Council of Representatives Policies and Procedures
(As approved by the APS Council of Representatives, April 18, 2024.)
Preamble
Note that all provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society are hereby incorporated into these Policies and Procedures by reference. Note also that in the following text, "Society" shall signify the American Physical Society, "Council" and “Board” signifies the Council of Representatives and the Board of Directors of the Society, respectively; "CEO" signifies the Chief Executive Officer of the Society; “EIC” Editor in Chief of the Society; and “Member” signifies Member of the Society. “Units” signify the Divisions, Topical Groups, Forum, and Sections of the Society.
C1. Membership of Council
C1.1 The Council will consist of General Councilors, International Councilors, the Presidential Line, the Treasurer and Councilors representing the Divisions, Forums and Sections as specified in Article V of the Constitution and Bylaws. In addition, the Chair of the Nominating Committee is a voting member of Council. The Chair of the Panel on Public Affairs, the CEO and the EIC are non-voting members of Council. The number of Councilors representing Divisions, Forums and Sections is specified in Section C4 below.
C2. Governance
C2.1 Election and Tenure of Speaker
At the annual Election Meeting, a Speaker-Elect will be chosen from among the Councilors completing their 2nd year. The Speaker-Elect serves one year, then serves as Speaker in the following year, and serves an additional year as Past Speaker (non-voting). If the Speaker-Elect is not a member of the Board, the Speaker-Elect attends the Board meetings as an observer during their term as Speaker-Elect.
C2.2 Council Steering Committee (CSC)
The Council Steering Committee (CSC) guides and coordinates the work of the Council of Representatives and has the authority to conduct the affairs of the Council between Council meetings, but it may not contradict prior Council or Board policies or decisions. The agenda for Council meetings is set by the CSC.
The membership of the CSC includes the Speaker, the Speaker-Elect, the Past Speaker (non-voting), the President-Elect, the CEO (non-voting), and four (4) members elected from among the Councilors to staggered two (2) year terms. Nominees for membership on the CSC include all Councilors in their second year of service, who are not officers of the Society. The Speaker chairs the committee.
The CSC is a Council Committee.
C2.3 Nominating Committee (NC)
The Nominating Committee (NC) is responsible for identifying candidates for the annual APS General Election and Council Election. The committee identifies at least two candidates for each of the member-elected positions of Vice President, Treasurer, Chair-Elect of the Nominating Committee, General Councilor, and International Councilor. The NC proposes membership for other committees of the APS as required by the APS governance documents. Each year, the NC receives input from the Council and Governance Committee (GOV) regarding the competencies required on the APS Board, as well as suggestions of potential Directors, with a focus on inclusion and representation of the diverse APS community. The committee is not bound by these suggestions.
The membership of the NC includes a Chair, Chair-Elect, most recent Past Chair, the immediate APS Past President, and an additional nine (9) members elected by the Council to staggered three (3) year terms. The CCC will identify candidates for Nominating Committee (NC) membership for election by the Council. The Chair-Elect is elected annually by the members in accordance with Article IX of the APS Constitution & Bylaws. The Chair-Elect serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair.
The NC is a Council Committee.
C2.4 Council Election Procedures
The Elections Meeting is held at a date determined by Council between the 15th of October and the 15th of December. Prior to the Elections Meeting of the Council, the Corporate Secretary distributes a list of the names of all Councilors eligible and willing to stand for election as Speaker-Elect and members of the Council Steering Committee. Nominations by a Councilor, including self-nominations, for Board of Directors seats will be accepted at the Spring Council meeting and confirmed through the regular Board of Directors nomination process.
At the Election Meeting of the Council, the Corporate Secretary will distribute a slate of three (3) candidates, determined through a vetting process overseen by the Nominating Committee with guidance from the Governance Committee, of one (1) currently serving Councilor and two (2) Members-at-Large willing to stand for election as a member of the Board of Directors.
