THE BRITISH CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATON CONSTITUTION
AND RULES OF THE YOUNG CRYSTALLOGRAPHERS GROUP
PREAMBLE
The Young Crystallographers Group (YCG) is the fifth special interest Group of the British Crystallographic Association (BCA) in accordance with By-Law G.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 YCG 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.
1. PURPOSE AND AIMS
1.1. The purpose of the YCG is to act as a supportive network for Young Crystallographers (YCs) starting out in crystallography, or seeking to build a career in this subject, and it shall represent the YCs and their interests within the BCA.
1.2. The Aims of the YCG shall be:
1.2.1. To offer YCs the opportunity to exchange ideas, problems and solutions that they encounter in all areas relating to Crystallography.
1.2.2. To encourage career development and interaction between younger scientists in the field.
1.2.3. To promote the liaison and interaction with more established crystallographers and structural scientists.
1.3. The YCG shall seek to achieve its set Aims by the following actions:
1.3.1. Organising at least one conference per annum that affords Members of the YCG 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.
1.3.2. Mediating between YCs and the more established Members of the BCA primarily, but also providing contact with other international young scientists organisations.
1.3.3. Engaging in the education of YCs in close collaboration with the Education Officer of the BCA.
1.3.4. Promoting the YCG and its aims within the purpose of the BCA.
2. MEMBERSHIP
2.1. Membership of the YCG is open to Members of the BCA who are:
2.1.1. Undergraduate students.
2.1.2. Graduate students.
2.1.3. Members who have graduated from any degree course within the previous five years.
2.2. Membership of the YCG 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.
2.3. The Committee of the YCG reserves the right to grant Membership of the YCG, in special circumstances, to a Member of the BCA not conforming to item 2.1. In such a case the Committee of the YCG must be in unanimous agreement.
2.4. Any person ceasing to be a Member of the BCA shall, ipso facto, cease to be a Member of the YCG.
3. COMMITTEE POSITIONS
3.1. The affairs of the YCG shall be managed by a Committee that is broadly based, with no one field or discipline unduly favoured.
3.2. The YCG Committee shall consist of the following Members:
3.2.1. The Officers of the YCG: Chairman, Deputy-Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer.
3.2.2. 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.
3.2.3. The Webmaster.
3.3. Ordinary Members: A minimum of two but no more than four additional members other than those already specified.
3.4. Only members of the YCG shall be eligible for Membership of the Committee in accordance with section 2.
3.5. The YCG 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:
3.5.1. Follow nominations by no fewer than two Members of the Committee.
3.5.2. Meet approval through a majority vote at a Committee Meeting.
3.6. The representation of the YCG on the Council of the BCA shall be performed by one of the following Committee Members:
3.6.1. The Chairman of the YCG Committee.
3.6.2. Any other Member of the YCG Committee elected by a majority vote of the Committee.
3.7. 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.
3.8. Previous officers of the YCG 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:
3.8.1. Follow nominations by no fewer than two Members of the Committee.
3.8.2. Meet approval through a majority vote at a Committee Meeting.
4. PERIOD OF OFFICE
4.1. 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.
4.2. 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.
4.3. 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.
4.4. The word year shall be interpreted as the period between one Annual General Meeting and the next.
5. GENERAL MEETINGS
5.1. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the YCG 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.
5.2. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the YCG must be called by the Secretary/Treasurer of the YCG upon receipt of one of the following :
5.2.1. Instructions from the Committee of the YCG.
5.2.2. A formal request signed by no fewer than twenty Members of the YCG.
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.
5.3. For each General Meeting of the YCG an Agenda shall be prepared by the Secretary/Treasurer of the YCG and distributed to the Members of the YCG at least one week before the date of the General Meeting.
5.4. Copies of the unconfirmed minutes of any YCG Committee Meeting shall be sent to the Secretary of the BCA as soon as is practicable. The YCG Committee shall also prepare an annual report of the YCG’s scientific and financial activities for submission to the Council of the BCA.
6. ELECTIONS
6.1. Vacancies on the Committee shall be filled by election at the YCG AGM for the positions of Officers, Ordinary Members and the Webmaster.
6.2. Vacancies for Group Representatives on the Committee shall be filled at the YCG 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 Chairman of the respective Group.
6.3. Nominations for Committee Members shall be supported by no fewer than two Members of the YCG. Nominations for Officers shall further be accompanied by the written consent of the nominee and shall be sent to the Secretary/Treasurer of the YCG at least seven days before the AGM.
6.4. Committee Members nominated for election must be present in person at the AGM of the YCG.
7. QUORUM FOR MEETINGS
7.1. Ten Members of the YCG present in person shall constitute a quorum at a General Meeting.
7.2. At Committee Meetings, four Members of the Committee present in person shall constitute a quorum.
8. FINANCE
8.1. 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 YCG.
8.2. The Secretary/Treasurer shall have custody of all monies received on behalf of the YCG and such monies shall be paid into a banking account in the name of the “Young Crystallographers Group”.
8.3. No expenses shall be incurred by the YCG in excess of the sum specified under section 8.1. without prior authorisation by the Council of the BCA.
8.4. No Member of the YCG 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 YCG.
8.5. All disbursements shall be made by the Secretary/Treasurer with the general authority of the Committee of the YCG. All cheques issued by the YCG shall bear the signature of an Officer of the YCG.
8.6. The annual accounts of the YCG shall be presented to its members at each AGM and included in the YCG’s report to the BCA Council.
9. SUSPENSION AND DISSOLUTION
9.1. The BCA shall have the power to suspend or dissolve the YCG after consultation with the Committee of the YCG.
9.2. All books, papers and other records of the suspended or dissolved group shall be delivered to the Secretary of the BCA.
9.3. Any unexpended balance of funds shall be delivered to the Treasurer of the BCA.
10. AMENDMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND RULES
10.1. Formal proposals to amend these Rules may be made by the Committee of the YCG or by ten Members of the YCG and shall be discussed at the next General Meeting.
10.2. 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.
10.3. 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.
10.4. Any amendments shall not be part of the Constitution, but shall serve as a historical record of changes.