In all instances, the
Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Bylaws, Constitution, IEEE
Policy Manual, and Regional
Activities Board (RAB)
Operations Manual shall
prevail when there is a
conflict between these
documents and Section Bylaws.
1.0 SECTION NAME
This organization shall be
known as the Orlando Section
of the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers.
2.0 SECTION TERRITORY
The Orlando Section shall
be composed of IEEE members
whose IEEE mailing addresses
are within the following
counties, all in the State of
Florida:
2.1 Orange
2.2 Osceola
2.3 Seminole
2.4 Lake
2.5 Sumter
3.0 SECTION OFFICERS
3.1 Elected Officers and
Duties
The following Officers
shall be elected by the
general membership of the
Section: Chair, Vice-Chair,
Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section member of Graduate
Student 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.
3.1.1 Chair
The Section Chair is the
executive officer of the
Section and has general
supervision of the affairs of
the Section. One of his chief
duties is to act as Chair of
the Section Executive
Committee, to hold regular
meetings of that committee and
see that, by action of that
committee, the affairs of the
Section are handled properly
and in the best interests of
IEEE.
He shall appoint chairs for
all standing committees of the
Section. Each year, he shall
appoint a Nominating Committee
not later than the date set
for the Executive Committee
meeting in August, and an
Election Committee not later
than the date set for the
Executive Committee meeting in
October. He shall appoint
other special committees and
members-at-large (see Section
5.1.7) as deemed necessary to
accomplish specific tasks.
The Chair presides at all
meetings and represents the
Section at all IEEE meetings.
He serves as a member of the
Finance Committee. He serves
as the Section representative
on the Regional Committee and
shall serve as the
representative of the Section
in the Florida Council of IEEE
(FCIEEE).
3.1.2 Vice-Chair
The Vice-Chair shall
automatically become the Chair
when a vacancy in the Chair's
office is created by any
situation. The Vice-Chair
shall perform the duties of
the Chair whenever the Chair
is unable to attend or
participate in those
activities. He shall acquire,
compile, and distribute
material relevant to the
duties of each office (elected
and appointed) as presented in
the RAB Operations Manual and
augmented by Orlando Section
Bylaws.
The Vice-Chair shall serve
as the Program Committee Chair
and as a member of the Finance
Committee. He is an alternate
delegate from the Section to
the Regional Committee and to
the Florida Council of IEEE
and shall serve as the Section
representative at any meeting
of the Regional Committee and
of the Florida Council of IEEE
in the absence of the Section
Chair.
3.1.3 Secretary
The Secretary shall record
and distribute the minutes of
all Section and Executive
Committee meetings. He is also
responsible for preparing the
Section Annual Report,
summarizing all of the meeting
activities of the Section and
Group/Society Chapters for the
calendar year, submitting this
annual report and the officer
confirmation report so that
they comply with IEEE
Headquarters rebate deadline
dates. The Secretary shall
keep a file of all-significant
correspondence, records, and
reports of the Section for the
administrative year.
3.1.4 Treasurer
The Treasurer is custodian
of all funds of the Section.
He shall keep a record of all
financial activities of the
Section, maintain a checking
account in the name of the
Section, and invest reserves
in the IEEE investment fund,
with the approval of the
Executive Committee.
The Treasurer shall serve
as Chair of the Section
Finance Committee, which shall
include the Junior Past Chair,
the current Section Chair and
Vice-Chair. He shall assist
the Section Chair in preparing
a Section Budget, which shall
be presented as defined
Section 7.1 herein to the
Section Executive Committee
for approval. He is then
responsible for managing that
budget by recording the income
and expenditures in relation
to the Budget. An overrun of
the Budget shall be
immediately brought to the
attention of the Section
Executive Committee.
He shall submit a report
covering the financial
activities since the last
previous report at each
regular Executive Committee
meeting. He shall submit a
Section Financial Report for
the prior calendar year to the
IEEE Headquarters no later
than February 1 of the current
year.
