Constitution & Bylaws

Constitution  – (Download PDF Version)

Article I. Name

This Society shall be called the International Coordination-group on Laser Atmospheric Studies (ICLAS). The ICLAS is a nonprofit, constituent Working Group of the International Radiation Commission (IRC).

Article II. Objectives

  1. The Society shall work to promote the study of Earth and planetary atmospheres, including atmospheric chemistry and physics, meteorology, pollution, and the interactions with the biosphere, oceans, and solid earth in multidisciplinary climate and environmental studies.
  2. The Society shall promote the study of the atmospheres of the Earth and planets. This study shall include the interrelated physical, chemical and biological processes and their relationship to climate and to other geophysical and geographical issues.
  3. The Society shall promote the development and application of laser sensing techniques and laser instrument architectures used to study the atmospheres and oceans of the Earth and other planets.
  4. The Society shall encourage the clear scientific basis to the understanding of atmospheric physics and its applications, including the transfer of knowledge on planning, engineering, management, and economic aspects.
  5. The Society shall promote the examination of the environmental effects of the evolving use and management of air resources by humans.
  6. The Society shall promote advanced technologies in laser remote sensing and the deployment of laser remote sensors on surface-, airborne-, and space-based platforms for the purposes and objectives outlined in Article II, § 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
  7. The Society shall offer a forum for discussion, comparison, and publication of research results.
  8. The Society shall further promote education at all possible levels, especially at graduate, Ph.D., and postdoctoral levels.
  9. The Society shall encourage, facilitate, and coordinate research into and investigation of atmospheric and environmental problems and networking and space-based activities that require international cooperation.
  10. The Society shall sponsor and encourage workshops and topical meetings for developing standard practices in the utilization of lidars, in their calibration procedures, in their safe use, and in mathematical techniques for determining the informational content of their data.
  11. The Society shall be a USA-Registered nonprofit organization, and none of its net income or net worth shall inure to the benefit of its members. Its membership and activities shall be international in scope.

Article III. Offices and Membership

  1. The ICLAS membership shall be comprised of individuals interested in the advancement of the objectives of the Society.
  2. The elective officers of the ICLAS shall be:
    1. The President, who shall be the Chairman
    2. The Working Group
    3. The Executive Committee.
  3. The term of office of the President shall be six years. Current and Past Presidents are ineligible for reelection.
  4. Working Group members shall have six-year terms. Under extenuating circumstances, a two-year extension may be granted to any member of the Working Group by a simple majority vote of the President and other Working Group members.
  5. The Executive Committee is composed of the President, the past President, and the Treasurer. The Executive Committee member in charge of Treasury shall have no term limitation. Past Presidents shall serve a six-year term on the Executive Committee immediately following their term as President.

Article IV. Nominations and Elections

  1. Each nomination for ICLAS membership shall be submitted to the President or the Executive Committee in writing and include a résumé of the candidate’s qualifications. New members shall be elected by a simple majority of votes during an appropriate Members-Only Business Meeting (MOBM). The voting members include the President and members of the Working Group.
  2. The Executive Committee shall request nominations for the office of the President at least three months before the next International Laser Radar Conference (ILRC). A nominee must be a current or past member of ICLAS. The election of the President shall be conducted at a MOBM of the ICLAS. Each eligible member must be present to vote and is entitled to one vote. The votes shall be cast by secret ballot. The President shall be elected by a simple majority of votes. In the event of a tie in the first round of voting, a second round shall be held including only first and second-place candidates from the first round. In the event of a tie in the second round of voting, the Executive Committee shall decide between the candidates and that person shall be declared elected. (If there exists an even number of Executive Committee members, the President shall vote with the Executive Committee in the third round.)
  3. The Executive Committee shall inform all participants of the previous ILRC of upcoming vacancies in the Working Group at least three months prior to the next ILRC. At that time, nominations may be submitted for consideration of the ICLAS. On the basis of available nominations, a list of candidates will be established seeking to achieve a reasonable balance in their geographical and professional distribution.
  4. The President and the Working Group shall elect the WG member in charge of Awards by a simple majority vote. The candidate must be a current ICLAS WG member. The Past President becomes an ex officio member of the Executive Committee for a six-year term when the President-elect takes office.

Article V. Meetings

  1. Meetings of members shall be held at a time and place designated by the President and the Executive Committee. Notice of each meeting shall be given to the membership no fewer than 60 days prior to the date on which the meeting shall be held. A quorum is constituted when at least 50 percent of the voting members of ICLAS are present.
  2. The International Laser Radar Conferences (ILRCs) gather the laser remote sensing community and are convened at least every two years. The ILRCs are held under the auspices of the ICLAS. ICLAS encourages conveners of national meetings covering similar technologies be held during years not to conflict with ILRCs.
  3. The ICLAS shall support Topical Meetings and specific Working Groups after approval by a simple majority vote of the ICLAS.

Article VI. Amendments to the Constitution

Pursuant to the Constitution and Bylaws, the ICLAS shall have the power to adopt or amend the Constitution. The proposed amendment must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the ICLAS members eligible to vote.

Bylaws

Article VII. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Society may adopt.

