Bylaws
Young Microscopists of the German Society for Electron Microscopy (yDGE) Policies and Procedures
§ 1 Name and Incorporation
The working group is the DGE Young Microscopists. The name is usually abbreviated as yDGE. The yDGE is incorporated as a working group of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Elektronenmikroskopie e.V. (DGE). The yDGE operates under the statutes of the DGE.
The yDGE Policies and Procedures describe the operation of the working group.
§ 2 Purpose
The purpose of yDGE is to enhance the exchange between early-career scientists, professionals, and academics in the field of microscopy, improve the outreach of the DGE, and to provide a platform for young scientists to pursue scientific and professional goals.
§ 3 Language
To promote internationality, the language of the working group is English.
§ 4 Composition and Offices
The yDGE is composed of six Executive Council (EC) members: President (equals First Spokesperson in DGE bylaws), President-Elect (equals Second Spokesperson in DGE bylaws), Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Program Chair; and the Appointed Officers, as listed in 4.1.
A person may hold a maximum of two offices at the same time. The EC may have less than six members in case of vacancies or if one member holds two offices.
The yDGE EC shall authorize the publication of yDGE policies and procedures, the minutes of the Annual Student Meeting, the treasurer’s financial report, and/or such other publications as it deems necessary.
§ 4.1 Officers
The officers of the yDGE shall be:
- yDGE Executive Council (EC): President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair.
- yDGE Appointed Officers: Communication Chair, Social Chair, yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium Co-Chairs (for e.g. Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Materials Sciences respectively), Hiring Chair, Regional Liaison Chair, Regional Liaisons.
§ 4.2 Eligibility
To qualify for a position in the yDGE, a person must be a DGE member. All officers of the yDGE must be early-career microscopists (undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral researchers or professionals no more than 2 years after their graduation at the time of nomination). Elected or appointed officers who no longer meet this requirement during the course of their term may continue to hold office until the end of the term.
§ 4.3 Tenure and Assumption of Office
New officers of the yDGE EC shall be elected by early-career microscopists (see 4.2) who are also DGE members within six weeks of the Annual Student Meeting (see 5.2) in a separate Election Meeting (see 5.3). Officers may remain in office, with the exception of the President-Elect, President and Past-President.
All elected yDGE officers shall begin their term at the close of the Election Meeting. All yDGE Appointed Officers shall begin their term after their official appointment.
All outgoing predecessors in an officer position should make it easier for the successors to familiarize themselves with the respective officer position by at least storing all data and information from the past year in a structured manner in the yDGE cloud.
§ 5 Meetings
§ 5.1 yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium
The yDGE aims to organize an at least 2-hour yearly symposium hosting student speakers and expert talks that are interesting for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers in the field of microscopy. The symposium should ideally take place at the yearly microscopy conferences (MC/EMC/Triennial Meeting/IMC conference). If the symposium is held at one of the microscopy conferences, it should be open to all conference participants. The Program Chair is responsible for the program design and implementation of the symposium.
§ 5.2 Annual Student Meeting, Get-to-know Event
The Annual Student Meeting aims to present the yDGE and its purpose to early-career microscopists, who showed interest in joining the yDGE, and to publicly report on the last term. This meeting of the yDGE officers, student members of the DGE and new interested members is held within 3 weeks after or concurrently with the MC/EMC/Triennial Meeting/IMC conference. These conferences are used to advertise this meeting, at the direction of the yDGE president.
The affairs of the early-career microscopists community (e.g. agenda for the next term of office, upcoming yDGE events) are discussed within the yDGE and then transacted at the Annual Student Meeting. The agenda is set by the yDGE EC and the President presides over the meeting. Reports presented at the meeting are determined by either the yDGE Executive Council (EC) or an officer or committee appointed by the yDGE EC.
§ 5.3 Election Meeting
The Election Meeting marks the transition from the former EC members to the start of the term of the new EC members. All early-career microscopists (see 4.2) who are also DGE members that are present at that meeting are allowed to vote. The positions will be voted top-down in the following row: President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair.
The candidates have to announce their candidacy to the yDGE before the meeting. They have to present themselves and their motivation to all voters before the voting process. The quorum and the details of the election are described in § 6.
§ 5.4 Regular General yDGE Meeting
The yDGE officers hold monthly conference calls that are scheduled by the President. They may submit topics for the meeting to an agenda draft. On that basis, the Secretary of the yDGE, or in the Secretary’s absence the President, maintains a written record of the meeting.
§ 6 Elections
§ 6.1 Quorum
A quorum is needed for the election of new yDGE EC members.
A quorum of the yDGE is 50% + 1 of the yDGE officers present, including the President or either the Past-President or the President-Elect acting on behalf of the President.
