IAPT Ballot - Urgent

[Vicki Funk]

To the Plant Taxonomy Community:

International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) ballot papers=20
have been distributed without some nominated candidates supported
by a large number of members being included.  It is urged that
these ballot papers be not completed but sent to the address in
Copenhagen given, with a request for a NEW BALLOT.  See the IAPT
Alternative Website for more details and a history of these
issues:  http://mason.gmu.edu/~ckelloff/vfunk/
Comments to be posted on the website will be welcome.

       PLEASE circulate this among colleagues
          in your institution and region.
_________________________________________________

A Statement from Three British Institutions

The following statements are made by members of the International
Association for Plant Taxonomy at the Natural History Museum
London (BM), the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (E) and the
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (K).

1. We deplore the refusal of the present Officers of the
   Association to accept the nomination of Patricia Holmgren for
   either Secretary or Treasurer in the forthcoming election of
   Officers.

2. We note that this decision is in defiance of a petition posted
   on the IAPT Alternative Website by over 400 taxonomists, very
   many of whom are members of the Association, who have
   supported her nomination as Secretary. We know that many
   private letters have also been sent to the present Secretary
   urging him to accept all nominations, including a letter from
   our three institutions sent last year.

3. We regret the fact that the Secretary has continued to make
   his own nominations for Officers and Council members long
   after the deadline of 31 July 1998.

4. We regret the insult to the New York Botanical Garden implied
   in the Secretary's questioning whether that institution is
   capable of running the Secretariat. In our opinion it would
   offer an ideal home for the Sercretariat, and we believe Dr
   Holmgren is a very suitable person to take charge of the
   affairs of the Association as Secretary.

5. We strongly dispute the view apparently expressed repeatedly
   by the present Secretary that the posts of Secretary and
   Treasurer must be held by the same person, or by two persons
   from the same institution, and indeed we take exactly the
   opposite view. We note furthermore that the Secretary has no
   right to offer the editorship of Taxon after this year to
   anybody else, for that appointment must be made by the
   decision of the next elected Council.

6. We urgently call for the placement of Dr Holmgren on the
   ballot forms as candidate for Secretary in the forthcoming
   election. If this is not done we will call for a rejection of
   the ballot forms and request a new ballot. We invite the
   support of others.