The policy of the Division of Inorganic Chemistry for programs at the National Meetings of the ACS and for special symposia held at separate meetings has been set by the Executive Committee at its several meetings since organization of the Division. The following has been compiled from the minutes of the Executive Committee meetings and from considerations of practices in effect in 1973. This statement, which is a revision of an earlier document, was reviewed by the Executive Committee at its meeting in Chicago, August 26, 1973, as a statement of policy at that time, and approved generally for inclusion in the Division’s Procedural Manual. Minor changes were made in April, 1974 to reflect more recent policy changes.
1. General Responsibilities
The Executive Committee and Chairs of the Division are responsible for all aspects of the Division programs. The several associated functions are implemented by a number of officials and committees. The planning of symposium topics for future meetings is carried out under the guidance of the Chair Elect by the Symposium Planning Committee. Normally the Chair Elect is responsible for organizing the Symposia that will be held during the year following that in which he/she becomes Chair. The allotting of program time at National Meetings and all matters relevant to the scheduling of the program are the responsibilities of the Program Chair. The Program Chair works closely with the Symposium Chairs, Subdivision Chairs, and Chairs of any Subject Committees. The Chair Elect must inform Symposium Chairs of Divisional policy regarding technical programs.
2. Symposium Planning Committee
It is the responsibility of the Symposium Planning Committee to recommend to the Executive Committee topics for symposia at National Meetings. Early in tenure, preferably before the Spring Meeting, the Chair Elect will appoint the Symposium Planning Committee and designate a Chair. The Committee will consist of at least four members representing different areas of inorganic chemistry. The committee will present to the Executive Committee at its Fall meeting in year “n” its recommendations for symposia at National Meetings in year “n + 2″.
3. Symposia at National Meetings
Symposium topics, including those of Subdivisions or Subject Committees (see below) are to be approved by the Executive Committee upon recommendation by the Symposium Committee. A maximum of three symposia shall be arranged for any one National Meeting. The number of symposia shall be compatible with the number of sections permitted by the Council of the ACS, allowing adequate time for general sessions.
Symposium Chairs shall be requested to limit themselves, when possible, to a maximum of four sessions.
Symposia are to consist in general of invited papers, but may include contributed papers at the discretion of the Symposium Chair.
Symposium Chairs are to have full control, within ACS regulations, of who their speakers are, how long the papers are to be, etc. The Program Chair has full charge of scheduling the symposia during the days allotted for the meeting.
4. Biennial Symposium
The Division will sponsor a symposium, usually on university campuses, at approximately two year intervals. Topics are to be approved by the Executive Committee. They may be recommended by the Symposium Planning Committee or developed otherwise at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
5. Number of National Meetings
The Inorganic Division will normally present two programs per year, usually at the Spring and Fall National Meetings of the ACS, in addition to the Biennial Symposia described below. At the discretion of the Executive Committee, the Division may also participate in special meetings of the Society.
6. Subject Committees and Subdivisions
Committees along subject lines, such as the Boron Committee, may be formed or dissolved from time to time by the Executive Committee. These committees may organize and hold sessions of general papers in their fields as required by interest. Similarly, Subdivisions may organize sessions of general papers in their fields of interest by agreement with the Chairs of the Subject Committees or the Subdivisions, the Program Chair may delegate to these Chairs the responsibility for organizing and scheduling these general sessions. The Subject Committee or Subdivision Chairs will, however, meet scheduling deadlines set by the Program Chairs, who retain overall responsibility for the entire Divisional program.
These Subject Committees or Subdivisions may not hold symposia of invited papers unless asked to do so by the Executive Committee of the Division as part of the scheduled symposia at a National Meeting of the ACS or at a separate meeting place and time that is agreeable to both the Executive Committee and the special committee Chair. The committee may, of course, request permission to arrange a symposium in the subject field either as part of a National Meeting of the ACS of as a separate meeting sponsored by the Division. Sessions will not necessarily by scheduled at each National Meeting during the existence of a Subject Committee or Subdivision.
7. Program Chairs
The Program Chair is appointed by the Chair with the advice of the Executive Committee. The Program Chair should be appointed as early as possible so that there will be an opportunity to observe the retiring Chair’s handling of at least one meeting. The incoming Program Chair will assume responsibilities after the Fall Meeting and should serve for a period of at least three years.