3.2 Officers Elected By The
Affinity Groups/Chapters
Affinity Group/Society
Chapters Representative
(Chapters' Chair) shall be
elected by the Chapter Chair
each year at the January
meeting of the Executive
Committee, or as soon
thereafter as a quorum
consisting of half the Chapter
Chairs plus one can be
convened. The outgoing
Affinity Group/Society
Chapters Representative shall
continue to serve until a
successor is elected.
The Group/Society Chapters
Representative is a member of
the Executive Board. He may be
a present or past Chapter
Chair; his role is to act as a
spokesman for the chapters, to
advise them on procedural
matter, and to maintain a
meeting calendar for Chapters
and Section meetings,
assisting in setting meeting
dates to avoid conflicts
between meetings.
3.3 Qualification For
Elected Officers
All Elected Officers must
be members of the Orlando
Section at the time of
nomination and must maintain
an active membership status
throughout the term of office.
They must be willing and able
to serve in the capacity for
which they are nominated.
3.4 Appointed Officers And
Duties
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. 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.
3.4.1 Standing
Committees
The standing committees are
the following:
3.4.1.1 Program
Committee
This Committee shall
provide the programs and
speakers for the Section
meetings as directed by the
Section Chair and the
Executive Committee. It
coordinates the timing of
Section meetings with the
Affinity Group/Society Chapter
Representative. This committee
shall also make all
arrangements for facilities
and for the printing and
distribution of tickets for
Section meetings and shall
prepare and maintain a current
list of facilities that may be
used for Chapter meetings. The
list, to include capacities,
prices, dinner options, and
reservation information, shall
be provided to the incoming
Chapter program Chairmen each
December.
3.4.1.2 Membership And
Development Committee
This Committee shall
maintain an updated list of
all members in the Section and
is responsible for bringing
the advantages of IEEE
membership to the attention of
potential members within the
Orlando Section territory. It
sends letters of welcome to
new members and to members
transferring into the Section
area, encouraging them to
become active in Section
affairs. This Committee is
also responsible for
encouraging transfers to
highest grades for which
existing members are
qualified. In carrying out
these duties, this committee
shall maintain and distribute
an adequate supply of related
literature and applications
issued by IEEE Headquarters
for the purpose of membership
and transfers.
3.4.1.3 Public Relations
Committee
This committee shall be
responsible for properly
advertising meetings of the
section and for all local
publicity on IEEE matters,
including releases to the
press on IEEE awards and
appointments, and other
matters of professional or
human interest involving
Section members. It shall
maintain a media mailing list
with current names and
addresses to be used for press
release dissemination. It
shall be guided in its
activities by the "IEEE Public
Relations Guide".
3.4.1.4 Publications
Committee
This committee is
responsible for publishing and
distributing the Orlando
Section Monthly. In this
capacity, this committee shall
seek and acquire suitable paid
advertisements for the Monthly
in order to minimize costs to
the Section for their
publication.
3.4.1.5 Awards
Committee
The Junior Past Section
Chair shall serve as the
Awards Committee Chair. This
committee shall acquaint
themselves with all IEEE and
other related awards, taking
appropriate action for the
active participation of the
Section in recommending
deserving candidates for those
awards. In addition, this
committee shall establish an
on-going Awards Program to
recognize technical excellence
and IEEE service within the
Orlando Section.
3.4.1.6 Florida Engineering
Society (FES) Liaison
Committee
This committee is
responsible for maintaining
close contact and liaison with
FES for the joint purpose of
enhancing the professional
status of engineers. This
committee is not included in
determining the presence of a
quorum.
3.4.1.7 Professional
Activities Committee For
Engineers (PACE)
This committee shall
promote and implement those
objectives, which reflect the
professional principles
covered in the IEEE
Constitution. This committee
shall also be guided by the
policies and directives of the
National and Region III PACE
groups.
3.4.1.8 Student Activities
Committee
This committee shall
include all IEEE Student
Branch Counselors within the
territory of the Orlando
Section. This committee is
responsible for establishing
Section cooperation with the
Student Branches and
supporting Student activities
within the Section and Region.
The representation of this
committee is not included in
determining the presence of a
quorum.
