Preamble:

The interdisciplinary unit governed by these Bylaws is the Arizona State University Center for the Study of Early Events in Photosynthesis (Photosynthesis Center) in Tempe, Arizona. The Photosynthesis Center includes faculty, academic professionals, postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students, and administrative staff from the Department of Botany and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Core Departments). Additional participants may include investigators from other Departments of the University and from research institutions nationally and internationally.

I. Purpose:

The purpose of the Photosynthesis Center shall be to promote interdisciplinary graduate, undergraduate and postdoctoral education in fundamental aspects of the biological and (bio)chemical sciences as they relate to photosynthesis research. The Photosynthesis Center shall serve as a base to promote research training, for example, by submission of graduate training grants and multi-user instrument proposals to extramural funding agencies. A major emphasis shall be placed on recruitment and support of outstanding graduate students in areas related to photosynthesis research.

II. Limitations of the Bylaws:

If any policy or procedure in these Bylaws conflicts with policies or procedures of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Arizona State University, or the Arizona Board of Regents, the policy or procedure of the latter three shall take precedence. All policies or procedures not in conflict shall remain in force.

III. Membership:

A. Core Members (Principal Investigators): An investigator who is on a tenure track line, who is active in research in photosynthesis, who is approved by the Graduate College for service as mentor to Ph.D. students, who is willing to teach courses that are related to the mission of the Photosynthesis Center, and/or who participates extensively in the Photosynthesis seminar series. Participation in the seminar series means that each core faculty member will attend the presentations, invite guest speakers and serve as host for invited seminar speakers. New core members are approved by a vote of the Executive Committee.

B. Affiliated Members: An independent investigator or student with research in the areas included in the Photosynthesis Center who does not meet the explicit guidelines described for inclusion in the Core Members category. This group will typically include selected faculty, academic professionals, research professor appointees at all ranks, and graduate and undergraduate students affiliated with research groups conducting photosynthesis related research at Arizona State University.

C. Adjunct Members: Individuals from other institutions who have adjunct appointments in the departments that participate in the Photosynthesis Center effort and have been approved by the Photosynthesis Center Executive Committee.

IV. Executive Committee:

All Core Members of the Photosynthesis Center together make up the Executive Committee (EC). A quorum shall be constituted by a simple majority of the EC members. The Photosynthesis Center Director is the Chair of the EC. The EC shall be responsible for periodically reviewing all matters relating to the Center.

V. Photosynthesis Center Director:

A. The Photosynthesis Center Director shall be selected according to the process outlined in Appendix 1. The term of appointment normally shall be three years. A Director may not serve two consecutive terms.

B. The Photosynthesis Center Director shall chair the EC.

C. The Photosynthesis Center Director shall administer the Center with advice and counsel from the EC. The Photosynthesis Center Director shall call for regular meetings of the EC or at the request of a minimum of two members of the Executive Committee.

1. To prepare and submit Photosynthesis Center budget requests to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and to serve as the Photosynthesis Center fiduciary officer.

2. To serve as the liaison of the Photosynthesis Center to the Chairs of Core Departments and to the Deans of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Graduate College.

3. To coordinate graduate student recruitment and distribution of brochures concerning the Photosynthesis Center to other colleges and universities.

4. To coordinate submission of interdisciplinary grant proposals, including graduate student training grants, multi-user instrument proposals, and other interdisciplinary Photosynthesis Center-related grant proposals where appropriate.

5. To appoint ad hoc committees, when necessary, from the Core and Affiliated Photosynthesis Center members to help accomplish any of the above responsibilities not covered by the Standing Committees (Section VI).

6. To supervise Photosynthesis Center staff members in carrying out assigned duties.

7. The Photosynthesis Center Director shall be an ex officio member of all Standing Committees.

VI. Standing Committees:

A. Members of Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Photosynthesis Center Director. Members of Photosynthesis Center Standing Committees shall serve one-year terms which may be renewed. The Chairs of Standing Committees will periodically report actions of their committee to the Executive Committee.

B. Personnel Committee:

1. The voting members of this committee shall be composed of at least three Core members, one to chair the committee and one appointed representative from each of the participating Departments.

2. The functions of the Personnel Committee shall be:

a. To review and evaluate the role and function of Center-supported personnel, and to make recommendations on this issue to the Center Director.

b. To aid the Photosynthesis Center Director in all aspects of recruitment of graduate students to Photosynthesis Center groups.

3. If Center funding is available for student or postdoc recruitment and support, the Photosynthesis Center shall endorse as a primary principle that the very best students and postdocs should be recruited to the Photosynthesis Center, and as a corollary that research emphases among the students and postdocs recruited are in the best interest of the Photosynthesis Center.

C. Seminar Committee:

1. This committee shall consist of three members appointed by the Photosynthesis Center Director from among Photosynthesis Center core and affiliated membership. The Chair of the Seminar Committee shall be a member of the EC and shall report to the Director. The Seminar Committee shall comprise at least one faculty member from each of the two participating Departments.

