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Back to Geographic Zones and Sections
Revised 1985
Revised March 11, 1997
Revised April 14, 2000
Revised April 14, 2004
Revised March 20, 2017
I. NAME
1.1. The name of this organization shall be The Pacific Southwest Section (PSW) of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), hereinafter referred to as the Section.
II. OBJECTIVES
2.1. The purpose of the Section shall be the promotion of the aims and objectives of the ASEE as stated in the ASEE Constitution and Bylaws. The Section shall concern itself with all ASEE affairs taking place within the area prescribed by ASEE as the Pacific Southwest Section. Among the objectives are the promotion of the highest ideals in the conduct of engineering education, with respect to administration, curriculum, and teaching, and maintenance of the highest professional standards among its members.
2.2 The Section is committed to promoting the inclusion of individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to embrace varied ideas in the professions of engineering and engineering technology. The Pacific Southwest Section recognizes the strength of diversity in promoting creativity and innovation of new ideas and perspectives critical to ensuring excellence in engineering.
III. MEMBERSHIP
3.1. Membership in the Section shall consist of all members of ASEE who reside or are employed in the states of Arizona, Nevada, California, and Hawaii.
IV. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
4.1. No individual may hold more than one Board position. The elected officers of the Section shall consist of a Chair, Chair-Elect, Vice-Chair for Faculty Awards, Vice-Chair for Student Awards, Vice-Chair for New Faculty, Vice-Chair for Membership, Vice-Chair for Community Colleges, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Webmaster, three Relations with Industry (RWI) Representatives, and seven Directors. All elected officers must be dues-paying members of ASEE at the time of the election and during the effective term.
4.2. The Chair-Elect shall be elected annually and serve as Chair the second year in office.
4.3. The Vice-Chair for Faculty Awards, Vice-Chair for Membership, Treasurer, two RWI Representatives, Webmaster and four Directors shall be elected for terms of two years starting in the even numbered years.
4.4. The Vice-Chair for Student Awards, Vice-Chair for New Faculty, Vice-Chair for Community Colleges, Executive Secretary, one RWI Representative, and three Directors shall be elected for terms of two years starting the odd-numbered years.
4.5. By January 1 of each year, the Chair shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of the Immediate Past Chair, another Past Chair, and one member in good standing. This Committee shall nominate one or more members of the Section for each vacancy to be filled. These nominations must be presented to the Executive Secretary by May 15.
4.6. Additional nominations may be made by petition of at least two members. Nominations proposed by the membership must be accompanied by a statement from the nominees indicating a willingness to serve. All nominees must be dues-paying ASEE members. Petitions and statements must be presented to the Executive Secretary by May 15.
4.7. A ballot listing all eligible candidates shall be distributed to all eligible Section members on the ASEE-PSW web page, electronically mailed and/or mailed to Section members by June 1 of each year. Election shall be determined by a simple majority of those votes postmarked or received by email, one per member, on or before June 15.
4.8. The terms of newly elected officers shall begin July 1.
4.9. Vacancy in the office of the Chair shall be filled by the Chair Elect. The Chair, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint members to fill vacancies which occur on the Executive Board until the next regular election.
4.10 An Executive Board member may be removed from office for failure to satisfactorily perform the duties and responsibilities of that office. Action to remove the member may be initiated by a petition, addressed to the Executive Board, signed by at least three (3) members of the Executive Board. Upon receipt of such petition, the member may be removed from office as decided upon by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Executive Board.
V. MEETINGS
5.1. The Section shall hold an Annual Meeting. At this meeting there may be a Business Session for the transaction of business of the Section.
5.2. The locations of Annual Meetings shall be approved by the Executive Board at the Board meeting normally one year or more in advance.
