IAGA By-Laws 2015
These IAGA Statutes and By-Laws were adopted in 2015, at the IUGG General Assembly, Praha, Czech Republic.
Composition | Administration | Finances | Statutes | Glossary
I. Composition
By-Law 1. Component Bodies of IAGA
The Component Bodies of IAGA shall be called Divisions and Interdivisional Bodies as follows:
Division I: Internal Magnetic Fields
Division II: Aeronomic Phenomena
Division III: Magnetospheric Phenomena
Division IV: Solar Wind and Interplanetary Magnetic Field
Division V: Observatories, Instruments, Surveys and Analyses
Division VI: Electromagnetic Induction in the Earth and Planetary Bodies
Interdivisional Commission: History
Interdivisional Commission: Developing Countries
Interdivisional Commission: Education and Outreach
By-Law 2. Role and Structure of a Component Body
2.1 Each Division or Interdivisional Body shall propose to the Executive Committee its own role, structure, and mode of operation, which must be approved by the Executive Committee.
2.2 The role and the effectiveness of each Division and Interdivisional Body shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee at each General Assembly.
By-Law 3. Appointment of Leaders of Component Bodies
3.1 The names of candidates to fill the positions of leaders of each Division and Interdivisional Bodies shall be proposed by the President, representing the wishes of the Executive Committee, at the Conference of Delegates during a General Assembly. Alternates may be proposed by a Chief Delegate (or his/her representative appointed in accordance with ByLaw 9) of a fully accredited Member Country, and, if seconded by another Chief Delegate (or his/her representative), then voting occurs of all Chief Delegates (or their representatives) at the Conference of Delegates.
3.2 In order that their appointments shall become effective, Division and Interdivisional Body leaders must express in writing or electronically to the President their willingness to serve. For leaders proposed by the President, this must be prior to the Conference of Delegates; for alternates approved at the Conference of Delegates, this must be no later than two weeks after the Conference of Delegates.
3.3 If no structure exists within subdivisions for appointment of leaders of such subdivisions, then the leaders of the relevant Divisions and Interdivisional Bodies may appoint, for each Period, Reporters, Working Group leaders, and the leaders of other possible subdivisions.
3.4 While it is recognized that the prime criteria for the appointment of leaders should be the scientific and administrative competence of the candidates, the Executive Committee and Division and Interdivisional Body leaders shall ensure that, wherever possible, these appointments achieve a diversified geographical and gender representation.
By-Law 4. Honorary Membership of IAGA
4.1 A person who has given outstanding service to IAGA may be elected by a Conference of Delegates as an "Honorary Member of IAGA". Proposals for Honorary Members must reach the Secretary General no later than 31st December of the year before an Assembly. The Executive Committee shall select persons for this category and shall present their names to a Conference of Delegates for approval.
4.2 The names of Honorary Members of IAGA shall be listed in publications where the structure of IAGA is shown.
II. Administration
By-Law 5. Extraordinary Assemblies
5.1 The President may at any time, with the approval of the Executive Committee, call an Extraordinary Assembly.
5.2 The President must call an Extraordinary Assembly at the request of not less than one-third of the number of IAGA Member Countries.
5.3 Such an Extraordinary Assembly must be held no later than nine months after the request.
5.4 An Extraordinary Assembly shall have the same powers and be subject to the same rules as a General Assembly.
By-Law 6. Notice of an Assembly
Notice of the date and place of a General Assembly or a Scientific Assembly shall be announced on the IAGA web site and through electronic distribution to the IAGA emailing list maintained by the Secretary General.
By-Law 7. The Agenda for a Conference of Delegates
7.1 A provisional agenda for a Conference of Delegates shall be prepared by the Secretary General and sent electronically to IAGA National Bodies at least four weeks prior to the opening of an Assembly.
7.2 The provisional agenda shall include all items submitted by IAGA National Bodies for discussion at the Conference of Delegates, together with questions placed on the provisional agenda by the Executive Committee. Additional agenda items, for which notice has not thus been given, may only be discussed with the consent of the Conference of Delegates by simple majority of all Delegates present.
By-Law 8. Attendance at a Conference of Delegates
8.1 A Conferences of Delegates shall be open to the public. Any non-delegate shall be heard in a discussion provided that person has the consent of the President to speak on the matter.
8.2 The President may, on his or her own initiative or at the request of a National Body, invite representatives of scientific bodies or individuals to attend a Conference of Delegates in an advisory capacity.
By-Law 9. Representation on behalf of a Chief Delegate
A Chief Delegate of a Member Country may designate another Delegate from that country to be his or her representative at all or part of a Conference of Delegates. If the Chief Delegate is unable to do this, the accredited Delegates from that Member Country may designate one of their members to represent the Chief Delegate. In either case, the Secretary General shall be informed of the designation electronically prior to the Conference of Delegates at which the representative of the Chief Delegate is to act
By-Law 10. Nominations and Election of the Executive Committee
10.1 At least six months prior to the opening of a General Assembly, the President, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of a Chair and four members. Members of the Executive Committee may not be appointed to the Nominating Committee.
10.2 The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one candidate for each position on the Executive Committee and notify the Secretary General so that these nominations are circulated to all IAGA National Bodies at least six weeks prior to the election. Those nominated must have advised the Nominating Committee in writing or electronically beforehand of their willingness to serve.
10.3 The IAGA National Body of any Member Country may make other nominations in writing to the Chair of the Nominating Committee at least four weeks prior to the election. To qualify for candidacy, each individual nomination must be supported by at least three Member Countries and must be accompanied by the written or electronic agreement of the nominee to stand. The combined list of candidates must be made publicly viewable and distributed electronically at least one day prior to the election.
