International Society for Biocuration

Guidelines for the Governance of the International Society for
Biocuration (ISB)

The following are guidelines for the governance of the International Society for
Biocuration approved by the Executive Committee as mentioned in the Articles of Association. The
guidelines can be modified by proposition of a member of the Executive Committee and
do not need to be accepted by the general assembly. These guidelines are available to all
the Society members.

1. Membership renewal

Annual membership fees are due once a year and last for 1 year from the time of the last payment.

2. Executive Committee electoral process

• The use of a free tool to manage on-line elections is favoured.
• All members of the ISB who are registered (and paid) at the time the elections begin are
  eligible to vote during the election.
• The voting period shall be announced to all society members at least 2 weeks (14
  calendar days) in advance of the first day of voting.
• The voting period shall be open for a minimum of one week (7 calendar days) and a
  maximum of 2 weeks (14 calendar days).
• Results shall be made public not later than 2 working days after the election terminates.

3. Candidates for ISB Executive Committee

• All registered (and paid) members of the ISB can be candidates for membership on the
  Executive Committee.
• Members must submit their candidacy no later than 1 week (7 calendar days) prior to
  the election start and in accordance with the candidacy schedule set up by the Nominating
  Committee.
• Potential conflicts of interest from a candidate should be disclosed to the Nominating
  Committee prior to elections.
• The maximum length of a term is limited to 2 consecutive 3-year mandates, i.e., 6 years.
• After the maximum term length is reached, there must be at last two years before a
  member is allowed to run for a position on the EC.

4. Recommendations for setting up Nominating Committee

Per the Articles of Association, the Nominating Committee is an ad hoc body composed of 5
members appointed by the Executive Committee.

• The nominating committee composition should reflect the geographical distribution and
  the domain distribution of the society members.
• Members of the Nominating Committee cannot run for a position on the
  Executive Committee.
• Current members of the Executive Committee cannot be on the Nominating Committee.
• The Nominating Committee will make sure the candidates for the Executive Committee
  are eligible, e.g., candidates must be registered (and paid) members of the society upon
  submission of their candidacy.
  -The Nominating Committee may invite members of the society to run for election.

-The Nominating Committee will circulate information about the EC election procedure and relevant deadlines to the members of the society and invite them to submit their candidacies.
-The Nominating Committee will make sure that only candidacies received in accordance
with the candidacy application deadlines are retained.
-The Nominating Committee will ensure that the final list of candidates proposed for the
election reflects the geographical and the domain of interest distribution of the society
members.

• The number of candidates proposed by the nominating committee should be less than
  three times the number of positions to be filled. An internal election may be required.
• The Nominating Committee will ensure that candidates provide letters of intent for
  posting on the ISB website.

5. Instatements

• Nominating Committee is to be instated no earlier than 6 months prior to the election,
  no later than 4 weeks prior to election.
• Executive Committee is to be instated no later than 6 weeks after election (to allow
  some transition)
• Chair, Treasurer and Secretary of the EC are selected by an internal vote of the
  Executive Committee upon instatement.
• The same member cannot fill the function of Chair, Treasurer or Secretary for more
  than 6 years in a row.
• After the maximum term length is reached, there must be at last two years before a
  member is allowed to run for a position on the EC.

Society calendar

• Instatement of the Nominating Committee: Early June
• Yearly election: mid-September
• Executive Committee to be instated on November 1st

6. Executive Committee meetings

• The Executive Committee will meet approximately once a month.
• Decisions can be made by simple majority (i.e., more than half of the votes expressed)
  according to the Articles of Association, but, whenever possible, the ISB Executive Committee
  favours unanimous decisions.
• Highlights of the minutes will be circulated on the ISB email distribution list and via a regular ISB Newsletter.

7. Financial responsibility

• Spending must be approved by the Executive Committee. At the beginning of each year
  (and no later than March 31st), the Treasurer will provide the Executive Committee with
  the list of planned expenses for the year to be preapproved, included (but not limited to):
  accounting fees, website registration fees, bank account management fees.
• Two members have authority to make transactions: the Treasurer and the Chair.
• The Executive Committee, in particular the Treasurer, must ensure that all financial
  transactions are recorded and made available to the Executive Committee.
• The Executive Committee, in particular the Treasurer, must ensure that the Society
  abides by the fiscal law of the incorporation country.
• Financial statements must be shared with the Executive Committee at least yearly, no
  later than March 31st.

8. Conflicts of interest

Potential conflicts of interest from a member of the Executive Committee should be
disclosed to the other members of the Executive Committee.

Prepared on May 23, 2014
Accepted by the Executive Committee:

• Alex Bateman, Chair
• Monica Munoz-Torres, Secretary
• Marc Robinson-Rechavi, Treasurer
• Teresa Attwood
• J. Michael Cherry
• Pascale Gaudet
• Melissa Haendel
• Jennifer Harrow
• Claire O’Donovan