Guidelines for the Organization and Operation of ICALEPCS Conferences

October 1, 2008

Version 6.3b

Preamble

The International Conference on Accelerator and Large Experimental Physics Control Systems (ICALEPCS) is a biennial series of conferences that rotates between the three geographical regions (Americas ^[1], Asia ^[2] and Europe ^[3]). The Conference is intended to:

• provide a forum for the interchange of ideas and information between control system specialists working on large experimental physics facilities around the world (accelerators, particle detectors, fusion reactors, telescopes, etc.);

• create an archival literature of developments and progress in this rapidly changing discipline;

• promote, where practical, standardization in both hardware and software;

• promote collaboration between laboratories, institutes and industry; and

• assist colleagues from industrially emerging nations (PIENs) in the realization of these goals.

ICALEPCS is a participant in the Joint Accelerator Conference Website (JACoW) collaboration. In order to take advantage of the extensive and self-maintaining JACoW mailing list and searchable publication archive, use of the JACoW database and of its tools for registration and publication is strongly recommended to ICALEPCS Conference Chairs.

This document presents organizational guidelines for ICALEPCS under six headings:

1. Conference Chair

2. International Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC)

3. ICALEPCS Executive Committee (IEC)

4. Site Selection Committee (SSC)

5. Program Creation and the Program Committee (PC)

6. Local Organizing Committee (LOC)

1. The ICALEPCS Conference Chair

The ICALEPCS Conference Chair is appointed by the host institution prior to its bid, and confirmed by the International Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC) when approving the site selection. The Chair is responsible for all aspects of the upcoming conference, including selection of the chairs for the Program and Local Organizing Committees. The Conference Chair both seeks advice from and reports to the ISAC in the execution of his/her responsibilities.

2. The International Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC)

The ICALEPCS series is overseen by an International Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC). The ISAC is made up of up to 40 active control system specialists appointed from different experimental physics facilities around the world, representing to the extent possible a wide range of relevant disciplines (hardware, software, project management, etc.), experimental areas (accelerators, telescopes, fusion, detectors, etc.), major laboratories and geographic areas.

The role of the ISAC includes:

• Advising the ICALEPCS Conference Chair when and as requested

• At each Conference, approving selection of the next but one conference site, as recommended by the site selection committee (see below)

• Approving any proposed modifications to this Charter and Guidelines

• Approving any recommended awards

• Other responsibilities as requested by the Conference Chair

At least one face-to-face meeting of the ISAC shall be convened approximately one year before the upcoming conference to:

• Review plans for the upcoming conference, including budget and timeline,

• Agree upon broad themes and topics,

• Agree upon recommended Session Chairs for those subject areas and

• Propose invited speakers.

(In order to minimize travel costs, it has been traditional to hold two ISAC meetings in two different regions prior to the Conference. There are obvious other advantages to having a single meeting. The Conference Chair should determine the best approach for each conference.)

During each conference the ISAC meets as a whole to confirm (if there is only one candidate) or select (if there is more) the site for the conference to be held four years later.

The ISAC endures until the next one is selected, a period of approximately two years. By March 1 of the year following each conference, a new ISAC is appointed by the next Conference Chair with the advice and concurrence of the outgoing ISAC Executive Committee (IEC, see below). Appointments to the new ISAC are approved by the IEC and take into account both the need for continuity and for some degree of renewal. It is assumed that new appointees will first receive appropriate approval from their laboratory managements. New members will be selected with due consideration to maintaining the geographic and disciplinary balance noted above.

Once the new ISAC has been constituted, it elects its own chair (the ISAC Chair) by e-mail ballot. This election should be initiated and overseen by the Conference Chair as soon as the membership has been approved. The ISAC Chair can serve for three terms (six years).

• E-mail votes require 50% + 1 of ballots submitted by a specified deadline to succeed.

• Modifications to this charter require "yes" votes from 60% of the current ISAC membership to succeed.

• The voting procedure for site selection is specified in the Site selection Procedure (Appendix A).

3. The ISAC Executive Committee (IEC)

Many necessary ICALEPCS-related activities do not require direct involvement of the entire ISAC. For this reason the ISAC has a small executive committee (IEC) charged with ongoing activities related to the conference series, rather than preparation of a specific conference. Their responsibilities can be discharged by e-mail.

The IEC is a standing subcommittee of the ISAC constituted as follows:

• ISAC Chair: Elected by the current ISAC

• ISAC Co-chair: Current ICALEPCS Chair ex-officio

• Member: Previous ICALEPCS Chair ex-officio

• Member: Next ICALEPCS Chair ex-officio

• Member: Appointed by the EPCS Chair

An IEC member who is unwilling or unable to serve can be replaced by another person from the same region by appointment of the ISAC Chair.

The new IEC membership takes effect as soon as the new ISAC chair is elected. The previous IEC continues in office until that time.

The make-up of this committee assures both continuity and regional representation. The ISAC Chair also chairs the IEC, assuring that its specified responsibilities and any other issues are dealt with in a timely fashion. Normally this can be accomplished using e-mail. The IEC is governed by its own bylaws, which can be modified only with the concurrence of the ISAC.

