The GGOS Governing Board was formally established in 2023. It merges the former GGOS Coordinating Board and the GGOS Consortium to one body. The election and appointment of the GGOS Governing Board members is in progress.

Function

The Governing Board is responsible for governance, strategic policy and direction.

Membership

The membership of the GGOS Governing Board consists of delegates appointed by the other IAG components, the officers chairing the different GGOS components, elected members-at-large and appointed members. One person may not hold two voting positions on the GGOS Governing Board. The membership of the GGOS Governing Board follows the four-year term used in the IAG. Renewal of this membership takes place during or shortly after the IUGG General Assemblies (see IAG Bylaws for more details).

Appointment and Election of Governing Board Members

Representatives of IAG Services, Commission, ICCs and Projects

Each IAG Service, Commission, ICC and Project is invited to nominate one delegate to the GGOS Governing Board. Delegates appointed to the Governing Board as representatives of the IAG Services, Commissions, ICCs or Projects must be active members of those components. After a four-year term, it is at the discretion of each IAG component to renew its representation with the same delegate or to nominate a different colleague.

Members-at-Large

Members-at-large are invited to serve on the GGOS Governing Board to provide balanced representation of geographic regions or unique capabilities. The GGOS President, with the assistance of the GGOS Coordinating Office, shall appoint an Election Committee to organize the election process. This process includes issuing a call-for-participation to identify possible candidates, ensuring the availability of the nominated candidates, and consolidating a final slate of members-at-large candidates. The Election Committee shall then present this final slate to the GGOS Governing Board for a vote. In the event that a member-at-large is unable to participate in the duties of the GGOS Governing Board (due to illness, retirement, change of affiliation, etc.), the GGOS President, with the assistance of the GGOS Coordinating Office, shall submit a list of at least two candidates for replacement to the GGOS Governing Board.

Appointed Members

After the election of the members-at-large, the GGOS Executive Committee can nominate up to two additional members to balance research areas or geographic regions not covered by the members-at-large. All candidates must then be approved by the Governing Board.

GGOS Officers

The GGOS President, Vice President, Immediate Past President, Coordinating Office Director, External Relations Manager, GGOS Bureau Directors, and chairs of the Focus Areas, Committees and Working Groups established within each GGOS component are ex-officio members of the GGOS Governing Board during their terms of office.

Representatives of the GGOS Affiliates

Each GGOS Affiliate is invited to nominate one delegate to the GGOS Governing Board. Delegates appointed to the Governing Board as representatives of the GGOS Affiliates must be active members of the respective Affiliates. After a four-year term, it is at the discretion of each GGOS Affiliate to renew its representation with the same delegate or to nominate a different colleague.