1. IT organizations involved
IFIP (the International Federation of Information Processing Societies) is the scientific and professional world organization in the field of Information Technology (IT).
SVI/FSI represents Switzerland within IFIP and exercises its membership through delegates to the General Assembly (GA) and to the Technical Committees (TC) of IFIP. Swiss delegates are formally elected by the board of SVI/FSI and they report also to it. A member of this board (called "IFIP officer"), typically the Swiss delegate to the GA, coordinates these activities.
SVI/FSI comprises some 20 member organizations. Within those SARIT is the most interested one concerning international scientific cooperation. Also SI and SVOR/ASRO show some interest in IFIP activities.
2. The goal of the nomination procedure for delegates
The nomination procedure shall provide a suitable candidate for each delegate position to be formally elected by the board of SVI/FSI. The rules of this procedure shall enable a sufficiently stable working environment for Swiss delegates and their international tasks as well as an open renewal process for such delegates and tasks.
Stability: The culture of continuous international contacts as in scientific and professional societies is entirely reliant on persons suitable, interested in and available for such tasks over a reasonable span of time, called term of office. In international IT organizations this span of time should last at least four years, even longer for delegates who take over additional international responsibilities like being an officer of an international committee.
Renewal: However after fulfilling a term of office, especially when personal interests or availability of a delegate are no more secured, he/she should be replaced. This should happen in an open procedure where all suitable candidates get a chance to be included and an optimal representation of Switzerland is secured.
3. Term of office of delegates
The first term of office of Swiss delegates to IFIP GA and TC comprises four calendar years, consecutive terms two calendar years.
Office holders within IFIP committees and candidates for such offices get an automatic prolongation of their term as Swiss delegate as long as their office duties recommend it, at most additional six years.
Resignation during a term of office is possible; it has to be announced early, at latest until June as to the end of the calendar year.
As soon as a new delegate is elected by the board of SVI/FSI (see point 4), for transfer of office the old and the new delegate may arrange a different date other than New Year. When the difference is more than three months, the board of SVI/FSI has to be informed about.
4. The steps of the nomination procedure
Each year in September - October when terms of office end or positions of delegates are open a nomination procedure is performed as follows:
- List of delegates to be nominated:
This list contains all delegates to GA and TCs, whose term of office ends at the end of the year by rule or resignation as well as vacant posts. This list is distributed electronically together with the invitation to make new proposals (see step B) to all member organizations of SVI/FSI and to all members of SARIT in mid September. - Proposals for new delegates:
All member organizations of SVI/FSI and all members of SARIT are invited to propose candidates for open positions of delegates until mid October to the IFIP officer of SVI/FSI. (currently P.A. Bobillier). - Nomination of the candidates:
The board of SARIT evaluates the proposed names, selects candidates and clarifies whether those are ready to accept the nomination and presents the final nominations to the board of SVI/FSI. For this procedure the IFIP officer takes part in the SARIT board meeting in an advisory capacity. - Formal election:
The board of SVI/FSI elects formally the nominated candidates. In case of disagreement with a nomination made by the SARIT board it asks it for an other nomination. - Publication of election results:
After the formal election the board of SVI/FSI informs the elected delegates, the corresponding IFIP officers and the SVI/FSI member organizations about changes in the Swiss delegation. It also publishes the renewed list of delegates and indicates the number of candidates which were available for each delegate position.
5. Changes in the Nomination Procedure
The bylaws of SVI/FSI and SARIT assign personnel decisions to their boards. Those boards have agreed on a cooperation and the present rules for the nomination procedure for Swiss delegates to IFIP GA and TC. Until 1998 renewals within the Swiss IFIP delegation typically were based on an individual search process. From 1999 on the above rules shall be applied. As soon as the number of proposals (step B) will grow, the nomination procedure could be extended by a consultative vote within the interested membership of SVI/FSI
The board of SVI/FSI
The board of SARIT
Martin Frei
Autor
Martin Frei schreibt über aktuelle Entwicklungen und relevante Themen aus verschiedenen Bereichen. Seine Beiträge zeichnen sich durch eine sachliche Darstellung, eine klare Struktur und einen verständlichen Schreibstil aus. Dabei achtet er darauf, wichtige Zusammenhänge präzise und ohne unnötige Komplexität zu erklären.
Claudia Baumann
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