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SCAR Rules of Procedure

The SCAR Rules of Procedure are currently under review.
The revised Rules of Procedure will be posted here on completion.

Membership of SCAR, Election of Officers, Election Procedures, Meetings, Observers at SCAR Meetings, Finance, Distribution of SCAR Documents, Decision-taking Procedures, Quorum, Reports to SCAR, Presidency, Modification of the Constitution and Rules of Procedure, Secretariat, Transitory Provisions

1. Membership of SCAR

1.1 National Membership

1.1.1 Applications for National Membership must be addressed in writing to the Executive Secretary of SCAR. It is strongly recommended that the Executive Secretary be consulted before the application is prepared.

  1. Applications shall be submitted through the national organization adhering to ICSU or nominated by a national organization adhering to ICSU.
  2. If a country has no national organization adhering to ICSU, advice of the Executive Secretary of SCAR should be sought.
  3. The completed application must be received at least six months in advance of the next SCAR Meeting. The SCAR Secretariat shall promptly convey copies of such applications to national committees.
  4. At least one of the proposed Delegates should have a recognized qualification in an area of science relevant to the interests of SCAR.

1.1.2 Applications for National Membership must include a statement of the national organization's agreement with the principles of protection of the environment recommended by SCAR (see Annex 1).

1.2 Full Membership

1.2.1 Applicants for Full Membership must have an active national programme of scientific research in the Antarctic that:

is not restricted to a single field of scientific activity;

is directed towards scientific objectives, priorities and recommendations identified by SCAR;

includes or foresees scientific exchange and co-operation with other National Members of SCAR; and

includes scientific results of Antarctic research published in journals or other publications of recognized standard.

1.2.2 When applying for Full Membership of SCAR, the national organization concerned must present a short statement in writing of its achievements in and proposed continuing programme of scientific research in the Antarctic.

1.3 Associate Membership

1.3.1 Applications for Associate Membership shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Secretary of SCAR Secretariat and shall be accompanied by a statement of what the applicant hopes to contribute to and/or gain from SCAR.
1.3.2 Associate Members may apply for recognition as Full Members when they have established a continuing programme of scientific research in the Antarctic.

1.4 Union Membership

1.4.1 Any Union of ICSU that so desires may become a Union Member of SCAR. Applications for Union Membership shall be submitted to the SCAR Secretariat accompanied by a statement regarding the interest of the Union in SCAR activities.

1.5 Honorary Membership

1.5.1 Individuals may be nominated by the SCAR Executive to a Meeting of Delegates for election as Honorary Members.

1.5.2 Honorary members shall have the right to attend all meetings and to participate in all discussions.

1.6 Termination of Membership

1.6.1 A Member wishing to resign from SCAR in good standing must give three months notice in writing to the Executive Secretary of SCAR and have paid all contributions.

1.6.2 Any Full Member that has not been active in the Antarctic for four years or has not been active in SCAR for four years or is in arrears in its contributions by two years shall be asked to decide whether it wishes to adhere as an Associate Member or to withdraw from SCAR.

1.6.3 Any Associate Member that is in arrears in its contribution by two years may be deemed to have ceased to be an Associate Member.

2. Election of Officers

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2.1 Election of the President and Vice-Presidents occurs at the Meeting of Delegates according to the following rules:

  1. All Delegates and Alternate Delegates of Full Members are eligible for election to the Office of President subject to the terms of Section 8 of the SCAR Constitution.
  2. Written nominations for officers require the support of a proposer and a seconder who are Delegates or Alternate Delegates and who represent different Full Members present at the Meeting.
  3. Proposers shall obtain the signature of the nominee on the nomination form certifying that the nominee is willing to stand for election and will serve if elected.
  4. Nomination forms with names of proposers and seconders shall be handed to the Executive Secretary of SCAR by 18:00 hours on the second day of the Meeting of Delegates at which elections are to take place.
  5. Without disclosure of the origins of the nominations, the Meeting of Delegates shall be informed in writing on the third day of the meeting of the names of those nominated.