5.3. Additional meetings may be scheduled by action of the Executive Board.
5.4. The Section Members in attendance at any Section meeting shall constitute a quorum.
VI. EXECUTIVE BOARD
6.1. The officers listed in Section 4.1 and the immediate Past-Chair shall constitute the Executive Board. The Vice-Chair for Meetings shall be appointed annually for a term of one year. This individual will be the person who served as the Program Chair of the Annual Meeting of the section in the year immediately preceding the term for which the individual is appointed as Vice-Chair for Meetings. The Vice-Chair for Meetings and the Program Chair of the Annual Meeting will be ex- officio members of the Executive Board.
6.2. The Executive Board shall be the overall governing and policy-making body for the Section.
6.3. The Chair, Chair-Elect and Executive Secretary shall serve as Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Executive Board.
6.4. Fifty percent of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. A maximum of two votes may be made by proxies assigned to a Board member, in writing, prior to a given Board meeting. In any case, only Board members are allowed to vote.
6.5. The Executive Board shall meet at least twice per year, including once during the Annual meeting.
6.6. Executive Board Advisory Council shall consist of all Past Chairs of the Pacific Southwest Section and will be ex-officio members of the Executive Board without voting privileges.
6.7. Board members unable to attend a Board meeting may assign their proxies to an elected Board member. These proxies may be used to help constitute a quorum and to vote on matters that appear before the Board. A proxy must be assigned in writing.
VII. COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATIVES
7.1. The Chair, with the advice of the Executive Board, shall appoint such committees and representatives as are deemed necessary.
VIII. CHAPTERS
8.1. Local chapters of ASEE members at one or more institutions within the same metropolitan, industrial, or commuting area may be established by recommendation of the Section to the Council of Sections, Zone IV.
IX. FINANCES
9.1. The Fiscal Year for the Section shall be July 1 through June 30.
9.2. At the last Executive Board meeting of each fiscal year the members of the Executive Board shall approve an operating budget for the following fiscal year.
9.3. The Executive board is authorized to solicit voluntary contributions as required.
9.4. At the end of each treasurer’s term of office, there shall be an audit of the financial records of the Section.
X. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
10.1. The Chair shall: provide general leadership to the Section; preside at the Business Session of the Annual Meeting and at all meetings of the Executive Board; with the Executive Secretary, certify to the resolutions passed at the Annual Meeting and at the meetings of the Executive Board; be an ex-officio member of all committees of the Section; submit a report of Section activities at the Annual Business Meeting of the Section and be a member of the Executive Board of the Council of Sections, Zone IV.
10.2. The Chair-Elect shall: perform the duties of the Chair in his or her absence; fill the role of Section Campus Representative and coordinate the activities of ASEE Campus Representatives within the Section; with the help of the treasurer, prepare an annual operating budget for approval by the Executive Board, perform such duties as delegated by the Chair; submit a report at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments; and be a member of the Executive Board of the Council of Sections, Zone IV.
10.3. The Vice-Chair for Meetings shall be responsible for all meetings of the membership of the section with the approval of the Executive Board. The Vice-Chair for Meetings shall provide assistance and guidance throughout the year to the Annual Program Chair, who hosts the Annual Meeting during that year. With the approval of the Executive Board, the Vice- Chair for Meetings will arrange the next Annual Meeting (defined as the meeting following the individual’s term of office). These arrangements include determination of location, help in solicitation of sponsorship, and the recruitment of an Annual Program Chair. The Vice-Chair for Meetings shall also, as part of his/her responsibilities, submit a report to the Section Chair at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments and perform such duties as delegated by the Section Chair.
10.4. The Vice-Chair for Faculty Award shall: direct the faculty award and recognition activities of the Section; appoint an Awards committees to assist in the selection of the recipients of awards and recognition’s; perform such duties a delegated by the chair; submit a report to the Chair at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments.
10.5. The Vice Chair for Student Awards shall: administer the Student Engineering Design Award Competition; be responsible for raising the funds to underwrite the student awards; perform such duties as delegated by the Chair; and submit a report at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments.