3.4.1.9 Finance
Committee
This committee, composed of
the Junior Past Chair, Section
Chair and Vice-Chair, and
chaired by the Section
Treasurer, will be responsible
for reviewing the financial
affairs of the Section and
take initiative for making
recommendations to the
Executive Committee when
warranted. It shall preview
the annual budget in advance
of its submission to the
Executive Committee. Since its
members are counted otherwise,
this committee is not included
in determining the presence of
a quorum.
3.4.1.10 Conference
Committee
This committee shall be
responsible for coordinating
Section activities in the
support or production of
technical conferences or
seminars, including making
recommendations for such
involvement, proposing
appropriate facility and other
arrangements for them subject
to Section approval, and
extending invitations to IEEE
entities to hold conferences,
seminars, or technical
exhibitions within the
Section's jurisdiction. This
committee coordinates closely
with the Education Committee
for the production of short
courses and other educational
endeavors beneficial to the
section. This committee is not
counted in determining a
quorum.
3.4.1.11 Historian
This committee maintains
archival records of interest
in recording the history of
the Section, and prepares
(with annual updates) a
narrative describing the
activities of the Section,
from which excerpts can be
taken as appropriate in
defining award eligibility,
Section growth, etc. This
committee is not counted in
determining the presence of a
quorum.
3.4.1.12 Education
Committee
This committee is
responsible for the planning
and execution of programs to
aid in members' continuing
education, through the conduct
of tutorials and short
courses. Budgets for such
activity sponsored by the
Section require approval of
the Section Executive
Committee. This committee is
not counted in determining the
presence of a quorum.
3.4.1.13 Other
Committees
As necessary to accomplish
defined activities that
require functioning of the
Committee on a continuing or
"year-around" basis. They are
not included in determining
the presence of a quorum
without amending these
Bylaws.
i. Strategic Planning
Committee
This committee is
responsible for evaluating
strategies for using and
investing the Section's assets
so as to best serve the
Section membership, while
maintaining Section liquidity.
This committee will discuss
all suggestions made by
Section members relative to
future Section activities, and
make suggestions on
appropriate actions to the
Executive Committee.
ii. Communications
Committee
This committee is
responsible for the operation
of the web site and e-mail for
the Section.
3.4.2 SPECIAL
COMMITTEES
3.4.2.1 Nominating
Committee
This committee shall select
from the Section membership
candidates qualified for the
elective offices of the
Section: Chair, Vice-Chair,
Secretary, and Treasurer. The
committee shall determine that
each nominee is eligible and
willing to accept the
responsibilities of the
office, if elected. This
committee shall comprise at
least three (3) members (not
currently seeking an elected
office) who are all appointed
by the Section Chair. Duties
of this committee are
described in Section 4.2.
3.4.2.2 Elections
Committee
This committee is
responsible for the timely
implementation and conduct of
the elections for Section
officers. It is their duty to
ensure a fair election in
accordance with the provisions
of these Bylaws. This
committee shall comprise at
least three (3) Section
members appointed by the
Section Chair who are not
nominees in the current
election, who are not members
of the current Nominating
Committee, and who have not
submitted a nominee for the
current election. Duties of
this committee are described
in Section 4.4.
3.4.2.3 Other
Committees
Other committees shall be
established as necessary to
accomplish specific activities
of a short term basis such as
Constitution and Bylaws,
Special Events, etc.
3.4.3 Operations and
Planning
Each committee shall
prepare a yearly activities
plan. No officer, committee,
or Section member shall commit
the name Orlando Section IEEE
(explicitly or by inference)
to any endeavor without
approval of the Section
Executive Committee.
3.5 TERMS OF OFFICE
The term of office shall
begin on January 1st for
elected offices and
immediately after appointment
for appointed officers and
shall expire on December 31st
or until a successor is
elected/appointed and takes
office, whichever comes last.
No elected officer may hold
the same office for which he
was elected by the Section
membership for more than two
successive years.
3.6 Duties and
Responsibilities
The duties of the elected
officers shall be available
from Regional Activities
Department staff, in the RAB
Operations Manual.
4.0 SELECTION OF
OFFICERS
4.1
The Section Chair shall
appoint by the Executive
Committee meeting in August of
each year a Nominating
Committee consisting of at
least three (3) Section
members not then elected
Section officers.
