Revision as of 00:53, 7 December 2024

[IAOA] Assembly in Nov-Dec 2024

This page provides core information about the 2024 assembly of the International Assocation for Ontology and its Applications (IAOA) [1], located in Bern, Switzerland.

Key information

Major agenda items

2024 Executive Council (EC) Election
(9 positions for 2025-2026)
Approval of the 2023 Financial Report

Most important dates

Wed, Nov 06 - assembly announcement
Wed, Nov 13 - additional agenda items due
Sun, Dec 08 ~~Nov 20 Nov 27~~ - nomination closes [extended on Nov 20, reopened on Dec 03]
Tue, Dec 10 ~~Thu, Nov 28~~ - assembly called to order, ballot(s) start
TBU ~~Mon, Dec 09~~ - ballot(s) and assembly close

Highlighted sections below

[ 2023 Financial Report: Approval ]
EC Election
- [ Election schedule ]
- [ Nomination ]
- [ List of EC candidates ]
- [ Election results ]

Assembly (in detail)

Terms of Reference

For the formal regulations of the assembly, including the EC election, please refer to the IAOA Statute as of Jun 23, 2016, as linked at [2], especially Art. 11 (Voting and Decisions), Art. 13 (Assembly) and Art. 14 (Executive Council).

Assembly Schedule

Announcement (by the IAOA President) of Assembly: Nov 06
Additional agenda items due: Nov 13
Final assembly agenda and material published: TBU ~~Nov 17~~
Assembly (as electronic ballot only): TBU ~~Nov 28-Dec 09~~

2023 Financial Report: Approval

The 2023 Financial Report will be published/linked to here.

EC Election (major part of the Assembly)

Election schedule

Announcement (by the IAOA President) of the Election Process: Nov 06
Candidature Phase
- Nomination and Discussion opens: Nov 06
- Nomination closes: ~~Nov 20, Nov 27~~ Dec 08 (AoE = UTC-12) [extended on Nov 20, reopened on Dec 03]
- Candidates list published: ~~Nov 21, Nov 28~~ Dec 09
Campaigning by candidates:
- continues from ~~Nov 21~~
  (after completion of the nomination-verification-acceptance of a candidate)
- Campaigning and discussion closes: ~~Nov 27~~ Dec 09
Election
- Ballot opens: 00:01, TBU ~~Nov 28~~ (CET)
- Ballot closes: 23:59, TBU ~~Dec 09~~ (AoE = UTC-12)
- Announcement of election results: before or on Dec 13

The closing of the ballot period end concludes the overall assembly.

Process Details

Nine (9) positions are open for election. The new Executive Council takes office on January 01, 2025, by default until Dec 31, 2026.

Nomination

You can nominate and second any individual (excluding yourself) as a candidate for membership in the next IAOA Executive Council (EC).
Any person who is a current member of IAOA may nominate or second a nomination (excluding self). Only an individual who is verified as an IAOA member may be a proper candidate to go on the ballot.
To make a nomination, send an email to the [iaoa-member] mailing list <iaoa-member@ovgu.de> (if you are already an IAOA member) providing:
- (A) your name/affiliation/email-address,
- (B) the nominee's name/affiliation/email-address, and
- (C) a citation stating why your nominee would make a good candidate for the IAOA EC.
To second the nomination, send an email to the [iaoa-member] mailing list <iaoa-member@ovgu.de> providing the name of the nominee you are seconding.
The individual making a nomination (and those who second the nomination) should be responsible for communicating with the nominee, and get the nominee to send his/her acceptance (on the nomination, seconding, and candidacy) in writing to the [iaoa-member] mailing list <iaoa-member@ovgu.de>.
After the nomination period closes, the list of candidates is published in completion.
Nominated candidates are deemed to have been elected if the number of candidates is not larger than the number of vacant positions. In that case no ballot is required.

Campaigning and discussion

Once a nominee has been verified to be a member of IAOA, and has accepted the nomination, and the nomination has been seconded, he/she can send to the [iaoa-member] mailing list <iaoa-member@ovgu.de> :
- a brief "position statement" (between 200~250 words) describing his/her view on the Association, goals as Executive Committee (EC) member, activities they want to pursue if elected, ... etc.
- this statement will accompany the candidate's listing when the list of all candidates on the ballot are published prior to voting
after that, the candidate can start campaign activities on the [iaoa-member] mailing list <iaoa-member@ovgu.de>.
Candidates are encouraged to make position statements and plans they have if elected to the EC.
Other IAOA Members are invited to ask questions, seek clarifications on the candidates' plans etc.
Other items to be voted on by the Assembly might also be introduced and discussed during this period (in line with Art. 13 of the Statute).
The mailing list is not moderated for subscribers and IAOA members are encouraged to interact freely.
Campaigning and discussion will close at the official start of the Assembly.

