Statutes | NMR

Statutes of the Norwegian Mathematics Council

Adopted by the constituent assembly at Baardshaug on May 27, 1972, with amendments adopted by the Council on May 12, 1973, May 30, 1976, May 22, 1977, May 27, 1978, May 29, 1980, June 13, 1986, June 1, 1988, May 29, 1989, September 14, 1993, November 17, 1994, September 27, 1996, October 3, 1997, October 16, 1998, September 23, 1999, September 23, 2000, September 15, 2001, September 21, 2002, September 20, 2003, September 24, 2005, September 30, 2006, September 29, 2007, September 20, 2012, September 27, 2013, September 16, 2016, and September 21, 2018. The Board has been tasked by the annual meeting to implement further changes in the minutes due to structural changes in UHR. These changes are not yet in place.

1 PURPOSE
1.1
The Norwegian Mathematics Council is an independent, advisory body.

The Norwegian Mathematics Council (NMR) covers mathematics, including statistics, mechanics, and mathematics education.

The national professional body in mathematics is included in the Norwegian Mathematics Council. See § 2.1.

NMR provides advice on matters upon request from ministries, the Research Council of Norway, the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions, the National Faculty Meeting in Science, and participating institutions.

The council can also, on its own initiative or upon request from other professional bodies, address issues within its area of expertise.

1.2
The Norwegian Mathematics Council shall assess important issues, such as research tasks and professional questions within the mathematical sciences, and more generally regarding mathematics and mathematics education in Norway in a broad sense. The professional body is tasked with discussing and providing advice on the coordination of education and research within its fields and shall also function as a mutually informative body for the member institutions together with other professional bodies.

Highlighted issues include:

- national coordination and harmonization of research and education in mathematics
- matters of common interest, especially researcher training, curricula, professional content, professional quality and quality assurance (e.g., grading), evaluation issues, study environment, profiling and recruitment, the subject's position in schools, including school curricula and continuing education, and international cooperation.
- the subject's position in society, including competence requirements for teachers, recruitment for positions requiring a background in mathematics, contact with the user sector and the labor market, and work with scientific and artistic publishing and dissemination.

Members should present to the Council issues that fall under these points and are of general nature.

2 COMPOSITION, APPOINTMENT, ELECTION
2.1A
Representatives in the Norwegian Mathematics Council are appointed by the following members:
- University of Oslo, 4 representatives
- University of Bergen, 3 representatives
- NTNU, 5 representatives
- University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway, 3 representatives
- University of Stavanger, 2 representatives
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 1 representative
- University of Agder, 2 representatives
- Nord University, 2 representatives
- BI Norwegian Business School, 1 representative
- Norwegian School of Economics, 1 representative
- University of South-Eastern Norway, 2 representatives
- OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, 2 representatives
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2 representatives
- All other state colleges offering mathematics, 1 representative each
- National Center for Mathematics Education, 1 representative
- NLA University College, 1 representative
- Norwegian Mathematical Society, 1 representative
- Norwegian Association of Lecturers, 1 representative
- The Education Union, 3 representatives from primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education respectively
- Statistics Norway/Norwegian Computing Center/SINTEF Applied Mathematics, 1 representative
- The National Association for Mathematics in Schools, 2 representatives from different school levels
- Student representatives, 2 representatives

Colleges with institutional accreditation or approved equivalence for mathematics offering at least 60 ECTS credits in mathematics are entitled to representation.

Admission of other members can be decided by the Council with a 2/3 majority.

Each member appoints their representatives. Representatives from universities and scientific colleges are appointed by the basic units where teaching and research in mathematics are conducted. Academic management at the department/division/section level shall be represented unless special circumstances suggest otherwise.

Student representatives are appointed by the Norwegian Student Organization (NSO).

2.1B NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL BODY
The following representatives in the Council constitute the national professional body in mathematics:
- two representatives from each of the universities in Oslo, Bergen, Tromsø, and NTNU, and one representative from each of the University of Stavanger, NMBU, University of Agder, Nord University, and Norwegian School of Economics
- one representative from each of the members among the colleges
- two student representatives

The representatives under I and II are appointed by their institutions.

The representatives' term of office follows the term of office in the Council. Other members of the Council may be given observer status in the professional body by decision of the professional body. Observers can also be called to individual meetings or to address specific issues.

The professional body adheres to the standard regulations for national professional bodies, as adopted by the board of the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions on November 21, 2005, with adjustments on June 28, 2006.