The Corporate Secretary also distributes the reports of the Nominating Committee and the Committee on Council Committees concerning nominations required by the Constitution and Bylaws for each position filled by Council election. These lists include a short vita of each candidate. Nominations by a Councilor from the floor, including self-nominations, for any elective position of Council or Council committees are permitted if 1) seconded by a Councilor, if 2) the Councilor making the nomination has previously ascertained the willingness of the candidate to run and 3) if the nominator has provided Council members with a vita of the candidate no later than the beginning of the Elections Meeting. The names of nominees, together with the source of each nomination, are distributed or posted in advance of each vote to every member of Council attending the Elections Meeting.
The Speaker-Elect and Directors are elected first, then the members of the Steering Committee, then the other committee positions.
C2.5 Remuneration
Members of the Society who are elected to office either in the Society or in any of the Units or who are appointed to committees either of the Society or of the Units serve as volunteers and receive no compensation or other remuneration other than reasonable reimbursement for travel expenses for attending governance meetings and other official functions. APS staff members elected to office or serving on committees continue to receive compensation for their positions as APS staff.
C3. Council Meetings
C3.1 The Speaker presides over the Council meetings and the agenda is set by the Steering Committee. At each Council meeting there are reports by the President, CEO and Editor in Chief. Reports from the Standing Committees of the Council should be submitted on a regular basis.
C4. Divisions, Topical Groups, Forums and Sections
C4.1 Members of the Society may form Units with common scientific or geographic interests. As defined in the Preamble, four classes of Units are currently recognized by the Society. A Division or Topical Group may be formed to advance and diffuse the knowledge of a specific subject or subfield of physics. A Division requires a wider membership than a Topical Group. A Forum may be formed to advance and diffuse knowledge regarding the interrelation of physics with matters not exclusively in physics. A Section may be formed to organize members in any geographical region.
C4.2 Topical Groups
If at least two hundred (200) members wish to advance and diffuse the knowledge of a specific subject or subfield of physics, they may petition the Council to establish a Topical Group. The Council distributes to the Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer of each existing Division and Topical Group a statement of the areas of interest of the proposed Topical Group for review and comment. Following Council approval, the new Topical Group is officially initiated and considered active when at least 200 members have enrolled. This must occur within 18 months. To remain active, a Topical Group must increase its enrollment to at least 300 within three years of approval. If at any time after the initial three-year period membership drops below an enrollment of 300, the Topical Group becomes inactive and may no longer allocate invited sessions at meetings or fellowship slots. If a Topical Group remains inactive for three years, it is automatically terminated.
C4.3 Divisions
Each Division has one Councilor. If the membership of a Division falls below 2.1% for four consecutive years, it reverts to the status of a Topical Group. If the membership of a Topical Group exceeds 3% of the total membership of the Society for two consecutive calendar years, they may petition the Council to establish a Division. Following Council approval, the new Division is officially initiated.
C4.4 Forums
If at least two hundred members (200) wish to advance and diffuse knowledge regarding the interrelation of physics with matters not exclusively in physics, they may petition the Council to establish a Forum. The Council distributes to the Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer of each existing Forum a statement of the areas of interest of the proposed Forum for review and comment. If the membership of a Forum exceeds 6% percent of the total membership of the Society for two consecutive years, it qualifies to have a Councilor. If the membership of a Forum falls below 4.2% for four consecutive years, it loses its Councilor. If the membership of a Forum falls below two hundred (200) for four consecutive years, it is automatically dissolved.
C4.5 Sections
If at least two hundred (200) members residing or working in any geographical region wish to organize, they may petition the Council to establish a Section. If the membership of a Section falls below two hundred (200) for four consecutive years, it is automatically dissolved. There are two Councilors representing the Sections. Council establishes a rotation list of existing Sections. When a Section's turn in the rotation occurs, it elects a Councilor representing the Sections. After the entire original rotation is completed once, Council places any newly formed Sections in the rotation list where it deems appropriate. If a Section is dissolved, it is removed from the rotation list.
