Bylaws of the Working Group on Generalized Convexity

The Working Group on Generalized Convexity (in short: WGGC) is an international and interdisciplinary association of researchers for the purpose of promoting the study of theoretical, algorithmic, computational and applied aspects of generalized convexity and generalized monotonicity. The activities of WGGC are guided by its Chair and the Scientific Committee.

The Chair and the Scientific Committee

• The Scientific Committee consists of the Chair and 6 WGGC members.
• The Scientific Committee starts office on July 1 of the year following the last international conference organized by WGGC (in short: GC(n)) and serves until June 30 of the year after GC(n+1). Thus, its term is 3 years, unless the frequency of the conferences changes.
• The role of the Chair is mainly to represent WGGC to the larger scientific community and to promote meaningful activities within WGGC. The Chair is not to do most of the work himself, but to see to it that others inside and outside the Scientific Committee carry on the work.
• One of the members of the Scientific Committee is responsible for maintaining the WGGC website and the electronic communications within the group. He can remit the technical management of the web site and of the electronic communications to an external technician.
• The Scientific Committee may nominate one member of WGGC as honorary Chair, for exceptional services to the group.

Election of the Scientific Committee members

• The 6 WGGC members of the Scientific Committee are elected by the WGGC membership. The election involves two steps.
  • Step 1: During GC(n), the current Scientific Committee, with the input from the General Assembly, produces a list of tasks specified for the working period of the new Committee. These tasks may include the following:
    • maintaining the WGGC web page and the electronic communications within the group;
    • integrating members and outreach;
    • organizing or co-organizing GC(n+1);
    • organizing or co-organizing regional conferences or sessions at other major conferences;
    • providing links to graduate/Ph.D. students.
  • The current Scientific Committee then produces the slate of candidates who, if elected, are prepared to take on at least one of the tasks on the list produced. The slate of candidates includes all current Committee members except for those who withdraw their candidacy. In addition, the slate includes some more WGGC members (“fresh blood”) who have agreed to their candidacy. The total number of candidates should be at least 8, but no more than 12. The slate of candidates has to take into account the geographical distribution of the WGGC members.
  • Step 2: The slate of candidates will be sent electronically to all WGGC members who will elect 6 candidates from the slate by February 28 of the year following GC(n). Those 6 candidates with the largest number of votes form the new Scientific Committee (a tie is broken by taking a revote among those candidates who received the same number of votes).
• The Chair serves for the same period specified above for the Scientific Committee.
• The Chair is elected by the Scientific Committee in place during GC(n). Consensus in the Scientific Committee elects the Chair. If it cannot be reached at that time, the election will be postponed until such consensus can be obtained, but not beyond December 31 of the year of GC(n).
• If the new Chair cannot be identified by December 31 of the year of GC(n), then the new Scientific Committee is to fill the position by June 30 of the following year, preferably from within the Committee itself. In that case the created vacancy is to be filled by the Committee from WGGC at large. Like the other members of the Committee, the added member must be prepared to take on at least one of the tasks assigned to the Committee initially.
• The Chair is not to succeed himself, but he can return to office at a later time.
• If the Chair resigns then he remains a member of the Scientific Committee and an interim Chair has to be identified by the Scientific Committee as soon as possible, from within the Committee itself.
• If a member of the Scientific Committee resigns, then he is to be replaced by a member of the WGGC, chosen by the remaining members, unless the term of the Scientific Committee ends in less than a year, in which case no replacement is made.

General Assembly

During GC(n) the current Chair is to call a meeting (General Assembly) to provide the participants with a report of past activities of the Scientific Committee. The Chair will also engage the assembly in a discussion of new trends and future tasks important for WGGC. The Scientific Committee is to consider these recommendations in finalizing the tasks of the new Scientific Committee to be elected.

Closing Remarks

The bylaws above can be amended by the Scientific Committee. Amendments require a two-thirds majority of the Committee.