Bylaws: American Society for Engineering Education

For Members

Adopted: 1966

Revised: (1981, 2004, 2005, 2006)

[A] NAME

The name of this unit shall be the Materials Division.

[B] OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this unit are identical with the objectives of the Society as set out in the ASEE Constitution, with an emphasis on those objectives that pertain to Materials Science & Engineering. Specifically, the unit shall:

[1] provide for those activities of the society in the various Materials Engineering areas, and in the engineering science area known as the nature and behavior of materials.

[2] encourage cooperation and understanding between members of various engineering disciplines interested in materials to establish or continue their activities within the Society through the common objectives of this division, stated in Article B, section 1 of these bylaws .

[C] 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.

[D] ORGANIZATION

The unit shall be administered by an Executive Committee composed of the Chair and Program Chair.

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.

[E] OFFICERS

[1] The unit's officers shall be:

Chair — serving a term of two year and succeeding to the position of Immediate Past Chair.

Program Chair — serving a term of two years and succeeding to the position of Chair.

Immediate Past Chair— serving a term of two years as an ex-officio member.

[2] 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.

[3] 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 Chair-Elect shall take office as Chair immediately, serving out the duration of the unexpired term followed by the term to which he/she was elected;

[b] in the event of the resignation or death of the Chair Elect, a special election shall be conducted within 30 days to elect a new Chair Elect and the Executive Committee may, at its discretion, appoint a person to fulfill the duties of the Chair Elect until the position is filled by election;

[c] in the event of the resignation or death of the Immediate Past Chair, the vacated office shall not be filled for the duration of the unexpired term.

[F] DUTIES OF OFFICERS

[1] The CHAIR shall:

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.

[2] The PROGRAM CHAIR shall:

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.

[3] 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.
Assist in special projects for the betterment of the division.
Network into other aspects of ASEE’s organization to better the division.
Explore ways to increase the effectiveness of the division’s operations to support ASEE’s goals.

[G] ELECTION OF OFFICERS

[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 the Program Chair.

[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 three unit members who are present at the meeting. These additional nominees shall be voted on along with the nominees selected by the Nominating Committee.

[3] Except in the case of a special election necessitated by the resignation or death of the Program Chair, as required in [E-2] above, election of officers shall be conducted by written or oral ballot among those members of the unit actually present at the annual business meeting. Special elections may be conducted by e-mail, providing that those members of the unit who do not have e-mail addresses on record have the opportunity to vote by either mail or fax.

[H] COMMITTEES

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

[2] At least one standing committee shall be maintained: the Nominating Committee

[3] The Nominating Committee consists of the Chair and at least one other appointed division member

[4] The Awards Selection Committee consists of the Program Chair and may include other members of the division appointed by the Program Chair

[I] MEETINGS & ACTIVITIES

[1] An annual business meeting of the unit shall be held during the annual conference of the Society. Those members present at the meeting shall constitute 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] Election of officers for the following year.

[c] Presentation of unit awards, unless the unit schedules a separate function for that purpose.

[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. Those members of the Executive Committee present at meetings of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

[3] The Executive Committee may establish such other activities as deemed desirable to promote the objectives of the unit.

[4] All meetings of the unit 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 unit are eligible to vote on unit-wide matters, including the election of officers.

[J] PUBLICATIONS

[1] The unit shall produce and distribute such publications as the Executive Committee deems appropriate to promote the objectives of the unit.

[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.

[K] AMENDMENTS

[1] Amendments to these by-laws may be made at the annual business meeting of the unit, or by mail or e-mail ballot at any time during the year, upon affirmative vote by two-thirds of the members who vote. If e-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 unit may vote on proposed amendments to the by-laws.

[2] Proposed amendments to these by-laws shall be prepared by a committee of one or more unit members appointed by the unit Chair. Proposed amendments shall be sent to the full membership of the unit 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 e-mail, providing that they are also sent by mail to those members who do not have an e-mail address on their membership records.

[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.

[L] OTHER PROVISIONS

[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.

[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.

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