Bylaws: American Society for Engineering Education

For Members

Adopted: June 24, 1981

Revised: January 2006

Article I. NAME

The name of this unit shall be the Engineering and Public Policy Division.

Article II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this division are identical with the objectives of the Society as set out in the ASEE Constitution, with an emphasis on those objectives that pertain to engineering and public policy. Specifically, this division shall:

A. Promote an understanding of a) public policy fundamentals, b) the implications of public policy on emerging technologies as well as the broader impacts of engineering solutions on society, c) the processes and practices required to develop public support for emerging technological solutions to societal grand challenges (e.g., those associated with natural resources, the environment, physical and information infrastructure, health care, sustainable development, etc.)

B. Encourage better appreciation for the manner in which policy decisions are made on technological issues and the role of the engineer in that process,

C. Provide mechanisms for communications and interactions between public-policy decision-makers and engineering faculty and students,

D. Encourage engineering faculty and students to contribute professionally to the resolution of policy issues with technological dimensions, and

E. Initiate, assess, recommend and promote public policies that are supportive of engineering education.

Article III. MEMBERSHIP

The members of this unit shall be those members of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) who identify to ASEE their wish to be affiliated with the group each year and who are in good standing with respect to payment of any dues associated with membership in this Division.

Article IV. DUES

The level of the annual dues shall be set by majority vote of the Executive Committee and the membership and is currently set at the level of four (4) dollars .

Article V. ORGANIZATION

The unit shall be administered by an Executive Committee composed of the elected and appointed officers of the Division, as described in Article VI below.

Article VI. OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers

The Division’s officers shall be as indicated below

a. Chair,
b. Vice Chair for the Conference Program,
c. Vice Chair for Public Relations and Outreach ,
d. Vice Chair for Administration,
f. Such other Officers as may be appointed by the Executive Committee (e.g., standing or ad hoc committee chairs), and
g. The Immediate Past Chair.

Section 2. Terms of Office

The Division officer’s terms of office shall be as indicated below. The Chair and other elected officers shall assume their duties at the close of the unit's business meeting conducted at the annual meeting of the Society. Appointed officers shall assume their duties upon appointment

a. Chair — serving a term of two years and ineligible to be re-elected to more than two immediately successive terms. For the initial election in 2006, the term of office shall be 3 years.
b. Vice Chair for the Conference Program— serving a term of two years. For the intial election in 2006, the term of office shall be 1 year.
c. Vice Chair for Public Relations and Outreach — serving a term of two years. For the initial election in 2006, the term of office shall be 1 year.
d. Vice Chair for Administration — serving a term of two years. For the intial election in 2006, the term of office shall be 1 year.
e. Appointed Officers – serving a term of one-year and eligible to be re-appointed to successive terms.
f. Immediate Past Chair – serving a term of two-years unless the current chair is re-elected in which case this persons term continues for another two years.

The Chair and other elected officers shall assume their duties at the close of the unit's business meeting conducted at the annual meeting of the Society. Appointed officers shall assume their duties upon appointment.

Section 3. Officer Vacancies

In the event of the resignation or death of one of the members of the Executive Committee, the vacated office shall be filled for the duration of the unexpired term by a person to be appointed by vote of the Executive Committee, except that:

[a] in the event of the resignation or death of the Chair, the Vice-Chair for Administration shall take office as Chair immediately. A special election shall be conducted within 30 days to elect a new Chair;
[c] in the event of the resignation or death of the Immediate Past Chair, a previous Immediate Past Chair may be asked by the Executive Committee to serve out the duration of the unexpired term. Otherwise, the vacated office shall not be filled for the duration of the unexpired term.

Article VII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The CHAIR shall:

Represent the unit on the Council Board of the Professional Interest Council to which the unit has been assigned by the Society
Have administrative responsibility for the conduct of all functions of the unit in accordance with these by-laws and the policies and procedures established by the Executive Committee.
Schedule, organize and conduct annual business meetings of the unit and all meetings of the Executive Committee.
Appoint all standing committees authorized by these by-laws and special committees authorized by the Executive Committee.
Compile an annual report of the activities of the unit as requested by the Secretary of the Society.
Assure that official cash disbursement signatures are on file at Society headquarters and approve all expenditures of Society funds.

Section2. The VICE CHAIR FOR THE CONFERENCE PROGRAM shall:

Chair the Program Committee.
Arrange and coordinate the unit's activities at the Society's annual meeting.
Work with the Executive Committee to develop technical programs in accordance with the unit's objectives.
Coordinate sessions within the time frame set by ASEE headquarters for inviting speakers, notifying headquarters of logistical needs, etc., as set forth in the "Program Chair Guidelines" available from the ASEE Conferences department.
Work with ASEE Conferences department staff in the on-site management of sessions.

Section3. The VICE CHAIR FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS AND OUTREACH shall:

Chair the Communications Committee.
Collecting, evaluating, and editing material for periodic print or electronic newsletters to the Division’s membership.
Developing and maintaining the unit's web site.
Ensuring that the unit web site adheres to the policies and standards of the Society as to privacy and all other internet issues.
Keeping, cataloging, and transferring to successor committee’s those Division documents that are not normally kept by the Secretary or/and Treasurer but are records of the activities and achievements of the unit and its members.

