Statues of the German Society for Crystallography (DGK)

AS OF: 17.03.2022

Preamble

The foundation of the German Society for Crystallography e.V. (DGK) represents the organisational development of the scientific associations “Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kristallographie” (AGKr) and “Vereinigung für Kristallographie” (VFK).

§1 Name, registered office, financial year

  1. The company is named “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kristallographie e.V.” DGK and is registered in the register of associations.
  2. The DGK is a legal entity and is based in Berlin.
  3. The financial year is the calendar year.

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§2 Purpose of the Society

  1. The German Society for Crystallography fulfils its purpose in the promotion of science and research, as well as education.
  2. The objectives for realizing the purpose are in particular:
  • the promotion of crystallographic sciences and research,
  • the further development of education and teaching in crystallography,
  • the promotion and further training of young scientists.
  1. In order to be able to fulfil this purpose efficiently, the DGK has set itself the task of bringing together as many people as possible in the field of crystallography on a voluntary basis.
  2. The purpose shall be achieved inter alia by:
  • Organization of annual conferences for comprehensive scientific exchange of experience in all fields of crystallography;
  • Events of the working groups such as scientific conferences, workshops and courses, in particular on the current problems of teaching and research in crystallography;
  • Organisation of workshops, discussion meetings and courses for the further education and professional qualification of young scientists in general and special fields of crystallography, also together with specialists and associated societies;
  • Awarding travel grants to young scientists to participate in conferences such as those of the IUCr ICUCR? and ECA, the annual conferences of the DGK and the events of the working groups;
  • Publication of DGK communications and reports from the working groups for comprehensive information for members and the general public on all matters of crystallography;
  • The Carl-Hermann Medal, the Will-Kleber Commemorative Coin and the Prize for the Promotion of the Interdisciplinarity of Crystallography, as well as the Max-von-Laue Prize for Young Scientists, for example, have been awarded to distinguished and outstanding scientists in the field of crystallography;
  • Representation of crystallography in national and international institutions as well as German representation in international associations and organizations, as far as interests of crystallography in Germany are concerned.

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§3 Non-profit status

  1. The DGK pursues exclusively and directly non-profit purposes in the sense of the section “Tax-privileged purposes” of the Fiscal Code for the Promotion of Science and Research.
  2. The association is selflessly active; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
  3. The Company’s funds may only be used for the purposes laid down in the Articles of Association. Members do not receive any benefits from the Company’s funds.
  4. No person or institution may benefit from expenses that are alien to the purpose of the company or from disproportionately high remuneration.

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§4 Membership

  1. The DGK includes:
  • Personal members (natural persons),
  • Impersonal members,
  • Honorary members.
  1. Personal membership may be acquired by any natural person interested in crystallography in Switzerland or abroad, regardless of nationality or place of residence.
  2. Impersonal membership can be acquired through: Scientific institutions, institutions at universities, companies, libraries, schools, authorities, associations, etc. based in Germany and abroad.
  3. In order to be accepted, both categories must be proposed or endorsed by two personal members of the DGK. Applications for membership must be addressed to the chairperson of the DGK. They must be in writing.
  4. The board of the DGK decides about the admission. The decision will be communicated to the applicant.
  5. Honorary members may be persons who have rendered outstanding services to the DGK. The general meeting decides on the appointment by a simple majority by secret ballot.
  6. Membership expires through death, resignation, cancellation or expulsion.

The resignation becomes effective at the end of the business year in which the written declaration is received by the chairperson of the DGK only if all outstanding contributions have been paid.

  1. Membership shall be cancelled one year after the due date if membership fees have not been paid, provided that reminders have been sent in writing twice during this period.
  2. The exclusion of a member can be decided by the board on justified request, if it culpably violates the interests of the DGK in a gross manner. Before expulsion, the member concerned must be given the opportunity to comment. The exclusion becomes effective only after confirmation by the general meeting.