10.4 The composition of the Executive Committee should reflect diversified geographical and scientific disciplinary representation, and favour short rather than long intervals of service in order to increase opportunities for new members to serve. At least two members of the Executive Committee should come from developing countries.
10.5 Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by secret ballot. The President shall select two scrutineers for the election from among the Delegates present. The scrutineers shall not be members of the Executive Committee nor of the Nominating Committee nor candidates for the election.
10.6 Only scientists from Member Countries of IUGG (as defined in IUGG Statute 4) are eligible to hold elected positions in IAGA.
By-Law 11. Meetings of the Executive Committee
11.1 Executive Committee meetings shall be convened by the President, or by the Vice-President when the President is not available. At a meeting of the Executive Committee, whether a physical or virtual meeting, no member can be represented by another person. Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be valid only if at least half plus one of its members are present. All decisions of the Executive Committee shall be taken by simple majority of the total number of voting members present. In the case of a tie, the decision shall rest with the President.
11.2 When the importance and urgency of a decision warrant it, a vote by electronic correspondence may be organized by the Secretary General at the request of the President. Voting rules stipulated in these Statutes and By-Laws shall apply.
11.3 The President may, on his or her own initiative or at the request of another member of the Executive Committee or of an IAGA National Body, invite representatives of scientific bodies or individuals to attend an Executive Committee meeting in an advisory capacity.
11.4 Proposals concerning the agenda for meetings of the Executive Committee may be submitted by members of that Committee, by Division or Interdivisional Body leaders, or by IAGA National Bodies; they must be notified to the Secretary General at least two weeks prior to the meeting. The final agenda, after its approval by the President, shall be distributed to the members of the Executive Committee at least one week prior to the meeting.
By-Law 12. Duties of the Executive Committee
In addition to the duties specified in Statutes 7 and 8 and By-Laws 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, and 11, and subject to directives of a Conference of Delegates, the Executive Committee shall have the power to:
(a) act as the organizing committee for all IAGA Assemblies, Symposia, and Meetings, or delegate such responsibility to other persons by making the necessary appointments;
(b) entrust to special commissions or to particular individuals the preparation of reports on subjects within the province of the Association;
(c) invite or appoint persons or institutions belonging to countries that are not members of the Association to be local correspondents to the Association
By-Law 13. Duties of the President
The duties of the President of IAGA are:
(a) to promote geomagnetism and aeronomy within scientific communities and also to the public;
(b) to represent IAGA in the IUGG Executive Committee;
(b) to represent IAGA in its dealings with IAGA National Bodies, other IUGG Associations, other ICSU Bodies, and other international scientific bodies;
(c) to represent or to appoint a person to represent IAGA at meetings, conferences, or functions where formal representation is requested or desirable;
(d) to convene Conferences of Delegates and meetings of the Executive Committee and to preside over these meetings;
(e) to submit a report on the scientific work of the Association to a Conference of Delegates at each Assembly.
By-Law 14. Representation on behalf of the President
If the President is not available, the Vice-President shall preside at a Conferences of Delegates or an Executive Committee meeting, and the Vice-President or the Secretary General shall represent the President at an IUGG Executive Committee Meeting in accordance with IUGG By-Laws. The President may designate the Vice-President to act on his or her behalf in any other function, meeting, or conference in which formal representation of IAGA is requested or desirable.
By-Law 15. Duties of the Secretary General
The duties of the Secretary General are:
(a) to serve as secretary of IAGA, to organize Assemblies according to the instructions of the Executive Committee, to arrange meetings of the Executive Committee, and to prepare and distribute promptly the agenda and minutes of Conferences of Delegates and meetings of the Executive Committee;
(b) to manage the administrative and scientific affairs of the Association, to attend to correspondence, and to maintain and preserve the records of the Association;
(c) to inform members of the Executive Committee during the interval between its meetings about any important matter concerning the Association;
(d) to advise the President during the meetings of the IUGG Executive Committee;
(e) to receive and take charge of such funds as may be allocated by IUGG to the Association, or as may be received from any other source; to disburse such funds in accordance with the decisions of Conferences of Delegates or with the instructions of the Executive Committee; to keep account of all receipts and disbursements and to submit such account, audited by a qualified accountant (before each General Assembly), for examination by the Finance Committee appointed according to Statute 11;
(f) to prepare and arrange publication of the Programme of each Assembly, and a report on the outcomes;
(g) to publish an internal Association bulletin (such as IAGA News) containing information of general interest to the Association;
(h) to prepare for each Assembly the list of Chief Delegates;
(i) to ensure that the website of the Association is maintained;
(j) to perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or by the Executive Committee.
III. Finances
By-Law 16. Allocation of Funds
In the estimation of expenditures by the Secretary General and approval thereof by the Executive Committee, as mentioned in Statute 10, provision may be made to allocate the expected funds to:
- operation of the Secretariat of the Association;
- administrative arrangements in preparation for Assemblies and Executive Committee meetings;
- publication and distribution electronically of IAGA News, series of Geomagnetic Indices for which IAGA has primary responsibility, or special publications;
- assistance for the President to attend IUGG Committee meetings and for IAGA officers to attend functions as the representative of IAGA when such officers have expressed in writing or electronically that they are unable to obtain the necessary support from other sources;
- assistance for officers of IAGA, meeting organisers, and scientists to attend official administrative meetings or IAGA-sponsored scientific meetings when participation by such persons is judged by the Executive Committee to be essential for the success of the meeting and those persons have expressed in writing or electronically that they are unable to obtain the necessary support from other sources;
- minor administrative expenses requested by leaders of Divisions, Joint Bodies, and Interdivisional Bodies who have expressed in writing or electronically that they are unable to obtain the necessary support from other sources,
- any item not mentioned above for which support will contribute to achieving the objectives of the Association.
