Bylaws

Date approved by Council: April 10, 2019
Date ratified by Members: June 14, 2019

PREAMBLE
In the following text, "Society" and "APS" shall signify the American Physical Society; "Council" and "Board" shall signify the Council of Representatives and Board of Directors of the Society, respectively; and "CEO" shall signify the Chief Executive Officer of the Society. In addition, "Division" and "Unit" shall signify the APS Division of Soft Matter "DSOFT", and "Regular Meeting" shall signify the principal meeting held once a year by the Division.

ARTICLE I – NAME
This Unit of the American Physical Society shall be called the Division of Soft Matter (DSOFT).

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Unit shall be the advancement and diffusion of knowledge regarding soft matter.

ARTICLE III – ENABLING CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION
Article VIII of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society and associated Policies & Procedures, as said governing documents may be subsequently revised or amended, are hereby incorporated in these Bylaws by reference.

ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
The members of the Division shall consist of members of the Society who have indicated in accordance with procedures established by Board and Council their desire to join the Division and who retain membership from year to year by the payment of designated dues or by other method established by the Board.

ARTICLE V – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  1. Governance. The Division shall be governed by an Executive Committee, which shall have general charge of the affairs of the Unit including changes to the areas of scientific inquiry of the Division.
  2. Composition. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Division, the most recent Past Chair, the Division Councilor, six Members-atLarge elected to staggered three-year terms, and two Student Representatives elected to staggered two-year terms.
  3. Executive Committee Meetings. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each year, as described in the Unit Operating Procedures. A majority of the voting members, including at least two officers, shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS AND DIVISION COUNCILOR

  1. Officers. The Officers of the Unit shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a ViceChair, a Past Chair, and a Secretary-Treasurer.
  2. Duties of the Chair. The Chair has overall responsibility for the operation of the Division and shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and Business Sessions of the Division at which his or her attendance is possible. The Chair shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws or Operating Procedures of the Division.
  3. Duties of the Chair-Elect. The Chair-Elect shall act in place of the Chair if the latter is unable to perform his or her duties. The Chair-Elect shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws and the Division Operating Procedures.
  4. Duties of the Vice-Chair. The Vice-Chair shall act in place of the Chair-Elect if the latter is unable to perform his or her duties. The Vice-Chair shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws and Division Operating Procedures.
  5. Duties of the Past-Chair. The Past-Chair shall chair the Nominating Committee. The Past-Chair shall perform such functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws and Division Operating Procedures.
  6. Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain all records of the Division, oversee regular communication with Division membership, oversee elections, notify the Executive Committee of matters requiring the decision of said Committee and, in collaboration with the Chair, shall prepare the agenda of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions. The Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare minutes of Executive Committee meetings and Business Sessions and shall submit these minutes to each member of the Executive Committee. Following elections, such minutes are to include the results of the election. Election results will also be sent to the Society Corporate Secretary as soon as all candidates have been notified.

    The Secretary-Treasurer, in coordination with the Division Councilor, shall keep the Council of the Society informed of the activities and needs of the Division.

    In accordance with Article VIII.1 of the Society Bylaws, the SecretaryTreasurer shall have responsibility for all funds in the custody of or placed at the disposal of the Division. The Secretary-Treasurer in collaboration with the Chair, shall authorize disbursements from such funds for expenses in a manner that is consistent with the general policies of the Society and the Division. The Secretary-Treasurer shall perform such other functions as may be explicitly provided in the Bylaws and the Unit Operating Procedures.
  7. Duties of the Division Councilor. The Division Councilor shall serve as liaison between the Council of the Society and the Executive Committee of the Division. Following each Council meeting, the Division Councilor shall report to the Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer regarding Council actions that affect the status and operations of the Division. Reports shall be made to the entire Executive Committee during their regularly scheduled meetings.

ARTICLE VII – ELECTION AND TENURE OF THE OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

  1. Qualifications. Officers, the Division Councilor, Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee, and the Student Representatives must be members of the Division and must retain membership throughout the period of election and tenure in office. The Student Representatives must be students at the time of their nomination.
  2. Ballot. The Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, the Division Councilor, Members-at-Large, and Student Representatives of the Executive Committee shall be elected by ballot as hereinafter provided.
  3. Nomination and Election of the Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, Division Councilor, and Executive Committee Members. Each year, the Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two candidates for the office of Vice-Chair, for the Division Councilor during the final year of the term of the current Division Councilor, for the Secretary-Treasurer during the final year of the term of the current Secretary-Treasurer, and for open positions of Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee and Student Representatives. The Nominating Committee shall consult with the Chair regarding all nominees being considered for a consecutive term to determine the appropriateness of their nomination. Further duties of the Nominating Committee are described in the Unit Operating Procedures. The SecretaryTreasurer shall conduct the election; further details are in the Unit Operating Procedures. In the case where the Secretary-Treasurer is a candidate for a consecutive term, the election shall be administered by a process determined by the Executive Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the Executive Committee and Society Corporate Secretary of the election results as soon as possible following the close of the election.
  4. Official Year. The official year defining terms of service is as described in the Unit Operating Procedures.
  5. Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair. The member elected as Vice-Chair shall serve in that office for one year, then for one year as ChairElect, then for one year as Chair, and then for one year as Past Chair. The Past Chair shall not be eligible for the office of Vice-Chair in the year following his or her term of office.
  6. Secretary-Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve for a term of four years, with a fifth year as Past Secretary-Treasurer if not re-elected, and for not more than two consecutive terms. Following a break in service, former Secretary-Treasurers may be considered by the Nominating Committee for election. The Past Secretary-Treasurer is not a member of the Executive Committee.
  7. Division Councilor. The Division Councilor shall serve for a term of four years, beginning January 1 of the year following election. The Division Councilor may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
  8. Members-at-Large. The tenure of a Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall be three years. The tenure of a Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall terminate in the event of his or her assumption of a post as an elected Officer of the Unit, and the unexpired portion of his or her term shall be filled as hereinafter provided for a vacancy.
  9. Student Representatives. Student Representatives shall serve for a term of two years and may not serve two consecutive terms.
  10. Terms of Office. The terms of office of the Officers, Members-at-Large, and Student Representatives of the Executive Committee shall follow the dates set forth in the Unit Operating Procedures.
  11. Vacancies in Offices. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair, the ChairElect shall succeed and complete the term and shall serve as Chair also in the following year. The Vice-Chair shall serve simultaneously as Chair-Elect during the remainder of the term and shall continue to serve as Chair-Elect in the following term.

