Constitution

THE BRITISH CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATON CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE EARLY-STAGE CRYSTALLOGRAPHERS GROUP

PREAMBLE

The Early-Stage Crystallographers Group (ESCG), formally known as the Young Crystallographers Group (YCG) is a special interest Group of the British Crystallographic Association (BCA) in accordance with By-Law H.2 of the BCA. The YCG is not legally independent from the BCA and abides by the Statutes and By-Laws of the BCA.

In order to achieve the aims set out under Paragraph 1 below, the Committee of the ESCG has composed this Constitution, which was approved at the Annual General Meeting of the YCG on 20/04/2009 and approved by the Council of the BCA on 23/04/2009. An amendment to this constitution was approved at the Annual General Meeting of the ESCG on 03/04/2023 and approved by the council of the BCA on 03/04/2023.

1. PURPOSE AND AIMS

The purpose of the ESCG is to act as a supportive network for early-stage crystallographers (ESCs) starting out in crystallography, or seeking to build a career in this subject, and it shall represent the ESCs and their interests within the BCA.
The Aims of the ESCG shall be:
- To offer ESCs the opportunity to exchange ideas, problems, and solutions that they encounter in all areas relating to crystallography.
- To encourage career development and interaction between scientists new to the field of crystallography.
- To promote the liaison and interaction with more established crystallographers and structural scientists.
The ESCG shall seek to achieve its set Aims by the following actions:
- Organising at least one conference per annum that affords Members of the ESCG across all areas of crystallography the opportunity to show-case their work in the form of talks and posters in an atmosphere that actively encourages discussion and interdisciplinary dialogue, independent of the established crystallographic community.
- Mediating between ESCs and the more established Members of the BCA primarily, but also providing contact with other international early career stage organisations.
- Engaging in the education of ESCs in close collaboration with the Education Officer of the BCA.
- Promoting the ESCG and its aims within the purpose of the BCA.

2. MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the ESCG is open to Members of the BCA who are:
- Undergraduate students.
- Graduate students.
- New to the field of crystallography and wish to participate in ESCG activities.
Membership of the ESCG may be granted upon written application to the BCA, subject to payment of such fees as may be imposed by the Council of the BCA.
The Committee of the ESCG reserves the right to grant Membership of the ESCG, in special circumstances, to a Member of the BCA not conforming to item 2.1. In such a case the Committee of the ESCG must be in unanimous agreement.
Any person ceasing to be a Member of the BCA shall, ipso facto, cease to be a Member of the ESCG.

3. COMMITTEE POSITIONS

The affairs of the ESCG shall be managed by a Committee that is broadly based, with no one field or discipline unduly favoured.
The ESCG Committee shall consist of the following Members:
- The Officers of the ESCG: Chairperson, Deputy-Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, and Equality and Diversity Officer.
- Four Group Representatives: One Group Representative from each of the BCA’s other interest groups, the BSG, CCG, IG and PCG. Group representatives may be invited to act as observers of the relevant group committee’s activities in a manner that shall be determined by that committee. The representative will typically be co-opted into the group’s committee.
- The Webmaster.
Ordinary Members: A minimum of two but no more than four additional members other than those already specified.
Only members of the ESCG shall be eligible for Membership of the Committee in accordance with section 2.
The ESCG Committee shall have the power to co-opt no more than two Members onto the Committee to fill vacancies in compliance with section 2. Co-option must:
- Follow nominations by no fewer than two Members of the Committee.
- Meet approval through a majority vote at a Committee Meeting.
The representation of the ESCG on the Council of the BCA shall be performed by one of the following Committee Members:
- The Chairperson of the ESCG Committee.
- Any other Member of the ESCG Committee elected by a majority vote of the Committee.
The previous Group Representative on the Council of the BCA may also act in an advisory capacity as a secondary Group Representative without any voting rights.
Previous officers of the ESCG Committee are eligible to be co-opted as ordinary members onto the Committee. The term of the co-opted member will run until the next AGM. Co-option must:
- Follow nominations by no fewer than two Members of the Committee.
- Meet approval through a majority vote at a Committee Meeting.