C4.6 Membership in a Unit
Any member of the Society may join one or more Units by registering as a member of the Unit and paying any applicable dues. The Director of Membership provides an annual list of members to each Unit’s Secretary-Treasurer as well as to the Board and Council and makes available up-to-date lists upon request.
C4.7 Officers of a Unit
The required officers of each Unit are a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a Vice-Chair and a Secretary-Treasurer, who are elected in accordance with the Bylaws of the Unit. The member elected as Vice-Chair serves in that office for one year, then for one year as Chair-Elect, and then for one year as Chair. There is an Executive Committee of each Unit consisting of the officers and any other Members-at-Large as may be elected by the Unit. If the Unit has a Councilor, the Councilor is also a member of the Unit’s Executive Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer of each Unit keeps the Council and the CEO informed of the activities and needs of the Unit.
C4.8 Nomination and Election of Unit Officers, Executive Committee Members-at-Large and Unit Councilor
Nominations for the Vice-Chair, Executive Committee Members-at-Large and the Secretary-Treasurer are made by the Unit Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee includes one member of the Unit appointed by the CEO. During the final year of the term of a Division or Forum Councilor, the Unit Nominating Committee nominates at least two candidates for the open position. Similarly, during the final year of the term of a Section Councilor, the Nominating Committee of the next Section in the rotation nominates at least two candidates for the open position. Nominations may also be made by a petition signed by at least five percent of the members of the Unit, provided that such a petition is presented to the Unit Chair at least eighty (80) days before the date for an election. The Secretary-Treasurer polls the Unit by mail or electronic ballot. Election is by a plurality of those voting. If there is a tie, the Executive Committee decides the election, with the Chair voting only in the case of a tie among the other Executive Committee members. The Secretary-Treasurer communicates the results of the election to the Executive Office before 1 January of the year in which the newly elected persons assume office.
C4.9 Removal for Cause
The Council may, by vote of at least two-thirds of the Councilors voting at a meeting at which a quorum is present, remove any individual elected to any position within an APS Unit for cause, as determined by reference to the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act provisions relating to the removal of Directors.
C4.10 Establishment, Revision or Amendments of the Bylaws of any Unit
Proposal for revision or amendment to a Unit’s Bylaws may be made by the Unit’s Executive Committee, by the Council, by the Governance Committee, or by a petition to the Chair by the members of the Unit. However initiated, it must be reviewed by the Governance Committee and approved by Council before any vote by the members of the Unit can be taken, if required by the Unit’s Bylaws.
C4.11 Meetings
The times and places of the Meetings of a Unit require approval of the APS Director of Meetings.
C4.12 Finances
Funds collected by the Society for Unit membership dues, funds appropriated by the Council in lieu of dues, and funds collected by the Units are kept by the Society in internal accounts in the name of the Unit. The Society deducts from the accounts the itemized expenses incurred by the Society for services requested by these Units and for services rendered them as approved by Council. The Secretary-Treasurer or a designate of a Unit may authorize the disbursement of funds by the Chief Financial Officer of the Society for expenses consistent with the general policies of that Unit. Financial records are kept on an annual basis consistent with the fiscal policies of the Society. Statements of receipts and disbursements for a Unit are submitted at least quarterly by the Chief Financial Officer to the appropriate Secretary-Treasurers. Units may generate income from and incur expenses for activities, such as meetings, that are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and the Policies and Procedures of the Society. Petty cash accounts may be maintained by the Secretary-Treasurers of the Units with the authorization of the Chief Financial Officer. Ultimate legal and fiscal responsibilities of Units reside in the Board.
C4.13 Dissolution
Any Unit may be dissolved at the discretion of the Council.
C5. Membership
C5.1 Application for Membership
Application for Membership in the Society is made to the Society either online or by written application. For new Members, membership commences on the 1st of the month following receipt and processing of the application and dues, in accordance with the procedures set by the Society. Each Member of the Society who has paid dues in full may subscribe to the publications of the Society at member subscription rates, which are set by the Board.