4.2
The Nominating Committee
shall present its slate of
nominees to the Section Chair
at the September Executive
Committee meeting so that all
Section members may be
notified of the nominations
through the October issue of
the Orlando Section
Monthly.
4.3
The Section membership may
make additional nominations by
submitting qualified
petitions. A qualified
petition shall meet the
following conditions:
a) Specify the office,
b) Bear the signature of at
least 15 voting Section
members,
c) Contain statement of
nominee's consent to
serve,
d) State nominee's
qualifications and
biography,
e) Be delivered to the
Section Chair on or before
October 1st.
4.4
The Section Chair shall
appoint an Elections Committee
at the October Executive
Committee meeting each year.
Whenever there is more than
one nominee for any office,
the Elections Committee will
prepare a resume of all
nominees and an election
ballot for publication in the
November issue of the Orlando
Section Monthly. The Elections
Committee shall establish the
address to which the ballots
are to be mailed, Emailed or
hand delivered, the procedures
for verifications and the
cutoff date for receipt of
ballots. The Elections
Committee will advise the
Section membership of the time
and place for counting the
ballots; this event shall be
open to any Section members.
The results of the election
will be provided to the
Publication Chair in time to
be published in the December
issue of the Orlando Section
Monthly. In the event of a tie
vote, the Executive Committee
shall then select the winner
by secret ballot.
4.5
In the event there is only
one nominee for each office,
the Chair of the Election
Committee will cast a
unanimous vote for the slate
of officers on behalf of the
Orlando Section membership
without need for a published
ballot.
4.6
The newly elected officers
shall be installed at the
Executive Committee Meeting of
the Section held in
December.
4.7
Vacancies in elected
offices, except for Section
Chair, occurring during the
year shall be filled by
Executive Committee action. A
vacancy in the office of
Section Chair shall
automatically be filled by the
Vice-Chair. The resulting
Vice-Chair vacancy shall then
be filled by Executive
Committee action. A vacant
office, except of the Chair,
may be filled for the
unexpired term by nominations
from the floor and a majority
vote of the members present.
(The requirements of Section
4.3 c and d shall apply to all
nominations and may be
submitted either written or
orally.)
4.8
Recall - If for any reason
the best interests of the
Section seem to require a
change in the governing body
during the administrative
year, the matter shall be duly
and carefully considered by
the Section Executive
Committee. Upon not less than
a 2/3 vote of the Executive
Committee, or upon receipt of
a petition signed by fifteen
(15) percent of the members of
the Section, recommendation
shall be made to all the
Section members for action at
a special Section meeting to
be duly called by the
Executive Committee for the
sole purpose of considering
and voting upon such a change.
A 2/3 vote of the Section
members present shall be
necessary to declare an office
vacant. Vacancies are filled
as specified in section 4.7.
The provisions of this section
do not apply to standing
committees (appointed by and
serving at the pleasure of the
Section Chair) or to Affinity
Group/Society Chapter
officers, who are treated
elsewhere.
5.0 THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
5.1 Composition
The governing body of the
Section shall be known as the
Executive Committee. It shall
consist of the following:
5.1.1 The four (4) elected
Section officers;
5.1.2 An Affinity
Group/Society Chapter
Representative (Chapters'
Chair);
5.1.3 Chairmen of the
Standing Committees;
5.1.4 Chairmen of each
AffinityGroup/Society
Chapter;
5.1.5 The two most recent
past Chairmen of the Section
who are willing and able to
serve on the Executive
Committee;
5.1.6 Chairmen of the
Student Branches/Chapters;
5.1.7 Not more than five
(5) members-at-large who are
appointed by the Section Chair
with approval of the Executive
Committee.
5.2 VOTING
No vote by the Executive
Committee shall be binding
unless a quorum is present.
The following voting members
of the Executive Committee
shall constitute a quorum:
Three elected Section
officers
One elected Affinity
Group/Society Chapter
Chair
One appointed Standing
Committee Chair
5.2.1
All members of the
Executive Committee may vote
on any and all business of the
Committee.
