Terms of Reference

These terms of reference govern the work of the ETHICOMP Standing Committee.

Last update: 25.04.2015

Purpose

• • To promote the ETHICOMP conference series

  • To make relevant strategic decisions about ETHICOMP

  • To connect with the research and practitioner communities in ethics and computing / information / ICT

  • To preserve and develop the ETHICOMP culture as an inclusive and friendly one.

Membership

Membership of the ETHICOMP SC comprises:

• • Former and future local organisers of ETHICOMP conferences

  • Past, present, and where possible, future Programme Chair / Conference Chair

    • where a past chair is an elected member of the SC who would rotate out of the SC, the tenure is automatically extended by one conference to ensure continuity. 

• 9 Elected members of the ETHICOMP community

  • • Members are elected for the duration of three ETHICOMP cycles. At each ETHICOMP one third of the members finish their tenure. 

    • Re-election is possible.

• • Co-opted members by special invitation who represent specific stakeholders (e.g. civil society, industry)

Chair

The Steering Committee elects a chair with simple majority. The tenure of the chair is 2 conferences. The incoming SC elects the new chair after the chair's second conference. The SC chair can be re-elected.

If the Chair's term expires during their tenure, their tenure will be extended by one cycle.

The Chair is responsible for

• • organising meetings / teleconferences

  • producing minutes

  • monitoring actions

  • establishing  / maintaining communication lines

Procedures

• • Physical meetings

    • The ETHICOMP SC meets physically at each ETHICOMP conference

    • The SC is quorate when 50% of the members are present

  • Teleconferences

    • The SC has regular teleconferences, at least 2 per year.

    • Teleconferences are quorate when 50% of the members are present

  • Decisions of the ETHICOMP SC are made with simple majority.

  • Decisions may be made via appropriate (electronic) voting mechanisms.

  • Any member of the ETHICOMP community has the right to petition the ETHICOMP Standing Committee on issues related to the conference. The SC commits itself to include the petition on the agenda fo the next meeting and respond to it.

Proposals

• • ETHICOMP SC chair is the next ETHICOMP conference chair

  • Establish an ETHICOMP Advisory Committee

  • Include roles of conference chair, programme chair, local chair in TOR