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Statement of Operation

PCST Network Statement of Operation

I. Operation

The PCST Network shall operate through:

  1. A Scientific Committee led by an Executive Committee.
  2. Regular international conferences.
  3. An electronic discussion.
  4. Other activities as the scientific committee determines.

II. The Scientific Committee

  1. The Scientific Committee shall be composed of not more than 25 people.
  2. No more than 6 new members of the Scientific Committee may be appointed at any one time.
  3. The term of the Scientific Committee members shall be from the end of one PCST international conference until the end of the next conference.
  4. The Scientific Committee shall meet at least at each international conference. Major items of business shall include:
  • Selecting the host for subsequent meetings
  • Hearing a progress report from the Chair of the Organizing Committe of the next meeting.
  • Determining the composition of the new Scientific Committee.
  • Electing three people to serve on the Executive Committee.

e. New members of the Scientific Committee shall be nominated and selected in the following way:

  • Members of the Scientific Committee shall make nominations before each international conference to the Executive Committee
  • Any individual may request to a member of the Scientific Committee that a specific name (including his or her own) be placed in nomination.
  • The Executive Committee shall recommend to the Scientific Committee those members whose terms should be extended, based on the active involvement of those members and the need to maintain diversity of gender, background, and geographic region.
  • The Executive Committee shall recommend to the Scientific Committee other members from the nominations received.
  • The Scientific Committee shall discuss the recommendations of the Executive Committee and select new members.

f. The chairs of previous International Conferences of the PCST Network shall serve as honorary nonvoting members of the Scientific Committee.

III. The Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following people:
  • The Chair of the previous conference (who will convene the Executive Committee and serve as chair of the PCST Network).
  • The Chair of the current conference
  • The Chair of the next conference
  • Two members elected from the Scientific Committee

b. The Executive Committe shall:

  • Suggest new members to the Scientific Committee.
  • Assist the chair with the process of selecting the hosts of succeeding conferences.
  • Have authority to make operational decisions between the meetings of the Scientific Committee.
  • Designate other activities as provisional affiliates of the PCST Network, until the next meeting of the Scientific Committee.
  • Issue an annual report, to be distributed via the PCST electronic discussion and other avenues as appropriate.
  • Conduct other business of the PCST Network.

c. The Chair of the most-recently concluded International Conference shall serve as Chair of the PCST Network.

IV. International Conferences

  1. The International Conferences shall be opportunities for sharing information about best practices, current research, conceptual issues, and other matters of interest to the PCST Network.
  2. An International Conference shall be held approximately every two years.
  3. About six months before each International Conference, a general invitation shall be issued calling for proposals to host the conference four years ahead. The invitation shall include information about the issues to be addressed in the proposals.
  4. Proposals shall address the following issues:
  • Opportunities for culturally diverse participation (to address this issue, conferences will be encouraged in countries where they have not been held before).
  • Those organizations that will support the conference in the host country.
  • A budget.
  • How delegates from developing countries will be supported to participate in the conference.
  • How the host country will support attendance of members of the PCST Scientific Committee (minimally, through complimentary conference registration and accomodation; if possible, through travel assistance).
  • A suggested theme for the conference.
  • The use of English as the primary language, with other languages and translation arranged as appropriate.

e. These proposals will be put to the Scientific Committee at their meeting at the International Conference, and a representative of each bidding group will be invited to make a short presentation and to answer questions. The Scientific Committee will make its decision by the end of the International Conference.

f. During preparations for each International Conference, the Scientific Committee shall lead discussion on the program and acceptance of paper abstracts.

g. The Chair of the conference shall appoint a local Organizing Committee. The Organizing Committee shall be responsible for all operations of the meeting, including issuing calls for papers, arranging meeting space and accommodation, setting up social activities, etc. The Organizing Committee shall be responsible for coordinating with the PCST Network Chair, who will lead the work of the Scientific Committee in evaluating abstracts and planning the program.

V. PCST electronic discussion

  1. The Scientific Committee will endorse the operation of a moderated electronic discussion to address issues of interest to the network.
  2. The Scientific Committee will delegate operation of the electronic discussion to a volunteer.

VI. Other activities

  1. Any individual or group may request endorsement of their activity as a PCST Network affiliate. The Executive Committee shall have authority to provisionally provide the endorsement until the next meeting of the Scientific Committee.

VII. Modification of these statements of operation

  1. These statements may be amended by the Scientific Committee after consultation with the Executive Committee.

Adopted
CERN
Geneva, Switzerland
3 February 2001

APPENDIX 1:

Issues to be addressed in proposals for PCST International Conferences

  1. Opportunities for culturally diverse participation (to address this issue, conferences will be encouraged in countries where they have not been held before).
  2. Those organizations that will support the conference in the host country.
  3. A budget.
  4. How delegates from developing countries will be supported to participate in the conference.
  5. How the host country will support attendance of members of the PCST Scientific Committee (minimally, through complimentary conference registration and accomodation; if possible, through travel assistance).
  6. A suggested theme for the conference.
  7. The use of English as the primary language, with other languages and translation arranged as appropriate.

APPENDIX 2:

Guidelines for calls for papers (including timetables)

[TO BE WRITTEN; next call for papers will be in late 2001 or early 2002]