the Council. The Newsletter shall carry the Annual Report of the Chair, articles of interest to the Members, and letters and comments from Members of the Forum.

      2. The Editor of the Newsletter shall be elected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee for a term of three years. The performance of the Editor of the Newsletter shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee after completion of his or her second year.

    Article XI - Procedure for Amending the Bylaws

    Proposals for the amendment of 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 Forum. However a proposal for an amendment is initiated, it must be reviewed by the Society Governance Committee and approved by Council before further action can be taken.

    Following Council approval, if a special election to approve the amendments is not scheduled, the Secretary-Treasurer shall distribute copies of the proposed Amendment to all members of the Forum accompanied by ballots, by mail and/or electronically during the next regularly scheduled election, setting a closing date for voting on the Amendment at least four weeks after distribution of the ballots. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two-thirds majority of those voting on the Amendment.

    Approved by APS Council of Representatives with final approval on February 22, 2018 through a special vote by the Forum on Education membership.