4. PERIOD OF OFFICE

The Members of the Committee shall retire after a maximum term of two years, except the Webmaster, who shall retire after a maximum term of 4 years.
The Members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election to the same office for a maximum of one additional term but must stand for re-election in accordance with section 6.
No Committee Member may remain in the same position for more than two consecutive terms, although in exceptional circumstances may be co-opted into the same position for a period not exceeding one year in accordance with section 3.8.
The word year shall be interpreted as the period between one Annual General Meeting and the next.

5. GENERAL MEETINGS

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the ESCG shall be held in each calendar year, prior to the AGM of the BCA. At least one month’s notice shall be given of the time and place of the AGM.
An Extraordinary General Meeting of the ESCG must be called by the Secretary/Treasurer of the ESCG upon receipt of one of the following:
- Instructions from the Committee of the ESCG.
- A formal request signed by no fewer than twenty Members of the ESCG.

Notice of such an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be given as for the AGM. The Agenda for an Extraordinary General Meeting shall not contain the item any other business.

For each General Meeting of the ESCG an Agenda shall be prepared by the Secretary/Treasurer of the ESCG and distributed to the Members of the ESCG at least one week before the date of the General Meeting.
Copies of the unconfirmed minutes of any ESCG Committee Meeting shall be sent to the Secretary of the BCA as soon as is practicable. The ESCG Committee shall also prepare an annual report of the ESCG’s scientific and financial activities for submission to the Council of the BCA.

6. ELECTIONS

Vacancies on the Committee shall be filled by election at the ESCG AGM for the positions of Officers, Ordinary Members and the Webmaster.
Vacancies for Group Representatives on the Committee shall be filled at the ESCG AGM in the first instance. Failure in appointing any Group Representative shall result in the position being filled via recruitment from the individual Groups of the BCA in agreement with the Chairperson of the respective Group.
Nominations for Committee Members shall be supported by no fewer than two Members of the ESCG. Nominations for Officers shall further be accompanied by the written consent of the nominee and shall be sent to the Secretary/Treasurer of the ESCG at least seven days before the AGM.
Committee Members nominated for election must be present in person at the AGM of the ESCG, except under exceptional circumstances as approved by the existing committee.

7. QUORUM FOR MEETINGS

Ten Members of the ESCG present in person shall constitute a quorum at a General Meeting.
At Committee Meetings, four Members of the Committee present in person shall constitute a quorum.

8. FINANCE

The expenses of the Group shall be defrayed out of any annual payments and special grants from the BCA, out of meeting fees, and out of any donations, grants or sponsorship given to the ESCG.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall have custody of all monies received on behalf of the ESCG which will be held in the BCA accounts for use by the ESCG.
No expenses shall be incurred by the ESCG in excess of the sum specified under section 8.1. without prior authorisation by the Council of the BCA.
No Member of the ESCG shall collect or appeal for funds on behalf of the group for any purpose whatsoever from any individual, institution or industrial firm, without prior authority of the Committee, or of at least two Officers of the ESCG.
All disbursements shall be made by the Secretary/Treasurer with the general authority of the Committee of the ESCG and processed through the Treasurer of the BCA.
The annual accounts of the ESCG shall be presented to its members at each AGM and included in the ESCG’s report to the BCA Council.

9. SUSPENSION AND DISSOLUTION

The BCA shall have the power to suspend or dissolve the ESCG after consultation with the Committee of the ESCG
All books, papers and other records of the suspended or dissolved group shall be delivered to the Secretary of the BCA.
Any unexpended balance of funds shall be delivered to the Treasurer of the BCA.

10. AMENDMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND RULES

Formal proposals to amend these Rules may be made by the Committee of the ESCG or by ten Members of the ESCG and shall be discussed at the next General Meeting.
Motions to amend these Rules at a General Meeting shall be in order only if the nature of the proposed amendments is stated explicitly on the Agenda paper.
Any amendments to these rules shall not operate unless and until they have been adopted by a General Meeting of the Group and have received the approval of the Council of the Association.
Any amendments shall not be part of the Constitution but shall serve as a historical record of changes.