Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES NATIONAL COMMITTEE
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF RADIO SCIENCE

October 4, 2026
Article I. Purpose

The purpose of the National Committee (USNC-URSI) is to effect appropriate participation by radio scientists and engineers of the United States in the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) through the United States Foundation for Radio Science, Inc. (USFRS), which adheres to the URSI on behalf of the radio scientists of the United States.

Article II. Functions

The duties and functions of the National Committee are (a) to advise the Board of Directors of the USFRS on all matters concerning United States participation in the URSI; (b) to promote the objectives of the URSI in the United States; (c) to promote radio science and allied research in the United States with special emphasis on aspects that require international cooperation; (d) to promote public awareness of, and education in, radio science; (e) to nominate delegates or representatives of the United States to URSI general assemblies; (f) to organize technical meetings in the United States in consonance with the objectives of the URSI; and (g) to deal with radio-science questions in general involving the participation in the URSI of the United States through the USFRS as the adhering body.

Article III. Membership

The National Committee shall consist of its officers (see Article V) and members in the following categories:

  1. Committee Chairs with vote
    Four members serving as chairs of standing committees of the National Committee, selected from among scientists and engineers by the National Committee as provided in Article IV: the Chair of the Student Paper Competition, the Chair of Exhibits and Sponsorships, the Chair of Workshops and Short Courses, and the Chair of Education and Outreach.
  2. Early Career Members with vote
    Three early career members, selected as provided in Article IV, to encourage the participation of scientists and engineers in the earlier stages of their careers, each serving in a designated role: one focused on membership (including the growth of USNC-URSI membership), one supporting the Chair of Exhibits and Sponsorships, and one focused on publicity and social media. To be eligible, an individual shall be an Early Career Member of one or more Commissions under the membership requirements of the USNC-URSI (generally, within ten years of the individual’s most recent degree). An early career member may continue to serve for the remainder of the term if elevated to Associate or Full Member status during that term and shall in no case serve more than two consecutive full (three-year) terms in that capacity.
  3. National Science Foundation Representative with vote
    One representative of the National Science Foundation (NSF), designated by the NSF.
  4. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Representative with vote
    One representative of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S), designated by the AP-S.
  5. Ex-Officio Members with Vote
    1. Chairs of Commissions established by the National Committee.
    2. Officers and members of the Secretariat of URSI residing in the United States, including honorary Presidents.
    3. Chairs and Vice Chairs of Commissions of URSI residing in the United States.
    4. A representative of the Board of Directors of the USFRS.
    5. Chair of the Women in Radio Science (WIRS) Committee, elected by the WIRS Committee.
  6. Honorary Members without vote
    Honorary members selected by the National Committee as provided in Article IV.
Article IV. Selection and Appointment of Members

The four committee chairs—the Chair of the Student Paper Competition, the Chair of Exhibits and Sponsorships, the Chair of Workshops and Short Courses, and the Chair of Education and Outreach— shall be appointed by the Chair at the end of each triennium for three-year terms beginning at the start of the next triennium, thereby ensuring the presence of these four committee chairs on the National Committee at all times.

Early career members shall be nominated by the Chairs of the Commissions in which they are Early Career Members. Three early career members shall be elected by the National Committee to serve in the following triennium, one in each of the designated roles described in Article III.

The representative of the National Science Foundation shall be designated by the NSF, and the representative of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society shall be designated by the AP-S.

Honorary members may be nominated for life membership on the National Committee. Nominations shall be by two-thirds vote of the voting members present at the meeting of the National Committee, provided that a quorum (see Article VI) is present. The number of honorary members on the National Committee at any one time shall not be greater than four.

In accordance with established USFRS procedures, all members shall be appointed by the Board of Directors of the USFRS upon the recommendation of the National Committee.

All appointments shall be for a period of three years commencing January 1, unless otherwise specified. There shall be restrictions with respect to reappointment, as specified in Articles III and V. In particular, a member, except in unusual circumstances, shall not serve more than two consecutive full (three-year) terms in any one capacity.

Article V. Officers

The officers of the National Committee shall be a President and a Secretary / President-Elect and an Immediate Past President of the National Committee. The Secretary shall normally succeed to the position of President in the subsequent triennium. They shall be elected from among the present and past voting members of the Committee.

In accordance with established USFRS procedures, the officers shall be appointed by the Board of Directors of the USFRS upon recommendation of the National Committee.

Nomination of candidates for offices shall take place shortly before or at the annual meeting of the National Committee preceding each general assembly of the URSI or shortly thereafter, with election of candidates taking place at the annual meeting or shortly thereafter. E-mail or other electronic means may be used for nominations and/or elections if these are not done at the annual meeting. All officers shall serve from January 1 after a general assembly of the URSI through December 31 following the next general assembly. An officer shall not be eligible to serve more than one full term in the same office.

Article VI. Meetings

The National Committee shall meet once a year at a designated annual meeting. Additional meetings may be held upon the call of the President and may be held telephonically or electronically.