C5.2 Dues
Membership dues for all classes of members and for all Units are fixed by the Board.
C5.3 Unpaid Dues
A Member whose dues have not been paid by their expiration date will be sent a notice by the Director of Membership. If no response is received within 60 days, the member's name will be removed from the membership rolls. A member who has been dropped for nonpayment of dues may be reinstated upon application to the Director of Membership and payment of the current year's dues.
C6. Fellowship
C6.1 Qualification for Fellowship
Fellows are elected based on their contributions to physics. Such contributions may consist of advances in knowledge through original research and publication or of significant and innovative contributions in the applications of physics to science and technology. They may also consist of significant contributions to the teaching of physics or service and participation in the activities of the Society. Candidates for Fellowship must be a member in good standing at the time of nomination submission. The number of recommended nominees in each year may not exceed one-half percent of the then current membership of the Society, excluding Student members.
C6.2 Nomination for Fellowship
For the election of a Member to Fellowship, a nomination form signed by two members of the Society and citing the principal contributions of the candidate to physics is sent to the Director of Honors Program. Recommended nominees are approved by Council.
C6.3 Review of Qualifications for Candidates for Fellowship
The nominations are referred to either the Fellowship Committee of the Society or to the Fellowship Committee of the appropriate Division, Topical Group, or Forum for review.
C6.4 Division, Topical Group, and Forum Fellowship Committees
Each Division, Topical Group, and Forum establishes a Fellowship Committee which reviews the qualifications of candidates for Fellowship and reports its recommendations to the Unit Executive Committees and to the Director of Honors Program of the Society.
C6.5 Appeal of a Rejection
If a nomination for advancement to Fellowship is rejected by a Unit, the sponsors of the candidate may appeal the decision directly to the Fellowship Committee of the Society by written request to the Director of Honors Program.
C6.6 Statute of Limitation for Nomination
A nominee for Fellowship who has not been approved after review by two consecutive Fellowship Committees is removed from the list of nominees. The sponsors of the Member are notified that the Member will not be elected to Fellowship based on the existing nomination, but that the Member may be renominated for Fellowship at a later time.
C7. Prizes and Awards
C7.1 Definitions
Prizes are awarded by the Society to recognize and reward outstanding research accomplishments and should carry a substantial minimum honorarium. Awards may recognize a broader range of achievement (not excluding notable physics research) and may be restricted to a specific category or class of physicists. An Award should normally carry a more modest honorarium than a Prize.
C7.2 Approvals
The Council approves the criteria for all Prizes and Awards awarded by the Society. Individual recipients of Prizes and Awards are reviewed by the Committee on Prizes and Awards and approved by the Council.
C7.3 Prize and Award Selection Committees
The Selection Committees to choose the recipients of Society Prizes, except where otherwise specified, are appointed by the President after consulting the Units most closely associated with the field of the prize. The Selection Committees to choose the recipients of Awards are appointed by the President upon recommendation from an appropriate Unit of the Society.
C8. Society-wide Elections
C8.1 Elected Positions
As stated in Article IX Section 1 of the Constitution and Bylaws, Society Members vote to elect General Councilors, International Councilors, the Chair-Elect of the Nominating Committee, the Vice President, and the Treasurer. The Members also vote for any other committee positions as determined by the Board (for Committees of the Board) or by the Council (for Committees of the Council).
C8.2 Qualifications
All candidates for these offices must have been Members in good standing of the Society for at least the four years prior to nomination.
C8.3 Request for Nominations
The Corporate Secretary requests nominations for the open positions no later than the first of February each year. In addition, the Nominating Committee (NC) requests annually each Unit to suggest nominations for the various officers and committees of the Society. The Nominating Committee may also request self-nominations from interested members by announcements in a Society publication or by other means. The Chair of the Nominating Committee informs the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and Board Executive Committee (BEC) of relevant suggestions for committee membership received from these requests.
