CONSTITUTION OF IEEE

Purdue University - West Lafayette Student Branch

Preamble

We, the students of IEEE, organize this Purdue University-West Lafayette Student Branch of IEEE to facilitate member growth by pursuing technical interests, developing as professionals, learning diverse skills and ideas, and building social relationships between our members and others on this campus and in the community.

Article I - Name

The name of this organization is IEEE. The pronunciation is "Eye-triple-E". When necessary to differentiate this student organization from the international professional association of the same name, the name of Purdue IEEE Student Branch is used.

Article II - Purpose

The purposes of this organization are:

SECTION 1. Administrative Goal

To serve as a Student Branch of IEEE at the Purdue University-West Lafayette campus and operate in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the IEEE.

SECTION 2. Learning Goal

To disseminate knowledge of the theory and practice of all branches of engineering and related arts and sciences with specific emphasis on aspects of electrical and computer engineering, electronics, and communications.

SECTION 3. Technical Goal

To put the aforementioned knowledge and theory into practice, specifically through technical committee activities.

SECTION 4. Professional Goal

To enhance the professional development of its members through events and programming useful to the growth of students and through cooperation with our partners in industry.

SECTION 5. Social Goal

To encourage personal and professional relationships among our members, other student organizations, and the global technical community through IEEE.

SECTION 6. Outreach Goal

To advocate for the strength of an education from Purdue University and to encourage younger students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Article III - Membership

Definition of Membership:

SECTION 1. Inclusiveness Clause

• Membership and participation are free from discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran.

SECTION 2. Membership Categories

• The membership shall consist of (1) Student and Graduate Student members of IEEE at Purdue University in good standing, (2) the Branch Counselor, the Primary Advisor, Chapter Faculty Advisors, and Secondary Advisors (faculty or staff) at Purdue University, and (3) honorary members recognized by the Executive Committee.

SECTION 3. Advisors

• In compliance with IEEE Student Branch guidelines, the IEEE Student Branch shall select a Branch Counselor from the faculty of Purdue University who holds active membership in IEEE.

• This individual may also be selected as the Primary Advisor or as a Secondary Advisor of the student organization as mandated by Purdue University.

SECTION 4. Voting Members

• Current undergraduate and graduate student members are entitled to full rights and voting privileges as members of the Student Branch while faculty or staff at Purdue University are entitled to the same rights except to hold office or vote.

SECTION 5. Joining

• All current undergraduate and graduate student members may join the Purdue IEEE Student Branch.

• Reporting requirements of IEEE may restrict membership definitions to include students actively holding Student or Graduate Student levels of membership within the international organization.

SECTION 6. Active Membership

• Active membership shall be defined as attending three or more general assemblies, social functions, officer meetings, or committee meetings in an academic year.

• Good standing requires compliance with any local dues and any requirements passed by the Executive Committee.

SECTION 7. Disciplinary Actions

• Any member displaying unprofessional, inappropriate, or dangerous behavior or engaging in illegal activities while representing IEEE or Purdue University may be subject to disciplinary actions.

• Such actions may include

• An email describing the incident and a demand to cease such behavior or activities,

• Review before the officers and committee chairs,

• Enactment of a probationary period where membership rights may be suspended upon a vote of two-thirds of the officers and committee chairs present and voting, and

• Formal disassociation and expulsion from the Purdue IEEE Student Branch upon a vote of two-thirds of the officers and committee chairs present and voting.

• Outside of the actions outlined above, any incident may be reported to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or the Office of Professional Practice.

Article IV – Executive Committee

SECTION 1. Composition

• The management of the affairs of the Student Branch shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee, consisting of the duly elected officers of the Student Branch and the technical committee chairs.

• The President shall be the Chair of the Executive Committee.

• The President is the ex officio Chair of the Branch in regards to reports to IEEE. Similarly, the Vice President is the ex officio Vice-Chair of the Branch.

• Technical committee chairs shall be selected by their committees by election time.

• Committee chairs must be students of Purdue University and be in good standing with the Purdue IEEE Student Branch.

• A committee chair may also serve as an elected officer other than President or Vice President.

• Under most circumstances, technical committee chairs shall be granted the same privileges as elected officers.