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§5 Compliance with good scientific practice

The DGK commits its members to adhering to good scientific practice. This includes in particular maintaining the fundamental values and norms of scientific work, implementing them in action, standing up for them and communicating them, working under the imperative of scientific knowledge, consistently doubting all results yourself and maintaining strict honesty with regard to the contributions of partners, competitors and predecessors. Members who violate good scientific practice are acting against the interests of the DGK.

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§6 Rights and duties of the members

  1. All personal members have simple, equal, active and passive voting rights. The same applies to honorary members.
  2. Impersonal members have only simple active voting rights. They may have this exercised by a personal member of the DGK who is nomiated with an additional vote as a representative.
  3. The members have the right
  • to be informed about the activities of the DGK, its board and scientific events,
  • to participate in the events of the DGK and the work of its committees,
  • to submit proposals to the board on the work of the DGK.
  1. The members have the duty
  • to recognize the statute of the DGK,
  • to pay its membership fee on time.
  1. The rights of the member are suspended for the coming calendar year if the member does not pay an annual membership fee to the company for two years.

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§7 Membership Fees and Funding

  1. The DGK finances its activities through
  • Members’ contributions,
  • Assets and their income,
  • Grants and donations,
  • Income from activities of the DGK.
  1. The amount of the annual fee is determined by the general meeting. Contribution regulations control the payment of collected funds.
  2. Honorary members are exempt from the obligation to contribute.
  3. Student members usually pay a reduced fee.
  4. The board may waive contributions in whole or in part (e.g. in the event of unemployment or disability).
  5. The contribution of impersonal members is freely agreed between them and the board and can also be of a non-financial nature (e.g. services).
  6. An annual cash report shall be submitted to the members.

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§8 Boards of the Society

  1. The body of the DGK is made up of:
  • the general meeting,
  • the Board of Directors,
  • the Executive Committee,
  • the National Committee,
  • the Advisory Board.

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§9 The General Assembly

The General Assembly is the highest body of the DGK and regulates all questions essential for the activities of the DGK.

2nd Annual General Meetings are generally held once a year in conjunction with the annual meeting of the DGK. The invitation is issued by the chairperson in writing or by e-mail for members whose e-mail address is known, at least four weeks in advance, stating the agenda.

  1. Extraordinary general meetings take place
  • by resolution of the general meeting,
  • by resolution of the Board of Directors,
  • at the written request of at least 5% of the members.
  1. An extraordinary general meeting is to be called according to the procedure of paragraph (2), stating the reasons, within three months after the resolution or the receipt of the application, unless a later date has been decided or applied for.
  2. The general meeting has the following rights and tasks:
  • Receipt of the activity report of the board and the cash report,
  • Discharge of the Executive Board,
  • Election of the Board and the National Committee,
  • Resolution on the amount of membership fees for the coming financial year and on the membership fee regulations,
  • Vote on amendments to the Statutes,
  • Decision in the event of complaints regarding the admission of members,
  • Confirmation of the expulsion of members,
  • Appointment of honorary members,
  • Confirmation of the formation or dissolution of working groups and resolution on the working group rules,
  • Vote on further proposals, in particular on future tasks and activities of the company,
  • Determination of the place and date of the annual meetings and resolution on the annual meeting rules,
  • Election of two cash auditors for the following financial year.
  1. The general meeting is quorate if at least 5% of the personal members are present. If the general meeting does not have a quorum, its resolutions have a recommending character.
  2. The general meeting is chaired by the chairman, in his or her absence by the deputy chairman; if both are prevented, the general meeting elects a chairwoman with a simple majority. The secretary takes the minutes; if he/she is prevented from attending, the general meeting elects a secretary by a simple majority.
  3. By resolution of the general meeting the agenda determined by the executive committee can be changed and supplemented.
  4. During the discussion of an item on the agenda, any member may submit motions to this effect.
  5. Votes shall be by show of hands; if 10% of the members present with non-suspended rights request it, a secret ballot must be held. A proposal is deemed accepted if more than 50% of the votes cast are in favour.
  6. Resolutions are to be recorded in minutes stating the place and time of the meeting and the results of the vote; the minutes are to be signed by the keeper of the minutes and by the chairman of the meeting and sent to all members.