2. The function of the Seminar Committee shall be to supervise the BOT/CHM 591 Photosynthesis Seminar, which involves presentation of current research by noted investigators in the field. The purview of this committee shall be to

(a) solicit nominations for seminar speakers;

(b) select guest speakers;

(c) supervise inviting, scheduling and hosting of seminar speakers, and arranging additional opportunities for communication between guest speakers and Photosynthesis Center members;

(d) ensure that the seminar is announced appropriately in the Class Schedule. The Seminar Committee shall cooperate with the Program Director in administration of the seminar budget.

D. Finance Committee:

1. This committee shall consist of at least three members appointed by the Photosynthesis Center Director from among Photosynthesis Center core membership. The Chair of the Finance Committee shall be a regularly appointed member of the EC and shall report to the Director.

2. The function of the Finance Committee will be:

a. To aid the Director in attracting, retaining and evaluating financing for the Photosynthesis Center.

b. To oversee the budget of any grants awarded or University/state funds allocated to the Photosynthesis Center as a unit, and to prepare financial reports.

c. To prioritize expenditures and to make budget recommendations to the Director.

E. Facilities and Equipment Committee

1. This committee shall consist of at least three members appointed by the Photosynthesis Center Director from among Photosynthesis Center core and affiliated membership. The Chair of this committee shall be a regularly appointed member of the EC and shall report to the Director.

2. The function of this committee will be:

a. To solicit requests from the Core and Affiliated members for large capital equipment and other proposed purchases of non-capital equipment. The Facilities and Equipment Committee will analyze and prioritize any expenditure requests and submit them to the EC for final approval.

b. To reallocate Photosynthesis Center capital and non-capital equipment within the Photosynthesis Center affiliated work groups as necessary.

c. To oversee development of specifications and budgets needed for improvements and upgrades of Center equipment.

F. Publications and Conference Committee

1. This committee shall consist of at least three members appointed by the Photosynthesis Center Director from among Photosynthesis Center core and affiliated membership. The Chair of this committee shall be a regularly appointed member of the EC and shall report to the Director.

2. The function of this committee will be:

a. To handle the design and printing of any Photosynthesis Center related brochures, posters, advertisements and announcements.

b. To appoint a Photosynthesis Center Pagemaster from the Center's staff or Core or Affiliated membership to maintain the Center's web site and any other Internet related activities. The Pagemaster will be responsible for periodically monitoring the Photosynthesis Center World Wide Web site to ensure that it is being properly maintained.

c. To plan any conferences, meetings, and social events, such as picnics, that involve representatives from the Photosynthesis Center and persons from other institutions.

VII. Amendments to the Bylaws:

A. Proposals for amendments to the Photosynthesis Center Bylaws shall be endorsed by no less than two Executive Committee members and shall be sent to all core members at least thirty days prior to the Executive Committee meeting date on which the change will be voted on. If EC members are unable to attend the meeting, they may vote by mail ballot. This provision shall not be subject to a motion to suspend the rules.

B. Approval of amendments to the Bylaws shall require a two-thirds majority of those voting.

IX. Distribution, Interpretation, and Implementation:

A. Copies of this document, after it has received necessary approvals, shall be provided to all current faculty and academic professionals participating in the Photosynthesis Center, and to the Department Chairs of the core departments. A copy of the Photosynthesis Center Bylaws shall also be provided to faculty and academic professionals who wish to be associated with the Center.

B. Any questions of interpretation of this document shall be resolved by the EC.

C. Implementation of the Photosynthesis Center Bylaws shall rest with the Photosynthesis Center Director, with advice from the EC.

Appendix 1

Procedure for Selection of the Photosynthesis Center Director

1. A Search Committee, consisting of at least three members of the Photosynthesis Center Core Faculty, shall be appointed by the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). The EC may recommend that the Dean utilize the existing Personnel Committee as the official Search Committee.

2. Only tenured Core Faculty members shall be eligible for nomination to the position of Photosynthesis Center Director.

3. The Search Committee shall solicit letters of nomination from all members of the Photosynthesis Center.

4. An individual may nominate more than one person, if desired.

5. After a nominating period of approximately one week (a deadline shall be set), nominations shall be studied by the Search Committee, which shall contact each nominee to determine that person's willingness in principle to serve as Photosynthesis Center Director. A letter of interest and a curriculum vitae shall be submitted by each nominee willing to serve.

6. If necessary, provisions shall be made for absentee participation in this process.

7. The Search Committee shall prepare a list with the names of all eligible nominees willing to serve and distribute this list to all members of the Photosynthesis Center Executive Committee (EC) for comment.

8. The Search Committee shall then prepare a short list of qualified candidates, along with a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, to be submitted to the Dean of the CLAS. The Dean shall select the new Photosynthesis Center Director or order the search to continue.

9. Any external searches for Photosynthesis Center Director shall follow University guidelines.

Photosynthesis Center

Arizona State University

Box 871604

Room PSD 209

Tempe, AZ 85287-1604

16 February 2005

phone: (480) 965-1963

fax: (480) 965-2747

Contact Webmaster

Accessibility | Privacy

Copyright and Trademark Statement