General
The Region 4 Operations Manual was developed out of a need to ensure: 
1. All regional committees are in compliance with Region 4 Bylaws and their committees charter;
2. Chairs understand the function, scope, responsibility, together with rules for operation and guidance as recommended by the Region 4 Executive Committee and Operations Manual;
3. Committee organizations and structures afford an effective conduit for communications to and from the membership;
4. All committee chairs understand the Region and Institute resources available for efficient committee operation;

The Region 4 Committee Chair training program provides an overview of committee administrative management, schedules, and available resources, and identifies where to go for help. Committee management should remember the successful operation of any Region 4 committee is based on proper staffing (having the right volunteers), having a clearly defined charter, measurable goals and objectives, and having the necessary resources available for committee operation.

Responsibility to membership
Each Region 4 chair who accepts a Region standing or ad hoc committee position has an obligation to the Region general membership to perform their term of service to the best of their abilities. To this end, the Region 4 Delegate/Director and Executive Committee will provide those resources necessary to ensure successful accomplishment of all committee Goals and 
Objectives.

Region 4 Delegate/Director
The primary responsibility of the Region 4 Delegate/Director (delegate means that this person is directly elected by IEEE membership) is to manage the operation of the Region to best serve the needs of the membership. The Delegate/Director serves as Chair of the Region Executive Committee and Region 4 Committee. Depending on the Delegate/Directors level of activity (i.e., Institute affairs, a particular Region focus, health, management style, etc.), at his/her discretion the Delegate/Director can delegate partial or total internal management of the Region to the Delegate/Director-Elect. 

Region 4 Delegate-Elect/Director-Elect
The Region 4 Delegate/Director-Elect is the "Executive Assistant" to the Region 4 Delegate/Director in the internal management of the Region. Depending on the focus of the Delegate/Director, the Delegate/Director-Elect's responsibilities can vary from passive to pro-active. The Delegate/Director-Elect regularly communicate with the standing committee chairs to ensure maximum committee effectiveness, and where appropriate, will initiate and oversee special projects.

II. Region 4 Organization

Bylaws
Region 4 Bylaws supplement the IEEE Bylaws by formalizing certain Region 4 activities that are not specifically addressed in the Institute Bylaws. The Region 4 Bylaws address Region management, officers, finance, meetings, conferences and conventions, awards, student activities, and professional activities. Standing and ad hoc committee management should familiarize themselves with those portions of the bylaws that specifically address their committee operation.

The Regional Policy and Procedures Review Committee periodically reviews the Region 4 Bylaws (7.1.8), and revisions to the Bylaws require approval of the Region 4 Committee. In case of conflict between internal documents, the Region 4 Bylaws are the controlling Region 4 document.

Region 4 Committees

Region 4 Executive Committee (Excom)
•Chair/Director
•Vice-Chair/Director-Elect
•Secretary
•Treasurer
•Region Past Chair/Past Director
•Professional Activities Committee for Engineers Chair
•Regional Student Activities Chair
•Regional Technical Activities Committee Chair
•Membership Development Committee Chair
•Educational Activities Committee Chair
•Regional Awards and Recognition Chair
•Area Chair, West
•Area Chair, Central
•Area Chair, East

Region 4 Committee includes the above plus the following:
•Section Chairs (24) 
•Region Long Range and Strategic Planning Committee Chair
•Regional Student Representative
•Communications Committee, Chair
•Regional Conferences Committee Chair

Director appointed positions (non voting)
•Sections Congress Coordinator
•Regional Advisor
•Regional Gold Committee Chair
•Regional Life Members Ad hoc Committee Chair

The Excom and Region 4 Committee are defined in Appendix B of the Region 4 bylaws.

Nominations and Appointments Committee
•Chair/Past Director
•Area Chair, East
•Area Chair, Central
•Area Chair, West

Regional Policy and Procedures Review Committee
•Chair/ Director-Elect
•1. Member __________
•2. Member __________

Regional Finance Committee
•Chair/Treasurer

Audit Committee
•Member of Regional Committee
•Member of Regional Committee

Strategic Planning Committee
•Director
•Past Director
•Secretary
•Treasurer
•Area Chair, West
•Area Chair, Central
•Area Chair, East
•Member at Large