8. Deadlines for Papers
The Program Chair is responsible for setting dates for submission of papers. These deadlines must be set to ensure that the preliminary and final programs for National Meetings will be submitted to Washington in time to meet the deadlines established by the Society. The Inorganic Division Program Chair will determine the Washington deadlines for future meetings as soon as possible. He/she will then establish deadlines for papers to reach the Symposium Chairs, the Chairs of any Subdivisions, and the Chairs of any Subject Committees, and set the date by which the papers must be submitted. Normally, the date set for submission of papers to the Program Chairs will be no more than three weeks prior to the Washington deadline for submission of preliminary program information. The date set for submission of papers to Symposium Chairs or to Subdivisions or Subject Committee Chairs may be no more than three weeks prior to these Washington deadlines and should be agreed upon in advance by the Program Chair and other Chairs concerned. As soon as these dates are determined, the Program Chair will notify the Divisional Secretary who will ensure that the membership is given timely notification. The Program Chair is responsible during his/her tenure for providing to the Society Headquarters by the dates set, all required information concerning Divisional deadlines, preliminary programs and final programs.
9. Selection of Papers
The final decision for acceptance or rejection rests with the Program Chair. The Program Chair, at the Chair’s option can appoint the Chairs of Subdivisions or Subject Committees to determine the acceptability of contributed papers and notify the authors as soon as possible.
Papers accepted should be based upon work not published elsewhere prior to submission to the Inorganic Division. At least one author must be an ACS member. The goal of the programming is to maximize the presentations by all groups, i.e., no group should be shut out because of multiple presentations by other groups.
Papers may be rejected if not submitted in the prescribed form or by the published deadline. Such papers may be included at the discretion of the Program Chair to fill gaps in the program.
All speakers must be willing to present their papers at any time during the meeting. Papers may be rejected for unwillingness to do so.
10. Scheduling
Unless warranted, the Division shall strive to schedule only three or four concurrent sections (including cooperative symposia or sessions) at any one National Meeting. No more that two symposium sessions should be scheduled concurrently.
General sessions should not be crowded into the latter part of the week or so scheduled as to discourage attendance.
11. Cost of Review Process and Program Preparation
The cost of secretarial help, telephone calls and postage necessary in the performance of the duties of the Program Chair, Subject Committee Chairs or Subdivision Chairs in relation to preparing programs for meetings may be paid by the Division.
12. Cooperation with National ACS
The program shall be arranged in accordance with National ACS rules and recommendations unless the Executive Committee, in consultation with the program Chair declines to follow one or more of the recommendations. The ACS prohibits the presentation of any paper not in the printed program.
The Abstracts Forms as issued by the National ACS shall be used.
At least one officer of the Division shall attend the Divisional Officers Group Meeting. It is the responsibility of the Secretary to assure proper Divisional representation at that session. The Program Chair shall attend the planning meetings held at National ACS meetings.
13. Special Sessions
The first Monday session at any National Meeting is to be reserved for Opening Lectures and there shall be no competing section or sections with the Inorganic Division. Award addresses are normally given as part of this session and special lectures are also given to introduce topics of symposia or provide a proper setting for distinguished guests. The session is planned by the Program Chair in collaboration with the Chair of the Inorganic Division.
A business meeting for the Division is to be scheduled every Fall Meeting, preferably at a time likely to encourage maximum participation. There shall be no competing sections.
Meetings other than at National ACS Meetings are to be approved by the Executive Committee.
14. Payment of Expenses to Symposium Speakers
As authorized by the Executive Committee, funds may be made available by the Division to defray the expenses of invited speakers at Symposia at National Meetings. Amounts available and policies governing disbursement will be determined by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer will inform the Program and Symposia Chairs as to the resources available. Organizers of Symposia may at their option solicit additional funds from other sources. They should inform the Treasurer of such subsidies in order to ensure adequate acknowledgment is made to the donors.
In certain cases, notably foreign speakers and American non chemists, invited speakers at Symposia may be given free meeting registration by ACS. The Secretary will contact Symposium Chairs before each National Meeting to ensure that the necessary application is made to ACS.
Amended by the Executive Committee
August 23, 1992