• The Branch Counselor, the Primary Advisor, Chapter Faculty Advisors, and Secondary Advisors appointed by IEEE may sit on Executive Committee meetings as honorary members but lack the right to vote. No term limits apply to these positions.

SECTION 2. Powers and Limitations

• The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the Student Branch and shall transact all business it deems advisable to fulfill executive responsibilities, including those not otherwise delegated by this Constitution.

• The Executive Committee shall make decisions with a majority vote unless otherwise indicated in this constitution.

• A quorum, consisting of one greater than half of the Executive Committee members, shall be present in order to hold votes.

• Presence for a vote shall be defined as the ability to communicate via the indicated meeting format (e.g. in-person, video conference, etc.)

• Individual alternatives are only accepted in special cases as determined by the President or Vice President granting approval.

• Proxy voting is strictly disallowed.

• Members of the Executive Committee serving in multiple roles are limited to one vote on each matter being considered by the committee.

• The President and Treasurer may jointly approve purchases for goods or services that benefit the whole membership of IEEE.

• Purchases specific to each committee made in full with committee funds lie with that committee and outside this purview.

• Sponsorship disputes will be decided by all voting members of the Executive Committee not recusing themselves.

• Normal business of technical committees that lacks a measureable impact on the organization as a whole is not subject to Executive Committee approval.

• Powers specific to each office are outlined in Article VI. The passage of amendments and bylaws in Article VII, the collection of dues in Article VIII, and the responsibility of organizing committees in Article IX and Article X are detailed in the mentioned articles.

SECTION 3. Departure from Office

• In the event of the graduation or resignation of an elected officer, the departing officer may nominate a successor to be voted in by the remaining officers and committee chairs. In the case of a failed vote, the President may nominate the next successor to take office subject to a vote by the same.

• Technical committees may determine their own procedure for filling chair vacancies. In the event a committee vacancy is not resolved within ten days, the President may nominate a replacement subject to a vote by the Executive Committee.

• An officer or committee chair may be recalled from office when at least five members collectively request a recall vote. At least one week must elapse between the announcement of a recall vote including the manner in which it will be held and the vote itself. Recalled officers or committee chairs may not nominate successors and may additionally be subject to the disciplinary actions given in Article III, Section 7 provided that the conditions given in said section are met.

• One manner of successful recall vote is two-thirds of the Executive Committee present and voting except the elected officer or committee chair in question vote in favor of removing that member. Alternatively, a general assembly of IEEE members that includes at least two members from each committee not serving on the Executive Committee may recall an elected officer with a two-thirds vote.

• Should the current President become unable to serve without nominating a successor the Vice President shall assume the Presidency.

• Should both of those offices be vacant, then the succession proceeds down to the Treasurer, Secretary, Professional Head, Learning Head, and Social Head in turn.

• The new President may then nominate a successor to the former office he or she held and any other vacant office subject to a vote by the Executive Committee.

Article V - Officers and Duties

SECTION 1. List of Voting Executive Committee Members

• President

• Vice President

• Treasurer

• Secretary

• Professional Head

• Learning Head

• Social Head

• Committee Chairs

SECTION 2. Duties of the President

The President shall have the following duties:

• Ensure adherence to the IEEE Code of Ethics.

• Preside at all full Student Branch meetings.

• Set regular meeting times for the Executive Committee.

• Promote and support the activities of the committees.

• Cultivate communication between members.

• Manage member activities and oversee the planning of general assemblies.

• Bring attention to the advantages of IEEE membership.

• Strive to acquaint himself or herself with knowledge pertaining to the history of the organization.

• Register the student organization with Purdue Student Activities and Organizations.

• Maintain necessary contact with Purdue Student Activities and Organizations and the Purdue Business Office for Student Organizations.

• Consult with the Primary Advisor regularly and complete necessary paperwork with him or her.

• Ensure the transition of information and organization materials from the current class of the Executive Committee to the newly elected officers and committee chairs.

• Represent Purdue University-West Lafayette at meetings of the Central Indiana Section of IEEE and IEEE Region 4.

• Secure the trust and confidence of the members of IEEE.

