THE STATUTES OF THE INTERNATIONAL SUBCOMMISSION ON TRICHODERMA TAXONOMY (ICTT)
1. DEFINITION
The International Subcommission on Trichoderma Taxonomy or ICTT (former The International Subcommission on Trichoderma and Hypocrea or ISTH) is a Subcommission of the International Commission for the Taxonomy of Fungi (hereafter ICTF), a Commission of the Mycology Division of the International Union of Microbiological Societies (hereafter IUMS Mycology Division).
2. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Subcommission is by invitation of the members of the subcommission and shall be limited to experts in Trichoderma or such other persons who in the opinion of the Subcommission are able to provide significant information about these genera on a continuing basis. Membership shall be unlimited, coming from no fewer than five countries. Any member may make a proposal to invite a new member: The decision to issue an invitation or to increase the maximal number of members shall be decided by a vote of members. The Executive may appoint Consultants or corresponding members to assist with the work of the Subcommission at any time, for any period.
3. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
A member may resign at any time by written communication to the Secretary. Any individual’s membership may be terminated at any time by a simple majority vote of members, the purpose of this statute being to exclude continuing membership from those not actively participating in the Subcommission’s work.
4. EXECUTIVE
The Executive shall consist of a Chairman and a Secretary elected from within the membership. A Treasurer may be elected to manage the Subcommissions finances, in case the subcommission raises support or grants as a legal entity. Executive positions shall be held until such time as elections are called for, at the request of any member in writing to the Secretary. Upon such a request, the Secretary shall call for nominations for all Executive positions, and arrange a ballot for such positions, to be held within four calender months of the initial request. Voting may be by email ballot or at a formal meeting.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES
The Chairman, in collaboration with other members of the Executive, shall be responsible for the Subcommission’s work program. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping minutes of formal meetings, for other record keeping, and for informing ICTF and the IUMS Mycology Division of the Subcommission’s activities. The Treasurer, if elected, shall be responsible for the Subcommission’s finances and, if requested, shall submit a balance sheet to each formal meeting of the Subcommission.
6. GOVERNANCE
The Subcommission shall be bound by the Statutes of ICTF and the IUMS Mycology Division.
7. AIMS
The aims of the Subcommission are (1) to improve any or all aspects of the taxonomy and systematics of Trichoderma; (2) to improve the accuracy of Trichoderma identifications and to develop and compare respective tools; (3) to establish a worldwide database of strains and isolates to aid an assessment of the biodiversity of Trichoderma. The Subcommission further aims to extend understanding of Trichoderma in the scientific community by publishing its findings, and by sponsoring meetings, specialist workshops, and conference sessions dealing with aspects of its work.
8. FINANCE
The Subcommission has the right to raise funds and to administer those funds as it sees fit, for its own purposes, as a nonprofit Organisation bound by the statutes of the IUMS.
9. PUBLICATIONS
The Subcommission has the right and shall try to publish any or all of its deliberations, studies or findings. In case of financial support by the Subcommission, members or consultants may publish this work only with Subcommission approval, by majority vote, and shall suitably acknowledge Subcommission support. Neither of these statements shall be constructed as hindering research or publication on Trichoderma by individual members of the Subcommission where such research or publication does not impinge on areas specifically under study by the Subcommission. However, the Chairman or Secretary of the Subcommission shall be informed by members where such research does impinge on Subcommission studies.
10. FORMAL MEETINGS
A formal meeting of the Subcommission is defined as a meeting over which the Chairman or Secretary presides, or an Acting Chairman is appointed, minutes are taken, and voting procedures used. A formal meeting may be held at any time when five or more members are together, provided that all Subcommission members have been advised in advance in writing of such a meeting. Normally, these meetings will be expected to occur at international meetings such as the International Mycological Congress or the Trichoderma and Gliocladium workshops, or the Trichoderma satellite workshop of ECFG conference series.
11. VOTING
Voting on any matter related to the Subcommission may be taken by email, web surveys or post, in which case a decision will be made by a simple majority of members who return a vote to the Secretary by a date nominated by the Secretary; or at a formal meeting, as defined in Statute 10, again by a simple majority vote of members present and proxies received from absent members. In these Statutes, voting is governed by the provisions in these statutes.
12. DISBANDING
The Subcommission may be disbanded (1) by simple majority vote of members either by post or at a formal meeting; or (2) by a constitutional and valid motion from either the ICTF or the IUMS Mycology Division to order disbanding. In the event of disbanding, all property of the Subcommission shall become the property of IUMS Mycology Division.
13. ALTERATION OF STATUTES
The Statutes may be emended by a simple majority vote of members, under the voting conditions defined in Statute 11.