The International XAFS Society (IXS) represents all those working on the fine structure associated with inner shell excitation (near edge and extended) by various probes (e.g. x-rays and electrons), and related techniques for which the data is interpreted on the same physical basis.
Anyone working in the field, including students, is eligible to be a member of the IXS upon their formal application.
The purpose of the IXS is to oversee activities which benefit the community as a whole, to establish operational committees, to provide for education in the field, to disseminate relevant information, to work with other related regional, national and professional organizations in promoting and developing XAS and related disciplines, and to act as representative for the community to other professional organizations.
I. Organization: The IXS will be governed by an Executive Committee composed of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer to be elected at-large, and nine other voting members, six of whom will be elected by geographical region and three of whom will be elected at-large. The members are to be elected on scientific and geographic bases as determined by the Executive Committee. The immediate past Chair and the heads of any standing committees will serve as ex officio non-voting members.
II. Terms of Office: The Vice Chair will serve for two years and then become Chair for two years. The Secretary/Treasurer and other elected members will serve for four years. If the Vice Chair resigns before the end of his/her term, then both a Chair and Vice Chair will be chosen at the next election. If the Chair resigns before the end of his/her term, the Vice Chair accedes to the Chair, and in the next election only the Vice Chair is elected. The Vice Chair and Chair are normally expected to be from different scientific specialities and geographic regions. If a member resigns, the vacancy will remain until the next election. At that time, if there is time remaining in the position, an election will be held to fill the remaining term.
III. Duties: The duties of the Executive Committee are to establish and charter standing committees, to determine the location and frequency of the International Conferences and to approve its chair, to approve budgets submitted by the Chair, to advise and assist the Chair in fulfilling the goals of the charter, to make recommendations to the Nominating Committee regarding the scientific and geographic distribution of the society in order to achieve the most representative membership of the Executive Committee possible, to ratify decisions of the Executive Committee by a simple majority, (except in the case of proposed changes to the Bylaws, which will require a two-thirds majority), and to assume other responsibilities necessary for the benefit of the IXS.
The duties of the Chair are to prepare and submit budgets to the Executive Committee, to call and chair Executive Committee meetings, to distribute reports of the standing committees, to assure the distribution of ballots and information to the membership of the IXS at large, to act as liaison between the IXS and other organizations, to appoint the Nominating Committee, and to assume other responsibilities necessary to the benefit of the IXS.
The duties of the Vice Chair are to act as the Chair in the absence of the Chair and to serve as the Chair of the Nominating Committee.
The duties of the Secretary/Treasurer are to prepare minutes of the Executive Committee meetings, to coordinate correspondence within the Executive Committee and with the standing committees, to oversee the budgets and expenditures of the IXS, to provide for the establishment of accounts for IXS Executive Committee funds during the Secretary/Treasurer's term of office, and to prepare an annual report on the budget for the Executive Committee.
IV. Elections: Elections will be held every two years using the procedures established below. Election results will be announced at the International Meetings. Memberships will be staggered so that approximately one half of the total membership will be chosen at each election. Newly elected members and officers will assume their offices at the Executive Committee meeting held at the International Conference.
V. Nominations: A Nominating Committee consisting of seven members will be appointed by the Chair in consultation with the Executive Committee to nominate members of the Society for at-large vacancies in the Executive Committee. The Vice Chair of the Executive Committee will be Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Chair of the Executive Committee will appoint to the Nominating Committee two members of the Executive Committee whose positions are not up for election and four other members of the IXS chosen to obtain, to the extent possible, a representative scientific and geographical balance on the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall be guided by the recommendations of the Executive Committee regarding the the scientific and geographic distribution of the society in order to achieve the most representative membership of the Executive Committee possible.
At least two names shall be nominated for each position to be elected on the general ballot.
Members to be elected by geographical region will be chosen according to procedures proposed by organizations representing the XAFS community within the region and approved by the Executive Committee.
If a nomination for Vice Chair is accepted by a current member of the Executive Committee whose position would not normally be up for re-election, then that person will resign their position and it will be filled at that election following the procedures described above.
Nominations for at-large positions or for those regional positions which will be on the general ballot may also be made by an application supported by at least ten members of the society. The nomination should be for a specific position, be accompanied by appropriate biographical information, and be received by the Secretary/Treasurer one month prior to the deadline for the mailing of the election ballot in order to be included on the ballot.
VI. Funding and Budgets: Budgets for the operation of the IXS and the Executive Committee will be prepared by the Chair and ratified by a majority of the Executive Committee. Funding may be accepted by any sources approved by the Executive Committee, but base funding will be provided by a small percentage of the International Conference Registration fees. Funds will be maintained in an account established by the Secretary/Treasurer.
VII. Revision of Bylaws: Revisions to the Bylaws may be proposed by two means. The Bylaws may be changed by a request from either two-thirds of the Executive Committee voting members or from twenty-five members of the IXS, followed by approval of a simple majority of those members voting in the next election of the Society. Proposed changes to the Bylaws offered according to the procedures above should be presented to the Secretary/Treasurer at least one month before the mailing of the second announcement of the International Conference to be included on the ballot.
Recommended to the membership by the Executive Committee - September 23, 1993
Approved by the Membership - August 29, 1994