• Report changes in officers and prepare a complete annual Student Branch Activity report shall for submission by May 1.

SECTION 3. Duties of Vice President

The Vice President shall have the following duties:

• Perform the functions of the President in the latter’s absence or at his or her request.

• Assist the President in his or her duties.

• Oversee the drafting, amending, adherence, and enforcement of the Constitution of IEEE and all bylaws.

• Respond directly to the issues raised by technical committee chairs and resolve conflicts between committees.

• Help committees develop plans to meet their monetary, space, and personnel needs.

• Be aware of the focus areas of each technical committee in order to inform prospective members of projects interesting to them.

• Remind technical committee members of professional, learning, and social activities.

• Spread awareness of IEEE across campus.

• Maintain good relations with other student organizations, especially other entities affiliated with IEEE internationally and other professional organizations.

SECTION 4. Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall have the following duties:

• Oversee the finances of IEEE and its committees.

• Keep accounts, deposits the organization’s funds, and makes expenditures in a manner approved by the Business Office for Student Organizations.

• Approve expenditures and process reimbursements for every committee provided the committee has sufficient funds, adheres to this Constitution and relevant bylaws, and shows a relationship between the purchase and furtherance of the goals of that committee.

• Complete reimbursements and produce committee spending reports in a timely fashion and keep clear, accurate records to be passed to the next Treasurer indefinitely under penalty of dismissal for excessive tardiness.

• Advance a budgetary plan for each academic year within the first month of the academic year under penalty of dismissal from office.

• Learn the tools necessary for the completion of these tasks.

• Collect dues assigned by the process in Article VIII and distribute IEEE merchandise and trinkets.

• Mark the beginning of financial records for the current fiscal year on August 1st and complete remaining business from prior fiscal year.

• Prepare a complete financial statement of the year for the annual Student Branch Activity report for submission by May 1st.

SECTION 5. Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary shall have the following duties:

• Keep a record of all activities of the Student Branch as a whole, including the names of members in attendance at the meetings.

• Write minutes of all Executive Committee meetings and general assemblies and deliver them to the succeeding Secretary.

• Record the language of every item to be voted upon and the numeric tally of the members voting in a given manner.

• Enforce order at meetings at the behest of the President and together with the Vice President, ensure each member abides by this Constitution.

• Maintain the membership roster including names, contact information, academic program information, and committee affiliations.

• Update the calendar, website, mailing list, and other Internet media belonging to IEEE with current information and news with assistance from designated individuals which may be appointed as needed by the Executive Committee.

• Continue contact with organization alumni.

• Answer questions asked by prospective members about organization membership.

• Report all organization activities to IEEE Headquarters, together with any special reports required by IEEE Headquarters.

• Forward efforts to recognize members for their technical accomplishments and service inside and outside the organization.

• Carry on all other communications necessary to the activities of the Branch.

• Interact with the local community on behalf of IEEE.

• Review and submit the annual Student Branch Activity report online to IEEE Member and Geographic Activities, upon completion by the President and Treasurer and certification by the Branch Counselor.

SECTION 6. Duties of the Professional Head

The Professional Head shall have the following duties:

• Serve as committee chair of the Professional Committee.

• Organize industry nights for sponsors and serve as a point of contact for them.

• Focus on the acquisition and retention of sponsors in addition to the explanation and recommendation of them to students.

• Assist with the coordination of sponsorship acquisition amongst technical committees.

• Host career building and soft skills events to further professional development.

• Advance a corporate engagement plan for each academic year within the first month of the academic year under penalty of dismissal from office.

• Converse with professors from the variety of disciplines the body of members study and invite them to hold events with IEEE members.

• Assemble directories of company contacts, professors, and company information for future Professional Heads.

SECTION 7. Duties of the Learning Head

The Learning Head shall have the following duties:

• Serve as committee chair of the Learning Committee.

• Concentrate on the development of the technical competencies of new members.

• Promote teamwork and soft skills in all possible aspects for maximum employability.

• Provide the appropriate level of challenge that each member seeks in extracurricular involvement.

• Organizing events to teach members about the topics in Article II, Section 2.

• Advance a learning event plan for each academic year within the first month of the academic year under penalty of dismissal from office.

