IEEE New Zealand South Section By-laws

In all instances, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) By-laws, Constitution, IEEE Policy Manual, and Regional Activities Board (RAB) Operations Manual shall prevail when there is a conflict between these documents and Section By-laws.

ARTICLE I - Name and Territory

Section 1

This organization shall be known as the IEEE New Zealand South Section.

Section 2

The territory of the New Zealand South Section, as approved by RAB, includes the following:
The whole of the South Island of New Zealand and an area of the North Island lying within a centre of 150 km centered on Wellington, this includes the cities and towns of Palmerston North, Levin, Masterton, Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt.

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ARTICLE II - Membership

Section 1

Section members are those individuals of Associate or higher grade membership residing within the boundaries of the Section, or who live or work in a neighboring Section and have requested Contiguous Section Membership status from the Regional Activities Department.

Section 2

Section members with the grade of Member or higher may vote in Section elections. Associate and Student members are not eligible to vote in Section elections. IEEE Society Affiliates are not members of the Section, but they will be notified of Section events and welcome to participate.

Section 3

Section members of Member or higher grade may hold elected office, or chair a Section Committee. Students and Associate members may not hold office nor chair a committee.

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ARTICLE III - Officers

Section 1

The elected officers of the New Zealand South Section shall be:

1. Chair
2. Vice-chair
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer

Section 2

The terms of office of the elected officers shall be for 1 year.

Section 3

Terms of office shall begin on 1 January. Outgoing officers shall continue until their successors are duly elected and take office. However, no officer may serve in the same position for more than two consecutive years.

Section 4

Any vacancy occurring during the year shall be filled by a majority vote of the Section Executive Committee.

Section 5

The duties of the elected officers shall be available from Regional Activities Department staff, in the RAB Operations Manual.

Section 6

The Section Executive Committee may appoint representatives in other geographical areas of the Section to coordinate local activities.

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ARTICLE IV - Standing Committees

Section 1

The Standing Committees of the Section shall be as follows:

1. Membership Development
2. Student Activities
3. Professional Activities

Section 2

The Chair of the Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Section Chair with the approval of the Section Executive Committee, and their terms correspond to the term of office of the elected officers of the Section.

Section 3

Each Committee Chair shall appoint his/her Committee members, with the approval of the Section Executive Committee, and their terms are to be the same as the Chairs' end-of-term date.

Section 4

The duties of the Standing Committees shall be printed in the RAB Operations Manual.

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ARTICLE V - Management

Section 1

The management of the Section shall be by the Section Executive Committee which shall consist of the elected officers, the Past Section Chair and the following:

1. Student Branch representative
2. Chapter Chair(s)
3. Standing Committee Chair(s)

The number of voting members elected must be at least one greater than those appointed. Chapter Chairs, as elected by their membership, are considered "elected" official, as is the Past Section Chair.

Section 2

A majority of the Section Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum. A quorum shall be necessary for the Section Executive Committee to conduct the business of the Section.

Section 3

Meetings of the Section Executive Committee ordinarily shall be held monthly and shall be called by the Section Chair or by a request of any three members of the Section Executive Committee.

Section 4

The fiscal year of the Section shall be 1 January to 31 December.

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ARTICLE VI - Nomination and Election of Officers

Section 1

A Nominating Committee consisting of 3 members, not then officers of the Section, nor intending to stand as candidates for office, shall be appointed by the Section Chair with the approval of the Section Executive Committee. If available to do so, the Past Section Chair will serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee.

Section 2

The nominations of the Nominating Committee shall be announced to the Section membership and, following this, a minimum of 28 days allowed for additional nominations by petition. To be valid, the petition must be signed by 3 members or 1 % of the Section's voting membership, whichever is fewer.

Section 3

If only one nomination is made for each office, the election shall be declared by acclamation at a meeting of the Section general membership, or the Section Executive Committee. If additional nominations are made, election shall be made by ballot, mailed or made available on the Internet to the membership with the vote counted by a Tellers Committee appointed by the Section Chair.

Section 4

The timetable for this procedure is as follows:

Section 5

A plurality of the votes cast shall be necessary for election.

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ARTICLE VII - Finances

Section 1

Without prior authorization of the IEEE Executive Committee, Section funds can be used only for normal operations of the Section. Those activities which fall outside of normal operations include donations, establishment of scholarship funds, and investment of funds outside of the IEEE Investment Program. Additional information is available from IEEE Financial Services Staff.

Section 2

All expenditures of Section funds must be approved by Section Executive Committee.

Section 3

The Treasurer or Chair shall be authorized to draw funds as approved by the Section Executive Committee.

Section 4

If permitted by government and banking regulations, all unit bank accounts will provide for the signature authority of the IEEE Staff Director, Financial Services.

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ARTICLE VIII - Sub-units

Section 1

The Section shall encourage the formation of sub-units, including Society Chapters and Affinity Groups. The Section shall support the efforts of sub-units to serve the members.

Section 2

Management of the sub-unit will be undertaken by the Section and governed as detailed in these by-laws, including financial activity where appropriate, as well as officer and election activity.

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ARTICLE IX - Amendments

Section 1

Proposals for amendments to these By-laws may originate in the Section Executive Committee or by a petition signed by 10 % or more of the voting members.

Section 2

Amendments to or revocation of these By-laws shall be in accordance with the IEEE By-laws, RAB By-laws and RAB Operations Manual. Such amendments must be reviewed by IEEE Staff, and approved by the Region Director and Regional Activities Board.

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Dated: 29 April 2003
Approved by RAB: 14 November 2003