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§10 The Management Board

  1. The board of the DGK manages the business and regulates the activities of the DGK in the time between the general meetings. It is bound by the decisions and resolutions of the General Assembly and is accountable to it.
  2. Five voting members belong to the board of the DGK. These are:
  • the chairperson,
  • the deputy chairperson / deputy chairperson,
  • the secretary,
  • the treasurer and
  • the chairperson / the chairman of the National Committee.

In addition, one representative of each associated company is a member of the Executive Board as a non-voting member with the right to speak and to propose motions.

  1. The duties of the board are:
  • Development of general principles,
  • Appointment of DGK commissions,
  • Decisions on recommendations, statements and questions concerning crystallographers in technical, professional and social respects.
  • Selection of DGK representatives for domestic, foreign and international committees
  • Appointment of representatives of DGK from the associated companies,
  • Proposal for contribution regulations and other regulations of the DGK,
  • Convening of the Advisory Board,
  • Preparation of the annual meetings,
  • Preparation of the general meetings.
  1. The executive committee can convene an extraordinary general meeting.
  2. The board has a right to propose new memebers for the board.
  3. Resolutions of the board must be approved by at least three of its five voting members.
  4. The board appoints the following members of the advisory board:
  • Wissenschaftskolleg Crystallography,
  • Editor of the DGK press releases,
  • Person in charge of Public Relations,
  • Person in charge of the DGK homepage.
  1. The chairperson is in charge of the following tasks:
  • Implementation of the resolutions of the General Assembly of the DGK.
  • Convening of the general meeting with indication of the agenda and invitation to the scientific conferences in agreement with the local conference leader.
  • The Chairperson may delegate tasks to the members of the Board of Managing Directors, subject to a resolution of the Board of Managing Directors.
  1. The secretary keeps the minutes of the general meeting and the meetings of the board as well as the list of members.
  2. The treasurer is responsible for the asset management and the proper payment transactions of DGK. She / he controls the receipt of membership fees and is responsible for the dunning process. She / he prepares an auditable financial report every year.

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§11 The Executive Committee

  1. The narrower executive committee is the executive committee in the sense of §26 BGB. He represents DGK vis-à-vis third parties in legal transactions, vis-à-vis the authorities, in court. The members of the Executive Board are exempt from the restrictions of §181 BGB (self-dealing).

The DGK’s Executive Committee consists of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson.

  1. The chairperson and the deputy chairperson shall have sole power of representation. In the event of a difference of opinion, the Chairman shall decide.
  2. The board is authorized to make and register changes to the statutes, which are required by the tax office responsible for the DGK or the local court with which the DGK is registered under association law, without a decision by the members. The board will inform the members about these changes to the statutes at the next general meeting.

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§12 Elections to the Board of Directors

  1. The chairman, the vice-chairman, the secretary and the treasurer are elected for a period of three years at a quorate general meeting in accordance with §9 paragraph (6). If the general meeting does not have a quorum, a postal vote shall be held in accordance with paragraph (8). The chairperson of the National Committee is elected by the members of the National Committee in accordance with §13 paragraph (4).
  2. The elections shall be held secretly and in writing for the individual functions separately in the order specified in paragraph (1) and shall be chaired by the head of the general meeting.
  3. The proposal of the current board for the elections must be announced at least 24 hours before the election (e.g. by posting at the annual meeting). Further election proposals from the circle of members shall also be disclosed. Nominations can also be submitted during the general meeting. The approval of the proposed candidates for their candidacy must be secured before the election is held.
  4. The chairperson/chairperson and the deputy chairperson/chairperson may not be directly re-elected to their previous functions.
  5. One is elected, when one receives the absolute majority of the delivered votes.
  6. If no candidate achieves an absolute majority, a second ballot shall be held between the two candidates with the largest number of votes. The person who receives the largest number of votes is elected. In the event of a tie, the run-off vote is repeated. In the case of only one candidate, he or she is put to the vote again in a second ballot and is elected by a relative majority of the votes in favour.
  7. If the ballots do not lead to a positive result, the election can be repeated with new election proposals from the circle of the general meeting. The general meeting may also decide to hold a postal vote in accordance with §12 (8) to fill the relevant executive committee function. Candidates from previous ballots will also be put up for re-election for this postal vote.
  8. If the general meeting does not have a quorum, a ballot-by-mail is held, for the execution of which the chairperson is responsible. The postal vote is secret. The election documents with the names of the candidates named at the general meeting and possibly further proposed candidates will be made available to the members by letter within a period of one month. Voting responses must be sent to the Chairperson within six weeks of the date of the postmark on the election documents. The votes are counted by two members appointed by the board within two weeks after the closing date for entries. Candidates are elected by a relative majority of the votes in favour and against. In the event of a tie, the census takers shall decide by lot. The results of the election will be notified to all members by letter within four weeks of the count.