• Seek out the technical leaders and experts within IEEE to lead workshops open to all members.

• Establish appropriate incentives and rewards for technical leader involvement.

• Cater to the breadth of academic and career interests that IEEE members display, centralize the common technical committee training needs, and teach topics beyond them.

• Ensure members have easy access to high-quality instructional materials after workshops in organized repositories.

• Develop lesson plans, notes and learning material, recorded guides, instructor directions, skills evaluation procedures, and documentation for continued offerings of learning events under future Learning Heads.

• Create study groups for courses and mentorship programs as necessary.

• Work with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering to maintain the legitimacy and sanction of learning efforts.

SECTION 8. Duties of the Social Head

The Social Head shall have the following duties:

• Serve as committee chair of the Social Committee.

• Bear the responsibility of organizing social functions for the benefit and enjoyment of the members.

• Assist the President in planning general assemblies.

• Advance a member engagement plan for each academic year within the first month of the academic year under penalty of dismissal from office.

• Lead efforts to promote membership in IEEE among first-year students.

• Encourage attendance at organization events through advertising well in advance of each event.

• Produce the flyers, social media posts, email messages, and the like that contain Cornerstones committee and important IEEE updates to share with all members.

• Save notes of successful plans and implementations of events for the next Social Head.

• Monitor the contentment of individual members and take steps to address their concerns when possible.

• Promote inclusiveness within the organization and each technical committee.

• Provide ways for members not belonging to technical committees to engage with IEEE.

• Facilitate the growth of personal friendships between IEEE members.

• Work with the Secretary to gather members for outreach events.

Article VI - Elections

SECTION 1. Offices

The following Executive Committee offices shall be elected by voting IEEE members:

• President

• Vice President

• Treasurer

• Secretary

• Professional Head

• Social Head

• Learning Head

SECTION 2. Eligibility

To be eligible for office:

• The candidate must be a student at Purdue University.

• The candidate must be in good standing with the Purdue IEEE Student Branch.

• The candidate must not hold another newly elected office.

• The President and Vice President must forfeit any committee chair positions for the duration they hold either office.

• Officers should enroll as international IEEE members for the term being served.

• A candidate will be removed from the ballot for a subsequent office prior to voting if he or she is elected to another office earlier during elections unless the candidate vacates his or her prior position.

SECTION 3. Term

• The term of office shall be for one year, starting on June 1st.

• Elections must occur before May 1st.

SECTION 4. Nominations

• The student IEEE members shall give nominees for each office in a period from twenty-eight days to three days before election time.

• Self-nominations are allowed.

SECTION 5. Voting Process

• The members shall select the elected officers by a two-round voting process.

• For each office, the voting members may cast a single vote for one of the candidates.

• The candidate with a majority of votes wins.

• Should no candidate receive a majority of votes, a second round of voting will begin with only the top two candidates on the ballot.

• The order of voting is that mentioned in Article VI, Section 1.

• Non-officer elected positions shall be decided after the elections for the officers.

SECTION 6. Tie Breaking

• In the event the members at elections yield a tie for the top candidates for an office, the current elected officers and committee chairs shall decide that election by the method described in Article VI, Section 5.

• Should the current elected officers and committee chairs produce a further tie, then the winning candidate will be decided by sortition.

SECTION 7. Teller and Vote Collection

• The Primary Advisor, Branch Counselor, or secondary advisor shall be the teller of the election, tallying the votes of present students.

• In their absence, the President will decide a teller.

• Presence for election voting shall be defined by the ability to vote in person or remotely.

• Remote votes will be granted only for extenuating circumstances and must be delivered in a signed and dated format to the teller on the day of elections prior to the start of voting.

• Candidates must be listed in preferential order separated by office so that the most preferential, eligible candidate for the office shall receive the remote student’s vote for that office.

Article VII - Amendments

SECTION 1. Bylaws

• This Student Branch is empowered to adopt bylaws that are consistent with this Constitution.

SECTION 2. Amendment Process

• The Executive Committee of IEEE may propose amendments to this Constitution during any of their meetings.

• Amendments pass only upon a vote of approval by two-thirds of the Executive Committee present and voting, provided that one more than half the number of Executive Committee members are present.