Regional PACE Committee
•Chair
•Regional State Government Activities Coordinator
•Regional Employment Assistance Activities Coordinator
•Regional Student Professional Awareness Activities Coordinator
•Regional Career Enhancement Activities Coordinator
•Regional Pre-college Education Activities Coordinator
•Regional Professional Education Activities Coordinator
•Regional Technical Policy Activities Coordinator

Regional Technical Activities Committee
•Chairperson
•Regional Chapters Coordinator
•One society/chapter rep from each section

Regional Education Activities Committee
•Chair
•West Area Representative
•Central Area Representative
•East Area Representative

Regional Membership Development Committee
•Chair
•Section Membership Development Chair
•Chapter Membership Development Chair
•Student Branch Membership Development  Chair

Regional Student Activities Committee
•Chairperson
•Regional Student Representative
•Regional Student Professional Awareness Activities Coordinator

Regional Communications Committee
•Chairperson
•Regional Secretary, Ex-Officio
•Database Management Consultant (as required)
•Electronic Communications Consultant (as required)
•Publicity and Public Affairs Consultant (as required)
•Regional Newsletter Editor (as required)

Strategic Plan
The Region 4 Strategic Plan identifies near-term as well as long-term issues which require the attention of Region management. The Strategic Planning Committee has the responsibility of 
maintaining the Strategic Plan, which emulates the Institutes Strategic Plan. (Refer to Region 4 Strategic Plan)

Review of Plan: The Region 4 Strategic Plan should be reviewed by standing committee chairs prior to writing and submitting their committee goals and objectives. These are due to the 
Region 4 Delegate/Director prior to the Spring Executive Committee Meeting. During the review, committee management should (a) identify those areas of the Strategic Plan which pertain 
to their committees charter and (b) develop a project plan containing measurable milestones and having a realistic schedule for completion. The committee chair should include the Strategic Plan progress-against-objectives in their Executive Committee meeting reports and their end-of-year report to the Delegate/Director.
 

Input to Plan: The Region 4 Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) chair notifies committee chairs prior to the Fall Executive Committee Meeting that recommendations to the Strategic Plan are due. Committee inputs will be evaluated by the SPC for inclusion in the Strategic Plan. If the input(s) are not incorporated into the Strategic Plan, the committee chair can still use the input to formulate committee goals and objectives. 

III. Region 4 Operations

General
The Region 4 Operations Manual provides details for the operation of the Region. The Manual is maintained by the Region 4 Strategic Planning Committee and is reviewed and revised 
every two years. Revisions to the Manual require Delegate/Director and Executive Committee approval. The major topics covered are Organization, Policies and Procedures, Finance, 
Annual Communications and Reports, Committees, and Conferences.

The Operations Manual contains a copy of the Region Master Schedule which is available hard copy and on the Region web page. Standing committees should review the "Master 
Schedule" for those items that pertain to their committee. 

Region Finance
Region finances are primarily under the management of the Region 4 Treasurer. The Treasurer serves as Chair of the Region 4 Finance Committee, which prepares with Delegate/Director guidance an annual Budget for the Region. Committee chairs should refer to the Operations Manual, "Master Schedule" for Budget milestones. An integral and necessary part of the Budget is standing committee financial inputs. Failure to allocate funds for committee operation can result in deficit committee budgets and untimely delay in preliminary and/or final Budget preparation. 

Committee financial inputs are normally due to the Finance Chair prior to the Fall Executive Committee meeting. The Region Treasurer notifies via e-mail all committee chairs that preliminary budget inputs are due.

Committee Financial Inputs
Income: All Region 4 committee chairs are encouraged to develop new products and member services which can be a source of income for the Region.

Expenses: New product or service start-up funding and special project funding are examples of expense items. Special meetings and additional expenses for training are also examples. 
Normal expenses (e.g. travel, lodging, meals, etc.) which are incurred in the course of supporting the Region 4 Executive Committee are budgeted by the Treasurer under the appropriate 
Region financial account. (Need to place our seed money rules here)

Binding Agreements
No Region 4 committee can enter into a licensing agreement or contract that obligates the Institute and Region 4 without the prior and expressed approval of the Delegate/Director and the IEEE Executive Committee.

Committee Charters
Refer to Region 4 Bylaws for the charters for Region 4 standing committees. Ad hoc committee charters are defined by the Region Delegate/Director at the time of creation.

Authority
The authority for Region 4 standing committees rest with the Region 4 Executive Committee and as defined in the Region 4 Bylaws and Operations Manual.
 