2.2 If a serving Vice-President is a candidate for President and is not elected, then the serving Vice-President will complete the existing term of office.

2.3 If a serving Vice-President is elected President, an election or elections shall be held to fill the vacancy so left for the remainder of the original term.

  1. Nominations for such a replacement shall be collected according to pertinent provisions in Section 2.1 above and shall be subsequently announced as soon as feasible.
  2. Elections shall take place in the following day according to pertinent provisions in Section 3 below.
  3. Individuals elected to fill vacancies shall be eligible for election for the following full term for that office.

2.4 Should an officer resign, become incapacitated, die, or cease to be a Delegate or Alternate Delegate at any time between SCAR Meetings, the remaining officers, after consulting National Committees of Full Members, may co-opt a replacement to serve until the next SCAR Meeting at which time an election will be held to elect a replacement for the remainder of the unexpired term.

3. Election Procedures

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3.1 The provisions of Section 8 of the SCAR Constitution shall determine the ultimate eligibility of any Delegate or Alternate Delegate to run for office. In particular the provision that Officers of SCAR must be from different Full Members shall prevail.

  1. If there are two candidates from a single Full Member, the election of one shall eliminate the second from election to any office during the term of the first elected officer from that Full Member.

3.2 All elections shall be by secret ballot of the Voting Members present.

3.3 Each Full Member and each Union Member shall be entitled to one (1) vote in each election.

  1. In the event that a Delegate or Alternate Delegate represents more than one member with voting rights, that Delegate shall have one vote for each Voting Member represented.

3.4 In those years when the Constitution requires the election of a President, the election to fill that office will be held prior the elections for other offices.

3.5 Separate elections will be held for each of the Vice-Presidents.

  1. After the first election all the unelected candidates shall be eligible for the second election.
  2. Following the election of the two Vice-President, there shall be no differentiation between the individuals elected in the first and second elections.

3.6 If there is a single nomination for a given office, the election of that nominee shall be by acclamation.

3.7 If there are two candidates for a given office, a ballot shall be prepared and distributed. Each Voting Member shall cast one vote for one of the candidates, and election shall be by simple majority of the total votes cast for candidates. In the event of a tie, another ballot shall be prepared and distributed. Another vote shall be held. If the tie prevails, the election shall be decided by the toss of a coin.

3.8 If there are more than two candidates for a given office, a ballot shall be prepared listing all nominees.

  1. A vote shall be held with each Voting Member casting one vote for one of the candidates.
  2. If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for the candidates, that person shall be elected.
  3. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for candidates, the name of the candidate receiving the fewest votes will be dropped. In the event of a tie, the name dropped will be decided by the toss of a coin. Thereafter, a new ballot will be prepared, and the procedure repeated until there are only two remaining candidates, after which the procedures of Section 3.7 above shall apply.

3.9 The newly elected officers will assume office at the close of the Meeting of Delegates at which they were elected.

4. Meetings

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4.1 SCAR Meetings of Delegates and meetings of such SCAR Subsidiary Bodies as the Meeting of Delegates may have determined are normally held every two years.

4.2 The timing of such Meetings must take into account the availability of prospective participants who would be affected by the Antarctic operating seasoned other time tables.

4.3 SCAR Meetings will be scheduled over a two-week period. The first week will be devoted to activities of the Executive Committee, subsidiary bodies and their associated scientific meetings. The Meeting of Delegates and the Standing Finance Committee will meet during the second week.

4.4 Only the Delegates and the Alternate Delegates of Full Members, the Delegates of Associate Members, the Delegates of Union Members, Honorary Members, and invited Observers such as advisors to Delegates, representatives of SCAR Subsidiary Bodies, representatives of other organizations, and individuals invited or granted Observer status by the SCAR Executive Committee may attend Meetings of Delegates.

4.5 Delegates of Associate Members may attend all activities at SCAR Meetings except sessions of the Meeting of Delegates for admittance of new members.

4.6 Recommendations adopted at previous Meetings of Delegates will be reviewed at each SCAR Meeting and regarded as having achieved their objectives and be allowed to lapse unless revised or re-adopted.