The annual meeting of the USNC-URSI is usually held in conjunction with a National Radio Science Meeting (or Symposium) comprising technical sessions, which are open to the public (subject to payment of any registration fee that may be charged), and business sessions of the Commissions (see Article IX).

Quorum: A majority (more than 50%) of the full voting membership of the National Committee for a meeting held in person shall constitute a quorum. For a vote taken by e-mail or other electronic means, a majority (more than 50%) of the full voting membership of the National Committee must proactively participate in the voting process in order for a quorum to be established.

The meetings of the National Committee shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article VII. Voting

Each member of the National Committee, except as may be specified otherwise in Article III, shall have one vote. No member serving on the National Committee in more than one capacity shall have more than one vote because of such occurrence.

Votes of the National Committee and the Commissions may be carried out by e-mail or other electronic means.

Article VIII. Executive Committee

There shall be an executive committee of the National Committee to do such planning, preparation, and executive work as may be necessary in the intervals between meetings of the National Committee. The executive committee shall be composed of the President, Secretary, Immediate Past President of the National Committee, and any others appointed by the President.

All members of the executive committee shall serve terms from September 1 in the year of the general assembly of the URSI through August 31 in the year of the next general assembly.

The executive committee may establish subcommittees as required. It may also, in the name of the National Committee, take such other action consistent with articles of this constitution as may be necessary to accomplish the work of the National Committee.

Article IX. Commissions

The National Committee may establish technical bodies serving as national Commissions corresponding in general to the international Commissions of the URSI. It may decline to establish a Commission corresponding to an international Commission or it may, consistent with the overall field of interest of the URSI, establish Commissions for which no corresponding international Commissions exist. All Commissions shall participate in the annual meeting (see Article VI).

The Chairs, Vice Chairs and Early Career Representatives of national Commissions are elected by the National Committee on the recommendation of the respective Commissions. Early Career Representatives shall be nominated from within the respective Commission’s roster of Early Career Members. Early Career Members may continue in their position if they are elevated to Associate Members during their term. All shall serve terms from January 1 after a general assembly through December 31 after the next general assembly. Chairs and Vice Chairs can be replaced by a vote of the National Committee. Except in unusual circumstances, the Vice Chair succeeds automatically as Chair.

New members of a national Commission are normally elected by their Commission at regular business meetings upon a favorable vote by a majority of the members of the Commission present. Commission members may also be elected by the National Committee. Membership in the USNC-URSI Commissions is subject to appointment by the USFRS, based on recommendations that result from voting by the USNC-URSI Commissions.

National Commission members shall serve until they ask to be removed, or (at the option of the Commission) are removed due to inactivity.

Article X. Finances

All funds, contributions, registration fees, contracts and grants, shall be solicited, received, and disbursed in accordance with prevailing policies and practices of the USFRS.

The annual URSI dues of the United States are expected to be provided by the National Science Foundation. The USFRS, as the adhering body, is responsible for assuring payment of the annual URSI dues, and the USNC-URSI shall abide by guidelines with respect to the fulfillment of dues obligations. In particular, the USNC-URSI shall seek USFRS agreement on any increase of dues.

Article XI. Amendment to this Constitution

This constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the National Committee subject to subsequent review and approval by the Board of Directors of the USFRS.

Proposals for amendments shall be voted upon at a regular meeting of the National Committee, or by electronic means between regular meetings of the National Committee.

Article XII. General Provisions

This constitution shall come into force following its adoption by the National Committee and subsequent review and approval by the Board of Directors of the USFRS. It supersedes the constitution of the National Committee dated February 6, 2025.

Change History
  • As approved at 1/05/16 USNC-URSI meeting.
  • Modified at 1/03/18 USNC-URSI meeting to specify that officers had to be chosen from present or past voting members.
  • Modified at 1/09/21 USNC-URSI meeting to increase the number of government representatives to up to five.
  • Modified on 4/19/2021 by email vote to include WIRS Chair as a voting member of USNC-URSI.
  • Modified on 2/6/2025 by email vote for the addition of ECRs on the Committee and within Commissions, as well as members deemed necessary to satisfy NAS policies.
  • Modified on 10/4/2026 to recognize the United States Foundation for Radio Science (USFRS) as the U.S. adhering body to URSI in place of the National Academy of Sciences; to remove the Accounts Manager, the National Society Members, and the Liaison Representatives from Government Agencies; to replace the members-at-large with four committee chairs (the Chair of the Student Paper Competition, the Chair of Exhibits and Sponsorships, the Chair of Workshops and Short Courses, and the Chair of Education and Outreach) as voting members of the Committee; to add early career members as voting members of the Committee, each serving in a designated role (membership, support of the Chair of Exhibits and Sponsorships, and publicity and social media); and to add voting representatives of the USFRS, National Science Foundation, and IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society; changed the executive committee Chair, Secretary/Chair-Elect, and Immediate Past Chair to President, Secretary/President-Elect, Immediate Past President; changed the term dates from Jan 1 – Dec 31 to Sept 1 – Aug 31 in the year of each GASS.

View the official USNC-URSI Constitution document below

View Constitution