C8.4 Nominating Procedures
Each year the Nominating Committee (NC) prepares a slate of nominations for the open positions by no later than the 31st of May. The Nominating Committee submits to the Corporate Secretary the names of at least two candidates for each of the posts to be filled. Nominations may also be made by petition according to Article IX Section 2 of the Constitution. The election ballot will contain the names from the Nominating Committee and those of candidates nominated by petition.
C8.5 Information
The Nominating Committee (NC) provides each candidate for elective office with a description of the duties of the office and an indication of the time required to fulfill the duties of office and requires a statement of willingness to serve. To aid in the nominating procedure, the Nominating Committee may request pertinent information from the candidates including a statement of goals.
C8.6 Election Ballot
The election ballot contains the names of at least two candidates for each vacancy to be filled, clearly separated according to category: Vice President, Chair-Elect of the Nominating Committee (NC), General Councilor, International Councilor, and other positions as required by the Constitution and Bylaws. Copies of the election ballot are provided to all members of the Society by mail or electronically at least five weeks prior to the Elections Meeting of Council. No ballot will be counted unless unambiguously filled out by a qualified voter, cast electronically, or sent in a sealed envelope bearing the voter’s name, and received at a specified location not later than the specified deadline date. The positions in each category will be filled in order of rank, starting with the candidate receiving the highest number of votes in each category. In the event of a tie, the Council decides the election, with the President voting only in the case of a tie among the other Council members. The counting of the ballots is entrusted to Tellers appointed by the President. They will report the election results at the next meeting of Council. As soon as possible thereafter, the names of winning candidates will be announced in a publication of the Society.
C8.7 Representation
Effort should be made to achieve a wide representation in nominations with respect to the distribution of the membership of the Society among the various fields of physics, among geographical areas, among academic, governmental, and industrial organizations, and by career stage, minority status, and gender identity.
C9. Society Meetings and Endorsed Conferences
C9.1 Guidelines
The Committee on Scientific Meetings proposes and the Council adopts guidelines and rules for the operation of all Meetings of the Society. The participation of Divisions, Topical Groups, Forums, and Sections in Meetings will be governed by these rules.
C9.2 Unit Program Committees
The Chair of each Unit appoints a Program Committee for the Unit. The Program Committee works with the Director of Meetings in scheduling contributed papers within the areas of interest of the Unit and in arranging symposia and sessions of invited papers sponsored by the Unit for Meetings of the Society. Meetings of an individual Unit may be organized either in collaboration with the Director of Meetings or separately by the Unit concerned.
C9.3 Endorsed Conferences
The Society or a Unit may endorse a conference devoted to the advancement and diffusion of knowledge in a sub-field of physics. Such a conference is known as an Endorsed Conference. Endorsed Conferences conform to the goals of the Society. They are distinct from Meetings of the Society and its Units. Endorsed Conferences may set limitations on attendance and on the presentation of papers. Details of the organization of an Endorsed Conference are submitted to the Director of Meetings that will ensure the proposed Conference does not conflict in substance and time with planned Meetings of the Society or other Units. Endorsement or co-endorsement by the Society includes suitable announcement of the Endorsed Conference in a Society publication. Publication by the Society of abstracts of technical papers from an Endorsed Conference may be requested by the organizers of the Endorsed Conference; if approved, the additional cost of such publication will be borne by the Endorsed Conference.
C9.4 Commemorative and Memorial Sessions
A proposal to hold a commemorative or a memorial session at a Meeting of the Society or of a Unit must be approved by the Council.
C9.5 Meeting Registration Fees
Unit Secretary-Treasurers, or others responsible for arrangements of Unit Meetings, in cooperation with the Director of Meetings, fix the registration fees for such Meetings. In general, non-members of the Society pay a surcharge to be set each year roughly equal to the APS membership dues paid by regular members.
