The only problem that I have with Herbert's proposal is with point
5. I am not sure that we need to be so formal as to lay down rules for
voting, but if we are to have such rules I would recommend that any
decision made at an IUCr meeting should be confirmed by an email
ballot. It is not appropriate to disenfranchise those who for whatever
reasoon have missed attending an IUCr Congress.
David Brown
Herbert J. Bernstein wrote:
Dear James,
To avoid offending people in the process of ensuring active DWG/DMG
membership, I would propose that COMCIFS adopt a uniform policy of
terms for both chairs and DWG/DMG members. Here is the policy I
would suggest:
1. That COMCIFS recognize DWG/DMG chairs for 3 year terms ending
immediately after each IUCr meeting, with successors to be
desgnated by COMCIFS at each IUCr meeting or on any vacancy. Someone
filling a vacancy would serve only to the end of the orginal term.
2. That each DWG/DMG chair propose a list of DWG/DMG members to
COMCIFS for 3 year terms ending one month after each IUCr meeting, with
successors to be recommended by the incoming DWG/DMG chairs at or
immediately after each IUCr meeting or on any vacancy. Someone filling
a vacancy would serve only to the end of the original term. In
addition, any DWG/DMG chair whose term is ending would automatically be
offered a seat as a member of the same DWG/DMG if they are interested
in serving.
3. That there be no restriction on chairs and DWG/DMG chairs
succeeding themselves and no minimum or maximum number of members of a
DWG/DMG, and that COMCIFS would reserve the right to add appropriate,
interested members of the community to any DWG/DMG.
4. That the COMCIFS secretary maintain an online list of all DWG/DMG
chairs and members
5. While it is desirable to DWG/DMGs to work by consensus, if
decisions are to be made by majority voting, on email ballots a
plurality of those voting will be sufficient to decide a question, with
those who do not respond within 6 weeks of posing a question deemed to
have abstained. For meetings at IUCr meetings a majority of those
DWG/DMG members in attendance at the IUCr meeting will constitute a
quorum, and a plurality of that quorum sufficient to carry a motion.
6. COMCIFS may act at any time to revive a moribund DWG/DMG by
replacing chairs and/or members as needed to ensure proper fucntioning.
=====================================================
Herbert J. Bernstein, Professor of Computer Science
Dowling College, Kramer Science Center, KSC 121
Idle Hour Blvd, Oakdale, NY, 11769
+1-631-244-3035
yaya@dowling.edu
=====================================================
On Tue, 2 Feb 2010, James Hester wrote:
Dear COMCIFS members,
A six-week period (actually considerably longer than that) has now
expired since
the modifications to the fast-track procedure suggested below were
proposed. As
no critical comments were received, I declare them to have been
accepted.
James.
On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 4:26 PM, James Hester
<jamesrhester@gmail.com> wrote:
I would like to suggest some common-sense refinements to the
fast-track procedure:
(1) If all members of a DMG have responded to a proposal before
the
six-week time limit, there is no requirement to wait six weeks
(2) If all voting members of COMCIFS have responded to a proposal
before the six-week time limit, there is no requirement to wait
six
weeks
I would also ask the chairs of the various DMGs to periodically
(perhaps once a year) check on the willingness of their members
to
continue in the role, to avoid situations where ghost members
hold up
these types of processes.
James.
On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 12:30 PM, James Hester
<jamesrhester@gmail.com>
wrote:
Dear COMCIFS members,
The following proposal for fast-track approval of minor
dictionary
updates has now been approved, as a six-week discussion period
has
expired with no unresolved comments. Note the following
changes to
the original proposal arising from the discussion:
(i) the time-limit for making comments will be six weeks,
rather than
one month as was originally suggested.
(ii) following the conclusion of the 6-week comment period, the
Chair,
or designee, will explicitly state to the COMCIFS list that a
proposal
has been approved.
I will coordinate with Brian to update the website with
information
about this new procedure.
Best wishes,
James.
On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 5:48 PM, James Hester
<jamesrhester@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear COMCIFS members,
>
> Currently the procedure for making any changes to the
dictionaries
> requires putting those changes to a formal vote on the
COMCIFS list.
> This may be seen as heavy-handed for small updates and
additions.
> Following discussions with David B I would like to propose
the
> following fast-track procedure for dealing with minor
updates
to the
> dictionaries:
>
> 1. Anybody can propose a change to the core dictionary
either
through
> the IUCr web site or by contacting the chair of the
appropriate DMG.
>
> 2. In conjunction with the DMG chair, they can work out a
proposal for
> new dictionary code.
>
> 3. This code is then submitted to the DMG for comment and
eventual approval.
>
> 4. The change is then posted to the COMCIFS discussion list
for
> comment within a given time limit.
>
> 5. If no comment is received, or if all the comments are
resolved, the
> change is accepted, otherwise it is refered back to the DMG.
>
> I suggest that a 'small change' is one that creates no new
categories
> and affects no more than two definitions.
> A one month time limit for initiating comments seems about
right to
> me, as it should allow those that happen to be on holiday to
make it
> back in time.
>
--
T +61 (02) 9717 9907
F +61 (02) 9717 3145
M +61 (04) 0249 4148
--
T +61 (02) 9717 9907
F +61 (02) 9717 3145
M +61 (04) 0249 4148
--
T +61 (02) 9717 9907
F +61 (02) 9717 3145
M +61 (04) 0249 4148
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