Article I

Name

Section 1. Name: The name of the network is the Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER Network).

Article II

Membership Affiliation

Section 1. Membership: The LTER Network consists of Sites funded under the LTER program by Directorates of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and an LTER Network Office (hereafter called the Office) designated specifically by the National Science Foundation. An LTER Site will be removed from the LTER Network upon declination of the LTER funding to that Site by the National Science Foundation.

Article III

Meetings of Membership

Section 1. Semiannual Coordinating Committee Meetings: The Coordinating Committee of the LTER Network will hold semiannual business meetings on dates mutually agreed upon by the Executive Committee, the Principal Investigator of the LTER Site hosting the meeting, and Executive Director of the Office. Locations of Coordinating Committee meetings will be determined at least two years in advance by majority vote of the Coordinating Committee based on nominations from the floor at business meetings. An attempt will be made to rotate meetings among the LTER sites to allow LTER Network scientists to become familiar with the science programs at each site.

Section 2. Notice of Semiannual Meetings: Notice of such meetings of the LTER Network shall be given to the Coordinating Committee by the Chair of the Coordinating Committee at the previous semiannual meeting or by electronic mail not less than six months before the date fixed for the meeting.

Section 3. Executive Committee Meetings: The Executive Committee for the LTER Network will meet approximately three times per year on dates designated by the Chair of the Coordinating Committee. One of the meetings will be held at NSF to allow annual reporting on Network activities. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the Chair of the Coordinating Committee with concurrence of the Executive Committee members.

Section 4. Periodic All Scientists Meetings: At approximately 3-year intervals, the Office with guidance from the Executive and Coordinating Committees, will organize an All Scientists Meeting to facilitate synthesis activities and collaborative research efforts in the LTER Network. The Office will seek additional funding from NSF for these meetings and meeting locations will be determined by majority vote of the Coordinating Committee. The Office will evaluate options for meeting locations to present to the Coordinating Committee at least two (2) years before the scheduled meeting

Section 5. Special Governance Meetings: The Chair of the Coordinating Committee shall have the authority to call special meetings of the Coordinating Committee to address urgent governance issues.

Article IV

LTER Network Coordinating Committee

Section 1. Powers: Full power in the management of the affairs of LTER Network is vested in the Coordinating Committee. To this end and without limitation of the foregoing or of its powers expressly conferred by these Bylaws, the Coordinating Committee shall have power to authorize such action on behalf of LTER Network, make such rules or regulations for its management, create such additional offices or special committees and select, employ or remove such of its officers or agents as it shall deem best. The Coordinating Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies in, and change the membership of, such duly constituted committees. The Coordinating Committee shall have the responsibility for developing and updating the LTER Strategic Plan for the Network and the Office.

Section 2. Composition: The Coordinating Committee shall be composed of one Representative from each of the Member LTER Sites. The Principal Investigator of the NSF award to that LTER Site is the Site’s de facto representative to the Coordinating Committee and shall represent that LTER Site in all actions performed by the Coordinating Committee. In most cases, it is expected that the Principal Investigator will represent the LTER Site at Coordinating Committee and other governance meetings. The Site Principal Investigator may designate another Representative to attend Coordinating Committee meetings in his or her stead.

Section 3. Quorum: Except as may be otherwise expressly required by these Bylaws, two-thirds (2/3) of the Member Representatives of the Coordinating Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Section 4. Voting: Voting requires a quorum. Except as otherwise expressly required by these Bylaws, all matters shall be decided by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Coordinating Committee members present. Each Member Representative of the Coordinating Committee attending the meeting shall be entitled to one vote.

Section 5. Chairperson: The Chair of the Coordinating Committee shall be elected by the Coordinating Committee from within the scientific community of the LTER Network. Nominations for Chair will be accepted from Representatives by the Executive Director. The Office will distribute resumes of each nominee to the Coordinating Committee and thereby to the scientific communities at all LTER Sites at least 30 days prior to the election. Election of a Chair will be by majority vote of the Coordinating Committee. The election will be held at the Coordinating Committee meeting at least 6 months prior to the expiration of the current Chair’s term. Term of office for the Chair will be 4 years. The Chair may stand for reelection.

Section 6. Chair Resignation or Removal: The Chair of the Coordinating Committee may resign by giving written notice to the Coordinating Committee and Executive Director of the Office. Such resignation shall take effect at the time of receipt of the notice, or at any later time specified therein. The Chair can be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Coordinating Committee. In the event of a vacancy in the Chair, the Executive Director shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee to elect an interim Chair. The interim Chair will serve until a duly qualified replacement is elected by the Coordinating Committee.

