CHESS Users -
The UEC supports the following revised UEC bylaws.
1. Name
Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source User Executive Committee (CHESS-UEC)
2. Purpose
CHESS-UEC exists to promote research and education at CHESS, develop a diverse and engaged user community, foster the exchange of ideas among CHESS users, communicate user needs and priorities to CHESS management, and provide the users’ perspective to funding agencies and other outside organizations with an interest in CHESS operations.
3. Membership
Membership in CHESS-UEC is open to scientists, engineers, educators, and other experts, who have an interest in research and education at CHESS. All current and former users of CHESS along with CHESS staff are automatically members. Any other scientist, engineer, educator or expert may become a member either by attending a Users Meeting in person or by expressing a desire to join in writing to the Manager of the CHESS User Office.
A member may leave the CHESS-UEC by submitting a request in writing to the Manager of the CHESS User Office.
4. Users Meeting
CHESS-UEC shall hold an annual Users Meeting at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Committee in consultation with the CHESS Director. An agenda for the meeting shall be prepared and distributed beforehand. A record of each Users Meeting shall be maintained by the Manager of the CHESS User Office.
5. Executive Committee
The business of the CHESS-UEC will be conducted by an executive committee of six regular (voting) members plus additional non-voting members.
5.1 Regular (voting) members - Six regular members of the Executive Committee will each serve three-year terms on a rotating basis. All members of CHESS-UEC who are not members of the CHESS staff are eligible to be regular members. All regular members have full voting privileges on the Executive Committee.
5.2 Non-voting members Manager of the CHESS User Office shall be a non-voting ex officio member of the Executive Committee. Additional non-voting members may be appointed by the CHESS Director, subject to approval by the voting members. However, in no case shall the number of non-voting members exceed the number of voting members.
5.3 Duties of Executive Committee members - Members are expected to participate in all meetings of the Executive Committee and assist in the organization of the annual Users Meeting. Members advise the CHESS Director on paper and poster prizes awarded by CHESS and act as points of contact for CHESS users to communicate with the Executive Committee.
5.4 Officers - Only regular members of the Executive Committee are eligible to be officers. The term of each officer shall be one year, extending from one Users Meeting to the next.
The Chair calls and prepares the agenda for all Executive Committee meetings; presides over those meetings; and acts as the primary point of contact between the Executive Committee and CHESS management, funding agencies, and other organizations.
The Vice-Chair serves as Chair of the Election Committee (see below), presides over meetings in the absence of the Chair, and assists with other duties as requested by the Chair. The Executive Committee shall elect the Vice Chair at its meeting held during the Users Meeting. The Vice-Chair serves one term and then becomes Chair for the next term.
The Secretary is appointed by the Chair and is responsible for compiling and distributing minutes of each meeting of the Executive Committee. The Manager of the CHESS User Office shall maintain a complete record of minutes.
5.5 Vacancies -If a regular member of the Executive Committee resigns or is otherwise unable to serve, the Executive Committee shall elect a replacement to serve until the next Users Meeting.
If the office of Chair becomes vacant, the Vice Chair shall become Chair for the remainder of that term, and then serve the next term in the regular order of succession.
If the office of Vice Chair becomes vacant, the Executive Committee shall elect a replacement from among its members.
If for any reason the Executive Committee is unable to fill the office of Chair or the UEC becomes inactive, the CHESS Director shall have the authority to appoint an interim chair to serve until the next Users Meeting.
5.6 Dismissal - The CHESS Director shall have the authority to dismiss any regular member of the Executive Committee for reasons of professional misconduct or malfeasance. Such dismissal may be overturned by majority vote of the remaining regular members of the Executive Committee.
5.7 Elections - Prior to each Users Meeting, an electronic election shall be held to replace the two members of the Executive Committee whose terms are expiring as well as to fill any additional vacancies that may arise.
The Elections Committee shall consist of the Vice Chair, another member of the Executive Committee appointed by the Chair, and the Manager of the CHESS User Office. The Elections Committee shall solicit nominations from the CHESS-UEC membership no later than one month prior to the beginning of the election. In preparing the slate of candidates, the Elections Committee shall attempt to ensure balance among various user interests, techniques, and scientific areas.
The Manager of the CHESS User Office will confirm that the nominees are willing to stand for election and compile the slate of candidates together with a brief biographical sketch of each. These shall be announced to the CHESS-UEC membership no later than one week prior to the opening of the election.
The open election period shall be set by the Chair. It shall begin at least two weeks prior to the Users Meeting and end during the meeting. All members of the CHESS-UEC are eligible to cast a ballot for a single candidate, regardless of the number of seats to be filled.
Promptly after the balloting is concluded, the Elections Committee shall tally the vote. The two candidates with the most votes shall be elected to regular terms on the Executive Committee. The candidates with the next-highest tallies, in order, shall be elected to fill any additional vacancies. Any ties shall be decided by coin toss.
5.8 Meetings and voting -The Executive Committee shall hold an annual face-to-face meeting to coincide with the Users Meeting; members of the Executive Committee unable to attend in person may participate remotely. Additional remote (web) meetings may be called as necessary by the Chair or upon petition of at least three of the regular members. The Chair is responsible for notifying all members of upcoming meetings at least one week in advance.
The presence of four regular members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Committee. Approval of motions in the Executive Committee requires a simple majority of the regular (voting) members present for the meeting.
Members of the Executive Committee are expected to disclose any personal or professional circumstances that might be perceived by a reasonable observer to constitute a conflict of interest or source of bias with respect to any issue before the committee. Members shall recuse themselves from any vote where a clear conflict of interest exists.
6. Revisions and amendments
Revisions and amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Committee. When changes are proposed the Chair shall set a time and format for voting, which may be either electronic or in person at the Users Meeting. In either case, the proposed changes shall be announced in writing to the members of CHESS-UEC at least two weeks before voting opens. If voting is held electronically, the voting period shall last at least two weeks. Approval of any revisions or amendments to the Bylaws requires a two-thirds majority of the members voting.
Final version for approval: October 10, 2023