5.2.2
Standing Committee, Student
Branch/Chapter, and Affinity
Group/Society Chapter chairmen
may designate a voting
alternate by notifying the
Section Chair in advance of
the meeting.
5.2.3
No individual shall cast
more than one vote, although
an individual designated in
writing to the Chair to act by
proxy for an absent elected or
appointed member may vote for
the absent member in addition
to casting his own vote. If
the proxy is for a
quorum-counted member, the
proxy shall be counted in the
quorum.
5.2.4
All voting members of the
Executive Committee shall be
members of the Orlando
Section.
5.2.5
In the event that a member
of the Executive Committee may
hold more than one office
(e.g., Vice-Chair may also
serve as Program Chair), the
number of voting members
required to constitute a
quorum will be reduced
accordingly; however, each
voting member shall have only
one vote regardless of the
number of offices held.
6.0 THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board shall
be authorized to take action
on Section matters, which may
be necessary between meetings
of the Executive Committee,
subject to the Executive
Committee approval.
6.1
The Board shall consist of
the four (4) elected officers
and the duly elected Affinity
Group/Society Chapters
Representative.
6.2
A quorum of the Executive
Board shall be three (3) of
the five (5) members.
7.0 SECTION OPERATIONS
The Section administrative
year shall be January 1st to
December 31st.
7.1 FINANCIAL
7.1.1 Fiscal Operations
The Section fiscal year
shall run from January 1st to
December 31st. Disbursements
shall be made by check where
practical; the Treasurer shall
select the depository subject
to approval by the Executive
Committee. Checks shall be
drawn with the Treasurer's
signature or with the Chair's
signature.
Section rebates, refunds to
Society Chapters by parent
societies for meeting
activities, surpluses from
tutorials, conferences, or
other special events sponsored
by Chapters of the Orlando
Section, and repayments of
monies advanced to Chapters by
the section, shall all accrue
to the account of the Section
treasury.
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.
If permitted by government
and banking regulations, all
unit bank accounts will
provide for the signature
authority of the IEEE Staff
Director, Financial
Services.
7.1.1.1 Investment Fund
The Section Investment Fund
was established in 2006 to
invest a surplus (generally
funds exceeding 18 to 24
months of operating budget)
generated by the Section. The
income from the Investment
Fund is intended to provide
future funding of Section
initiatives to support Student
Chapters, scholarship
programs/grants, and other
Section and Chapter activities
if deemed necessary by the
Section Executive Committee.
The objective of the Section's
Investment Fund is to provide
these financial resources
while attempting to preserve
the principal balance of the
initial investment in order to
provide a continued revenue
source for the Section.
Movement of funds between
the Concentration Bank Account
and the IEEE Investment Fund
are the responsibility of the
Section Treasurer and requires
advance authorization of the
Section Executive Committee by
a simple majority.
7.1.2 Budget
The Treasurer shall prepare
a proposed Section budget for
the fiscal year beginning
January 1 and submit it for
approval at the October
meeting of the Executive
Committee.
7.1.3 Final Budget
The Treasurer shall submit
a final Section budget for
approval at the November
meeting of the Executive
Committee.
7.1.4 Operating Budget
The Section shall begin
administrative operations
January 1st using the budget
that went into effect on the
previous January 1.
7.2 Audit
The Section financial
records shall be audited by
the Finance Committee. An
audit shall be made whenever
there is a change of Section
Treasurer, by an audit
committee appointed by the
Section Chair. An annual audit
shall be made by the Finance
Committee at the end of the
calendar year and shall be the
basis of the Annual Financial
Report to IEEE
Headquarters.
7.3 Affinity Groups/Society
Chapters (Subunits)
The Orlando Section has the
policy to encourage the
formation and continuous
operation of Affinity
Groups/Society Chapters in all
specialty fields in which 12
or more members of the
Section, above student grade,
have an active interest.
Management of the subunits
will be undertaken by the
Section and governed as
detailed in these bylaws,
including financial activity
where appropriate, as well as
officer and election
activity.
7.3.1
Each Chapter will operate
on a January 1st to December
31st fiscal year.
