NSLS UEC | Charter

UEC Charter

(last revision February 2003)

Name

This organization shall be called the National Synchrotron Light Source Users’ Association.

Purpose

The purpose of the NSLS Users’ Association is to promote and encourage research at the NSLS by providing for organized discussions among users of the facility as well as between the user community and the facility administration and to address questions of general principles, trends, and development of user needs. The Association aims to have broad participation involving all segments of the user community and efficient communication with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) staff, management, and the trustees of Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA). It is thus possible to communicate current and future needs, concerns, and trends within the user community to NSLS staff and management. At the same time, the Association disseminates information on BNL plans and prospects to the users.

Organization
1. Membership:
  
  All NSLS facility users who hold active BNL appointments are voting members in the NSLS Users’ Association.
2. The Users’ Executive Committee (UEC)
  
  The UEC shall consist of four officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Past Chair, Secretary), general members, Special Interest Group (SPIG) representatives, and the NSLS User Administrator (Ex-Officio), a representative from NSLS management (Ex-Officio), and may include the Information and Outreach Section head (Ex-officio).
  
  Three general members shall be elected annually at the Annual Users’ Meeting for two-year terms. Nominations for general members on the Executive Committee shall be made according to the rules in Section III.
  
  Each Special Interest Group shall elect one representative to serve on the UEC for a one-year term. Special Interest Groups (SPIGs) will be formed in areas of common concern. The UEC will review the need for each SPIG on an annual basis. The formation of new or dissolution of current, Special Interest Groups will be approved by a two-thirds vote of the membership responding to the proposed change.
3. Roles of UEC Officers and SPIGs Chair
  
  The Chair is responsible for preparing the agenda for all UEC and Town Hall meetings. It is recognized that an effective means of communication is essential and shall be given high priority. The Chair shall, therefore, be responsible for providing a Users’ Perspective article for the tri-annual newsletter prepared by the NSLS Department.
  
  The Vice Chair is responsible for organizing the next Annual Users’ Meeting. The Vice Chair shall be responsible for preparing an article for the tri-annual newsletter, which advertises and summarizes the annual Users’ Meeting.
  
  At the end of one year, the Vice Chair becomes Chair, then Past Chair for a subsequent one-year term.
  
  The Past Chair serves in an advisory role to the current Chair to foster continuity in conducting UEC business.
  
  The Secretary is responsible for recording and preparation of the Minutes, which, after approval by the Chair, shall be distributed to all members of the UEC.
  
  SPIG Representative responsibilities include attendance at all NSLS Town and UEC meetings for the year elected, representing the diverse interests of the SPIG members, suggesting workshop topics for the annual users’ meeting, and performing such other tasks as may be requested by the UEC Chair. SPIGs are encouraged to communicate with BNL management through the UEC.
4. Resignations
  
  Chair: The current Vice Chair will assume the additional responsibility of Chair for the remainder of the term and then serve in the normal sequence of succession.
  
  Vice Chair: The Executive Committee will elect a replacement from the current general members who will serve in the normal sequence of succession.
  
  Secretary: A new Secretary will be elected at the next UEC meeting to serve the remainder of the vacated term.
  
  General Member: The UEC will appoint a member of the NSLS Users’ Association to fill the position for the duration of the unexpired term.
  
  SPIG Representative: An alternate member of the NSLS Users’ Association will be appointed by the UEC, with the advice and consent of that Special Interest Group, for the duration of the term.

Nominations and Elections
1. Nominating Committee Membership for election of General Members
  
  The Nominating Committee will consist of a Chair, appointed by the UEC Chair, and at least two additional Association members. All Nominating Committee members will be ineligible for election to the UEC. The Nominating Committee should be formed at least six months prior to the Annual Users’ Meeting.
2. Rules for Nominating Committee for election of General Members
  
  The Nominating Committee will prepare a slate of at least six candidates for approval of the UEC. The slate of candidates, with a brief biographical sketch of each nominee, will be announced to the Association at least one-month in advance of the Annual Users’ Meeting. In addition, write-in candidates are allowed at the time of voting. The slate of candidates should be balanced between various user interests, taking into consideration a candidate’s affiliation (university, government, laboratory, industrial), experimental ring used for research (VUV or X-ray), user status (PRT member or general user), and geographic location.
3. Election of UEC Officers and General Members
  
  The NSLS Users’ Association through an electronic voting procedure at he time of the Users’ Meeting will elect three members. The open election period shall precede the Users’ Meeting by no less than two weeks, and will close at the Users’ Meeting. All members of the NSLS Users Association are eligible to vote.
  
  Following the election of the new general members and SPIG representatives at the Annual Meeting, the UEC will elect a new Vice Chair and Secretary.
  
  The Vice Chair will be elected for a one-year term from among the UEC general members.
  
  The Secretary will be elected from among the UEC general members and SPIG representatives for a one-year term.
4. Nomination and Election of Special Interest Group (SPIG) Representatives
  
  Nominations and elections for a representative for each SPIG shall be complete at least one month prior to the Annual Users’ Meeting.
  
  Provided the nominations and elections are performed in a consistent and fair manner, elections may be performed electronically.
  
  Provided the nominee’s permission is obtained, the election ballot may include an optional statement by each of the candidates.

Association Meetings:

NSLS Users’ Meeting: The Users’ Association shall organize an annual Users’ Meeting in cooperation with the NSLS Department.

Town Meetings: The UEC and NSLS shall hold periodic Town Meetings at the NSLS for the purpose of open discussion of current issues among NSLS staff and the users.

UEC Meetings: UEC meetings will be held at the annual Users’ Meeting and also at the discretion of the Chair or as called for by a majority of UEC members. The Annual Users’ Meeting and UEC meetings shall have a prepared agenda disseminated in advance. Minutes of all meetings shall be recorded including results of deliberative discussions.

General

A quorum of the UEC shall require the presence of more than half of its members. A simple majority shall determine the sense of the Association except that three members in attendance can call for a written polling of the entire Association. Official actions of the Users’ Association require the majority consent of one of the following:
1. a quorum of the UEC
2. the registered attendees at the Annual Users’ Meeting, or
3. all NSLS Users with active BNL appointments.
This charter shall be amended at the annual meeting or by ballot (electronic or otherwise) as needs emerge. Two-thirds of the membership responding to a proposed amendment shall be required for its passage.

Results of deliberations of the UEC and the Association shall be in the form of a recommendation to the NSLS Chair, the Director of BNL, or the trustees of BSA.