C9.6 Procedure for Submitting Contributed Papers
Any Member who wishes to present a contributed paper at a Meeting of the Society must provide a title and an abstract for publication. The abstract conforms to regulations approved by the Council. Notice of each Meeting at which sessions of contributed papers are to be scheduled specifies a place to which abstracts must be sent and a deadline date. The Meeting organizers are under no obligation to schedule any contributed paper that arrives after the close of business on the deadline date at the designated Society office.
C9.7 Presentation
The first author of a contributed paper submitted for a Meeting of the Society is expected to present the paper in either an oral or a poster session. An individual may normally present only one technical contributed paper during the regular program of a Meeting. One additional contributed paper on a non-technical topic may also be presented during the regular program at a non-technical session where said session has been explicitly approved as an exempt session by the appropriate program committee and/or program committee chair upon the advice of the Executive Office of the APS. If an individual wishes to present any additional contributed papers, the individual must specify which paper(s) are to be presented in the regular program, and the rest will be assigned to the supplementary program. The program committee is empowered to schedule these supplementary papers as either oral or poster papers after making a reasonable effort to satisfy an expressed preference of the author(s). If poster presentation space is limited, the program committee may require some or all additional poster papers with the same first author to be presented in a space normally intended to accommodate one such paper.
C9.8 Contributed Papers by Non-Members
A Member of the Society may submit contributed papers to a Meeting of the Society for which a non-member of the Society is listed as first author.
C10. Other Standing Committees of the Council
C10.1 Committee on Council Committees
The Committee on Council Committees (CCC) provides guidance on the membership and the functioning of committees reporting to the Council of Representatives. The CCC monitors the expertise needed on each Council committee, being mindful that committees should include broad and appropriate representation of the community. It makes recommendations to the President-Elect for candidate appointments to Council committees, assisting the President-Elect in determining the willingness of candidates to serve. The CCC will identify candidates for Nominating Committee (NC) membership for election by the Council.
The membership of the CCC includes nine (9) members elected by Council to staggered three (3) year terms, and the Chair of the Nominating Committee (NC). The NC will identify candidates for CCC membership for election by the Council. The committee also includes one (1) member representing each of the Forum on Graduate Student Affairs (FGSA), the Forum on Early Career Scientists (FECS), the Forum on Diversity and Inclusion (FDI), the Forum on International Physics (FIP), and the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP). The Forum representatives are recommended by the respective Chair of each Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The CCC is a Council Committee.
C10.2 Committee on Careers and Professional Development
The Committee on Careers and Professional Development (CCPD) provides guidance for APS activities related to careers and professional development for physicists. CCPD members also have the option to both participate in activities and lead activities related to this topic. The CCPD actively works to help APS support the career development of early career physicists, including developing work-life balance skills, and to build connections that help physicists transition between careers in academia, government, industry, and other sectors.
The membership of CCPD includes nine (9) persons nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms. The committee also has one (1) member representing each of the Forum on Graduate Student Affairs (FGSA), the Forum on Early Career Scientists (FECS), and the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP) executive committees. The Forum representatives are recommended by the respective Chair of each Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The CCPD is a Council Committee.
C10.3 Committee on Education
The Committee on Education (COE) provides guidance for and actively participates in APS activities related to physics education that are designated to it by the Council. Committee members provide advice to APS staff and the APS Council. Committee members also have the option to both participate in activities and lead activities related to this topic. The committee is responsible for convening the Education Policy Subcommittee (EPSC) as a permanent subcommittee, including representatives from outside COE. This subcommittee offers advice to APS on government policy issues related to physics education.
The membership of the COE includes the Chair, Past-Chair and Chair-Elect from the Forum on Education (FEd) and nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms. The committee has one (1) or two (2) members representing the Topical Group on Physics Education Research executive committee (GPER). The GPER representatives are recommended by the Chair of GPER, in consultation with the executive committee, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The COE is a Council Committee.
