CCPN Charter

Purpose:
 The purpose of the CCPN is to help advance the making, coordination and distribution of software as well as 'best practices' for biomolecular macromolecular NMR spectroscopy. CCPN will achieve this purpose by working with other organisations including (but not restricted to) databases, other software developers and manufacturers.

The Assembly:
 1) The Assembly is the highest authority of the CCPN.

 2) Each academic research group working in the field of biomolecular macromolecular NMR spectroscopy in the UK has a right to membership of the CCPN Assembly - each group counting as one member. The membership list is maintained by the Executive Committee.

 3) Each member group has the right to send one delegate to Assembly meetings. Members of the Executive Committee also have the right to participate.

 4) The Assembly meets approximately once every calendar year, the timing of the meeting to be co-ordinated with the annual workshop. The agenda should be announced to all current members of the Assembly at least four weeks in advance. For the Assembly to take decisions a quorum of at least ten members must be present. If there is no quorum, all decisions before the Assembly are put to the full membership by email vote after the meeting.

 5) The general meeting confirms the members of the Executive Committee for the coming year at each annual meeting. The outgoing Executive Committee must propose a composition for next years' Executive committee for the consideration of the Assembly, which may be amended at the Assembly meeting.

It is intended that each Executive Committee consider the following points in proposing a replacement:

There should be about ten non-permanent members elected.

Members should remain for about three years, with a third of the membership replaced each year.

The Executive Committee should be representative of the groups, interests and categories of people that are members of CCPN. To this end the outgoing Executive Committee should actively seek nominations for new members.

 6) It is expected that most decisions will be made by consensus, but any three Asseembly members can call for a decision to be put to the vote. In order to be passed a change in the charter requires either consensus or a minimum of votes in favour equal to 75% of the number of delegates present. The Assembly may decide to put questions, including that of the composition of the new Executive Committee, to an email vote among the membership instead of deciding immediately.
The Executive Committee:
 1) The Executive Committee consists of: the principal applicant of the CCPN grant who serves as secretary of the Executive Committee and chairman of the Working Group, at least four members elected by the Assembly general meeting, the Secretary of the CCPN (the senior person employed on the grant), and a representative of the BBSRC. The Executive committee elects its own chairman among the members elected by the assembly. The functions of the Executive Committee are:

 a) To decide on financial matters as required
 b) To help prepare and submit grant applications
 c) To interact with and respond to approaches from outside organisations
 d) To appoint interviewing committees for new staff as required
 e) To liaise with BBSRC
 f) To supervise the activities and review the membership of the Working Group

 2) The Executive Committee will meet at least once a year.

 3) The Executive Committee can institute advisory committees to consult on specific topics. The membership and mandate of the advisory committees is decided by the Executive Committee.

The Working Group:
 1) Most of the work of the CCPN will be carried out by the Working Group acting on authority delegated to it by the Assembly and the Executive Committee. The working group would be chaired by the principal applicant on the grant, but otherwise membership of the Working Group would be decided by the Working Group itself, subject to review by the Executive Committee.

 2) The secretary of the working group and CCPN would be the senior person employed on the grant and is responsible for calling the Working Group meetings and, with the Chairman, for reporting to the Executive Committee. Decisions arising from Working Group discussions are the responsibility of the chairman of the Working Group and the Secretary, who together will set priorities. Their implementation will be the responsibility of the secretary.

 3) The Working Group will meet at least three times a year.

 4) The Working Group can delegate its authority to special interest subcommittees instituted for the purpose.

The Secretary:
 1) The Secretary is responsible for :

 a) Administration of CCPN within the format described above
 b) Operational management of CCPN staff, except where this responsiblility has been delegated elsewhere
 c) Liaising with the Executive Committee and Industrial users
 d) Managing any Public Relations matters

 2) The Secretary will be responsible to the chairman of the Working group on the implementation of Working Group decisions and to the Executive Committee and to the Assembly on all other matters.

CCPN Users Group:
 1) The CCPN will distribute software written within CCPN or contributed by third parties to members of the CCPN users group. Membership is free to academic and non-profit organisations. For-profit corporations may be asked to make an annual donation to become an 'Industrial Sponsor' and have access to the software and meetings. Membership of the CCPN users group may be required for participation in CCPN pre-arranged meetings.