    If a vacancy occurs in the office of Chair-Elect otherwise than through advancement to Chair, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair-Elect. In this case, and also if the office of Vice-Chair becomes vacant for other reasons, the office of Vice-Chair shall remain vacant for the remainder of the term. In the next scheduled election, candidates for both Chair-Elect and Vice-Chair shall be nominated.

    If vacancies occur in the offices of both the Chair and the Chair-Elect, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair and shall complete the term. In this case a special election shall be held to fill the offices of Chair-Elect and Vice-Chair. The members so elected shall continue to serve as officers in the normal succession order.

    Vacancies in any other elected office shall be filled (or left unfilled) by the Executive Committee until such time as the vacancy can be filled by regular election procedures.

ARTICLE VIII – APPOINTED COMMITTEES

  1. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall function as specified in the Unit Operating Procedures.
  2. Program Committee. The Program Committee shall function as specified in the Unit Operating Procedures.
  3. Fellowship Committee. The Fellowship Committee shall function as specified in the Unit Operating Procedures.
  4. Ad Hoc and Other Committees. The Chair shall appoint other ad hoc committees as necessary.
  5. Terms of Office of Appointed Committee Members. The terms of committee members appointed or recommended by an incoming Chair shall commence at the start of the Chair's term.

ARTICLE IX – MEETINGS

  1. Regular Meeting. One meeting of the Division, to be known as the Regular Meeting, shall be held annually at such time and place as shall be ordered by the Executive Committee, subject to coordination with the Society Director of Meetings. Whenever it shall be feasible and not to the disadvantage of the members of the Division, the Executive Committee may order this or any other meeting to be held conjointly with a meeting of the Society or of another society, conference, or group, so long as such joint meeting does not conflict importantly with the schedule of meetings of the Society as determined by the Society Director of Meetings. The registration fee for the Regular Meeting, when not held jointly with a Meeting of the Society, shall be fixed after consultation with the Society Director of Meetings. Non-members of the Society shall pay a surcharge to be set each year equal to the Society membership dues.
  2. Annual Business Session. Each year the Division shall hold a Business Session during one of the regular meetings of the Society. This Business Session shall be chaired by the Chair of the Division and be devoted to affairs of the Division. The Business Session will be conducted as described in the Unit Operating Procedures.
  3. Other Meetings. Other meetings of the Division may be conducted per the Unit Operating Procedures.
  4. Papers at Meetings. Programs of meetings of the Division may provide for the inclusion of both invited and contributed papers. When a meeting of the Division is held in conjunction with a meeting of the Society, the rules of the Society shall apply to submitted papers. When a meeting of the Division is not held in conjunction with a meeting of the Society, the Executive Committee shall prescribe the main theme of the meeting. The Program Committee Chair shall fix the deadline date for receipt of titles and abstracts in consultation with the Society Director of Meetings and shall designate the rules for their submission.

ARTICLE X – DUES
Dues for maintenance of membership in the Unit shall be established by Board.

ARTICLE XI – REGULAR COMMUNICATION
The Unit shall provide regular e-mail communications with the membership. These email communications will provide updates on the activities of the Division and the Executive Committee. The preparation and distribution of email communications will be overseen by the Secretary-Treasurer. The frequency and timing of these communications shall be determined by the Chair, as specified in the Unit Operating Procedures.

ARTICLE XII – OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Official announcements shall be made in the APS News (at the discretion of the APS News Editor), electronically on the Division website, via email, in special mailings to the membership, or in such other publications as the Executive Committee may direct.

ARTICLE XIII – PROCEDURE OF AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Proposal of an Amendment to these Bylaws may be made by the Council, by the Society Governance Committee, by the Executive Committee, or by a petition to the Chair signed by not fewer than ten percent of the members of the Unit. However an amendment or revision is initiated, the amendment or revision must be reviewed by the Society Governance Committee and approved by Council before further action can be taken. Unless a special election is held to ratify the Amendment following Council approval, the Secretary-Treasurer shall distribute copies of the proposed Amendments or revisions to all members of the Unit and the Unit membership will vote on the Amendment during the next regularly scheduled unit election. Adoption of the Amendment shall require a two-thirds vote by those voting.