Statutes for
TODOS – Doctoral Students and Postdocs at UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Version December 04th, 2023
§ 1 Name
The name of the organization is TODOS – Doctoral Students and Postdocs at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, abbreviated TODOS. The organization was founded March 2nd, 2011.
§ 2 Purpose
TODOS is independent and not affiliated with any political organization or trade union.
TODOS represents the joint interests of all PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows (postdocs) at UiT The Arctic University of Norway (in the following UiT) on all campuses. TODOS focusses on working conditions and professional development, rights and duties, research ethics and issues regarding science and society. In addition, TODOS organizes semi-regularly social events.
§ 3 Membership
TODOS has no official membership and represents all registered PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows (postdocs) at UiT. If any individual does not want to be a member in, or represented by TODOS, they are free to notify the organization of this fact. There is no membership fee.
§ 4 Information
All information is provided to the members in due time through e-mail and the TODOS website. In addition, the Board may use other channels of communication, e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Tavla, Posters etc.
§ 5 Governance
§ 5 – 1 The Biannual General Meeting (GM)
The Biannual General Meeting is the highest-ranking decision-making organ in TODOS. Every registered PhD candidate and postdoctoral fellows at UiT has a right to be present, to run for a position in the Board, to vote on new members to the Board and to ask questions to the sitting Board. As a general rule, the GM is held in the second (summer meeting) and last quarter (winter meeting) of every calendar year.
The Board calls the GM according to §5-2-2 and §5-2-3.
If more than 20 PhD candidates makes an appeal to the Board, then the Board has to issue the call for an extraordinary GM according to §5-2-2.
§ 5 – 1 – 1 Rights
The GM has the following rights:
- to suggest and nominate people to run for Board positions.
- to disband the organization with a 2/3 majority vote.
- to make a vote of no-confidence in the sitting Board and elect a new one with a 2/3 majority vote.
- to get insight into what the Board is currently working on.
§ 5 – 1 – 2 Duties
The GM has the following duties:
- to approve the annual report.
- to elect new members to the board.
- at the winter meeting, to approve a provisional budget for the following year, including compensation for the board members and campus representatives.
- to dismiss the old Board once a new one is elected. This comes into force at a take-over meeting between the old and new board, scheduled at the first possible opportunity after the GM.
§ 5 – 1 – 3 Elections
All positions in the Board are elected once every year. The positions are: Board Chair, Vice Board Chair, Chair of Social Affairs, Chair of Academic Affairs, Accountant and Chair of Communications.
The positions for Chair, Accountant and Chair of Academic Affairs are elected in the winter meeting. The positions for Vice-Chair, Chair of Social Affairs, and Chair of Communication are elected in the summer meeting. This ensures a continuous passing on of experience by one board to the next.
Additionally, campus representatives (see §5 – 2 – 4) are elected at the winter meeting.
In order to be eligible for a board position, prospective board members must hold an employment contract that extends throughout the entirety of their tenure as a board member, which encompasses the entire calendar year following the Winter General Meeting, or until June of the subsequent year for the Summer General Meeting.
The GM choses two people to act as vote-counters. All voting is in writing and anonymous. Simple majority is required to win an election. In the case where there is only one candidate for a position, the candidate can be approved without a vote if there are no objections by the GM.
If a position (board member or campus representative) is not filled during a GM, the Board calls for new nominations and appoints or votes on the new Board member according to §5 – 2 – 1. If a Board member chooses to leave their position before the position’s next regular election, the notice time is at least one month. The Board can call for new nominations and appoint or vote on the new Board member according to §5 – 2 – 1.
§ 5 – 2 The Board
The Board members elected by the GM together with the ones elected in the previous GM represent the members of TODOS. After the elections at the GM, the new board takes over from the previous board at a take-over meeting scheduled at the first opportunity. The board should, as far as possible, be representative with respect to faculties, campuses, and Norwegian and international PhD candidates and postdocs, as well as gender. The Board is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the organization.
The Board is responsible in keeping in contact with the representatives on the campuses in Alta, Harstad, and Narvik according to §5 – 2 – 4. This is to ensure that all campuses are represented fairly.
§ 5 – 2 – 1 Decisions in the Board
For the Board to make a decision and vote on issues brought to their attention in a Board meeting, at least 50% of the Board members have to be present. In case of equality of votes, the Board Chair has two votes.
§ 5 – 2 – 2 Rights
The Board has the following rights:
- The Board can organize its work freely, unless otherwise specified in this document.
- The Board can appoint TODOS members outside the Board to represent the Board at meetings and events on a case-by-case basis, when none of the Board members are available and/or when the appointee’s competencies are relevant for the matter at hand.
- The Board can call an extraordinary general meeting if needed. All PhD candidates and postdocs are informed at least four weeks in advance.
§ 5 – 2 – 3 Duties
The Board has the following duties:
- to prepare the bi-annual report to be presented and approved by the GM. The report is made available to all PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows at least two weeks before the GM.
- to issue the call for the GM. All PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows are informed at least two weeks before the GM.
- to plan and hold social and academic events. In collaboration with the local PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows it is expected to hold at least one event per calendar year in each of the campuses Alta, Harstad, Narvik, and Tromsø.
- to inform PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows about upcoming events and the workings of the Board through the web page and email, and additional channels, according to §4.
- to hold at least six Board meetings per year.
- to hold at least two extended Board meetings including the campus representatives per year.
- to keep in contact with and represent members at the UiT central administration, the faculties, and other relevant entities.
§ 5 – 2 – 4 Campus representatives
In addition to the regular Board, TODOS has one local representative on the campuses in Alta, Harstad and Narvik respectively, in total three representatives. These representatives serve as TODOS’s local contact and ensure good communication between the Board and the campuses. The representatives’ tasks include, but are not limited to, communicating the local PhD candidates’ and postdocs’ needs to the Board and organizing events for local PhD candidates and postdocs.
Every registered PhD candidate and postdoctoral fellow with their main workplace on one of the campuses Alta, Harstad or Narvik, can nominate themselves as representative for their respective campus. The Board appoints the representatives once a year.
§ 6 Statutes
Changes in the statutes have to be approved by the GM with 2/3 majority vote.
