Statutes

ARTICLE 1 - Mission

The Women in Network Science (WiNS) Society connects and promotes network scientists who identify as underrepresented genders in the field.

The Society is dedicated to recognizing and promoting the work, perspectives, and expertise of network scientists who identify as underrepresented genders in the field. The Society intends to increase the visibility of these individuals in academia, government, and private industry, and improve gender representation in network science broadly. By leveraging its members’ professional and social networks and creating safe spaces for conversation, the Society aims to create mentorship opportunities, facilitate collaborations between junior and senior researchers, and establish a network of resources for the well-being and professional development of its members, including, but not limited to, informal mental health support and funding opportunities. Our specific goals are threefold:
1. increase the presence and visibility of network scientists of underrepresented genders as participants, speakers, and organizers of scholarly gatherings within network science, social networks, and complex systems,
2. promote collaborative learning and networking with role models from underrepresented genders towards advancing careers of junior researchers in network science, and
3. encourage research and discussion on gender representation in STEM and society.

ARTICLE 2 - Structure

The WiNS society is composed of:
1. the Leadership with two levels (see ARTICLE 3),
  1. three Main Officers, and
  2. the Executive Committee,
2. the Advisory Board (see ARTICLE 5), and
3. the Society’s Members, which are network scientists of underrepresented genders and their allies.

ARTICLE 3 - Leadership

The Leadership of the Society consists of the four Main Officers and the Executive Committee.

The four Main Officers of the Leadership are

the President,
the Vice President of Finance,
the Vice President of Communications,
and the General Secretary.

The Executive Committee comprises up to twelve Secretaries who are elected by the Membership (see ARTICLE 7). The Leadership can appoint additional Secretaries to the Executive Committee.

Secretaries of the Executive Committee can have named positions (e.g., “Social Secretary”, “Outreach Secretary”, “Academic Program Director”, “Web Content Manager”, “Membership Officer”, “Industry Ambassador”, “Graduate Student Representative”, “Postgraduate Representative”, etc.). A Secretary of the Executive Committee may propose a name for their position. The Leadership can accept or reject the proposed name.

Meetings of the Leadership are called by the President or the General Secretary once per quarter year or on a more frequent schedule. These meetings serve as a platform for the Leadership to decide which activities are going to be promoted on behalf of the Society and how to allocate resources to such activities.

ARTICLE 4 - Responsibilities of the Leadership

All members of the Leadership have a duty to attend Leadership meetings and to respond to Leadership communications in a timely manner.

The Main Officers have the following responsibilities:
1. The President
  1. represents the Society and its Leadership,
  2. coordinates the work of the Leadership, and
  3. leads the Leadership meetings.
2. The Vice President of Finance
  1. supports the President in their duties,
  2. manages the Society's funds, and
  3. explores possible funding sources for the Society and its activities.
3. The Vice President of Communications
  1. supports the president in their duties,
  2. manages the Society’s communication to its Members, and
  3. manages the Society’s communication with the public.
4. The General Secretary
  1. supports the president in their duties,
  2. assembles and documents the Leadership meetings,
  3. initiates Leadership elections.

The Secretaries of the Executive Committee have a duty to attend Leadership meetings and to respond to Leadership communications in a timely manner. The Leadership may agree on additional duties for each Secretary.

ARTICLE 5 - Advisory Board

The Advisory Board of the Society consists of the Board Members. One Board Member serves as the Head of the Advisory Board.
The Head of the Advisory Board can appoint a person to be a Board Member if
1. that person is a former president of Society, or
2. that person was nominated by the Society’s current President or a current Board Member. The Head of the Advisory Board can choose to reject a nomination.
Advisory Board Members can resign from the Advisory Board at any time by giving notice to the Head of the Advisory Board.
The Leadership can expel a Board Member from the Advisory Board at the recommendation of the Head of the Advisory Board. The Leadership can choose to reject such a recommendation.
When the Head of the Advisory Board resigns, they can appoint a successor from the current Board Members. If the Head of the Advisory Board resigns without appointing a successor, the current President of the Society appoints a new Head of the Advisory Board.

ARTICLE 6 - Responsibilities of the Advisory Board

All Board Members have a duty to respond to Advisory Board communications in a timely manner.
The Head of the Advisory Board
1. maintains a list of current and former Board Members,
2. appoints new Board Members (see ARTICLE 5 §2),
3. facilitates communication between the Leadership and the Advisory Board with the aim to support the Leadership in realizing the Society’s mission (see ARTICLE 1).