C10.4 Committee on Honors
The Committee on Honors (COH) sets standards and guidelines to be followed by the individual selection committees in selecting candidates for honors and awards. These include issues such as handling conflicts of interest, diversity, inclusion, breadth of search, etc. The COH reviews the recruitment and selection procedures of each selection committee to ensure that the guidelines have been followed. It also selects the candidates for APS-wide Fellows, reviews alternate Fellows allocations, reviews proposals for new prizes and awards, works with the selection committees to adjudicate questions about process, and considers appeals of rejection of candidates for honors.
The membership of the COH includes the Vice President, and six (6) Councilors, nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms. These terms may include one year of service beyond their term as Councilor. The COH includes three (3) members representing a Forum. The Forum representatives are recommended by the respective Chair of each Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms. Each year, the Chief Experience and Engagement Officer will advise which Forum should appoint a member based on strategic representation needs. The Vice President chairs the committee.
The COH is a Council Committee.
C10.5 Committee on International Freedom of Scientists
The Committee on International Freedom of Scientists (CIFS) is responsible for monitoring concerns regarding human rights for scientists throughout the world. It apprises the President, the Board and Council of problems encountered by scientists in the pursuit of their scientific interests or in effecting satisfactory communication with other scientists and may recommend to the President and Council appropriate courses of action designed to alleviate such problems.
The membership of CIFS includes nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The CIFS is a Council Committee.
C10.6 Committee on International Scientific Affairs
The Committee on International Scientific Affairs (CISA) supports the APS with regard to issues related to international science. The committee monitors the international science landscape and trends in international scientific research and the balance between new APS initiatives and ongoing activities in this arena. Activities of CISA serve to encourage APS efforts to strengthen interaction among scientists and engineers and institutions in different regions of the world and to further extend broad and worldwide access of physicists to scientific information and its exchange. CISA advises and assists APS staff and leadership and the Council, consulting with other relevant APS committees as appropriate.
The membership of CISA includes the Chair, Past-Chair and Chair Elect of the Forum on International Physics (FIP) and nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The CISA is a Council Committee.
C10.7 Committee on Public Engagement
The Committee on Public Engagement (CPE) advises the staff who perform the Society's public outreach and engagement efforts. The committee also advises on mechanisms to encourage or facilitate public outreach, informal physics programs, and science communication (including training), for both the general public and the APS community. CPE members also suggest and advise future activities, approaches, and outreach opportunities, as well as possible external funding sources.
The membership of CPE includes the Chair, Past-Chair and Chair-Elect from the Forum on Outreach & Engaging the Public (FOEP) and nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The CPE is a Council Committee.
C10.8 Committee on Minorities in Physics
The Committee on Minorities in Physics (COM) provides guidance for and actively participates in APS activities related to the goals of production, retention, and career development of physicists who come from communities that are from historically marginalized and/or underrepresented backgrounds in Physics, and other APS efforts related to these goals. The COM also provides advice to APS staff and the APS Council and the members both participate in activities and lead activities related to these topics.
The membership of COM includes nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms. The committee also includes one (1) or two (2) members representing the Forum on Diversity and Inclusion (FDI) executive committee. The Forum representatives are recommended by the Chair of the Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The COM is a Council Committee.
C10.9 Committee on Scientific Meetings
The Committee on Scientific Meetings (COSM) proposes guidelines and rules for the organization and operation of all scientific meetings of the Society. These may govern such topics as: how APS Units jointly participate in Society meetings, the enforcement of guidelines for conduct, the selection of meeting locations, and accessibility of APS meeting content to the physics community. The APS Board and Council, the APS staff and the leadership of APS Units may also consult COSM for advice on issues related to specific meetings, or other meeting-related topics as needed.
The membership of the COSM includes the CEO (non-voting), the CFOO (non-voting), the APS Director of Meetings (non-voting), one (1) representative from each of the Forum on Early Career Scientists (FECS), the Forum on International Physics (FIP), and the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP). The Forum representatives are recommended by the respective Chair of each Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms. Six (6) additional voting members are nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three-year terms and up to three (3) external association experts selected by the Chair and CFOO, confirmed by the Council Steering Committee (CSC), and appointed by the President-Elect. The external experts are not required to be members of the APS and they serve at the pleasure of the committee Chair.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The COSM is a Council Committee.
