Governance

Bylaws

Date Approved by Council: November 11, 2017

Date Ratified by Members: November 9, 2018

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, respectively; “Executive Committee” shall signify the Executive Committee of FIAP; and “POPA” shall signify the Society’s Panel on Public Affairs.

Article I - Name

This organization within the American Physical Society, hereafter referred to as the Society, shall be called the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics, hereafter referred to as FIAP.

Article II - Objective

The objective shall be to enhance the Society's ability to meet the needs of the industrial and applied physics community, and help the Society take advantage of the evolving opportunities in the practice and application of physics.

Article III - Enabling Constitutional Provision

FIAP is established by the authority vested in the Council by Article VIII of the Constitution and Bylaws and associated Policies and Procedures of the Society. These documents, as may be subsequently revised or amended, are hereby incorporated in these Bylaws by reference.

Article IV - Membership

  1. The members of FIAP shall consist of members of the American Physical Society who have indicated in accordance with procedures established by the Board and Council, and the Bylaws of FIAP, their desire to join FIAP. The membership shall be maintained from year to year by the payment of designated dues or other method established by the Board, provided continuing membership in the Society is maintained in good standing. Any member of FIAP may resign upon notice to the Secretary-Treasurer and the Society Director of Membership.

  2. The privilege of voting in FIAP elections shall be limited to members of the Society whose application for membership in FIAP has been received at least thirty days prior to the date the voter ballots are posted on the web for the electronic election.

Article V - Executive Committee

  1. Governance: FIAP shall be governed by an Executive Committee, which shall establish the policies and have responsibility for the affairs of FIAP.

  2. Composition: The voting members of the FIAP Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Vice-Chair, Past-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, six Members-at-Large, Editor of the FIAP Newsletter, FIAP Representative to POPA, and FIAP Councilor elected in the manner specified in Articles VI, VII, and VIII of these Bylaws. Executive Committee Meetings. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year. A majority of the voting members, including at least two Officers, shall constitute a quorum. One meeting shall be called the Annual Meeting and shall be held at the site of the APS March Meeting. A second meeting may be held optionally in the fall or winter. Any member of the Executive Committee unable to attend a meeting may name a nonvoting alternate who is a member in good standing of FIAP to represent him or her, subject to the approval of the Chair. Other APS offices and appointments. The Executive Committee shall also respond to requests for candidates for Society offices and committees, such as selection committees for prizes in industrial and applied physics or other positions where industrial or applied physics representation is desired.

Article VI - Officers, Forum Councilor, and Members-at-large

  1. Officers: The Officers of FIAP shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a Vice-Chair, a Past-Chair, and a Secretary-Treasurer, all of whom must have been members of FIAP for at least one year prior to nomination.

  2. Duties of the Chair: The Chair shall have overall responsibility for FIAP, and shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee. The Chair shall be responsible for implementation of the policies of FIAP as established by the Executive Committee. The Chair, in coordination with the Secretary-Treasurer, shall prepare agendas for meetings of the Executive Committee, and shall prepare a yearly report of the activities of FIAP, to be made available to the Council and members of FIAP. The Chair shall serve as the head of the Nominating Committee. The Chair shall appoint the FIAP Election Coordinator from the Members-at-Large. In addition, the Chair shall perform other functions as appropriate or as provided in the Bylaws.

  3. Duties of the Chair-Elect: The Chair-Elect shall serve as chair of the FIAP Fellowship Committee, shall serve on the Nominating Committee, shall assume the duties of the Chair, whenever the Chair is unable to perform them, and shall carry out other functions as appropriate or as provided in the Bylaws.

  4. Duties of the Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair-Elect whenever the Chair-Elect is unable to perform them. The Vice-Chair shall serve as Chair of the Program Committee, organize FIAP participation in the Sorters Meeting, serve on the Fellowship Committee, and perform other functions as appropriate or as provided in the Bylaws.

