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COMMITTEES AND CAUCUSES

General Guidelines for PSA Committees and Committee Chairs

You will find a complete list of all PSA committees, their charges, and their current membership here: https://mms.philsci.org/members/projects_view.php?org_id=PSA.

Committee Membership: Members of all PSA committees must be members of the association. Unless otherwise specified, PSA Committee members and chairs are appointed by the PSA President. Members can be suggested by the committee or the committee chair. These should be forwarded to both the President and the Executive Director; the President will make the final decision and official appointment. The PSA also encourages members to volunteer to serve committees by signing up at the same link as above: https://mms.philsci.org/members/projects_view.php?org_id=PSA. Names of volunteers will be forwarded by the PSA office to the President and the committee chair.

Committee Responsibilities: Committees are responsible for carrying out their charges as specified in the link above: https://mms.philsci.org/members/projects_view.php?org_id=PSA. The Governing Board and/or the President of the PSA may specify or amend committees’ charges as needed; the Executive Director will provide committees with ongoing guidance as they fulfil their charges. Note that all committees are advisory to the Governing Board; they are encouraged to make proposals for new initiatives or policies, but these must be approved by the Governing Board. In enacting policies or initiatives that have been approved, committees act on behalf of and are accountable to the Governing Board. Committee chairs should regularly consult with the PSA Executive Director and the PSA President about actions they are taking. They should forward any new initiatives or policy suggestions they develop to the Executive Director and President who will submit them to the Governing Board for consideration.

Committee Chair Responsibilities: Unless otherwise specified, PSA Committee chairs are responsible for guiding the committee and making sure all PSA policies are followed. Committee chairs are encouraged to maintain regular contact with their committees to ensure that the committee fulfills its charge, and keep the Executive Director informed about the ongoing business of the committee. Committee chairs are asked to prepare an annual written report outlining the committee’s major activities and any issues that have arisen; this should be sent to the PSA Executive Director and the PSA President no later than April 1. Committee chairs are also asked to meet virtually with the Governing Board at its spring meeting, which is typically held in April or May. This informal discussion serves as a good opportunity for two-way communication between the committee and the Governing Board.

Governing Board

The function of the Governing Board shall be to formulate and give effect to the major policies of the Association. A proposal before the Governing Board shall be considered adopted if approved by a majority of the Governing Board. The Governing Board is also responsible for appointing the Executive Director, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Association, the Editors-in-Chief of Philosophy of Science and, upon nomination by the Editor-in-Chief, the Associate Editors of the journal. The Governing Board is also responsible for proposing changes to the Association bylaws, nominating candidates to run for the PSA Nominating Committee, and selecting the recipients of the Hempel Award. Finally, a crucial responsibility of the Governing Board is to oversee the financial well-being of the association, which includes active engagement with fundraising efforts.

Clickable Sections

(i) ELECTED COMMITTEES

Nominating Committee

Charge: The Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating candidates for the President and Governing Board of the Association.

How the Members are Selected: Per Article IV, Section 5, biennially in odd numbered years the Governing Board shall nominate at least six individuals to stand for election to the Nominating Committee. In addition nominations may be made by any fifteen full members of the Association. All nominations must be filed with the Executive Director on or before February 15. Preferential ballots shall be used in the election for Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three individuals. Terms shall begin on January 1 of even numbered years and expire on December 31 of odd numbered years. The chair of the Nominating Committee is chosen from the elected members of the Nominating Committee by the President of the Association.

Nominate Someone for the Nominating Committee (This must be completed by 15 full members of the Association.)

Suggest Someone for the Nominating Committee

(ii) STANDING COMMITTEES

Archive Committee

Charge: This committee is responsible for initiating the creation of an archive that will include documents that provide information about the history of PSA.

How Members are Selected: The committee is constituted by the President and must include at least one member of the Governing Board of the PSA.

Climate and Sustainability Committee

Charge: The purpose of the Climate and Sustainability Committee is to bring the PSA into conformity with the global movement to end the decades of inaction on climate change and avoid its most catastrophic consequences. Its principal tasks are to (a) propose policies that would help the PSA as an organization meet the IPCC’s goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and (b) assist members in their individual efforts as philosophers of science to promote this goal.

How Members are Selected: The committee will be constituted by appointment of the president, and must include at least one member of the PSA Governing Board.

Diversity and Climate Committee

Charge: This committee monitors and oversees initiatives related to diversity and climate in the context of the Philosophy of Science Association's activities and publications.

How Members are Selected: The committee is constituted by the Association's President. It must include at least one member of the Governing Board, one of the co-chairs of the PSA Women's Caucus, and one member of the PSA UPSS Committee.

Duty Officer / Ombud Committee

Charge: This committee is responsible for overseeing and enforcing the PSA's Conduct and Harassment Policy.

How Members are Selected: The committee includes the President, President-Elect, and Past President.

Finance Committee

Charge: This committee is charged with developing initiatives for creating and sustaining the financial wellbeing of the organization.

How Members are Selected: The committee will include the President, Past-President, President-Elect, Treasurer, and Executive Director of the association.