Article V

LTER Network Executive Committee

Section 1. Executive Committee: There shall be established an Executive Committee of the LTER Network comprising the elected Chair of the Coordinating Committee serving as Chair of the Executive Committee, and six additional members elected by the Coordinating Committee. The Coordinating Committee may determine by vote at the time of each election that specific areas be represented in the Executive Committee (such as Data Management). For such specified areas, the elections shall be from nominees representing that area. Other Executive Committee members representing the LTER community are elected from nominations from the Coordinating Committee. Elected members of the Executive Committee shall have terms of three (3) years or until a successor is duly elected. Terms of the members of the Executive Committee will be staggered, so that the terms of one-third of the members expire each year. During the first Coordinating Committee meeting of each calendar year, two new members will be elected to replace those whose terms are expiring. Candidates can be nominated by any member of the LTER Network, but only those candidates who agree to serve beforehand will be eligible for election. The two candidates receiving the most votes will be elected. Current and past Executive Committee members can serve additional terms if duly elected by the Coordinating Committee. The Executive Director of the Office shall serve as an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Powers of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee serves at the pleasure of the Coordinating Committee, implements decisions made by the Coordinating Committee, and shall have the powers determined by the Coordinating Committee. These powers will be specified and determined by vote of the Coordinating Committee. The Executive Committee shall represent the Coordinating Committee in its actions and serve as the interface with NSF and other funding agencies. The Executive Committee will take the lead on many issues of importance to the LTER Network, develop preliminary recommendations for action to be taken to the Coordinating Committee, and develop agendas for actions by the Coordinating Committee.

Article VI

Other Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees: By resolution adopted by the Coordinating Committee, one or more standing committees may be formed for each major scientific, educational or research program identified by the LTER Network. Members of each such committee shall have only the lawful powers specifically delegated to it through the charge to the standing committee approved by the Coordinating Committee. An individual from any of the LTER Sites may be a member of a standing committee. Standing committees may be dissolved by a vote of the Coordinating Committee. Standing committees may have representation at Coordinating Committee meetings at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Standing Committees shall elect their own Chairs, develop a specific charge, and determine their membership with approval by the Coordinating Committee.

The Standing Committees are:

Climate

Education

Graduate Student

Information Management

International LTER (ILTER)

Network Information System Advisory

Publication

Scientific Initiatives

Social and Economic Science

Technology Development

Section 2. Ad hoc Committees: The Coordinating Committee may create such ad hoc committees as may be deemed desirable, the members of which shall be appointed by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Coordinating Committee. Each such committee shall have only the lawful powers and term of operation/existence specifically delegated to it by the Coordinating Committee. Ad hoc committees may have representation at Coordinating Committee meetings at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Section 3. National Advisory Board: A National Advisory Board (NAB) will provide independent review and advice to the LTER Network, the Office, and appropriate funding agencies. The Chair of the NAB shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and invited to perform this service by the Chair of the Coordinating Committee. The Chair of the NAB will select approximately one-half of the NAB members from a list provided by the Coordinating Committee. The remainder of the NAB will be chosen by the Chair at his or her discretion to ensure outside, independent review. NAB membership will be for 3 years with a replacement of 1/3 of the membership each year. The NAB will meet at least annually and provide a written report after each meeting. The report will be provided to the Executive Committee, reviewed by the Coordinating Committee, and forwarded to the NSF.

Article VII

Network Office

Section 1. Tasks and Duties: The Office exists as the result of a Cooperative Agreement between the National Science Foundation and a contracting institution that hosts the Office. Tasks that the Office performs in support of the LTER Network are defined in the Cooperative Agreement, in the LTER Strategic Plan for the Network and the Office, and by the Coordinating Committee.

Section 2. Review of Network Office Performance: An annual review of Office performance shall be conducted by the Executive Committee at its annual February meeting. The review will be based on 1) the annual report of the Office, which will be circulated to LTER Sites on January 1 of each year, 2) a survey of Sites administered by the Office in October of each year, and 3) goals set in the LTER Strategic Plan. The Executive Committee will recommend modifications to Office tasks for consideration by the Coordinating Committee at least annually at the spring meeting. Those recommendations approved by the Coordinating Committee will be submitted by the Office to the NSF for possible incorporation into the Cooperative Agreement.

Section 3. Renewal Proposals: Proposals to renew the Cooperative Agreement for the Office will be developed by the Executive Director of the Office (as Principal Investigator) working with the Executive Committee.

Section 4. Executive Director: The Executive Director is the Principal Investigator and scientific leader of the Cooperative Agreement. The Executive Director of the Office is an employee of the contracting institution, and operational supervision of the Executive Director resides with the contracting institution. The Executive Director is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Office. The Executive Director will implement programmatic recommendations of the Coordinating Committee, consistent with the Cooperative Agreement with the NSF. Should the position of Executive Director become vacant, or the Cooperative Agreement be awarded to a different institution, the Coordinating Committee will provide information, or direct the Executive Committee to provide information, on the desired qualifications of a new director to the contracting institution. The Executive Committee will review applications for the position and recommend one or more candidates to the contracting institution or recommend a continuation of the search.

Article VIII

Amendments to the Bylaws

Section 1. Amendments: All Bylaws of the LTER Network shall be subject to amendment or repeal and new amendments may be made by vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Coordinating Committee at any semi-annual or special meeting. A notice that has specified or summarized the proposed amendment, repeal or new Bylaws must be circulated to the Coordinating Committee at least 30 days before the vote.