Official start of the 2024 IAOA Assembly

The President shall call the Assembly to order (virtually, in an email message) and points out the list of candidates that may be elected to the next IAOA Executive Council membership, along with any other items that will be on the (electronic) ballot.
All members are expected and asked to react to this message by going to the voting page to confirm their presence at this virtual assembly (as the ballot outcome will be the stronger, the more members have participated, even although no quorum applies).
Any error or discrepancy found on the list of candidates (and other ballot items) should be reflected to the IAOA President and the Executive Council < iaoa - council [at] ovgu . de > on the same day for rectification.

Ballot

IAOA members can vote online during the ballot period.
A vote for the IAOA EC means the selection of up to 9 members from the list of candidates.
A vote for an item means the selection of one among the provided options for that item.
All votes are anonymous.
A member may cast his/her electronic vote by going to IAOA Member Area: https://iaoa.org/index.php/member-area/ and there to the Utilities area.
- You will need your membership password to get into the voting site
- If you have lost your password, you can request a new one via the "Lost your password?" link on the login page to the Member Area.
- If there is additional trouble with your authentication or membership, write < info [at] iaoa.org > for help.
- Should you have any doubt or problem relating to this election, don't hesitate to contact the President Laure Vieu OR the Secretary Frank Loebe < secretary [at] iaoa . org >

Voting outcome

Immediately after voting is closed, raw results of the votes shall be available by going to the IAOA Member Area: https://iaoa.org/index.php/member-area/ and then to the Utilities.
- Note that these are only "raw" votes ... the official election and ballot outcome will need to be confirmed and will need to be announced later.
The 9 members that receive more votes among the candidates for the EC are elected and will join the new IAOA EC.
In case of a tie, the length of continuous membership by candidates in the Association will be taken into account, with longer membership ranking higher. If there is still a tie, then age will be used to break the tie, with younger candidates taking priority.
The members that are elected will join the new IAOA Executive Council and will take office as announced above.
The outcome of the voting will be officially announced to the [iaoa-member] mailing list.
Any and all reports of concern (including especially, complaint and/or objection) to the officially announced voting results should be brought to the attention of the Executive Council in writing (via email to <iaoa - council @ ovgu . de>) within 48 hours of the official announcement. Each item of concern received will be individually and openly handled. Past this window, no further report of this nature on the matter will be considered.

Q & A and Clarifications

... (to be added as they arise!)

Question: Since only IAOA members may vote, when (before what date) must I join IAOA to be able to vote in this Election?
- Answer: ... PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOUR MEMBERSHIP IS UP-TO-DATE as soon as possible.

Please apply for renewal before making a nomination or otherwise participating in the election.

Question: What is quorum for the Assembly where this EC Election is held? Please also clarify when and how should members 'confirm their presence' in the Assembly so as to be properly recognized in the quorum count.
- Answer: According to the IAOA Statute (Art. 13) the Assembly is validly constituted without a quorum, unless there are motions on Statute changes or the dissolution of the Association. Nevertheless, a high participation rate is very desirable! Your presence will be counted if you are a member of IAOA and you cast your electronic vote (including abstentions!) directly during the ballot period.

Question: What is the term of office for the newly elected IAOA Executive Council (EC)?
- Answer: 2 years (Statute, Art. 14).

Question: What should I do if I have questions (not covered here) or run into problems with the Election or voting process?
- Answer: Just send a message to the Executive Council (via email to <iaoa - council @ ovgu . de>), stating clearly who you are, and what is the issue (please also provide some context where applicable) ... we will try to respond to you promptly.

List of Nominations

Nomination Phase

(chronological order of nominations)

as of Dec 07, 2024, 01:00 UTC:
- current EC members who are ready to continue and pre-accepted their nomination:
  - nominees:
    - Torsten Hahmann (University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA)
    - Oliver Kutz (Free University of Bolzano, Italy)
    - Frank Loebe (University of Leipzig, Germany)
    - Guendalina Righetti (Free University of Bolzano, Italy)
    - Tiago Prince Sales (University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands)
    - Emilio Sanfilippo (Laboratory for Applied Ontology, ISTC-CNR, Trento, Italy)
- new nominees
  - Fabricio Henrique Rodrigues (Brazil)
  - ~~Giacomo de Colle~~ (USA) [not currently eligible]
  - James L. Logan (USA)
  - John Beverley (USA)
  - Asiyah Yu Lin (USA) [pending acceptance message of the nominee]

EC Candidates

TBA in due course

Election Results