IEEE Regional Activities Board approved the following bylaws at their meeting of 15 February 2002.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
SCHENECTADY SECTION BYLAWS
In all instances, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Bylaws, Constitution, RAB Operations Manual and IEEE Policy and Procedures will prevail when there is a conflict between these documents and Section Bylaws.
ARTICLE 1- Name, Purpose and Territory
Section 1
This organization shall be known as the Schenectady Section of the IEEE.
Section 2
The Section shall have for its purpose the advancement of the theory and practice of electrical engineering, electronics, allied branches of engineering and the related arts and sciences. The Section shall hold meetings for the transaction of the regular business of the Section and for the presentation of technical discussions and tours. The Section shall engage in such other activities as necessary for the fulfillment of its purposes, including the promotion of close cooperation and good fellowship among its members.
Section 3
The present territory of the Schenectady Section, as approved by RAB, includes the following New York State counties: Albany, Clinton, Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington.
ARTICLE II – Officers
Section 1
The management of the Section shall be by the Section Executive Committee whose members shall be members of the Section of Member grade or higher. The Executive Committee consists of the following elected officers:
- Section Chair
- Past Section Chair
- Vice Chair – Treasurer
- Vice Chair – Recording/Corresponding Secretary
- Vice Chair – Programs
- Chairs of active IEEE society chapters within the Section.
The Section Executive Committee shall also include the appointed chairs of active Standing Committees within the Section.
Section 2
The terms of office of the elected officers shall be for one year. Officers may be re-elected, but under no circumstances may an officer serve in the same position for more than two consecutive years.
Section 3
Terms of office will begin on 1 January. Outgoing officers will continue until their successors are duly elected and take office.
Section 4
Any vacancy occurring during the year shall be filled by a majority vote of the Section Executive Committee.
Section 5
The Section Chair, responsible to the Section Executive Committee shall be the ‘executive officer’ of the Section and shall have general supervision of the affairs of the section. The Chair shall preside at the meetings of the Section, and the Section Executive Committee. In the Chair’s absence, the Vice-Chair who is senior by virtue of his or her service as a Section Officer shall perform those duties.
The Section Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees except the Nominating Committee.
The Section Chair shall serve as representative from the Section to the Region 1 Board of Governors; an alternate Representative may be appointed with approval of the Section Executive Committee. At the close of the administrative year, the Section Chair shall confirm that Activity Reports and Financial Reports have been submitted to IEEE Headquarters.
The Vice Chair’s Treasurer duties are described in RAB Operations Manual.
The Vice Chair’s Secretary duties are described in RAB Operations Manual.
The Vice Chair’s Programs shall be responsible for preparing the technical program of the Section, for securing appropriate speakers, making physical arrangements for the meetings, and shall recommend to the Section Executive Committee whether payment of travel expenses of out-of-town speakers at Section meetings shall be authorized. Other officers shall assist with preparation of the program to the extent possible.
ARTICLE III – Standing Committees
Section 1
The Standing Committees of the Section will be as follows:
Steinmetz Memorial Lecture Committee, Steinmetz Memorial Trust Fund Committee, the Nominating Committee and the Tellers Committee.
Other committees may be authorized by a majority vote of the Section Executive Committee at any regular meeting, with the committee chairman appointed by the Section Chair.
Section 2
The Section Chair with the approval of the Section Executive Committee will appoint the Chair of the standing committees. The term of each chair will expire on December 31.
Section 3
Each Committee Chair will appoint his/her Committee members, with the approval of the Section Executive Committee, and their terms will expire on December 31.
Section 4
The Steinmetz Memorial Lecture Committee shall arrange for the Steinmetz Memorial Lectures, which are supported by the Steinmetz Memorial Lecture Endowment, in accordance with Agreement and Declaration of Trust made on April 13, 1927 by and between the Schenectady Trust Company of Schenectady, New York, and the Schenectady Section of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and later with its successor, the Schenectady Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
The duties of the other Standing Committees as may be formed will be available from the Regional Activities Department (RAD).
ARTICLE IV – Management
Section 1
The management of the Section shall be by the Section Executive Committee as described in Article II, Section 1.
Section 2
A quorum shall be necessary in the conduct of the business of the Section. A majority of the members of the Section Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum. A majority vote of the committee members present shall be required for decision on any question except as otherwise stipulated in these bylaws.
Section 3
Meetings of the Section Executive Committee will be held as deemed necessary and will be called by the Section Chair or by request of any three members of the Section Executive Committee.
Section 4
The fiscal year of the Section shall be 1 January- 31 December.
ARTICLE V – Nomination and Election of Officers
Section 1
A Nominating Committee consisting of at least three members, not then officers of the Section, shall be appointed by the Section Chair with the approval of the Section Executive Committee.
Section 2
A Nominating Committee shall nominate a slate consisting of one candidate for each of the offices of Section Chair, Vice Chair – Treasurer, Vice Chair – Recording/Corresponding Secretary, and Vice Chair – Programs. The Nominating Committee shall preferably be guided by the principle of succession whereby the officers proceed successively through the offices of Vice Chair – Programs, Vice Chair – Recording/Corresponding Secretary, Vice Chair-Treasurer, and Section Chair.
Section 3
The Nominating Committee will announce a ‘Call to Nominations’ to the Section membership by bulletin or special announcement no later than July 1. The announcement time shall call attention to Article V, Section 4.
Section 4
Additional nominations may be made by petition until August 1. To be valid the petition must be signed by 10 or more voting members, or 1% of the Section membership, whichever is fewer. The Section Secretary shall determine the validity of each petition and the eligibility of each nominee in accordance with these bylaws.
Section 5
The election shall be by secret ballot. The ballot showing the names of all nominees shall be mailed to the membership no later than November 15.
Section 6
A Tellers Committee shall be appointed by the Section Chair to count a ballot vote. Tellers Committee members may not be running for office. Ballots must reach the tellers no later than December 5.
Section 7
The presiding officer shall read the report of the committee of Tellers at the next Section Executive Committee meeting following the election, and shall declare duly elected the eligible candidates receiving the plurality of votes for each office.
Section 8
In the event that only one candidate is nominated for office after the petition nominations have been closed, the candidate(s) shall be elected at the last meeting of the calendar year, by acclimation.
ARTICLE VI – Business Meeting
Section 1
In order to transact business at a Section meeting, at least 20 members must be present to constitute a quorum.
Section 2
Notice of Section meetings shall be sent to all IEEE members in the Section at least one week prior to the date of the meeting. These notices shall contain a full statement of the time, place, and business of the meeting.
ARTICLE VII – Finances
Section 1
The Section Chair and Treasurer must approve all expenditures of Section funds.
Section 2
Without prior authorization of the IEEE Executive Committee, Section funds can be used only for normal operations of the Section. (See IEEE Policy & Procedure 11.4)
Section 3
The Section Treasurer shall be authorized to draw funds as approved by the Section Executive Committee.
Section 4
All Section and sub-unit bank accounts, including Chapters, shall provide for the signature authority of the IEEE Staff Director of Financial Services.
ARTICLE VIII – Amendments
Section 1
Proposals for amendments to these Bylaws may originate in the Section Executive Committee or by a petition signed by 20 or more voting members.
Section 2
Amendments to or revocation of these Bylaws shall be in accordance with the IEEE Bylaws, RAB Bylaws and RAB Operations Manual.