C10.10 Committee on Status of Women in Physics
The Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP) provides guidance for and actively participates in APS activities related to the goals of the production, retention, and career development of physicists who identify as women, and other APS efforts related to these goals. The CSWP also provides advice to APS staff and the APS Council and committee members both participate in activities and lead activities related to these topics.
The membership of CSWP includes nine (9) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms. The committee also includes one (1) or two (2) members representing the Forum on Diversity and Inclusion (FDI) executive committee. The Forum representatives are recommended by the respective Chair of the Forum, in consultation with the executive committee of the Forum, and they are appointed by the President-Elect as voting members to staggered three (3) year terms.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The CSWP is a Council Committee.
C10.11 Historic Sites Committee
The Historic Sites Committee (HSC) selects sites to be included in the American Physical Society Register of Historic Sites and submits them to Council for approval. These are sites where individuals or institutions have made outstanding contributions to the physics enterprise. The committee approves the wording on the plaques that are presented for display at selected sites and the APS staff work with representatives from the sites to arrange for suitable presentation ceremonies.
The membership of the HSC includes six (6) members nominated by the Committee on Council Committees (CCC) and appointed by the President-Elect to staggered three (3) year terms. The committee has one (1) member representing the Forum on the History and Philosophy of Physics executive committee (FHPP). The FHPP representative is recommended by the Chair of FHPP, in consultation with the executive committee, and appointed by the President-Elect as a voting member to a three (3) year term.
The President-Elect appoints the Vice Chair, after consulting with the current committee members. The Vice Chair serves a one (1) year term, followed subsequently by a one (1) year term as Chair, and then a one (1) year term as Past Chair. The Vice Chair’s committee membership term is automatically extended to cover their service in the Chair line.
The HSC is a Council Committee.
C10.12 Panel on Public Affairs
The Panel on Public Affairs (POPA) is responsible for making recommendations to the President, the Board, and the Council on public affairs activities of the Society that have been designated to it by the Board and/or Council. POPA may initiate new public affairs activities for the Society and may recommend new programs to the Council. POPA draws from the expertise of its membership to draft reports and statements on behalf of APS. These draft reports and statements are subject to Council approval prior to release.
The membership of POPA includes a Chair, Chair-Elect, Vice Chair, the Past Chair, the Vice President, the immediate APS Past President, the Congressional Fellow(s) in the second year following the term of service, thirteen (13) members elected by Council to staggered three (3) year terms, and one (1) member from each of the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP), the Forum on Early Career Scientists (FECS), the Forum on Graduate Student Affairs (FGSA), and the Forum on Physics and Society (FPS) to serve staggered three (3) year terms. The Vice Chair is elected by Council and serves a four (4) year term in the Chair line.
The POPA Steering Committee consists of the Chair, the Chair-Elect, the Vice Chair, the Past Chair, the Vice President, the Past President, and at least two (2) additional members selected from among and by the members of POPA.
POPA is a Council Committee.
C10.13 APS Society Medal and Prize Committee
The membership of the APS Society Medal and Prize Committee consists of the President-Elect, all councilors representing the Divisions of the Society and one additional Councilor appointed by the President-Elect from the Councilors not representing the Divisions. The Chair is the President-Elect. The Division Councilors serve on the committee during their term of office on the Council. The additional appointed Councilor serves a one-year term. The committee is responsible for selecting the winner of the APS Medal for Excellence in Research, the Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize, and the George E Valley Prize (given every other year).
C10.14 Ad Hoc Committee Members
The President may appoint ad hoc, non-voting members to any Council Committee upon the request of the Chair of that Committee.
C10.15 Removal for Cause
The Council may, by vote of at least two-thirds of the Councilors voting at a meeting at which a quorum is present, remove any individual who has been appointed or elected to serve on any APS committee for cause, as determined by reference to the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act provisions relating to the removal of Directors.