§ 6.2 Elections for yDGE positions
If a quorum is present, the candidate with the most votes from the present yDGE officers and the other early-career DGE members (as defined in 4.2) at the Election Meeting is elected to the respective yDGE EC position, unless vetoed by a majority of the current yDGE officers. In the case that two or more candidates receive the same number of votes, the current assembly of yDGE officers cast the tie-breaking vote collectively (see 6.2.2).
§ 6.2.1 Veto
If one candidate received more votes than any other candidate, the current yDGE officers, collectively, have the chance to veto the election of said candidate. To issue a veto, a simple majority of present yDGE officers need to vote in favor of the veto. This vote will be held separately, with only the current yDGE officers present.
In the case of an issued veto, the election of the position in question needs to be repeated, excluding the previously vetoed candidate.
§ 6.2.2 Tie-break
If a tie-break occurs, the current yDGE officers decide on the tie-break in a separate vote, with only the current yDGE officers present. In case a tie-break occurs again, the deciding vote is issued by the President or acting President.
§ 6.3 Suspension/Reappointment of Officers
All elected or appointed officers shall diligently perform their duties during their term of office. If they do not, an elected officer may be replaced from office by a two-thirds vote of the remaining members of the yDGE EC (Constructive vote of no confidence). An appointed officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the members of the yDGE EC (vote of no confidence).
§ 7 Revision of yDGE Policies and Procedures
Policy and Procedures changes will be posted for comment within the yDGE for a period of three weeks. After the comment period has closed, the changes will be voted on by all yDGE officers. The decision of the majority of those voting is valid, if there is a quorum of two-third of the yDGE officers present, including the President or either the Past-President or the President-Elect acting on behalf of the President. If a quorum is present, the decision of the simple majority of the yDGE officers present and voting shall be a decision of the yDGE.
§ 8 Decisions
The yDGE Executive Council (EC) may make decisions for the working group. If a decision by an EC vote is needed, the President or any other yDGE EC member can call a meeting for this purpose, as long as all members of the EC are notified.
If a quorum, as defined in 6.1, is present, the decision of the simple majority of the yDGE EC members present and voting shall be a decision of the yDGE EC.
In particular, the decision on Appointed Officers is made by the EC in such a vote.
§ 9 Duties of Officers
§ 9.1 EC members
- Preside over yDGE meetings
- Create an agenda for the upcoming year
- Support upcoming events and tasks
- Serve as liaison to the DGE Executive Council
- Co-Chair the yearly yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium
- Approve all yDGE publications
- Plan budget together with the Executive Council
- Automatically assume Past-President position after the term of office
- Represent the President in their absence
- Support upcoming events and tasks
- Co-Chair the yearly yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium
- Plan budget together with the Executive Council
- Automatically becomes President following the preceding President ’s term of office
- Provide assistance and guidance to the yDGE, especially to the President to guarantee a smooth transition between terms at the president level of the working group
- Lead yDGE meetings in absence of President and President-Elect
- Chair the nomination of the Appointed Positions
- Plan budget together with the Executive Council
- Archive documents and files
- Develop and maintain documents to provide structure, hierarchy, and operation of yDGE
- Prepare the agenda for the regular General yDGE Meetings and keep records of all business meetings
- Plan budget together with the Executive Council
- Develop budget proposals, plan budget together with the Executive Council
- Is responsible for reimbursement procedures
- Oversee all financial transactions of the yDGE; maintain accurate records of all income and disbursements as approved by the yDGE EC
- Report on financial status of the yDGE on General yDGE Meetings
- Support the Program Chair in sponsorship activities and funding for the yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium
- Chair the yearly yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium
- Oversee and organize the yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium and any other designated programs
- Plan the programs from start to completion including proposal preparation, deadlines, milestones, reports, and processes
- May nominate additional yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium Co-Chairs for the yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium with confirmation of the yDGE EC (e.g. Life Sciences Co-Chair, Physical Sciences Co-Chair, Material Science Co-Chair)
- Work with the Treasurer to develop sponsorship activities and funding for the yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium
- Plan budget together with the Executive Council
§ 9.2 Appointed Positions
- Manage the website www.ydge.de and the Social Media Accounts
- Take the main responsibility for drafting external communication, especially for the yDGE mailing list
- Plan and schedule social meetings and events, e.g., student mixers and game nights
- Coordinate virtual and onsite social events
- Coordinate outreach between the yDGE and other young microscopy societies
- Assist in information dissemination and communications for yDGE social programs
- Take the responsibility for parts of the yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium, select speakers and coordinate the program for their part of the event, including all communication with speakers
- Support the Program Chair and ongoing activities regarding the yDGE Young Microscopists Symposium
- Create strategies for recruiting new members
- Lead student membership campaigns
- Reach out to new interested people
- Structure the getting-to-know process
- Coordinate the efforts of the Regional Liaisons to help promote the yDGE and the DGE
- Support ongoing activities
- Promote yDGE to other students in their region
- Develop relationships with regional societies and university organizations
- Support ongoing activities