ATLAS-Canada Organization

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  1. Principles
    1. Minimal organisation
    2. Limited terms of office
    3. The ultimate authority for all policy and decisions rests with the ATLAS Canada Investigators, except where noted otherwise in these bylaws.
    4. Except for changes to these bylaws, a simple majority is required for decisions requiring a vote.
    5. The number of cast votes must meet the quorum of 2/3rds of the Investigators, or in the case of a Board vote 2/3rds of the ATLAS-Canada Institutes.
    6. Changes to these bylaws require at least the 2/3rds of all Investigators voting for the change.
    7. Regionally balanced representation: For the elected officers of the group, no more than two shall have the same institutional affiliation. The Spokesperson and the Deputy Spokesperson shall not have the same institutional affiliation.
  2. General Meetings
    1. General forum for discussions
      1. Progress reports on research activities
      2. Future research activities
      3. Organisational matters
    2. Advisory to the Board
  3. Board
    1. The Board has ultimate authority in the decision of the division of funds between institutes.
    2. One representative for each of the ATLAS-Canada Institutes, presently comprising : Alberta, Carleton, McGill, Montreal, Regina, Simon Fraser, Toronto, UBC, TRIUMF, Victoria, York
    3. Chaired by the spokesperson
    4. The spokesperson is a member of the Board and counts as a representative of an institute
    5. The Board is responsible for the grant request prepared by members of ATLAS-Canada under the coordination of the spokesperson. The spokesperson reports on this to the Board
    6. The Board ratifies all financial sharing
    7. The Board is responsible for the sharing of responsibilities among the institutes
  4. Spokesperson
    1. Represents ATLAS-Canada and takes initiatives and decisions to implement the policy decisions taken by the Board
    2. Consults the Board on important decisions and always keeps the Board informed
    3. Typical responsibilities:
      1. Represents ATLAS-Canada in ATLAS and CERN management
      2. Represents ATLAS-Canada in NSERC
      3. Coordinates and signs grant requests
      4. One spokesperson elected by all ATLAS Canada Investigators
      5. The spokesperson is elected for a period of 2 years, consecutive terms are allowed.
    4. Spokesperson Election Procedure:
      1. Prior to the election, the Deputy Spokesperson (or his/her designate, if he/she wishes to stand for election) will appoint a Chair of a Nominating Committee. This Chair will then form a Nominating Committee. Nominations will be called for by the Nomination Committee from all ATLAS Canada Investigators. Any member of ATLAS Canada may nominate any other member, including themselves. During the voting procedure the Chair, or his/her designate, will be the returning officer.
      2. In the first round all candidates including the Outgoing Spokesperson(OS), if standing, should be on the ballot. If a candidate (other than the OS) has an overall majority, or the OS has a 2/3 majority then they are elected.
      3. If no one is elected in the first round then the candidate with the lowest numbers of votes is removed from the ballot for a second round of voting. In the case of a tie for the lowest number of votes, a runoff vote will be used to decide who is removed from the ballot in the next round. This procedure is repeated until a candidate is elected or there is a final vote with just two candidates on the ballot
      4. If after this final vote a candidate, other than the OS, has a simple majority, not counting abstentions, then they are elected. If the OS has 2/3rds of the votes (not counting abstentions) then the OS is elected.
      5. If neither candidate is elected in this final round, the OS is eliminated from further consideration and the voting is restarted with the original slate of other candidates. If any candidate receives a simple majority, they are elected. If not, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is dropped and the voting is repeated. This procedure iterates until a candidate is elected. In the event of a tie in a runoff between two candidates, the voting is redone.
      6. In the event of the procedure not ending with the election of a Spokesperson (for instance if two candidates are tied), a vote will be taken by the Board.
      7. In the event of a further tie, recognizing that the collaboration has two strong and capable candidates for Spokesperson, the decision will be made by the flip of a coin.
  5. Deputy Spokesperson
    1. Assists the Spokesperson in ensuring that important managerial meetings be attended by ATLAS-Canada
    2. Reports to the Spokesperson
    3. One deputy spokesperson elected by all ATLAS Canada Investigators
      1. For a period of 2 years
      2. No consecutive terms normally allowed
      3. As much as possible, there should be rotation from one institute to another.
      4. If a simple majority cannot be obtained for any candidate, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is removed from the list and voting is redone. In the case of a tie for the lowest number of votes, a runoff vote will be used to decide who is removed from the ballot in the next round. This procedure is repeated until a candidate is elected or there is a final vote with just two candidates on the ballot. In the event of a tie in this final vote, voting is redone. In the event of a second tie the ATLAS Canada Spokesperson will make the decision as to who is appointed.