4.7 Recommendations arising from Working Groups and adopted by the Meeting of Delegates shall be reviewed at the following SCAR Meeting, but shall stand as recommendations until the next formal meeting of the Working Groups concerned, at which time they should be re-adopted or allowed to lapse.

4.8 Specialized meetings of ad hoc groups of scientists called by the Meeting of Delegates or the Executive Committee should normally be called on at least six months notice to participants.

4.9 The Chief Officers of subsidiary groups of SCAR and the Chairman of the Standing Finance Committee may be invited by the Executive Committee to attend parts of the Meeting of Delegates during which matters of relevance to their groups are being discussed.

4.10 The Report of the Meeting of Delegates is the formal record of the meeting and shall be distributed for comment to relevant bodies representing Full Members, Associate Members, and Union Members within sixty days of the close of the SCAR Meeting with a response from the relevant bodies due in an additional sixty days.

4.11 The Final Report of the Meeting of Delegates shall be forwarded to the relevant bodies representing Full Members, Associate Members, and Union Members no less than six months from the close of the Meeting of Delegates detailed in the Report.

5. Observers at SCAR Meetings

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5.1 Observer status at SCAR Meetings of Delegates and at Meetings of Subsidiary Bodies may be granted by SCAR by invitation or on request of the interested party.

5.2 Observer status may be granted in the following categories:

  1. To representatives of Scientific Unions and Scientific and Special Committees of ICSU, other than a Union Member of SCAR, with expertise in matters on the agenda;
  2. To representatives other international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, with expertise in matters on the agenda;
  3. To advisors to SCAR Delegates.
  4. To representatives of media organizations.
  5. To individuals with relevant expertise.

5.2.1 No more than one representative from each invited organization may take part in any Meeting of Delegates

5.3 Applications for observer status should be directed to the Executive Secretary of SCAR by the interested organization or individual at least two months in advance of a meeting, stating how the observer expects to gain scientifically from being represented in that meeting and/or expects to contribute to the meeting.

5.3.1 Applicants for Observer status will be notified by the Executive Secretary of SCAR only if their application for Observer status is denied.

5.4 Observers may attend all activities at SCAR Meetings except meetings of the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee and sessions of the Meeting of Delegates for admittance of new members, for election of officers, discussion of SCAR strategy and for adoption or modification of the SCAR Constitution, SCAR Rules of Procedure, and Rules of Procedure for SCAR Subsidiary Bodies.
5.5 Observers do not have voting rights.

6. Finance

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6.1 The level of annual contribution to SCAR applicable to each category of national scientific activity in the Antarctic is determined by Meetings of Delegates on recommendation of the Standing Finance Committee, which is required to specify reasons for recommending any change.

6.2 Full Members select the category in which they will contribute annually to SCAR according to their own assessment of the scale of their national scientific activity in the Antarctic.

6.3 Associate Members contribute to SCAR in a separate category at a level lower than Full Members.

6.4 A proposal to increase national contributions must be announced to National Committees at least six months in advance of a SCAR Meeting, for such an increase to become operative at the beginning of the following financial year (1 January).

6.5 A proposal to increase national contributions introduced at a SCAR Meeting will, if approved, become operative at the beginning of the second following financial year.

6.6 SCAR does not pay the expenses of national representatives, Union Members or Honorary Members to attend meetings of SCAR or of its Working Groups, but will normally pay travel and per diem expenses of:

  1. Members of the Executive Committee attending meetings of the Executive Committee.
  2. Chief Officers of Working Groups attending scheduled and budgeted formal meetings of their groups.
  3. Members of Groups of Specialists and Members of ad hoc Groups attending scheduled and budgeted formal meetings of their groups.
  4. Persons appointed by SCAR to attend meetings at which it is necessary for SCAR to be represented.

6.7 Budget estimates are approved at each Meeting of Delegates on the advice of the Standing Finance Committee.

6.8 Subsidiary bodies of SCAR desiring to approach other international organizations for financial support for their activities should do so only with the approval of the Executive Committee.

