Groups and Divisions

 

Subject Groups

Constitution and Rules

Updated on 3rd November 2004

  1. Name

    The Group shall be known as the IT, Electronics and Communications Group of The Institute of Physics.

  2. Definitions

    In these Rules

    • The Group means the IT, Electronics and Communications Group of The Institute of Physics.
    • The Institute means The Institute of Physics.
    • The Council means the Council of The Institute of Physics.
    • Corporate Members means Honorary Fellows, Fellows and Members of The Institute of Physics and Fellows of the former Physical Society.
    • Non-corporate members means non-voting attendees (Associate, Student and Affiliate members).
    • Members means Corporate and Non-corporate Members.
    • Students means Student Members of the Institute
    • Affiliates means Affiliate Members of the Institute.

    (By-Laws 52-57)

  3. Scope

    The Group shall concern itself with matters relating to the application of physics within the fields of Information Technology, Communication Systems and Electronics. The remit of the Group is wide but includes; electronic materials for device applications, new device processing methods, device physics, sensors, circuits and systems, information processing, information distribution mechanisms, communication networks, communication technology and other related disciplines.

  4. Objects

    The objects of the Group shall be:

    1. To further the objects of the Institute of Physics consistent with Council policy
    2. To hold meetings of members of the Group, either independently or jointly with other bodies, for the reading and discussion of papers, for the delivery of lectures and for the discussion generally of subjects coming within the scope of the Group.
    3. To stimulate interest in the subjects falling within the scope of the Group.
    4. Generally to advance the science and technology of the subjects within the scope of the Group.
    5. To communicate with members of the Group.
    6. To contribute opinions on policy only to the Institute
    7. To do all such other things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of these objects.

    Groups must not:

    1. Speak on behalf of the Institute without explicit permission of Council within a well defined remit
    2. Be used to further commercial activities

    (By-Laws 97-100)

  5. Membership

    Membership of the Group shall be open to Corporate and Non-corporate Members, (as defined in Clause 2) upon written application to the Institute headquarters, subject to such fees as may from time to time be imposed by the Council.

    The rights, privileges and obligations of every member of the Group shall be personal to him/herself and shall not be transferable.

    Any person who ceases to belong to one of the classes of membership mentioned above shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Group.

  6. Officers

    The Officers of the Group shall be a Chair and an Honorary Secretary (who may also act as Honorary Treasurer) together with such other Officers as may from time to time be elected by the Group. A Vice-Chair may also be appropriate. Only members of the Group shall be eligible to be Officers of the Group and in accordance with the By-Laws of the Institute they must be Corporate Members of the Institute unless Council otherwise determines.

  7. Committee

    The affairs of the Group shall be managed by a Committee comprising the Officers of the Group together with (normally not more than nine ordinary members of the Committee and such additional members as may be co-opted from time to time under Rule 10. Only members of the Group shall be eligible for membership of the Committee. In accordance with the By-Laws of the Institute the majority of the ordinary members of the Committee must be Corporate Members, or Associate Members of the Institute unless Council otherwise determines.

  8. Period of Office for Officers and Committee Members

    Each Honorary Officer shall be elected for a maximum term of three years. No Honorary Officer may be re-elected to the same post until the elapse of two years. No person may act as an Honorary Officer, in any capacity, for more than 6 years in total.

    Ordinary Members shall (normally) be elected for a period of not more than three years and may not be re-elected to the same post until the elapse of two years

    No person may be a member of the Committee in any capacity for more than nine years.

  9. Election of, and Nominations for, Honorary Officers and Committee Members

    Vacancies for Officers and ordinary members of the Committee shall be filled by election at the Annual General Meeting of the Group.

    Nominations, which shall be proposed by not less than two members of the Group and be accompanied by the written consent of the nominee, shall be sent to reach the Honorary Secretary of the Group not later than seven days before the Annual General Meeting. The call for nominees shall be printed in the notice of the Annual General Meeting.

    At lease one third of the committee membership must be re-elected at each AGM.

  10. Co-option to the Committee

    The Committee shall have power to fill casual vacancies and to co-opt members up to a maximum of one-third of the total membership of the Committee as may be required from time to time for special purposes, for a year at a time up to a maximum of three years in total. If the co-opted member is required for longer than a year, permission must be sought at the AGM. These co-opted members might include members of other Group Committees or other professional bodies for the purpose of programme co-ordination.

    Honorary Officers or Ordinary Members of the Committee appointed to fill casual vacancies shall stand down at the next Annual General Meeting. They shall be eligible for election to the post vacated; the period served as a co-opted Honorary Officer or Ordinary Member shall not be taken into account (see Rule 8).

  11. Quorum for Committee Meetings

    At Committee Meetings, four members of the Committee, at least one of whom shall be an Officer, present in person shall constitute a quorum.

  12. Annual General Meeting

    A General Meeting of the Group shall normally be held annually to elect Officers and members of the Committee and to transact other business. The Agenda for any Annual General Meeting shall be sent to all members of the Group at least twenty-one days before the meeting. Any member of the Group wishing to bring forward business of a character suitable for consideration at the meeting shall give notice of his/her intention in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least seven days before the meeting.

    An AGM must include:

    1. Minutes of the Previous AGM
    2. Reports from the Honorary Officers
    3. The election of new Committee Members
    4. A presentation of the Group accounts

    It is recommended that the minutes of the previous AGM be circulated by email with an alert about the upcoming AGM

  13. Extraordinary General Meeting

    An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Group shall be called by the Honorary Secretary of the Group on receipt of instructions from the Committee, or of a written request signed by not less than ten members of the Group, and shall take place within eight weeks of the receipt by him/her of such instructions or request if these so specify. The Agenda for any Extraordinary General Meeting shall be sent to all members of the Group at least twenty- eight days before the meeting and shall not contain the item 'any other business'.

  14. Quorum for General Meetings

    Twelve members or ten percent of the Group, whichever is smaller, present in person shall constitute a quorum at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.

    If the meeting is inquorate, refer to By-Laws.

  15. Group Meetings

    Every member of the Group shall be entitled to attend its meetings and shall be entitled to introduce visitors unless the Committee gives notice that this Rule shall not apply to any particular meeting.

  16. Professional Status and Communications with Outside Bodies

    In accordance with the By-Laws the Group shall not communicate with an outside body on any matter of professional conduct or status or on any matter whatsoever beyond those concerning arrangements for meetings or the supply of technical information for the benefit of the members of the Group without the express prior authority of the Council.

  17. Authority of the Constitution and Rules
    1. Council may alter this Constitution and Rules at any time.
    2. Clauses 2 and 5 to 17 of this Constitution and Rules are immutable except by Council. Amendments to Clauses 1, 3 and 4 are permitted provided that the following procedure is observed.
      Alterations or additions to Clauses 1, 3 or 4 shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose. The proposed alterations or additions shall be set out in full in the notice calling the meeting. Such alterations or additions shall be approved for submission to the Council only if supported by a majority vote of those members present and voting at the meeting. The amendments shall not operate unless and until they have received the approval of the Council.
    3. The Group and its members shall be subject in all things to the Institute's Charter of Incorporation and By-Laws.
    4. Where the rules are silent the decision of the Committee shall stand.

^ To the top ^

 
Artwork | Image by Fred Swist