  5. Duties of the Past-Chair: The Past-Chair will act as the historical repository of FIAP governance and activities. At the end of the year as Past-Chair, this history shall be passed on to the next Past-Chair. The Past-Chair will serve as a Member of the Prize Committee and will be an ex-officio member of the APS Industrial Physics Advisory Board.

  6. Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer: The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain the records of FIAP; in coordination with the FIAP Councilor, inform the Council of the needs of FIAP; submit an annual financial report to the FIAP Executive Committee; and prepare and distribute minutes of FIAP Executive Committee meetings within four weeks after each meeting. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also have responsibility for all funds in the custody of or placed at the disposal of FIAP, and shall, with Chair approval, authorize disbursements from such funds for FIAP expenses for projects approved by the Executive Committee. When appropriate submit required documentation to the APS Finance Department. The Secretary-Treasurer shall present a financial report at each meeting of the Executive Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer shall collect biographies and statements from candidates nominated for positions on the Executive Committee. In addition the Secretary-Treasurer shall perform other functions as appropriate or as provided in the Bylaws.

  7. Duties of the FIAP Councilor: The FIAP Councilor shall serve as liaison between the Council of the Society and the FIAP Executive Committee, and shall bring proposals and issues of concern to FIAP to the attention of Council. Following each Council meeting, the FIAP Councilor shall report to the Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer regarding Council actions, if any, that affect the status and operations of FIAP. Reports shall be made to the entire Executive Committee during regularly scheduled meetings. In addition the FIAP Councilor shall perform other functions as appropriate or as provided in the Bylaws.

  8. Duties of the Members-at-Large: The Members-at-Large (MALs) serve on the Fellowship Committee, and are appointed to other FIAP committees by the FIAP Chair, where they carry out responsibilities as assigned by the committee chair. MALs help to organize FIAP focus sessions at APS meetings, and are expected to attend the FIAP Executive committee meeting, FIAP business meeting, FIAP fellowship dinner, or other FIAP functions at the March or April meetings. One MAL will be appointed by the Chair to serve as the FIAP Election Coordinator. The Election Coordinator will oversee the annual election of new officers and MALs by the FIAP membership, and inform the APS Executive Officer, FIAP Executive Committee, candidates, and FIAP membership of the election results.

  9. Duties of the FIAP Representative to POPA: The FIAP Representative to POPA shall serve as a regular voting member of the Panel on Public Affairs. In this capacity he/she will be the liaison between POPA and the Executive Committee of FIAP, informing the Executive Committee of POPA actions of special interest to FIAP, and informing POPA of FIAP activities of special interest to POPA. The FIAP Representative shall be employed in or have extensive experience in industrial and applied physics. The FIAP Representative to POPA will be appointed by the FIAP Executive Committee and serve for a term of three years beginning on January 1 of the year following his or her selection.

Article VII - Election and Tenure of the Officers, Fiap Councilor, and Executive Committee

  1. Qualifications: Officers, FIAP Councilor, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee must be members of FIAP for at least one year prior to nomination. Elections shall be held annually by electronic election through the APS website as hereinafter provided, or as required by the APS.

    Nomination and election of the Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, FIAP Councilor, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee. Each year the Nominating Committee shall select at least two candidates for the office of Vice-Chair, at least two candidates for each opening for Member-At-Large, and at least two candidates for FIAP Councilor during the final year of the term of the current Councilor.

    The Nominating Committee shall also nominate at least two candidates for the office of Secretary-Treasurer during the final year of the term of the current Secretary-Treasurer, unless that Secretary-Treasurer wishes to serve a second three-year term in which case he/she may run unopposed. After two complete terms, a Secretary-Treasurer may be elected to subsequent terms but may not run unopposed.

    The Nominating Committee shall consult with the FIAP Past-Chair before nominating any candidate for a consecutive term.