7.3.2
Each Chapter is to conduct
annual elections such that the
Chair for the following twelve
months has been selected by
the date of the December
Executive Committee meeting
each year.
7.3.3
Each Chapter is to have its
Chair or his designated
representative(s) at each
Section Executive Committee
meeting in order that liaison
and awareness of each other's
activities may be
maintained.
7.3.4
Each Chapter shall hold at
least two meetings each year
as prescribed by the IEEE
Bylaws.
7.3.5
All Section members shall
be notified of all Chapter
meetings. These meetings shall
be announced in the Orlando
Section Monthly and by
Email.
7.3.6 Chapter Operating
Budgets
7.3.6.1
The Chapter Chair shall
submit a proposed operating
budget for the January 1st
December 31st fiscal year to
the Section Treasurer by the
October meeting of the
Executive Committee.
7.3.6.2
The Chapter Chair shall be
responsible for submitting a
final budget by the November
meeting of the Executive
Committee.
7.3.6.3
Chapters may begin
administrative operations on
January 1st using the budget
in effect on January 1st.
7.3.6.4
Chapters will have control
of their budgeted funds. If
expenditures will exceed the
amount approved in the
operating budget, chapters
will be required to have their
budgets amended by a vote of
the Executive Committee or by
the Executive Board at a
specially called meeting.
Chapter meeting rebates from
parent Societies shall revert
to the Section Treasurer's
account (see Section 7.1).
7.3.7
All Chapter meetings will
be coordinated by the
Group/Society
Representative.
7.3.8
The Chapter Secretary shall
prepare a Chapter Meeting
Report and submit it to the
Section Secretary within 10
days after each meeting.
7.3.9
No Affinity Group/Society
shall commit the name Orlando
Section IEEE (explicitly or by
inference) to any endeavor
without approval of the
Section Executive
Committee.
7.4 Florida Council IEEE
Activity
The Orlando Section, as a
member section in the Florida
Council of IEEE, participates
fully in the meetings and
activities of that body.
Unless otherwise designated,
the Section Chair and
Vice-Chair are the Section
representative and alternate
representative to the Council,
empowered to vote on behalf of
the Section in Council
matters. If these
representatives are unable to
attend a duly called Florida
Council meeting, it shall be
the responsibility of the
Section Chair to designate a
proxy to vote the Orlando
Section's votes at the
meeting. This designation
shall be in writing, addressed
to the Chair, Florida Council,
and dispatched in sufficient
time to be received prior to
the meeting concerned. The
designate proxy may be the
Chair of the Florida
Council.
7.5 Publications
The Section shall publish a
periodical named ORLANDO
SECTION MONTHLY or similar
such title, which will be the
major medium of communication
with the Section membership.
Subject to approval of the
Executive Committee, the Chair
of the Publications Committee
shall determine format and
title, establish deadlines,
set advertising rates, and
obtain advertising for the
Orlando Section Monthly. This
committee may include a
business manager charged with
the responsibility for
advertising sales, billings,
and collections. Funds
received from advertising
shall be deposited with the
Section Treasurer as soon as
practicable.
8.0 MEETINGS
Section Meetings will
normally be held during the
months of January through
December. This Section shall
hold no less than five
meetings during the year.
8.2 Executive Committee
Meetings
The Executive Committee
shall meet each month, except
in July, and upon the call of
the Section Chair or Executive
Board. A quorum must be
present to conduct business
(see Section 5.2). These
meetings shall be open to all
members of the Orlando
Section.
9.0 BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Proposed bylaws or changes
thereto, and the reasons
therefore, shall be delivered
or mailed to the Section
Executive Committee members at
least twenty days before the
stipulated meeting of the
Section Executive Committee at
which the vote shall be taken.
Two-thirds (2/3) of all votes
cast at that meeting shall be
required to approve any new
Bylaws, amendment or
revocation. Such amendments
must be reviewed by IEEE
Staff, and approved by the
Region Director and Regional
Activities Board.
10.0 GENERAL
These Bylaws establish the
governing, operations, and
administration of the Orlando
Section in accordance with the
provisions contained in the
IEEE Constitution and
Bylaws.
Orlando
Section
Orlando
Section