Section 4. The VICE-CHAIR FOR ADMINISTRATION shall:

Act for the Chair at business meetings and Executive Committee meetings in the event of the Chair's absence.
Take office as Chair, as specified in [V-3-a] above, in the event of the resignation or death of the Chair before his/her term is completed.
Oversee and maintain the financial records of the unit and regularly report on financial status to the Executive Committee.
Collect unit income, if any, and disburse monies authorized by the unit Chair.
Keep records of all the unit's outstanding receivables and payables.
Ensure that all the unit's financial activities conform to the standards and procedures set forth in the ASEE Financial Policy Manual, which is available from the ASEE Accounting department.
Record the minutes of Executive Committee meetings and the annual business meeting, and distribute copies of the minutes to appropriate unit and Society officers.
Be responsible for the official records of the Executive Committee and the unit, and ensure that the files of the unit are passed along to his/her successor.
Tabulate, verify, and communicate the results of unit elections and other ballots.
Be responsible for filing the appropriate historical documents in the Division's paper or/and electronic archival library.

Section 5. The APPOINTED OFFICERS shall:

Serve on the Executive Committee and, upon appointment, chair such standing and ad hoc committees as the Division’s Executive Committee may establish.

Section 6. The IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR shall:

Serve on the Executive Committee and, upon appointment, on such other standing and ad hoc committees as the unit may establish.
Lead the Nominating Committee in developing the list of candidates for unit elections.
Keep the Executive Committee informed about the activities and progress of the Nominating Committee.

Article VIII. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall annually nominate two or more candidates for each elected office for which the term is due to expire at the next annual business meeting. Officers to be elected by vote of the unit members are those specified in Article VI, Section 1.

Section 2. Additional nominations for any elective office may be made at the annual meeting by presentation of such nominations in writing with the signatures of at least 20 percent of those Division members who are present at the meeting. These additional nominees shall be voted on along with the nominees selected by the Nominating Committee.

Section 3. Election of officers, including special elections, may be conducted by either written or electronic mail ballot before or during the annual business meeting. If electronic mail balloting is used, those members of the Division who do not have an electronic mail address on record shall be given the opportunity to vote by mail or fax. Electronic mail balloting prior to the current year’s business meeting shall be held as binding if valid ballots are received from at least 10% of the Division’s registered members. If this validity condition is not met, then written ballots from among those members of the Division actually present at the current annual business meeting shall be required and the results of those ballots shall be deemed valid if more than 5 members are present and voting.

Article IX. COMMITTEES

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall establish such standing and ad hoc committees as it deems necessary to carry out the activities of the unit.

Section 2. At least three standing committees shall be maintained: the Nominating Committee, the Program Committee, and the Communications Committee.

Section 3. The Nominating Committee consists of at lest three Division members and shall be chaired by the Immediate Past Chair. Members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

Section 4. The Program Committee consists of at lest two Division members and shall be chaired by the Vice Chair for the Conference Program. Members, other than the chair, shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The Communications Committee consists of at lest two Division members and shall be chaired by the Vice Chair for Pubic Relations and Outreach. Members, other than the chair, shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

Article X. MEETINGS & ACTIVITIES

Section 1. An annual business meeting of the unit shall be held during the annual conference of the Society. At least ten (10) percent of the Division’s members, but not less than 5 members, must be present at the meeting in order to have a quorum. The business meeting shall include at least:

[a] Reports from the incumbent officers on the unit's activities for the preceding year, membership, and finances.
[b] Reporting of Election results of officers for the following year or election of said officers should valid results not been obtained by prior balloting..
[c] Presentation of any Division awards, unless the Division schedules a separate function for that purpose.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings during the annual conference of the Society and special meetings throughout the year as called by the Chair. A quorum for conducting business shall have been met if at least 3 elected members of the Executive Committee are present.

Section 3. The Executive Committee may establish such other activities as deemed desirable to promote the objectives of the Division.

Section 4. All meetings of the Division are open to all interested persons. Only members of the Executive Committee, however, are eligible to vote on Executive Committee matters and only members of the Division are eligible to vote on Division-wide matters, including the election of officers.

Article XI. PUBLICATIONS

Section 1. The unit shall produce and distribute such print or electronic publications as the Executive Committee deems appropriate to promote the objectives of the unit.

Section 2. In accordance with Article VIII of the ASEE Constitution, papers and discussions presented at meetings of ASEE and the councils or groups therein shall become the property of ASEE and may be published as ASEE series, miscellaneous or occasional publications if authorized by the Board of Directors or its delegated representative. The ASEE Board of Directors, through its delegated representative, may grant permission to publish such papers and discussions elsewhere on condition that ASEE receive proper credit or may waive any property right ASEE may have in the paper or discussion. Papers not accepted for publication shall be returned to the authors and shall no longer be considered the property of the Society.

Article XII. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to these by-laws may be made at the annual business meeting of the unit, or by mail or electronic mail ballot at any time during the year, upon affirmative vote by two-thirds of the members who vote, but at least 5 members. If electronic mail balloting is used, those members who do not have e mail addresses on their membership records shall be provided the opportunity to cast their vote by mail or fax. Only members of the Division may vote on proposed amendments to the by-laws.

Section 2. Proposed amendments to these by-laws shall be prepared by a committee of not less than 3 Division members appointed by the Division Chair. Proposed amendments shall be sent to the full membership of the Division by letter or in the publications of the unit not less than 30 days before they are to be voted upon. Proposed amendments may also be sent to members by electronic mail, providing that they are also sent by mail to those members who do not have an e mail address on their membership records.

Section 3. Amendments approved by the division membership shall be submitted through the cognizant PIC Chair for approval by majority vote of the ASEE Board of Directors and shall take effect only upon such approval.

Article XIII. OTHER PROVISIONS

Section 1. Any provision of these by-laws shall be deemed invalid if it contravenes the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society or of the Professional Interest Council (PIC) to which the unit belongs.

Section 2. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, latest edition, shall govern this unit in all matters of parliamentary authority to which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society and the By-Laws of this unit. In all other matters, the Constitution of the Society shall govern.

TOPˆ