SECTION 3. Amendment Approval

• All amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws are subject to the approval of the Office of the Dean of Students.

• Amendments may not take effect until after approval.

SECTION 4. Technical Committee Bylaws

• All technical committees are encouraged to write bylaws specific to them that chronicle their purpose, internal structure, member rights, committee chair succession, and established procedures.

• While most technical committee business is conducted internal to each committee, outstanding issues shall be resolved by the Vice President. In the event the issues still remain or grievances against the decision exist, final power shall devolve to the Executive Committee without restrictions beyond this Constitution.

• The Executive Committee will review committee bylaws for guidance if available but are not bound to their procedures in these situations.

Article VIII - Dues

SECTION 1. Instituting Dues

• The Executive Committee of the Branch shall have the power to levy special assessments for the present time up to two years in the future upon endorsement by a two-thirds vote of the officers and committee chairs present and voting.

• Upon expiration of the assessment period, a continuance or new assessment is required to continue collecting dues following a two-thirds vote of the same.

SECTION 2. Nonpayment

• Nonpayment of local dues by the date voted on by the members may result in suspension of membership in the local Student Branch, but will not result in suspension of membership at the international professional organization level.

**Article IX - Cornerstones Committees **

SECTION 1. Designation

• The Cornerstones committees shall consist of the Professional Committee, Social Committee, and Learning Committee.

• The Professional Head, Social Head, and Learning Head shall have exclusive rights to the word "Head" in their titles to reflect the special nature of their selection and duties.

SECTION 2. Automatic Membership

• All members of IEEE as defined in Article III are automatically members of the three Cornerstones committees and entitled to the benefits and programs of each.

SECTION 3. Representatives from Technical Committees

• The leaders within each Cornerstones committee serve at the leisure of the elected Head.

• Each technical committee chair must appoint a minimum of one member from his or her technical committee to each Cornerstones committee to represent the interests of that technical committee.

• Failure to appoint representatives for all three Cornerstones committees is grounds for the technical committee to lose good standing.

SECTION 4. Responsibilities

• The representatives on each Cornerstones committee assist each elected Head in his or her duties as listed in Article V, Sections 6-8.

• All members of Purdue IEEE Student Branch are welcome to participate in Cornerstones committee planning activities.

SECTION 5. Finances

• Similar to the technical committees, the Cornerstones committees must secure their own funds, operate within their own budget, and deliver a budget to the Treasurer within the first week of the academic year.

• Cornerstones committees may plan on assistance from the organization as a whole due to their inclusions of all members.

Article X - Technical Committees

SECTION 1. Basic Powers

• Standing technical committees may be established by a majority vote of the elected officers to be founded under the goals and leadership of the committee chair that the elected officers choose.

• These standing committees may be disbanded upon mutual agreement of the President and the corresponding committee chair so long as the latter position is filled or upon a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.

• The practice of establishing co-chairs of technical committees is discouraged.

• Should multiple people chair a technical committee, the single vote of the committee will be decided by a runoff between all the co-chairs prior to tallying the Executive Committee votes.

• Vice chairs are allowed but will not be given any voting rights at the Executive Committee level.

SECTION 2. Internal Governance

• Technical committees shall select their own chair by election time each year.

• The committee chair shall establish a method of governance for the committee consistent with this Constitution.

• Each committee is responsible for outlining its own goals and purposes and drawing membership from the Student Branch as a whole.

• Formal procedures are recommended to be added to bylaws specific to the technical committee as mentioned in Article VII, Section 4.

SECTION 3. Internal Operations

• Notwithstanding explicit constitutional provisions, technical committees shall have the ability to operate independently of approval from the Executive Committee but with operations visible to the elected officers.

• Each technical committee may determine its own requirements for committee membership and schedule for events and meetings.

• Each committee chair shall report the activities, meetings, and communications of its committee to the officers and other committee chairs.

• Furthermore, the committee chair shall make an effort to educate members about the opportunities the Cornerstones committees and international IEEE offer.

SECTION 4. Technical Committee Budgets

• Each committee is expected to operate within its own budget as part of the operations of IEEE.

