Charter of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Fellows' Organization
Purpose
The Active and Retired Los Alamos National
Laboratory Fellows and Senior Fellows are authorized to organize for
the following purposes:
- to facilitate their service as advisors to the
Director of the Laboratory,
- to support and promote the conduct of
science within the Laboratory, and
- to enhance communication among
themselves.
It is expected that the Fellows' Organization will, at its discretion,
initiate and conduct discussions with or without the production of
a formal written position on any subject that is consistent with these
purposes. The Fellows assist the Director with the induction ceremony
for new Fellows each year, and with the ceremony presenting the Fellow’s
Research and Leadership Prizes at a regular or specially scheduled
meeting.
Advisory Role
The Fellows Organization
may from time to time be asked by the Director to address an issue
important to the Laboratory. The Director may extend the Fellows' Organizations'
advisory role to line or program managers at the Directorate or Division
level. The topics to be addressed could include but are not limited
to technical reviews, issues affecting the conduct of science at the
Laboratory, future directions of the Laboratory, and work-force issues
such as morale and scientific ethics. A critical role of the Organization
is to forward unsolicited opinions and suggestions to the Director
on any matter important to the Laboratory when they deem it advisable.
Formal written positions of the Fellows Organization, whether in
draft form or after adoption, are disseminated only with the approval
of the Director.
Supporting and Promoting the Conduct of Science at the Laboratory
The
Fellows Organization is responsible for the technical coordination
of the following:
- the Frontiers in Science Lecture Series,
- the Fellows Prize for
Research,
- the Fellows Prize for Technical Leadership, and
- Special Fellows'
Colloquia.
Other initiatives to support and promote the conduct of science at
the Laboratory may be undertaken with the approval of the Director.
Changes
Changes in this Charter may be made at the
discretion of the Director with prior notification of the Coordinator
of the Fellows' Organization. The Fellow’s' Organization may
propose for the Director’s
approval, changes that have been adopted by the organization according
to its Procedures and Rules. Changes will not apply retroactively.
Procedures and Rules of the LANL Fellows' Organization
Meetings
The Fellows' Organization holds regularly
scheduled meetings on the third Tuesday of each odd numbered month,
from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, with a reception immediately following the
meeting, normally from 5:00 to 6:00. Special meetings may be called
by the Coordinator or the Fellows' Officer acting as the Coordinator,
to be announced at least one week before the meeting, as needed. Meetings
with normally consist of both a business and technical section.
The business section will typically consist of a review of the minutes
of any previous meetings held since the last regular meeting, updates
from all active committees, update on and discussion of old business,
the introduction of new business by the Officers, and a call for new
business from the floor. The business meeting will be conducted using
Robert's Rules of Order as a guideline, except where otherwise specified
in these Rules and Procedures.
Whenever possible, a technical talk will also be presented, and that
portion of the meeting will be conducted in a manner appropriate to
the formality of the presentation(s).
Officers
The Officers of the Fellows' Organization
are Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator, and Secretary, who are elected
by vote of the members. Each year in July, the current coordinator
leaves office, and a vote is held on whether to advance the other officers.
A standing nominating committee comprised of all the previous Coordinators
and chaired by the most recent Coordinator is responsible for identifying
and recruiting candidates for any office that is or is scheduled to
be vacant. Nominations from the floor are also solicited.
Coordinator
The Coordinator is responsible for
setting and disseminating the agenda for all Organization meetings,
facilitating these meetings via Robert's Rules of Order, scheduling
special meetings, serving as first point of contact for all official
Fellows' Organization business, serving as Co-Chair of the committee
making recommendations for the Fellows' Prizes for Leadership and Research,
and carrying out such other tasks as may be necessary to ensure that
the Organization's responsibilities under its Charter are met. The
Coordinator is also responsible for appointing the Chair and members
of Committees that have been authorized by vote; whenever possible,
committee membership will consist of those volunteering to serve and
the Chair is decided by acclamation.
Deputy Coordinator
The Deputy Coordinator is responsible
for serving as deputy Chair of the Frontiers in Science lecture committee,
and for serving as back-up to the Coordinator or Secretary when necessary.
The Deputy Coordinator will also serve as Co-Chair of the committee
making recommendations for the Fellows' Prizes for Leadership and Research.
Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for the
creation of accurate minutes of all meetings of the Organization, although
special meetings may be excluded from the record at the discretion
of the Fellows' Officers. The minutes should be reviewed by the Coordinator
before dissemination to the Fellows. The Secretary is expected to serve
as back-up to the Deputy Coordinator and Coordinator, when those officers
are unavailable.
Committees
Committees may be formed as needed to
carry out the Organizations' activities. Each year, new committees
with be formed to make recommendations for recipients of the Fellows'
Prize for Research and the Fellows' Prize for Leadership. The committee
coordinating the Frontiers in Science Lecture Series is composed of
an informally rotating membership. It is expected that the Chair of
that Committee will change every two or three years.
Voting
Two voting processes will be used by the Fellows'
Organization, one for the approval of formal written positions and
the other for all other issues. In both cases the passage or rejection
of a motion or proposition is determined by a simple majority of the
votes submitted, with the exception of proposed changes to the Charter
or Rules and Procedures, in which case a 2/3 majority is required for
approval. The differences in the two voting processes are the time
allotted, methods available for voting, and the requirement of a quorum.
Membership Vote
The first process, which will be termed a
Membership Vote, will apply to the approval of formal written positions
and for proposed modifications to this Charter or Rules and Procedures
of the Fellows' Organization. A Membership Vote commences with the
notification of all members of the Organization of the proposition(s)
subject to vote and of the date and time before which votes must be
received by one of the Officers. Votes may be transmitted via e-mail,
telephone, paper mail, or in person. The time allotment is expected
to be one or two weeks, but may be altered by agreement of all of the
Officers if circumstances warrant. A quorum of one-half of the Active
Members is required. An Active Member is defined to be any Fellow or
Senior Fellow who has participated in Fellows' activities within the
last year; this terminology has significance only for the purpose of
determining a quorum for a membership vote. Satisfaction of the quorum
requirement is determined at the scheduled close of voting. Voting
may be extended for the purpose of achieving a quorum, but the extension
may not exceed the initial time period for voting. A list of attendees
at meetings may be made to support this quorum requirement.
Majority Vote
The second voting process, which will be termed
a Majority Vote, is typically a show of hands or oral vote at a meeting.
It applies to issues such as the formation of committees, and to all
other items not requiring a Membership Vote. Approval of a proposition
is determined by a simply majority of those present except in the case
of the election of officers. The election of officers is typically
by written ballot, and proxy votes may be submitted. In this case the
majority must be of those present plus those voting by proxy. There
is no quorum for this type of voting.
Committees will use Majority Votes, although the manner in which
votes are solicited and transmitted, for example via e-mail, should
be selected by the Chair of the Committee to best suit the purpose
of the vote.
Operations
Administrative support for Fellows' activities
is provided by the Directors' Office, including the cost of refreshments
for a reception after regular (odd-month) meetings.
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