10.6. The Vice-Chair for Community Colleges shall: be in general charge of all liaison and promotion of ASEE activities between the Section and the Community Colleges; assist the Vice-Chair for Faculty Awards in Selection of the outstanding Community College Faculty Award; perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair; submit a report to the Chair at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments.
10.7. The Vice-Chair for Membership shall: plan and direct the recruitment of members for the Section; in cooperation with the Executive Secretary maintain the Section Membership files, mailing addresses, record of Section Fees paid, and such other information that will aid in achieving membership objectives; submit a report to the chair at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments.
10.8. The Vice-Chair for New Faculty shall: contact individuals recently appointed to faculty positions with the objective of informing them of opportunities in ASEE membership; promote membership in ASEE through the Dean’s sponsorship program; perform such duties as delegated by the chair; and submit a report to the Chair at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments.
10.9. The Webmaster for the section shall: contact individuals recently appointed to Executive Board for information to be posted on the ASEE-PSW website and via electronic mail. The Webmaster is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the website and electronic mail list with input from the Executive Board Members.
10.10. The Executive Secretary shall: notify members of the time and place of all meetings; record and maintain files of the minutes of all meetings of the section and Executive Board; distribute copies of the minutes to all members of the Executive Board, the Chair of the Council of Sections, Zone IV, and ASEE headquarters; serve as historian of the section and maintain files of the correspondence, reports and other materials of importance in a suitable depository as determined by the Executive Board; with the Chair, certify to the resolutions passed at the annual meeting and at meetings of the Executive Board; immediately after each election report the names and terms of all officers of the Section to the Chair of the Council of Sections, Zone IV, and ASEE headquarters; perform such duties and delegated by the Chair; and submit a report at the meetings of the Executive Board.
10.11. The Treasurer shall: be the financial agent of the Section; deposit all money received on behalf of the Section in a bank or banks approved by the Executive Board; maintain financial records for the Section; submit a financial statement at the Annual meeting and as requested by the Executive Board; assist the Chair-Elect to prepare an annual operating budget for approval by the Executive Board, perform such duties as delegated by the Chair; and submit a report to the Chair at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments.
10.12. The RWI representative shall: promote and coordinate relationships between industrial and governmental engineering organizations and the engineering educational institutions in the Section as appropriate to the objectives of the Section, one of which shall be the coordination of the faculty workshops in his/her area; perform such duties as delegated by the chair; submit a report to the Chair at the meetings of the Executive Board describing the previous year’s accomplishments.
10.13. The Directors shall; serve as members at large on the Executive Board to represent the various constituencies within the membership of the Section and perform such duties as designated by the Chair. Seven Director positions are available.
XI. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
11.1. Meetings shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of ASEE and the Bylaws of the Section. For matters not covered by these documents, Robert’s Rules of Order shall be consulted.
11.2. Actions taken by the Section shall be valid unless challenged by the (National) ASEE Board of Directors or by a petition signed by at least ten percent of the members of the Section. The validity of challenged actions shall be determined by negotiations between representatives of opposing views. In cases where negotiations fail to provide agreement, the (National) Board of Directors shall be the final authority.
XII. AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS
12.1. Proposed amendments to these bylaws may be submitted to the members of the Section by a majority vote of the Executive Board, or by a petition to the Executive Board of at least ten members of the Section.
12.2. Bylaws may be amended by the favorable vote from at least two-thirds of the members who attend and vote at any Annual Meeting.
12.3. Amendments to be presented for action at an annual meeting shall be published in the newsletter of the Section via ASEE-PSW website, electronic-mail and/or mailed to members of the Section at least thirty days before the Annual Meetings.
12.4. Bylaws may also be amended by a mail ballot, ASEE-PSW website ballot or electronic-mail ballot to all members of the Section. Amendment shall be approved if ballots via mail, ASEE-PSW Website, or electronic-mail from at least ten percent of the members of the Section are returned within thirty days and if at least two-thirds of the votes are favorable.
