Abstract
A Special-purpose Committee on Virtual Participation in the Nomenclature Section (NS) was established at the XIX International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen, China in 2017 (Wilson in Taxon 68: 160–162. 2019). The mandate of this Special-purpose Committee is “to investigate the possibility of and mechanisms for virtual participation and voting in the Nomenclature Section of an International Botanical Congress via the internet”. After discussing the concepts of virtual participation and voting, we have arrived at various suggestions, which are discussed in the accompanying report of the Committee (Landrum & al. in Taxon 70: 1399–1401. 2021). We realize that virtual or online participation in the NS would be a significant change to the International Code of nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Code, Turland & al. in Regnum Veg. 159. 2018) and can only be accepted as a change after its feasibility has been proven. Therefore, we are proposing that a trial be conducted at the NS of the next International Botanical Congress. Nevertheless, we are formally proposing additions to Div. III of the Code that can be considered near the end of the NS if the trial proves successful. “4.new1. Interested individuals or groups are to be able to observe the Nomenclature Section of an International Botanical Congress online on the World Wide Web. The Organizing Committee of the International Botanical Congress in consultation with the Bureau of Nomenclature are together responsible for ensuring that this is implemented.” “4.new2. Individuals or groups without voting rights observing the Nomenclature Section online on the World Wide Web will not be charged for this service, or a small fee will be set at the discretion of the Organizing Committee of the International Botanical Congress in consultation with the Bureau of Nomenclature.” “4.new3. Registered members of the Nomenclature Section (with voting rights) attending online on the World Wide Web (online members) will pay fees similar to those that they would pay if they attended in person.” “4.new4. Individuals desiring to be online members of the Nomenclature Section will register their intention to participate in advance of the Nomenclature Section, by a date to be determined by the Organizing Committee of the International Botanical Congress in consultation with the Bureau of Nomenclature.” “5.new1. Online members of the Nomenclature Section may accumulate and cast institutional votes just as in-person members (see Prov. 5.9(b)).” “Recommendation 1. The Nomenclature Section should take place in a country and place where broadcasting the Nomenclature Section on the web is possible and allowed.” “Recommendation 2. Local groups of non-voting observers, and members (online and in-person), of the Nomenclature Section are encouraged to meet together before and during the Section to facilitate discussion of proposals, including the results of the preliminary guiding vote (see Prov. 2.5).” “Recommendation 3. When proposals or amendments to proposals are introduced during the Nomenclature Section without having been published beforehand, voting on them should be delayed, to alert members (online and in-person) who may not be present for the whole Section.” “Recommendation 4. Written recognition for participation in the Nomenclature Section should be provided to members (online and in-person) by the Organizing Committee of the International Botanical Congress.” We thank Nicholas J. Turland (B; Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany) and John H. Wiersema (US; Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.) for their useful comments and suggestions to improve these proposals.
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