9.The term of office of the newly elected members of the board of directors begins at the end of the general meeting at which they were elected. They shall take up their duties immediately thereafter on. In a postal vote, the term of office begins after the end of the election process.

  1. If an elected member of the board resigns prematurely, by-elections must be held at the earliest possible time. The Executive Board may, by resolution until the next General Assembly shall appoint a provisional representative for the retired members. This member has the same rights as the retired member of the Management Board. Only an elected member of the board can be appointed as provisional chairperson / provisional chairperson. The term of office of the members of the Board determined by by-elections extends to the remainder of the term of office of the retired / retired members. Members of the Board newly appointed by by-elections or provisional appointment may be re-elected directly and once to their current positions.
  2. The board remains in office until a new board is elected.

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§13 National Committee for Crystallography

  1. The task of the National Committee for Crystallography (NK) is to examine the relationship of the DGK with the International Union of Crystallography (lUCr) and the European CrystallographicAssociation (ECA).
  2. The National Committee consists of six elected members and the chairman of the DGK.
  3. Three members of the NK are elected every three years for a period of six years at a quorum of the General Assembly in accordance with §9 (6) together with the elections to the Board of Directors.

The board of directors of the DGK is elected, whereby the procedure described in §12 is to be followed. Immediate re-election is not permitted. If the general meeting does not have a quorum, a postal ballot shall be held together with the postal ballot to the board in accordance with §12 (8). In the case of four or more candidates, all three new NK members are elected together in one ballot by secret ballot of up to three names. The three candidates with the most votes are elected. In the event of a tie between three candidates with the third majority of votes, a second ballot shall be held between the two candidates. In the case of only three candidates, each candidate will be put to the vote individually. Elected is the person who receives the relative majority of the yes-votes (compared to the no-votes). The provisions of §12 (7), (8), (9), (10) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

The National Committee elects its Chairperson and representatives in the ECA for a period of three years from among its members at the constituent meeting of the National Committee after each election by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the vote of the chairperson of the DGK is decisive.

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§14 The Advisory Board

1 The Advisory Board is an advisory body for all DGK matters.

  1. Members of the advisory board consist of:
  • the members of the National Committee,
  • the speakers of the working groups,
  • the members of the Wissenschaftskolleg Kristallographie,
  • the persons responsible for the current annual meetings,
  • those responsible for public relations,
  • the editor of the DGK press releases,
  • the person responsible for the DGK homepage.
  1. The advisory board is convened by the executive committee. If necessary, the Chairperson may invite relevant members of the Advisory Board to attend the Board meeting.
  2. For their information, the members of the Advisory Board will receive the invitations (together with the agenda) to the meetings of the Executive Board. They may attend (in an advisory capacity) the meetings of the Executive Board to discuss their matters.
  3. The Wissenschaftskolleg advises the Executive Board on issues of fundamental importance concerning the entire field of crystallography in research, teaching, and publications, as well as all aspects of the work of the Society. The Executive Board may delegate specific tasks and questions to the Wissenschaftskolleg for this purpose.
  4. The editor of the announcements issues the announcements on behalf of the DGK on his own responsibility. It raises funds by placing advertisements in the notices in order to pay their own costs on a pro rata basis.
  5. The persons responsible for public relations inform the members of the DGK as well as the professional and associated societies, but also the general public about all current events of the DGK including those of the working groups as well as about events of general interest from research and teaching of crystallography, about possibilities of awarding prizes and honours of the DGK and the announcement of the prize winners. These messages are passed on via the homepage, the announcements, the publication organs of professional and associated companies and, if necessary, also the press, radio and television.
  6. The person responsible for the DGK homepage updates the technical and content of the homepage.

