BCTCS Constitution (Initial Draft)

The British Colloquium for Theoretical Computer Science
(Draft Constitution)

1. Name: British Colloquium for Theoretical Computer Science.

2. Aims:

The British Colloquium for Theoretical Computer Science (BCTCS) held its first meeting in 1985 at the University of Leeds. Further Colloquia have been organised in each subsequent year. The principal aims of the BCTCS are:

  1. To offer a regular forum in which U.K. based researchers in all aspects of Theoretical Computer Science can meet, present research findings, and discuss work in these fields.
  2. To foster an environment within which postgraduate students, undertaking research in the general area of Theoretical Computer Science, may gain the experience of presenting their work in a formal arena and, additionally, benefit from contact with established researchers in the community.
  3. To provide a platform by which the interests and future well-being of British Theoretical Computer Science may be advanced.

3. The Colloquium: In pursuit of the aims described above, an annual Colloquium will be held.

  1. The host site for the Colloquium will be decided upon at least 2 years in advance of its being staged. Representatives from any University or equivalent institution in the British Isles may offer to host a future Colloquium. Decisions concerning the venue of a subsequent Colloquium will, normally, be made at an Open General Meeting.
  2. The Programme for the Colloquium will consist of submitted talks and a small number of invited presentations, the latter being given by distinguished figures from the major fields within Theoretical Computer Science.

4. The Organising Committee of the BCTCS

  1. The Organising Committee of the BCTCS consists of nine members, each serving for a period of 3 years. The 9 members are
          The President, Secretary and Treasurer of the BCTCS.
          The Local Organisers for: the most recent, current, and next Colloquia.
          A postgraduate research student representative.
          2 additional posts.
    

    The Organising Committee may request that up to 2 additional representatives be co-opted to act on the committee.

  2. The Organising Committee is responsible for providing support to the Local Organisers of the next Colloquium: proposing individuals who could be contacted as potential invited speakers; forwarding relevant information concerning previous colloquia, etc.

  3. With the exception of the Local Organiser posts, all Organising Committee members will be chosen by a ballot of those attending the Open General Meeting. The election of President, Secretary, Postgraduate and additional posts will be overseen by the current Treasurer (whose 3 year term will be due for re-election in the following year). The election of Treasurer will be overseen by the current President. In overseeing the election of Organising Committee members the person responsible will solicit proposers and seconders for individual posts and, in the event of more than one nomination being received for a specific post, record the number of votes in favour of each nominee.

5. The Open General Meeting

  1. The Programme of events at any Colloquium will specify a suitable time and location in which an Open General Meeting will take place. This meeting will be open to all attending the Colloquium.

  2. The Open General Meeting will be quorate if, in addition to at least two from the current President, Secretary, and Treasurer, a Local Organiser, and a minimum of 10 people attending the Colloquium, are present.

  3. The Secretary of the Organising Committee will prepare Minutes from the previous Open General Meeting and a formal agenda, among the items of which will be: the annual report from the President of the BCTCS Organising Committee; a report from the Treasurer concerning the status of BCTCS accounts; the election of representatives on the Organising Committee when such positions are due for re-election; the choice of host for the Colloquium two years from the date of the Open General Meeting; and such other matters as may be raised for discussion. The President of the BCTCS Organising Committee will chair the meeting.

6. Responsibilities of President, Secretary and Treasurer

  1. The principal responsibilities of the President of the BCTCS are:
        a) To chair the annual Open Meeting of the Colloquium.
        b) To liaise with the local organisers concerning: 
            suggestions for invited speakers,
            support for postgraduate students, 
            publicising the Colloquium and its activities.
    

  2. The principal responsibilities of the Secretary of the BCTCS are:
        a) To record and circulate the minutes of the Open Meeting.
        b) To prepare the agenda for discussion at the Open Meeting.
    

  3. The principal responsibilities of the Treasurer of the BCTCS are:
        a) To oversee the running of the BCTCS account.
        b) To present an annual statement of the BCTCS accounts
           at the Open General Meeting of each Colloquium.
        c) To liaise with the Local Organiser(s) of the current
           Colloquium concerning the transfer of any surplus monies
           arising from this, to the BCTCS Bank Account.
    

7. The BCTCS Bank Account

  1. A bank account in the name of the British Colloquium for Theoretical Computer Science will be maintained to hold such monies as may arise from surpluses after the expenses of individual Colloquia have been settled.

  2. The principal uses to which the funds held in this account may be put are:
        a) To assist in covering the expenses of distinguished
           invited speakers attending the Colloquium, in such
           circumstances where the full cost of such exceeds
           the funds available to the Local Organiser(s).
        b) To assist in reducing the costs of postgraduate students
           attending the Colloquium for such students who do not
           qualify for specific funding schemes, e.g. non-U.K.
           students who are ineligible to have their costs met through
           Research Council funding programmes.
        c) Such other purposes as may be deemed appropriate by a
           majority of those attending the annual Open Meeting.
    

  3. The account may only be debited with the approval of at least two of the current President, Secretary, and Treasurer. To this end the BCTCS Bank account will be such that at least two signatories are required for any withdrawal of funds from the account.

  4. It is the Treasurer's responsibility to ensure that the bank holding the BCTCS Account is informed when there is a change of President or Secretary, or when a new Treasurer has been elected.