ARTICLE 7 - Membership

Any person who supports the Society’s mission (see ARTICLE 1) can apply to join the Society.
All Members must agree to abide by the Society’s Code of Conduct, which is publicly available on the Society’s website.
Any Leadership member may refuse Society membership without giving any reasons. In this case the prospective Member has the right to appeal to the Leadership, whose decision will be final.
Any Leadership member may suspend the Society membership of a Member. In this case the Member has the right to appeal to the Leadership who will decide whether the Member shall be reinstated or expelled from the Society.

ARTICLE 8 - Appointments and Elections

The Leadership may create Working Committees to help in conducting work in the context of Society’s mission. Any Member of the Society may be appointed to any number of Working Committees.
For every election cycle, the General Secretary will form an Election Committee to organize the elections.
The Leadership is partially renewed in elections once per year:
1. Candidates for the Leadership must be Members.
2. The maximum term of office for the Leadership members is 6 years.
3. The Leadership must always have four Main Officers.
4. All Leadership positions are chosen by voting. Voting is open to all Members of the Society.

ARTICLE 9 - General Provisions

Cases not covered by the Statutes and By-laws are decided by the Leadership.

By-laws

ARTICLE 1 - Mission

No by-laws.

ARTICLE 2 - Structure

No by-laws.

ARTICLE 3 - Leadership

No by-laws.
No by-laws.
1. To call a Leadership meeting, the President shall inform all members of the Leadership of the date and time of the meeting and the meeting’s agenda at least 3 days prior to the meeting. Leadership members may add items to the meeting’s agenda.
2. The quorum of the Leadership shall be 51% of its members. If less than 51% of Leadership members attend a scheduled meeting at its published time, the meeting will only be quorate for agenda items that have been on the meeting’s agenda for at least 3 days.
3. Decisions of the Leadership will be by simple majority of votes cast, except for modification of the Statutes requiring a two-third majority of those voting.
No by-laws.
1. Each meeting is announced by the General Secretary at least one week prior to the meeting date. All members of the Leadership can suggest items for the meeting’s agenda prior to the meeting.
2. Members of the Leadership can request additional meetings and propose an agenda for the requested meetings. The President or General Secretary can accept or reject such a request.

ARTICLE 4 - Responsibilities of the Leadership

The Leadership is expected to meet at least twice per year.
If a Vice President is unable to fulfill their responsibilities, their appointed deputy inherits their responsibilities and their vote until the Vice-President can fulfill their responsibilities again or until the next elections. If the Vice-President did not appoint a deputy and is unable to fulfill their responsibilities, the President may appoint a deputy for Vice-President. A deputy appointed by the President may inherit responsibilities of a Vice-President, but may not inherit their vote.
If a member of the Executive Committee is unable to fulfill their responsibilities, their appointed deputy inherits their responsibilities and their vote until the member of the Executive Committee can fulfill their responsibilities again or until the next elections. If the member of the Executive Committee did not appoint a deputy and is unable to fulfill their responsibilities, the President may appoint a deputy for the member of the Executive Committee. A deputy appointed by the President may inherit responsibilities of a member of the Executive Committee, but may not inherit their vote.

ARTICLE 5 - The Advisory Board

No by-laws.

ARTICLE 6 - Responsibilities of the Advisory Board

No by-laws.

ARTICLE 7 - Membership

No by-laws.

ARTICLE 8 - Appointments and Elections

1. For every election, the General Secretary will form an Election Committee, which includes at least two members: The General Secretary and Election Officer. The Election Officer is a Member of the Society who is not a member of the Leadership and is not a candidate for a Leadership position.
2. The General Secretary or the Election Officer will organize all ballots required by the Council or the Executive Committee using the Society's website.
3. The General Secretary or the Election Officer will announce all ballots at least one month before the closing date of the ballot.
4. The General Secretary or the Election Officer will organize the procedures for counting the votes. The procedures will be published at the same time as the ballot announcement.
5. The General Secretary or the Election Officer will arrange for the results of any votes to be published on the Society's website the day after the ballot closing date.
1. The General Secretary will arrange for Leadership elections to be held every year. Leadership members will be obliged to resign or present themselves for re-election every two years.
2. A Leadership member may be re-elected provided that their consecutive service does not exceed 6 years.
3. After the elections for a given year, the Leadership may appoint additional Members of the Society to the Executive Committee (e.g., to maintain geographical, gender or minority balance through time).
4. Any Member may propose to the General Secretary that they or any other Member be a candidate in an election. If that person agrees to be a candidate the General Secretary or their Deputy will add that person to the list of candidates for the election.
5. The election date and candidates will be announced at least one month before the opening of the ballot.
6. Candidates will be able to post their manifesto on the Society's website, by providing a text of no more than 600 words to the Election Committee. The Election Committee will post all such manifestos on the Society’s website.

ARTICLE 9 - General Provisions

No by-laws.