Guidelines for Appointment of Chairmen and Members of IASPEI Commissions

The following guidelines were approved in principle at the Plenary Meeting of IASPEI, held in London, Canada, on 30 July, 1981:

1. Chairmen of Commissions shall be appointed by the Executive Committee (or its Bureau) after consultation with existing officers and members of the Commission. Note that under the Statutes, officers of Commissions shall not hold the same office for more than two periods (i.e. eight years).

2. It shall be the Chairman's responsibility to ensure that the officers and members of his Commission are, as far as practicable, representative both of the disciplines covered by its activities, and geographically, bearing in mind the need for rotation of membership.

3. Membership of Commissions should be kept as small as is practicable for their efficient working, and should not in general number more than twenty.

4. Chairmen will normally be appointed, or confirmed in office, before or during the early part of those General Assemblies at which Association elections take place, and they should ensure that a review of the membership of their Commissions is carried out during or immediately after these Assemblies. Within six months of these Assemblies, the Chairmen shall forward a list of their Commission
   Members to the Executive Committee for their confirmation. The Bureau shall notify each member of his appointment and also of his retirement.

5. Although the official membership of Commissions will be specified for administrative matters, it is hoped that scientific meetings of Commissions will continue to be open to all interested participants, and that any interested scientist will be able to take part in all Commission activities.

It is intended that these points be guidelines only, and it is realised that some Commissions, particularly those with joint affiliations, may have other well-established procedures, some details of which they may not wish to alter.