IV. Committee Operations

Committee Structure
Each Region 4 standing and ad hoc committee shall be structured in accordance with Section V. Committees, in the Region 4 Operations Manual.

Staffing & Staffing Time-Line: The committee chairs are appointed by the Region 4 Delegate/Director by January 1 annually. Every effort shall be made by committee chairs to fully staff 
their committees no later than the Region 4 Executive Committee Spring meeting which normally takes place during late January or February. Standing and ad hoc committee chairs should submit to the Delegate/Director with copy to the Region 4 Delegate/Director-Elect and Region 4 Secretary no later than the Spring Executive Committee Meeting their committee organization. The submitted information shall include member names, position, address, phone/fax numbers, and electronic mail addresses. 

Term of Appointment: The term of appointment for committee members including the chair shall be the same as the term for the director. (6.3.7)

Geographic Distribution of Appointments: Standing committee chairs shall make every effort to have geographically balanced member representation. A geographically balanced committee affords enhanced communications to region entities and provides a more effective representation for the membership. The interest and issues of Region 4 members vary greatly across the Region as it does in the Institute; thus it is imperative that the standing committees have representation from the three areas

Section Network: All Standing committees should have an effective committee or network with their section counterparts.

Representatives to Institute Boards & Committees: Region 4 standing committees have counterparts at the major Boards. These committees meet regularly in conjunction with Regional 
Activities Board (RAB), IEEE-USA, and Educational Activities Board (EAB). Chairs of Region 4 standing committees should contact their Board (RAB, EAB, IEEE-USA, etc.) counterpart 
and request to be a committee member (normally a corresponding committee member). Both Region 4 and the major Boards encourage Region representation on Institute committees.

Staffing Resources

Considerable Region resources are available to assist committee chairs in identifying potential members for committee assignments. Committee chairs are encouraged to utilize the following available resources to ensure geographically balanced committees.

N&A Committee: The Region 4 Nominations and Appointments (N&A) Committee maintains an "active volunteer list" which is a resource also used by the Delegate/Director. Committee chairs interested in using this resource should request identification of volunteers by geographical area. Committee chairs satisfied with a committee member's participation, initiative, and service are encouraged to identify the volunteer to the N&A Chair for consideration for future service. 

Area Chairs: The three area chairs are an excellent resource for identifying section, sub-section, chapter, and area volunteers. 

Standing committee chairs should consider using this resource since it is an easy method to geographically balance their committee and at the same time bring new members into the Region operation.

Region Executive Management: The Region 4 Delegate/Director and Delegate/Director-Elect are excellent sources for committee volunteers. Delegate/Director and Delegate/Director-Elect travel within Region 4 to support region entity activities, meetings and conferences identifies volunteers who have a strong dedication to the Institute. Travel to major board meetings helps identify Region 4 members who are supporting Institute Boards and Board standing committees, and these members may be available for Region service.

Goals & Objectives

The Region utilizes "Management by Objectives" in managing standing committee operation. Every effort is made to define tangible, measurable goals & objectives. There are two sources for standing committee G&O's, Delegate/Director defined and standing committee defined.

Delegate/Director: The Delegate/Director issues Goals & Objectives to all Region standing and ad hoc committees at the time of committee chair appointment. The Delegate/Director 
issues a consolidated list of all Delegate/Director G&O's at the Spring Executive Committee Meeting. At the discretion of the Delegate/Director committee G&O's may be added and/or 
revised during the committee chairs term.

The Region 4 Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) assists the Delegate/Director in the preparation of Region 4 G&O's and the SPC provides surveillance to ensure standing committee 
G&O's are met in a timely fashion.

Committee: Standing committee chairs should define a set of measurable G&O's which the committee can accomplish during the chairs' term. Where possible the defined committee G&O's should complement the Delegate/Directors G&O's. All defined committee G&O's should be submitted to the Region 4 Delegate/Director for approval. Standing committee G&O's can be submitted to the Delegate/Director at any time during the chair's term.

G&O Reporting: Committee reports, including the "Final Report" should include status against Delegate-Director and Committee goals and objectives and submitted on the Region 4 "Committee Goals & Objectives Report Form". 

