Rules of Operation

Article I – Mission and Objectives
Article II. Membership and Fees
Article III. Organization
Artilce IV. Committees of the Board
Article V. Meetings
Article VI. Amendments

ARTICLE I – MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

Section 1. Mission.

The Mission of the Board on Oceans and Atmosphere (BOA) of APLU is to ensure that the nation maintains and benefits from a strong and diverse academic capability in the marine* and atmospheric sciences. The Board will seek to achieve its mission by:
• providing leadership for the marine and atmospheric science community and within the Association;
• demonstrating the importance to the nation of maintaining a strong and diverse capability in research and education in the marine and atmospheric sciences;
• building communication networks among federal agencies, Congress, universities, and other key constituencies;
• promoting public understanding and support for marine and atmospheric sciences; and
• serving society by promoting the use of advances in scientific understanding to address societal problems.

*including the Great Lakes

Section 2. Objectives.

Ongoing objectives will be reviewed each year, and revisions and additions will be discussed and approved by the Board at the Annual Meeting.
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ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP AND FEES

Section 1. Membership (APLU institutions).

Institutions holding membership in the Association may become active members of the Board at the request of their Chief Executive Officer.

Section 2. Membership (non-APLU institutions).

Institutions, not members of the Association, may become members of the Board, without holding membership in the Association, by application of their Chief Executive Officer, approval of the Executive Committee of the Board on Oceans and Atmosphere, and payment of the appropriate participation fee to the Association.

Section 3. Board Representation.

The affairs of the Board shall be conducted by representatives from the member institutions. Each member institution has one vote in the affairs of the Board and may delegate three individuals, any one of whom is entitled to cast that institution’s vote. Any representative from a APLU member institution or a BOA non-APLU affiliate institution may request information and services from the Board on Oceans and Atmosphere to further that institution’s program in these fields and may serve on BOA committees and task force.

Section 4. Fees.

A participation fee, to be paid by the institutions who are not APLU member institutions, shall be established and assessed annually by the president of the Association.
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ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATION

Section 1. Organization

The Board on Oceans and Atmosphere will be organized into units in a manner so as best to fulfill its mission. Members of the Board on Oceans and Atmosphere will also serve as officers of and representatives on the Commission on Food, Environment and Resources, according to the Rules of Operation of the Commission.

Section 2. Executive

The Board on Oceans and Atmosphere shall be governed by an Executive Committee with the powers and responsibilities as herein delegated or otherwise authorized by the membership. The Executive Committee takes action on key matters affecting the interest of the member institutions and is responsible to the Commission and ultimately the Association for the management of Board affairs. It shall consist of the following members: two co-chairs, one of whom is a CEO of a APLU member institution and shall call meetings; two co-chairs-elect; two immediate past co-chairs; two Deans (or equivalent) of marine sciences; two Deans (or equivalent) of atmospheric sciences; two Sea Grant Directors; and four members-at-large. Chairs of the committees and task forces of the Board will serve on the Executive Committee ex officio. Members of the executive committee shall serve for three-year terms, with terms of the members staggered, except for the non-ceo co-chair, who shall serve two years as chair-elect, and two years as chair. The past cochairs shall serve in a consultative role. Members of the executive committees shall be limited to two consecutive terms or six years. They may be elected to the Executive Committee again after one year has elapsed. Slates of nominations will be presented to the Executive Committee by the Nominating Committee in September, ballots will be distributed by electronic or regular mail to the voting institutions and new members will assume their responsibilities at the close of the Annual Meeting in November.

Section 3. Officers

The officers of the board shall be two co-chairs. The officers of the board shall also be the officers of the Executive Committee. The co-chairs-elect shall be elected annually and shall succeed to the posts of co-chairs and past co-chairs in subsequent years. One of the co-chairs shall be the CEO of a APLU member institution. The term of office begins at the conclusion of the Association’s Annual Meeting in November. The co-chairs-elect shall succeed the co-chairs at the end of their terms. The past co-chairs shall serve in a consultative role.

Section 4. Board representation on the Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources

The Commission Executive Committee shall include two representatives from the Board on Oceans and Atmosphere. One representative will be the Board co-chair (CEO) unless that person delegates the position to the other co-chair. The second representative will be selected from the Board membership for a three-year term.
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ARTICLE IV – COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

Section 1. Appointments

The Co-Chairs of the Board are authorized to appoint from the membership of the Association such committees as are necessary to carry out the objectives of the board. Appointments will be made after consultation with the Executive committee. All such appointments shall be for one year, terminating at the Annual Meeting of the Association. Reappointment of committee members shall be at the discretion of the incoming Co-Chairs, but no committee chair will serve for longer than four consecutive years.

Section 2. Standing Committees

The standing committees of the Board shall include: Issues, Budget and Government Relations, Annual Meeting Program and Nominating Committee. Issues Committee. This committee is responsible for creating and charging task forces to address issues of importance to the marine and atmospheric community each year. The Issues Committee will solicit short nominations of issues of importance from the Board, and will propose to the Executive Committee, which of the issues should be addressed in a given year. The Issues Committee will nominate individuals to serve as chairs of the task forces and prepare a charge to the task forces for approval by the Board. This committee is responsible for setting forth the ongoing objectives to be considered by the Board in Article I, Section 2. It will be chaired by the non-CEO co-chair of the Executive Committee. Budget and Government Relations. This committee is responsible for providing leadership on federal and state legislative agency and budget matters of concern to the Board. The committee will coordinate with the task forces to develop appropriate positions on issues, legislation, federal budgets and agency regulations and initiatives, and to communicate those positions in a timely manner to Congress, federal agencies and other key constituencies. Also, the committee will coordinate with other groups within APLU, including the Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources and the Council on Governmental Affairs. Two members of the Budget and Government Relations Committee will represent the Board on the Legislative and Budget Committees of the Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources. Annual Meeting Program Committee. This committee is responsible for planning the Annual Meeting program of the Board, coordinating the program with the other Boards of the Commission and other Commissions within the Association, and encouraging joint meetings with other elements of the Association. Nominating Committee. This committee is responsible for preparing a slate of nominees and conducting the annual election of the incoming co-chairs-elect, one Dean of marine sciences, one Dean of atmospheric sciences, one Sea Grant Director and two members-at-large. The slate of nominees for the following year will be presented to the Executive Committee in September.

Section 3. Task Forces

Each year, the Board will undertake one or more projects, as directed by the Executive Committee with the guidance of the Issues Committee. The tasks undertaken will be selected by their timeliness and their importance to the Board. Tasks undertaken will be directed toward a specific outcome, such as the production of a white paper, a brochure or a symposium. Task forces will have a year-long lifespan, renewable upon explicit authorization by the Board.

Section 4. Reports

The committees and task forces of the Board shall report the results of their activities, as requested, at each meeting of the Executive Committee. Once a year, at the Annual Meeting, the chair of each of the committees and task forces shall provide oral and written reports.
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ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

Section 1. Board on Oceans and Atmosphere

The annual meeting of the Board shall be held at the time of the Annual Meeting of the Association. Other meetings may be held upon the call of the chair.

Section 2. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall meet at the Annual Meeting and at least one other time at the call of the co-chair.

Section 3. Committees and Task Forces

Committees and task forces will meet at the discretion of their chairs.

ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Rules

These operating rules may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the voting members present at any annual meeting of the board, provided the proposed changes have been presented to the membership at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
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