  2. Nominations and Balloting: Nominations shall also be solicited from FIAP members via the FIAP newsletter, and/or other means. Election will be organized by the FIAP Election Coordinator and must be completed by November 30. Elected positions shall be determined by plurality of those voting. The Chair shall not cast any ballot for any position except in the case of a tie. Immediately following the close of an election, the FIAP Election Coordinator shall inform the Executive Committee and the Society’s Corporate Secretary of the election results.

  3. Terms of Office: The Vice-Chair shall be elected by the membership to a one year term, shall then become Chair-Elect for one year, Chair for one year, and a final year on the Executive Committee as Past-Chair. The six Members-at-Large shall serve staggered three year terms, with two Members-at-Large elected each year. The terms of office of the Officers and Members-at-Large shall begin at the close of old business during the Annual Meeting of the FIAP following their election. The FIAP Councilor shall serve a four-year term, beginning on January 1 of the year following his or her election.

  4. 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

There shall be four statutory committees of FIAP, plus any others deemed necessary for the operation of FIAP in the judgment of the Executive Committee. The statutory committees shall be as follows:

  1. The Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the FIAP Chair and in addition shall include the Chair-Elect and two members of FIAP appointed by the FIAP Chair to staggered two-year terms, and one member appointed to a one-year term by the APS Chief Executive Officer. The FIAP Chair shall ascertain from the APS Chief Executive Officer the identity of this member. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for the positions of Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, FIAP Councilor, and Members-at-Large, in accordance with Article VII of these Bylaws.

  2. The Program Committee: The Program Committee shall consist of the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary-Treasurer, and other FIAP members appointed as necessary by the FIAP Chair. The Program Committee shall be chaired by the Vice-Chair, and shall, in coordination with the APS Director of Meetings, be responsible for arranging invited and contributed papers and organizing symposia within the area of interest of FIAP at APS General Meetings.

  3. The Fellowship Committee: The Fellowship Committee shall consist of the Chair-Elect, Vice-Chair and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee and it shall be chaired by the Chair-Elect. The Fellowship Committee shall be responsible for reviewing of the qualifications of candidates for fellowship and report its recommendations to the APS Honors Program and to the Fellowship Committee of the Society.

  4. The Newsletter Committee: The Executive Committee shall elect an Editor for the Newsletter to a renewable three-year term. Candidates can include members of the Executive Committee or regular FIAP members. The Editor may recruit Newsletter Committee members as required from among FIAP members. The Newsletter Committee shall be responsible for collecting and reporting on issues and events in the interests of FIAP members, and producing at least two issues of the Newsletter each year, which will be posted on the APS/FIAP website. The newsletter will have an announcement of the election once per year. The Editor is also responsible for maintaining the content on the FIAP web page.

  5. The Prize Committee: FIAP is responsible for selecting winners for several prizes. The chair for the Prize Committee is elected by the Executive Committee, must be a FIAP member, and will vote on the Executive Committee only if already an Executive Committee member. The Prize Chair will form subcommittees to award each prize. The members of the subcommittee can include APS members who are not in FIAP and have experience valuable for the selection process. When allowed by the rules for that prize, the subcommittee should include the most recent winner of the prize. Each Prize subcommittee should work during the year to encourage nominations.

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

Article IX - Amendment of Bylaws

Proposals for amendments to these Bylaws may be made by the Council, by the Society’s Governance Committee, by the Executive Committee, or by petition to the Chair signed by not fewer than ten percent of the members of FIAP. Independent of the manner in which a proposed amendment is initiated, it must be reviewed by the Society’s 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 FIAP not less than four weeks before the Annual Meeting, and opportunity for discussion shall be given during the Annual Meeting. Voting on a proposed amendment shall be carried out by electronic ballot in the manner required for amendment to the Constitution of the Society. The adoption of an amendment shall require the affirmative votes of not less than two thirds of the members voting. The amendment shall become effective on the first day of January, following the approval by vote of the membership.

These FIAP Bylaws were approved by membership vote in November 2018