  6. Physics Co-ordinator
    1. Acts to ensure a coherent approach to Physics Analysis in ATLAS Canada. Among other responsibilities:
      1. Organizes the agenda of the regular ATLAS Canada Physics meetings.
      2. Maintains a list of all ongoing analyses, and works to facilitate communication and cooperation between collaboration members with common physics interests. Acts to ensure that analyses have sufficient computing resources allocated.
      3. Coordinates the policy for the storage and processing priorities and allocation at ATLAS Canada computing sites, particularly ensuring broad access to, and efficient use of, the extra Canadian resource allocation foreseen in the ATLAS Canada computing model.
      4. Maintains a list of possible and ongoing Ph.D. projects. Informs the relevant ATLAS Physics Groups of ongoing theses in Canada.
      5. As Chair of ATLAS Canada Physics meetings, reports to the ATLAS Canada Collaboration
    2. Physics Co-ordinator elected by a vote of all ATLAS Canada Investigators
      1. Period of Office is 2 years
      2. Consecutive terms are allowed
      3. If a simple majority cannot be obtained for any candidate, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is removed from the list and a further round of voting will take place. In the case of a tie for the lowest number of votes, a runoff vote will be used to decide who is removed from the ballot in the next round. This procedure is repeated until a candidate is elected or there is a final vote with just two candidates on the ballot. In the event of a tie in this final vote, a further round of voting will take place. In the event of a second tie the ATLAS Canada Spokesperson will make the decision as to who is appointed.
  7. Computing Co-ordinator
    1. Acts to ensure a coherent approach to computing in ATLAS Canada. Among other responsibilities:
      1. Organizes the agenda of the regular ATLAS Canada Computing meetings.
      2. Acts to ensure that ATLAS Canada has sufficient computing resources.
      3. Coordinates the implementation of the ATLAS Canada policy for the storage and processing priorities and allocation at ATLAS Canada computing sites.
    2. Computing Co-ordinator elected by a vote of all ATLAS Canada Investigators
      1. Period of office is 2 years
      2. Consecutive terms are allowed
      3. If a simple majority cannot be obtained for any candidate, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is removed from the list and a further round of voting will take place. In the case of a tie for the lowest number of votes, a runoff vote will be used to decide who is removed from the ballot in the next round. This procedure is repeated until a candidate is elected or there is a final vote with just two candidates on the ballot. In the event of a tie in this final vote, a further round of voting will take place. In the event of a second tie the ATLAS Canada Spokesperson will make the decision as to who is appointed.
  8. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Co-ordinator
    1. Acts to promote a coherent approach to EDI in ATLAS Canada. Among other responsibilities:
      1. Forms and chairs the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
      2. As Chair of the EDI Committee, provides EDI-related recommendations to the ATLAS Canada Board and Investigators
      3. Organizes the agenda of the regular ATLAS Canada EDI Committee meetings
      4. Acts as a liaison with the ATLAS Diversity and Inclusion Committee
    2. EDI Co-ordinator elected by a vote of all ATLAS Canada Investigators
      1. Period of office is 2 years
      2. Consecutive terms are allowed
      3. If a simple majority cannot be obtained for any candidate, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is removed from the list and a further round of voting will take place. In the case of a tie for the lowest number of votes, a runoff vote will be used to decide who is removed from the ballot in the next round. This procedure is repeated until a candidate is elected or there is a final vote with just two candidates on the ballot. In the event of a tie in this final vote, a further round of voting will take place. In the event of a second tie the ATLAS Canada Spokesperson will make the decision as to who is appointed.
  9. Definition of ATLAS Canada Investigators
    1. ATLAS Canada Investigators are all those who signed the previous grant request, plus those who are ATLAS authors or qualifying ATLAS authors and have been deemed by NSERC to be grant eligible.
    2. ATLAS Canada investigators who have not signed the previous group grant request cannot vote on issues related to the spending of that grant.
  10. Bylaw issues not covered in this document Specific instances not covered by the above should be referred to the documents describing the ATLAS Constitution. Presently the ATLAS Constitution is described in a main document: and four supporting documents: with the addendum: These should be used along with any updates. In the event of a disagreement as to the interpretation of the ATLAS procedure to be used, the ATLAS Canada Spokesperson shall be requested to resolve the interpretation issue and provide a decision in writing to the collaboration, and the decision shall be binding.