6.9 The President of SCAR may authorize unforeseen expenditure in consultation with the Executive Committee.

7. Distribution of SCAR Documents

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7.1 Each National Member and each Union Member shall receive the following:

  1. One copy of each numbered SCAR circular;
  2. A complimentary copy of each SCAR publication;
  3. A complimentary copy of each commercially published volume of proceedings of SCAR Symposia except that these will not be provided to Union Members to which the volume is not relevant.

7.2 National Committees of Full Members are entitled to receive upon request additional copies of SCAR Bulletins and SCAR Reports for distribution within their own countries.

7.3 Each Member of the Executive Committee shall receive a copy of each numbered SCAR circular and is entitled to receive a copy of each commercially published volume of proceedings of SCAR Symposia published during the officer's term.

7.4 Honorary Members receive complimentary copies of SCAR publications, except commercially published proceedings of SCAR Symposia.

8. Decision-taking Procedures

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8.1 Except in the case of an election, decisions taken by the Meetings of Delegates shall be by consensus of the voting members present and taking part. Elections shall be by simple majority of the total votes cast for the candidates following the procedures of Section 3 of the SCAR Rules of Procedure.

8.2 Except in the case of an election or where otherwise specified, decisions taken by Meetings of Working Groups, Groups of Specialists, the Standing Committee on Finance, and ad hoc groups shall be by consensus of voting members present and taking part in a meeting.

9. Quorum

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9.1 Meetings of Delegates and meetings of the Executive Committee must have a quorum of at least 50 percent of their voting members.

9.2 Formal meetings of Working Groups of SCAR must have a quorum of at least 75 percent of those voting members ( or their previously designated alternates) whose attendance has been registered in advance with the SCAR Secretariat.

10. Reports to SCAR

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10.1 Each National Committee of a Full Member shall submit a National Report each year to the Executive Committee of SCAR for distribution no later than 30 June, in accordance with guidelines provided by the SCAR Secretariat.

10.2 Working Groups, Groups of Specialists, the Standing Finance Committee, and, when appropriate, ad hoc groups shall submit a report of their activities to the Executive Secretary of SCAR.

11. Presidency

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11.1 The President shall be the Chairman of all Meetings of Delegates and of the Executive Committee, except as provided in sections 6.2 and 7.3 of the SCAR Constitution.

11.2 With the approval of the Executive Committee, responsibility for a particular duty normally discharged by the President may be delegated to a Vice-President or another person.

11.3 The President shall be assisted by an Executive Secretary and such other staff as may be approved by the Executive Committee.

12. Modification of the Constitution and Rules of Procedure

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12.1 Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be presented in writing to a Meeting of Delegates. Proposed amendments will considered for approval at the next Meeting of Delegates at the following Meeting of SCAR.

12.2 A proposal to change the SCAR Rules of Procedure must be announced to National Committees at least 6 months in advance of the Meeting of Delegates at which the change is to be proposed for adoption

13. Secretariat

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13.1 SCAR shall establish a Secretariat, with an Executive Secretary and appropriate staff.

13.2 The SCAR Secretariat is currently located at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.

13.3 The Secretariat is responsible for maintaining the daily operation of SCAR, including

  1. communication with the Executive Committee and National Committees;
  2. communication with other organizations as appropriate;
  3. publication of the quarterly SCAR Bulletin;
  4. publication of other SCAR material as required.

13.4 The responsibilities of the Executive Secretary include:

  1. the administration of SCAR finances;
  2. attending and servicing meetings of the Executive Committee and the biennial SCAR Meeting;
  3. polling National Committees regarding attendance of their members at scheduled Working Group Meetings and at the Meeting of Delegates.
  4. attending and servicing other meetings of SCAR and its subsidiary groups as directed by the Executive Committee d) representing SCAR at meetings of other organizations as directed by the Executive Committee.
  5. Representing SCAR at meetings of other organizations as directed by the Executive Committee.

14. Transitory Provisions

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14.1 The SCAR Rules of Procedure shall become effective immediately upon the entry into force of the revised Constitution.