The IEC has four principle responsibilities, carried out on behalf of the ISAC:

• Site Selection: The IEC is responsible for overseeing the ICALEPCS site selection process (according to a procedure defined in its bylaws.)

• Membership: The IEC is responsible for confirming the new ISAC members proposed by the current conference chair.

• Awards: The IEC administers any award program, such as the ICALEPCS Lifetime Achievement Award, approved by the ISAC.

• Special Issues: If in its opinion the fundamental objectives and/or the continuity of the conference series are deemed to be endangered, the IEC is empowered to propose solutions and/or to actively intervene.

4. Site Selection Committee (SSC)

At each Conference, the site of the conference four years hence is announced.

A Subcommittee of the ISAC for site selection consisting of the ISAC members from the region to be selected (ie from the region of the most recently completed ICALEPCS Conference) is responsible for assuring that at least one qualified bid (and preferably more) is received for presentation to the ISAC at the next conference. The chair of this subcommittee is appointed by the ISAC Chair. The site selection procedure and timeline is outlined in Appendix A.

5. Program Creation and the Program Committee (PC)

The Conference Chair appoints a Program Chair, who is a member of the ISAC and must be a different individual. During the early Conference program preparation phase, which concludes with the first ISAC meeting(s), a list of subjects areas to be emphasized at the Conference are defined. Session Chairpersons, who are experts in those areas and who would have considerable responsibility for the detailed organization of their sessions, are also proposed. (Each session of the ICALEPCS shall have at least two persons who act as Co-Chairpersons.)

After the first ISAC meeting(s), the Program Chair and the Conference Chair define the membership of the Program Committee (PC), at least 50% of which should be ISAC members. This committee should also have appropriate representation by region and discipline. The PC then develops the detailed program in consultation with Session Chairs and the ISAC. All members of the ISAC shall have access to the program planning process and abstracts, just as if they were members of the PC. At least one face-to-face meeting of the PC will be convened after the abstract submission deadline to put together the final program details. The meeting will be open to ISAC members who wish to attend.

To the extent practical, ISAC and PC meetings should be held in conjunction with other appropriate (relevant to the ICALEPCS community) and appropriately-timed events.

6. Local Organizing Committee (LOC)

The Conference Chair appoints a Local Organizing Committee to deal with all local arrangements, including but not limited to conference venue selection, conference organizer, social program, facility tours, posters, audio-visual equipment, etc. Issues can be referred to the ISAC for advice, and the ISAC is entitled to monitor the progress of this committee.

^[1] Including North, South and Central America

^[2] Including Oceania

^[3] Including Russia, the near East and Africa

Appendix A - Site Selection Process

1. An ex-officio site selection committee (SSC) is made up of the ISAC members from the region of the most recently completed conference. The task of this committee is to assure at least one qualified bid (and preferably more) for the next conference in the same region (six years from the most recent conference) is received for presentation to the ISAC at the next conference (four years before the conference under discussion). The work of this committee can be carried out by e-mail.

2. By June 1 following an ICALEPCS Conference, an SSC chairperson is appointed by the ISAC Chair.

3. Approximately eight months before the upcoming conference, the SSC shall issue a formal call for candidate hosts to regional ISAC members, EPCS contact persons and any other potential hosts. (Any amount of prior discussion, lobbying and/or arm twisting is authorized/encouraged before that date.)

1. Proposals should include as a minimum:

   1. Documentation of Management support

   2. Demonstration of experience in hosting similar conferences

   3. Description of the technical/scientific activities of the proposed host institute

   4. A preliminary plan and budget, including a list of potential sponsors

   5. A strategy for potential support of persons from industrially emerging nations (PIENs)

2. Proposals should also comment upon:

   1. International transportation and connections to the proposed conference site

   2. Accommodation facilities (hotels, guest houses, etc)

   3. The proposed conference facility itself (facilities, equipment, rooms for poster sessions, industrial exhibit, side meetings, network connections, etc.)

   4. Regional opportunities for social/cultural activities and companions

4. The deadline for submission of site proposals should be three months before the next conference. The SSC then screens the proposals to assure that minimum qualifications for hosting are met. Consideration will be given to:

1. Technical interest of the host institution

2. Management support and conference experience

3. Budget proposal, including support for PIENs

4. Program proposal

5. Planning

6. Any other ideas

5. Qualified candidates will be presented to the ISAC at a meeting to be held during the ICALEPCS conference. The SSC may or may not choose to make a recommendation on the selection. It will give reasons if a recommendation is made. The ISAC will then approve (if there is only one) or select (if there are more) the winning site by majority vote as follows:

1. Voting is done by ISAC members present at the meeting (no substitutes or proxies)

2. Voting is by secret ballot

3. The chairperson votes only to break a tie

4. 50% + 1 of those voting is required for selection - abstentions are not counted

5. If no proposal receives 50% + 1 votes, the site with the lowest number of votes is dropped from the ballot, and the voting continues