Fundraising Committee

Charge: The committee is charged with overseeing fundraising efforts of the association.

How Members are Selected: The president appoints members to this committee.

International Relations Committee

Charge: This committee is responsible for developing and overseeing initiatives that encourage engagement of philosophers of science around the world.

How Members are Selected: The members are appointed by the President and must include at least one member of the Governing Board of the PSA.

Lectures and Awards Committee

Charge: The committee serves a term of two years and is responsible for deciding the Ernest Nagel Early-Career Scholar Essay Award and the Mary B. Hesse Graduate Student Essay Award. Click here to read more about these awards.

How Members are Selected: The PSA Lectures and Awards Committee is constituted via invitation by the Association's President and must include at least one member of the PSA Governing Board and up to five additional senior members of the Association.

Membership Committee

Charge: This committee is responsible for monitoring membership experience, membership dues, and membership numbers and overseeing initiatives pertaining to membership.

How Members are Selected: The committee members are appointed by the President and must include at least one member of the Governing Board of the PSA.

Outreach & Engagement Committee

Charge: This committee is charged with developing programming and infrastructure to encourage, connect, and promote the activities of members who want to be more socially engaged as philosophers of science.

How Members are Selected: The committee will be constituted by appointment of the president, and must include at least one member of the PSA Governing Board.

UPSS Committee

Underrepresented Philosophy of Science Scholar Initiative Committee (UPSS)

Charge: This committee is charged with developing and overseeing the PSA's Underrepresented Philosophy of Science Scholar Initiative.

How Members are Selected: The President appoints members to this committee and must include at least one member of the PSA Governing Board and one student.

(iii) AD HOC COMMITTEES

Biennial Meeting Planning Committee

Charge: This committee is responsible for providing guidance in the planning of PSA's biennial meeting.

How Members are Selected: The President appoints members to ad hoc committees including this committee, though it must include the following ex officio: the Executive Director, the Program Committee Chair, the Poster Forum Chair, the Cognate Societies Coordinator, and the Sustainability Committee Chair.

(iv) CONFERENCE COMMITTEES & COORDINATORS

Cognate Societies Coordinator

Charge: The cognate societies coordinator oversees cognate society sessions for PSA biennial meetings.

How the Cognate Society Coordinator is Chosen: The Cognate Society Coordinator is appointed by the President of the association.

Poster Forum Committee

Committee Charge: The Poster Forum Committee is responsible for refereeing Poster Forum submissions, overseeing the Poster Forum Program, and assisting in the promotion of the PSA Poster Forum.

Poster Forum Committee Chair: The Poster Forum Chair is appointed by the President of the Association. The Poster Forum Chair’s responsibilities include selecting members of the poster forum committee (after the Program Chair completes selection of the Program Committee members), issuing a call for posters, promoting the Poster Forum, providing instructions and helpful guidelines for producing posters, overseeing refereeing of poster proposals. The Poster Forum Chair also serves as consultant to successor Poster Forum Chairs. The Poster Forum Chair's term of service is four years.

How Committee Members Are Chosen: Poster Forum Committee Members are appointed by the Poster Forum Chair.

Program Committee

Committee Charge: The Program Committee is responsible for refereeing symposia and contributed paper submissions.

Program Committee Chair: The Program Committee Chair is appointed by the President of the Association. The Program Chair’s responsibilities include selecting members of the program committee in consultation with President and Executive Director, issuing calls for symposia proposals and contributed paper submissions, overseeing refereeing of symposia and contributed paper submissions, constructing the main conference program and schedule, and editing two volumes of Proceedings published as December issues of Philosophy of Science. The Program Chair also serves as consultant to successor Program Chairs. The Program Chair's term of service is four years.

How Committee Members Are Chosen: Program Committee Members are appointed by the Program Committee Chair.

Public Engagement Committee

Charge: The Public Engagement Committee is charged with promoting the field of Philosophy of Science to the general public and engaging the public with important philosophical issues.

How members are selected: The President appoints members to this committee, which must include the Program Chair and Cognate Society Coordinator as ex officio members. Sign-up...

(v) PRESENT & FORMER CAUCUSES

PSA Diversity Equity & Inclusion Caucus

The PSA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Caucus was founded in November, 2006 at the PSA meeting in Vancouver, BC.

PSA Women’s Caucus

The Women's Caucus aims to promote awareness of women's issues in the profession of philosophy of science and to provide a space for discussing those issues. The PSA Women's Caucus was formally constituted in 2006 at the PSA meeting in Vancouver, BC. Caucus leadership includes the Caucus Chair, Caucus Chair-elect, and the Past Chair.

PSA UPSS Caucus

The UPSS Caucus represents and promotes the interests of underrepresented Philosophy of Science Scholars in the association.

(vi) JOURNAL

Journal Editor-in-Chief & Associate Editors

Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Managing Editor of Philosophy of Science, the official journal of the Philosophy of Science Association.

Editorial Board

Members of the Editorial Board for Philosophy of Science, the official journal of the Philosophy of Science Association.

(vii) PSA REPRESENTATIVES

AAAS

The PSA is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

FISP

The PSA is a member of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP).

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