2.2
The individual members should, when appointing, strive for professional diversity as far as possible. Each institution also appoints a number of alternates equal to the number of representatives. Appointment to the council is personal, with one exception: Universities and scientific colleges should appoint their department head/division leader/section leader ex officio.

2.3
The term of office for representatives in the Council is 4 years, with the possibility of re-election once. The term of office runs from May 1. Half are elected every other year.

Student representatives are appointed for one year at a time.

2.4
The Norwegian Mathematics Council has a board of 5 representatives, including a student representative: the council's chair and vice-chair, two representatives, and a secretary elected by and among the Council. Two alternates (1st and 2nd alternate) are elected. The term of office is 2 years. The chair, one board representative, and the 1st alternate are elected in odd-numbered years, while the vice-chair, secretary, one board representative, and the 2nd alternate are elected in even-numbered years. Both genders should be represented on the board.

The council's chair and vice-chair are also the chair and vice-chair of the board and the professional body.

The chair, vice-chair, and a majority of the board should be elected from the representatives that constitute the professional body and simultaneously form the working committee for the professional body.

3 WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
3.0
Secretarial tasks are assigned to the administration at the institution hosting the chair, unless otherwise agreed.

3.1
The Norwegian Mathematics Council meets regularly once a year and otherwise when the board deems it desirable. Additionally, a meeting shall be held when at least 1/4 of the members demand it.

The first council meeting of a newly appointed council is organized by the sitting board. Board representatives leaving the council attend the annual meeting (with the right to speak and propose, but without voting rights) as long as their term of office runs.

If both a council representative and an alternate from an institution are unable to attend the annual meeting, the institution may appoint a substitute representative for the annual meeting. Such substitute representatives have the same rights as regular representatives during the annual meeting.

The professional council shall meet at least once a year and additionally when the chair or working committee deems it necessary or when representatives from at least three of the institutions represented in the professional council demand it.

3.2
The Council is quorate when at least 2/3 of the appointed representatives are present. Decisions are made by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the chairperson's vote is decisive.

The Norwegian Mathematics Council shall normally consider all matters of principle in plenary sessions but may delegate decision-making authority to the Board. Matters suitable for circulation may be decided in this manner.

National subject council matters forwarded from the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions or the National Faculty Meeting in Science are handled by the subject council.

The subject council is quorate when at least half of the representatives are present. Decisions are made by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the chairperson's vote is decisive. This must be noted in the meeting minutes.

The subject council shall normally consider all matters of principle in plenary sessions but may delegate decision-making authority to the executive committee. Matters suitable for circulation may be decided in this manner.

All minutes and statements are sent to the participating institutions, the National Faculty Meeting in Science, the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions, and the Norwegian Student Union/Student Welfare Association.

3.3
Urgent matters of a principled nature may, if necessary, be handled by the Board, but should, as far as possible, be presented to the council representatives by circulation.

3.4
The Board meets when the chairperson deems it desirable. Two representatives can request that a meeting be convened.

3.5
The Board is quorate when at least four representatives are present. Decisions are made by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the chairperson's vote is decisive.

3.6
Council representatives, alternates, and the institutions mentioned under section 2.1 shall be given access to minutes from council and board meetings, and other relevant documents that are prepared.

4 COMMITTEES

4.1
To assist the Board and the Council, permanent and ad hoc committees may be established. Efforts should be made to have both genders represented in the council's committees.

4.2
The Norwegian Mathematics Council has a permanent education committee with five representatives elected by the Council for two years. The chair of the committee shall be elected by the Council, normally among the council's representatives. The committee's tasks include:

- Coordinating curricula, study programs, and competency requirements for positions in schools
- Arranging transitional provisions between universities and colleges
- Serving as a contact body between schools and universities

4.3
The Norwegian Mathematics Council has a permanent research committee, which shall be advisory to NMR's board on research policy issues. The committee has five representatives elected by the Council. The chair of the committee is elected by the Council. The term of office for committee representatives is normally two years.

4.4
The Council has a nomination committee consisting of two representatives, one from universities/scientific colleges and one from state colleges.

The representatives of the nomination committee are elected by and among the council representatives for a period of four years, regardless of further appointments. One representative is elected every other year, and the representative serving the third and fourth years is the chair of the committee.

The committee presents candidates for the relevant positions at the annual meeting.

5 SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

Amendments to the statutes require a 2/3 majority in the appointed Council.