Rio de Janeiro, February 26, 1997

1. The National Committees are invited to send suggestions before March 15, 1998 for the composition of the next Executive Committee, EC, the Commission on Development and Exchange, CDE, the International Comission on Mathematical Instructions, ICMI, and the International Commission on the History of Mathematics, ICHM, a joint Commission of IMU and the International Union of the History and Philosopy of Science, IUHPS. We are also enclosing the Procedures for election of each commission. Please notice that the EC prepared a new version of the procedures for election, as requested by the last General Assembly (1994). We have been consulting the National Committee about such procedures, and if you have any suggestion, please let us know as soon as possible.
   

2. SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT FUND - The Union is making a major effort to bring as many qualified young mathematicians from developing countries to the International Congress of Mathematicians-98 as possible. For the ICM-94 in Zürich the IMU financed the trip of 78 young mathematicians and the Swiss Organizing Committee kindly cover the local expenses. (See the list in the IMU Bulletin number 37, 1994). We hope to increase this number to 100 or even 120 in 1998. As you may know, the American Mathematical Society, has asked its members to make a donation to the SDF when paying their membership fees. We hope that other societies could consider a similar action. Also, from the start the London Mathematical Society and the Royal Society have made major contributions. Other countries that have been making important contributions to the Fund: Brazil, Finland, France, Holland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland.

   Donations to the SDF can be sent at any time and any convertible currency to the following account:

   IMU ACCOUNT NUMBER 0862-656208-21
   SCHWEIZERICHE KREDITANSTALT
   STADTFILIALE ZURICH - RIGIPLATZ
   UNIVERSITATSTRASSE 105
   CH-8033-ZURICH - SWITZERLAND

3. TRAVEL GRANTS FOR YOUNG MATHEMATICIANS TO ATTEND THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MATHEMATICIANS

   The International Mathematical Union will award travel grants to young mathematicians to help them to attend the ICM-98, Berlin, Germany, August 18-28, 1998. The grants are intended for young mathematicians from developing countries (not necessarily members of IMU). Please, notice that mathematicians from Eastern European countries, even those with strict monetary regulations, are not part of this program, but shall also be specially considered directly by the Local Organizing Committee.

   The age-limit for the grantees is 35 years at the occasion of the Congress. The candidates should present evidence of research work on post-doctoral level, and they should be able to benefit from the interaction with mathematicians from other countries attending the Congress.

   In addition to the name and address of the candidate, the applications should contain a brief curriculum vitae, including date of birth, plus a list of publications (papers published or accepted for publication).

   The Local Organizing Committee of the International Congress of Mathematicians will provide a special allowance to the grantees to cover their registration, board and lodging.

   Applications for the travel grant may be sent directly to the Secretary of the Union. Applications may also be submitted through the National Committees for Mathematics, which in such a case will send all the relevant information about the candidates to the Secretary.

   All applications should reach the Secretary by January 1, 1998:

   IMU SECRETARIAT:
   International Mathematical Union
   Professor Jacob Palis, Secretary
   Estrada Dona Castorina, 110, Jardim Botânico
   22.460-320 - Rio de Janeiro, RJ
   Brazil
   Fax No. (55) (21) 512 4112
   e-mail: IMU@IMPA.BR

4. I am also enclosing the list with their addresses of the Adhering Organizations and Committees for Mathematics of IMU. I ask you please to check if the addresses are correct and provide us e-mail as well as faxes numbers. Please also check the addresses appearing in IMU homepage: http://elib.zib.de/IMU.

   Thank you very much for your attention and cooperation,

   Sincerely Yours,

   Jacob Palis
   Secretary of IMU
   e-mail: imu@impa.br
   fax: (55) 21 512-4112

Procedures for the Election of the Executive Committee of IMU 1998

1. Not less than a year before the meeting of the G.A., the E.C. shall request proposals for the membership of the E.C. from the National Committees for Mathematics, to be considered before the meeting of the E.C. in the spring before the Assembly. The E.C. shall then draw up its own list of nominations, making certain that each candidate is willing to serve if elected. The slate should be mailed to the National Committees at least three months before the G.A., together with background on the candidates, their fields and countries/geographic areas.

2. After the slate drawn by the EC is known, the National Committees can make further proposals of names specifically for the offices of President, Secretary, Vice-President, and Members at large. These proposals shall reach the Secretary not less than one month before the G.A. The same information as above concerning the nominees, including their willingness to serve if elected, should be provided. The Secretary will inform all National Committees of these last proposals before the G.A. The National Committees are asked to cooperate in having their delegates to the G.A. fully informed.

3. Further nominations may be made in writing before the last session on the first day of activities of the G.A. provided that they are drawn from names offered by the National Committees as in (1), signed by at least ten delegates and convey the same information as in items (1) and (2) above.

4. On the first day of the meeting, the General Assembly shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of:

   a) the President (chairman),
   b) all Past Presidents who are present (ex-officio),
   c) eight further delegates.

   Election to (c) shall be from names either proposed by the President or proposed and seconded from the floor; and shall be by show of hands unless the meeting decides otherwise.

5. The Nominating Committee shall propose a slate from the nominations made under (1), (2) and (3) above and shall make it known to the meeting.

   No person shall be a candidate for more than one office.

6. The General Assembly shall then elect the new President, Vice-President, Secretay and members at large by written ballots.

   The voting slips shall contain all the names nominated under (5) and (3) (unless a candidate withdraws), but no others.
   A vote shall be invalid if more names are marked in any category than the number of places to be filled (i.e., one each for President and Secretary, two for Vice-Presidents and five for Members at large).
   A candidate for President or Secretary may be elected only if unopposed or if he or she obtains a majority of the votes cast. If the first ballot is indecisive, there shall be a second ballot. In the ballots for the Vice-Presidents and Members at large, the two or five candidates respectively who obtain the largest numbers of votes shall be elected.
   In the event of a tie, the President shall decide.

Note: Statute (9) provides (inter alia) that: ``each delegation shall be free to cast the votes to which it is entitled either as a unit or divided in such a manner as it may determine''.

Procedures for the Election of the Executive Committee of ICMI

The rules for the election of the Executive Committee of ICMI are similar to those for the election of the Executive Committee of IMU with the same Nominating Committee.

The E.C. of IMU shall request proposals for the membership of the E.C. of ICMI from the National Committees for Mathematics and will conduct extensive consultations with the existing Executive Committee of ICMI before proposing slates to the Nominating Committee.

No person can be a candidate for more than one office.

Procedures for the Election of CDE

The rules for the election of the Commission of Development and Exchange are similar to those for the election of the Executive Committees of IMU and ICMI with the same Nominating Committee.

The E.C. of IMU shall request proposals for the membership of CDE from the National Committees for Mathematics and will conduct extensive consultations with the existing CDE before proposing slates to the Nominating Committee.

No person can be a candidate for more than one office.