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§15 Working Groups and Commissions

  1. In the DGK there are working groups dedicated to certain areas of crystallography. The working groups are to monitor scientific developments in their field on our own responsibility. An order regulates the tasks and responsibilities of the working groups.
  2. To form a new working group, an informal application must be submitted to the Executive Board, signed by at least twenty members of the Society. The foundation of a working group requires the approval of the general meeting on the basis of a recommendation by the board.
  3. DGK members express their interest in participating in the working group (AK) through an informal written declaration to the spokesperson and are thus regarded as members of the AK. Membership fees are not charged. A member may belong to several working groups.
  4. The spokespersons of the working groups are obliged to report to the bodies of the DGK. On the basis of these reports, the board recommends to the general meeting that working groups continue to exist or be dissolved. The dissolution requires the approval of the general meeting.
  5. Joint working groups may be formed with related scientific societies. Details, in particular with regard to membership and elections of the spokespersons, are regulated in corresponding agreements.
  6. Commissions can be appointed by the board of the DGK for special tasks of limited duration.

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§16 Associated societies

  1. Contact with related scientific societies should be established, where possible, in the form of association agreements, mutual representation in the of the Management Board or corresponding committees.
  2. The representatives of DGK at the associated companies are appointed by the Board for three years. The manner in which the associated companies present their Nominating a representative for the DGK board of directors is left to the respective company. The term of office of the representatives of the associated companies is regulated by agreement.

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§17 Carl-Hermann-Medal

The German Society for Crystallography awards the Carl-Hermann-Medal to outstanding researchers. Details are regulated by an order.

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§18 Will-Kleber-Commemorative Coin

The German Society for Crystallography awards a commemorative coin dedicated to the memory of Will Kleber, with which outstanding scientific contributions in selected fields of crystallography are to be honoured. Details are regulated by an order.

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§19 Max-von-Laue-Prize

The German Society for Crystallography generally awards the Max von Laue Prize annually to young scientists for their outstanding scientific work in the field of crystallography in the broadest sense. Details are regulated in the order for the Max-von-Laue Prize.

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§20 Lieselotte Templeton Prize

The student prize of the German Society for Crystallography is dedicated to the memory of Lieselotte Templeton and is intended to increase the attractiveness of crystallography, especially among students. Details are regulated by an order.

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§21 Amendment of the statutes and dissolution of the DGK

  1. Changes of the statute can be decided after previous discussion in the executive committee on the general meeting, if this is noted in the agenda and the wording of the planned changes has been announced with the invitation. Motions to amend the statutes must be notified to the members at least four weeks before the decisive meeting.
  2. Two-thirds of those present at a quorate general meeting must vote in favour of an amendment of the statutes.
  3. The dissolution of the DGK can take place, if it is discussed by the board and discussed with at least two-thirds of the members entitled to vote at a quorate general meeting is decided. The planned resolution only becomes effective if more than 50% of the personal members agree in a subsequent written survey in accordance with §12 paragraph (8).
  4. In the event of dissolution or dissolution of the company or in the event that its previous purpose ceases to exist, the assets of the company shall, with the consent of the responsible tax office to a public body or other tax-privileged body for use in promoting science and research.

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§22 Liability

  1. For damages caused to third parties by the actions of the bodies or representatives of the DGK in the exercise of their activities for the DGK, the latter shall be liable in accordance with the provisions of civil law. A claim for damages is directed against DGK.
  2. DGK shall be liable at most with its assets. The members are not liable with their personal assets for claims against the DGK.
  3. Members of the board or other authorised representatives who misuse their powers are personally responsible to the DGK for any resulting damage.

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