Article VIII. Offices and Duties

  1. The President
    1. The President of the ICLAS shall be the executive officer.
    2. Subject to appeal, it is the duty of the President to direct affairs in accordance with the Constitution, Bylaws, and decisions of the ICLAS.
    3. It is the duty of the President to manage the business of the ICLAS; to preside at all meetings, call them to order, and allow motions to be heard; to preserve order and decorum; to conduct correspondence; and, to preserve and distribute the official documents and administrative records of ICLAS.
  2. The Executive Committee
    1. The Executive Committee is charged with managing funds, membership, awards, and honors.
    2. The members of the Executive Committee may participate in all discussions of ICLAS, but except for the current President, are not eligible to vote on matters of the ICLAS. The only exception being that described in Article IV, Section 2, paragraph 3.
  3. The President and a member of the Executive Committee shall manage nominations and membership.
  4. The President and a member of the Executive Committee shall maintain the Constitution and Bylaws.
  5. The President and the members of the Executive Committee shall keep a record of ICLAS activities and proceedings.
  6. The Treasurer shall collect the funds and disburse them in accordance with the decisions of the ICLAS.
    • The funds of the ICLAS shall be deposited in investment accounts of the ICLAS. Subject to appeal, they shall be at the disposal of the President and the Treasurer.
    • The Treasurer shall maintain records of all financial transactions and submit regular reports to the ICLAS.
    • The Treasurer shall be a member of the Executive Committee.
  7. It is the duty of the Working Group to conduct business as needed and represent constituent communities.

Article IX. Panels, Special Technical Groups, and Rapporteurs

The ICLAS may create panels and Special Technical Groups and may appoint rapporteurs. The President, to whom they shall report, shall appoint the Chairman and members of all such groups. Such groups shall exist only during the term between two successive ILRCs.

Article X. The International Laser Radar Conferences (ILRCs)

  1. As a goal, ILRC locations shall alternate between North America, Europe, and other countries and locations where meeting logistics and travel are feasible.
  2. The ICLAS shall convene meetings at least three times during each ILRC. At least two of these meetings shall be a Members-Only Business Meeting where the President and the Working Group hold elections and conduct other business. The third shall be an Open Business Meeting.
  3. The ILRCs are open to all scientists, students, engineers and technicians interested or involved in lidar research and/or development.
  4. Within 90 days following each ILRC, the institutions interested in hosting the next ILRC should submit a full proposal to the EC. During the following month after the deadline, the EC presents the submitted proposals to the ICLAS members, and after careful examination, they propose to the EC (by a majority vote) the site of the next ILRC.
  5. Four-to-six months after each ILRC, the EC under the President’s purview, shall decide the location of the next ILRC pursuant to the proposals received, and will select the organizing committee. The next ILRC’s Conference Chairman and his/her staff are responsible for all ILRC matters. The Conference Chairman of the ILRC shall keep the ICLAS President and Executive Committee informed of all activities associated with the organization of the ILRC.

Article XI. Publications

The President shall publish a Summary of the ICLAS organizational purpose in the ILRC book of abstracts and all follow-up publications.

Article XII. Prizes and awards

  1. Lifetime Achievement Award
    • A member of ICLAS is responsible for the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes exceptional contributions pursuant to the Society’s objectives and is the most prestigious honor awarded by the ICLAS. The Lifetime Achievement Award shall be given at each ILRC to up to two members. Awardees can be selected for outstanding contributions in two areas: 1) for outstanding leadership and service to the international lidar community, supporting, promoting and advocating on behalf of lidar activities around the world; and, 2) for sustained outstanding and innovative scientific or technical achievements in the areas of lidar techniques, technologies, and observations. Those honored shall receive a clock or plaque award engraved appropriately.
  2. Order of Merits
    • ICLAS is responsible for the Order of Merit Award. The Order of Merit Award shall be given at each ILRC to up to three members, recognizing their scientific and technical contribution and service to train early-stage lidar scientists. Those honored shall receive a clock or plaque award engraved appropriately.
  3. Inaba Prize
    • The ICLAS is responsible for the Inaba Prize, which is awarded for the best paper at the ILRC senior-authored by a scientist younger than 40 years of age. The Inaba prize includes one thousand two hundred US dollars and a plaque.
  4. ILRC Awards
    • Some members associated with leadership positions of the hosting organization for an ILRC should receive plaques from the ICLAS that recognize their efforts. Typically, one plaque each is awarded to the Conference Chairman, the Chairman of the local Organizing Committee, and the Chairman of the Paper Selection Committee. Awards will be given to the best student oral and poster presentations for each ILRC. Each awardee will receive 500 US dollars paid by the ILRC host. The awardees will be selected by a Committee formed by members of ICLAS and ILRC Local Organizing Committee.
  5. The ICLAS President shall inform the ICLAS WG in written form about voting results including numbers of votes and final results.  Included in the report will be a list of those who voted. All awards will be decided by a majority vote of eligible members.

Article XIII. Official Language

English shall be the official language of the ICLAS and the ILRCs. The Constitution and Bylaws shall be prepared in English.

Article XIV. Amendments to the Bylaws

Pursuant to the Constitution and Bylaws, the ICLAS shall have the power to adopt or amend the Bylaws. The proposed amendment must be approved by a simple majority vote of the ICLAS members eligible to vote.