Revocation Procedures

APS's revocation procedure lays out the process for enacting our revocation policy and Ethics Guidelines to ensure scientific integrity and commitment to our values of diversity, inclusion, and respect.

Initiating a revocation request

A request for revocation should be made in writing to the APS Ethics Committee of the APS using the request form and submitted via email.

Confidentiality

In all steps of the revocation procedures, the identity of the requestor will generally not be revealed by the Ethics Committee except as may be required by a court of competent jurisdiction or as otherwise required to comply with APS’s legal obligations.

What to include in a revocation request

A request must include an investigative report and/or public announcement of findings or actions taken (or links thereto) from a credible body, such as:

• The federal government’s Office of Research Integrity
• Other federal or state agencies (e.g., NSF, NIH),
• A professional organization, including international organizations
• An academic institution
• A court of law
• Admission(s) of conduct by the respondent

Requests for revocation must also include detailed information about the sources used, in order to enable verification of information.

In addition, the individual making the request must agree in writing to maintain the confidentiality of the matter until its conclusion at APS.

Preliminary review

APS Ethics Committee staff will conduct a preliminary review to determine if the request is substantive, has adequate documentation, and complies with these procedures. As a result of this review, either these procedures will continue or the request will be dismissed. In either case, the Ethics Committee will provide a report to the APS Board of Directors.

During revocation procedures, deliberations on claims will be based on the evidence provided. Investigations by the APS of complaints or charges beyond information presented in the request or otherwise available publicly, such as publications or court records, will not occur as part of revocation procedures.

Based on the submitted documents, the APS Board of Directors will decide whether to proceed with revocation procedures or to dismiss the request. If the Board proceeds, it will appoint a Revocation Panel of four current Board, Council, or Ethics Committee members to rule on the request. The Revocation Panel will remain active until a determination has been made on the request. This work may continue past the end of a Board, Council, or Ethics Committee member’s term.

Proceeding with a revocation request

If the Board decides to proceed, the Board will define a timeline for the process, and the respondent will be notified of the request for revocation in writing and in confidence. The respondent will be:

• Offered the option to accept the result of the revocation procedure voluntarily and without further investigation
• Given notice of the request, with with the supporting documentation and the names of all Board and Ethics Committee members

The respondent will also be invited to respond in writing to the request, and if desired, to make an oral presentation to the Revocation Panel, which will ordinarily occur via telephone conference. Such conference will not include any representatives of the Respondent and will be limited in time and scope per the direction of the Revocation Panel.

A motion of revocation

After the deadline for responses has passed, the Revocation Panel will consider:

• The original request
• Any responses, including the oral presentation/conference with the respondent, if any
• Any other pertinent information of public or official record

The Revocation Panel will discuss and vote on a motion of revocation. An affirmative vote of three of the four on the Revocation Panel is required for this motion to pass.

After the decision is made, the Revocation Panel will provide a summary report to the Board and Chair of the Ethics Committee. The report will indicate if the motion passed or not, but neither the vote tally nor the decisions of individual members of the Revocation Panel will be included.

The revocation final decision

APS Executive Office staff will share this report with the respondent. The respondent can appeal the decision to the Board, and the Board can respond by constituting a new Revocation Panel. The final decision on Revocation is made by the Board.

APS Executive Office staff will share a report and final decision with the APS Council, the individual who submitted the request, and the respondent.

If the APS Executive Office staff determine that there should be an announcement or publication, the background factors or bases for the revocation may be included in the announcement.

Reinstatement

After a respondent’s status has been revoked or a respondent has resigned under the procedures of this policy, should significant, material new evidence come to light that would call into question the revocation decision, a respondent may request reinstatement. The process and procedure for reinstatement will be substantively equivalent to the revocation procedure.

Acknowledgements

These procedures draw on the Fellows Revocation Process of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and on the ethics policies of the American Geophysical Union.

View the full APS revocation policy and APS revocation procedures.