G&O Time-Line: The Time line shown is part of the Region 4 Strategic Planning Committee Time line used for periodic Goals & Objectives surveillance. Standing committee chairs should be cognizant to the G&O status reports at Executive Committee meetings and the end-of-year report at the Fall meeting. Refer to the Strategic Plan section for Time line, "Periodic Updating of Executive Committee Goals & Objectives & Region 4 Strategic Plan".

COMMITTEE TIME LINE FOR GOALS & OBJECTIVES 
Date Task Description Action
01-01 Committee appointments
01-01 G & O's to standing & ad hoc committee chairs Director
01-15 Strategic Plan (SP) to ExCom. members Director 
02-xx Spring ExCom Meeting
02-xx G & O's status (Progress rpt.) Committee Chairs
09-xx Fall ExCom Meeting
09-xx G & O status from Committee Chairs (p/o cmte. rpt. to ExCom) Committee Chairs
09-xx Committee's End-of-Year Reports (incl. recommended G & O's Committee Chairs for next year)
12-15 Finalized Strategic Plan to Director & Director-Elect SPC Chair

Note:
1. Inputs from Committee Chairs to Region Director, Director input to SPC.

Meetings
The committee chairs are expected to attend the Region 4 Executive Committee Meetings, and the Director normally holds two ExCom meetings and shall hold one Region Committee meeting annually.

Additional standing committee meetings can be held with Delegate/Director prior approval if justification is provided, cost is in the committees budget or funds can be made available from the Region General Fund or other source, and the meeting objectives can not be accomplished by other means. 

Communication
At a minimum, committee chairs shall have access to Internet e-mail and an assigned IEEE alias. Those committee chairs not having an IEEE alias shall notify the Region 4 E-mail Coordinator as soon as possible. It is imperative that all ExCom Committee chairs and their vice chairs have access to e-mail, since e-mail is the primary mode of communication.

All committee chairs are encouraged to have their committee members on electronic mail and with IEEE aliases. 

Financial Administration
Each committee is encouraged to establish a committee budget. Committee budget inputs should be submitted to the Region 4 Delegate/Director with copy to the Region 4 Treasurer 
forty days prior to the Fall Executive Committee Meeting. Twenty days before the Fall Executive Committee Meeting the treasurer will distribute the proposed budget back to the 
committees. All committee budget items require prior approval from the Delegate/Director. Examples of budgeted expense items are special projects, committee initiatives, meeting 
considerations, and administrative requirements, etc. 

Income: Standing committee management is encouraged and should strive to offset committee expenses with income. Income can be generated by providing needed and necessary services to the membership.

Reviews
The purposes, activities (administrative and management effectiveness), duties and composition of each Region 4 committee shall be reviewed at intervals of four years in accordance 
with the schedule as defined in the Region 4 Operations Manual, Section II. Policies and Procedures. The reviewing committee will be the Region 4 Regional Policy and Procedures 
Review Committee (RPPRC). The RPPRC will delve into the effectiveness, continued need, policies, procedures, action, composition, budget consideration, and any other aspect of the 
committee operation deemed appropriate by the chair of the RPPRC. The committee review will normally be based on standing committee documentation for the previous four (three at 
discretion of RPPRC chair). It is therefore imperative that standing committee chairs maintain sufficient documentation and records to facilitate an effective committee review. The RPPRC 
will provide a final report on their committees' assessment to the Region 4 Delegate/Director with copy to the committee chair ten days prior to the Fall Executive Committee Meeting in 
the year of the review.

Reporting
The chair will ensure timely submission of committee reports to the Region 4 Delegate/Director with a copy to Region 4 Executive Committee members. At a minimum, committee reports will be submitted for the Spring (Annual Region 4 Committee Meeting) and Fall Executive Committee Meetings, with copy to the Region 4 Delegate/Director-Elect and the Region 4 Secretary. The reports should be submitted at a minimum two weeks prior to an Executive Committee Meeting. Committee chairs are encouraged to have committee members submit 
progress reports quarterly. 

Committee reports should include status against Delegate/Director and Committee goals and objectives and submitted on the Region 4 form, "Committee Goals & Objectives Status". The reported status should include at a minimum schedule, milestone status, status against plan (if plan required), actuals (cost) to date, identification of problems, and recommendations.

A Committee "Final Report" should be submitted to the Region 4 Delegate/Director, Delegate/Director-Elect and Executive Committee prior to completion of the Chairs term. The final report can be combined with the Fall Executive Committee Report.