• Each committee should advance its budget to the IEEE Treasurer within the first week of each new academic year.

• In accordance with the guidelines imposed by the Business Office of Student Organizations, the Treasurer must make deposits and authorize expenditures for all committees.

SECTION 5. Limits to Independent Representation

• Technical committees may participate in competitions, exhibitions, and the like under their own names rather than that of the Purdue IEEE Student Branch if the organization as a whole is not actively participating in such events.

• The committee chair is responsible for securing permission from the President and Primary Advisor if needed.

• No technical committee chair may include the word "President" in his or her internal title but is otherwise free to represent himself or herself when the technical committee operates under its own name.

SECTION 6. Joint Projects

• Joint projects between student organizations, academic bodies, or off-campus entities of a scope in time, labor, or cost that the Executive Committee deems significant shall be formalized in a project charter.

• Project charters should cover the allotment of participating members, finances, tools, workspace, and other resources.

• Concerns such as project ownership and duration should be addressed within.

• Project charters should be signed by the appropriate representatives of the Executive Committee following passage and the corresponding governing bodies of other student organizations.

SECTION 7. Technical Committee Good Standing

• A technical committee may lose its good standing with the Student Branch upon the vote of two-thirds of the Executive Committee.

• Reasons for losing good standing include but are not limited to: continued member absence from IEEE meetings, closing operations from the view of elected officers, failure to provide required members to the Cornerstones committees, willful disregard of the Constitution, continued bankruptcy of its accumulated funds, or failure to follow established bylaws.

• A technical committee that has lost its good standing will forfeit representation on the Executive Committee, be denied making future purchases, be prevented from bidding for unallocated funding or resources in possession of the organization as a whole, and lose access to room reservations and other systems used on behalf of IEEE.

• A technical committee will regain its good standing after a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Article XI - Meetings

The Student Branch shall hold regular and special meetings beyond the meetings of the committees at such places and time as designated by the President, with a minimum of five meetings per academic year.

Article XII - Student Branch Chapters

Student Branch Chapters of international IEEE Societies shall be organized as technical committees under the same provisions as in Article X without being regarded as inherently superior or inferior to other technical committees. Given the international prestige of Student Branch Chapters, these special items shall also apply:

SECTION 1. Chapter Faculty Advisor

• Student Branch Chapters shall select a Chapter Faculty Advisor from the faculty of Purdue University who is a member of both IEEE and the corresponding society.

• This individual may also act as the Primary Advisor or a Secondary Advisor of the student organization or the Branch Counselor.

SECTION 2. Student Branch Chapter Chair

• The members of each Student Branch Chapter shall elect a chair for the technical committee named after the respective IEEE Society.

• This person will be titled with the name or abbreviation of their technical committee followed by the word "Chair" and must be decided prior to the elections of the Student Branch as a whole.

• The candidate eligibility, nominations, voting, and tie-breaking shall follow the requirements of Article VI of this Constitution.

• All voting of the Student Branch Chapters shall take effect on or before June 1st as determined by the committee.

SECTION 3. Student Branch Chapter Operations

• Each society chair shall have jurisdiction over the affairs of his or her Student Branch Chapter and preside over its meetings.

• The society chair may assume all other necessary executive duties or assign them to other society executives that the society chair appoints or brings to election.

• Subcommittees may also be formed under directors to accomplish these purposes.

SECTION 4. Student Branch Chapter Bylaws

• All Student Branch Chapters must operate in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the their respective society and the rest of this Constitution.

• Each IEEE Society should follow the purposes laid out in Article II, with additional purposes, local society dues provisions, officer structure, and requirements put into bylaws specific to that society as recommended in Article VII, Section 4.

SECTION 5. Connection to Rest of IEEE

• Student Branch Chapters have the independence and expectations of operations stated in Article X.

• New Student Branch Chapters are encouraged to form under Purdue IEEE Student Branch rather than pursue independent student organization status.

SECTION 6. Special Provisions for IEEE Computer Society

• In acknowledgement of the former status of the Computer Society as an independent student organization, the Purdue University-West Lafayette Student Branch Chapter of IEEE Computer Society shall not be disbanded.

• The above clause does not automatically apply to any other Student Branch Chapters.