ACM SIG Bylaws: SIGAPP

BYLAWS of the Special Interest Group on Applied Computing of the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc.

  • Adopted: November 1, 1990

  • Amended: January 6, 2005

  • Amended: April 14,2014

Article 1. Name and Scope.

  1. This organization will be called the Special Interest Group on Applied Computing (SIGAPP) of the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. ("the ACM").
  2. The scope of SIGAPP's specialty is as follows:
    "To further the interests of the computing professional engaged in the development of new computing applications and applications areas and the transfer of computing technology to new problem domains."
  3. All activities of SIGAPP will be consistent with the purposes of all SIGs listed in Bylaw 6 of the ACM.

Article 2. Charter

SIGAPP will exist until dissolved as provided in Bylaw 6 of the ACM.

Article 3. Officers.

  1. SIGAPP's officers are the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. The officers are elected for two-year terms beginning July 1 of odd-numbered years.
  2. The Chair is the principal officer and is responsible for leading SIGAPP and managing its activities. The duties of the Chair are:
    1. Calling and presiding at SIGAPP's Executive Committee and business meetings;
    2. Conducting SIGAPP's activities in accordance with the policies of the ACM; and
    3. Making all appointments and filling vacancies as authorized herein.
    4. Filing all reports as required by ACM.
  3. The duties of the Vice-Chair are:
    1. Assisting the Chair in leading and managing SIGAPP; and
    2. Presiding at meetings when the Chair is absent.
  4. The duties of the Secretary are:
    1. Maintaining the records and correspondence of SIGAPP; and
    2. Keeping and distributing the minutes of business and Executive Committee meetings of SIGAPP
  5. The duties of the Treasurer are:
    1. Managing SIGAPP's finances according to the Financial Accountability Policy of the ACM. This includes preparing the annual budget, monitoring disbursements for adherence to the annual budget, and preparing financial reports as required.

Article 4. The Executive Committee.

  1. The SIGAPP Executive Committee comprises the officers, the immediate Past Chair, and the Information Director. No person may hold two positions on the SIGAPP Executive Committee.
  2. The general duties of the SIGAPP Executive Committee will be to advise the Chair on all matters of interest to SIGAPP. Specific duties or responsibilities may be specified in these Bylaws or assigned by the Chair. All the major management policy decisions of the SIGAPP must be approved by the SIGAPP Executive Committee.
  3. All members of, or candidates for, the SIGAPP Executive Committee must be voting Members of ACM and of SIGAPP.

Article 5. Vacancies and Appointments.

  1. Should the Chair leave office before his/her term expires, the Vice-Chair will assume the duties of Chair. Should any other office become vacant, the Chair of the SIG Governing Board may, on nomination of the SIGAPP Chair, fill the vacancy. Vacancies in positions appointed by the SIGAPP Chair may be filled according to the procedures for making the original appointments as provided herein.
  2. Should a vacancy be unfilled, either because of inadequacy of these bylaws or because of a dispute or for any other reason, the SIG Governing Board Chair may fill it.
  3. All appointments expire automatically when the Chair's term of office expires. Appointees, however, will continue to serve until a successor is appointed by the new Chair.

Article 6. Membership, Dues, and Voting Privileges.

  1. An eligible person becomes a member only after enrolling and paying the required dues. The dues for SIGAPP are determined by the SIGAPP Executive Committee with the approval of the Chair of the SIG Board.
  2. All members of SIGAPP may vote in any ballot conducted with SIGAPP. On any ballot, the votes cast by non-ACM members of SIGAPP will, if necessary, be prorated downward so that their effective total cannot exceed 50% of the eligible vote.

Article 7. Reports and Records.

The SIGAPP Chair is responsible for filing reports about SIGAPP as required by the SIG Governing Board. These include:

  1. An annual report, due as specified by the SIG Governing Board, on the activities of SIGAPP during the previous year;
  2. All reports required by the Financial Accountability Policy of the ACM; and
  3. Closing reports on conferences and symposia (co)sponsored by SIGAPP as required by the ACM.

The membership records of SIGAPP will be maintained by ACM Headquarters.

Article 8. Elections.

  1. By September 30 of each even-numbered year, if the SIG Governing Board has not exercised its option to extend the term of the SIG's current officers for an additional two years, the Chair will appoint a nominating committee which will propose at least two consenting candidates for each elective office of SIGAPP. The slate of candidates selected by the nominating committee must be presented to all the SIGAPP members by the following January 31.
  2. A petition from 1% of the voting members of SIGAPP will place other consenting candidates on the ballot. Petitions must be received by the Secretary of SIGAPP no later than March 15.
  3. The election will be conducted among eligible voters by ACM Headquarters by June 1, following the election procedures of the ACM, unless different procedures have been approved by the SIG Board. Of all the ballots returned in an election, the candidates receiving the largest numbers of effective votes win. The SIG Governing Board Executive Committee will resolve ties.

Article 9. Amendments.

  1. These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the ACM Executive Committee, or by a vote of the SIGAPP members as provided below. With the approval of the SIGAPP Executive Committee and of the Executive Committee of the ACM, 2/3 of all members of the SIG Board may amend Article 1 of these bylaws without a referendum of the members.
  2. Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the SIGAPP Executive Committee, the SIG Board, or a petition from 1% of the voting members of SIGAPP. All proposed amendments must be approved, prior to being submitted for a vote of the membership, by the Chair of the SIG Board and by the Constitution & Bylaws Committee of ACM, after the Executive Director of ACM has provided advice.
  3. The ballot on the proposed amendment(s) will be conducted among the eligible voters by ACM Headquarters following the procedures of the ACM for voting bylaw amendments, unless a different procedure has been approved by the SIG Governing Board Executive Committee. The proposal is adopted only if at least 2/3 of the effective votes of returned ballots approve it, and only if at least 10% of the ballots are returned. The Secretary will send a clean copy of the amended bylaws to the Executive Director of the ACM and to the Chair of the SIG Board.

Article 10. Dissolution.

Should SIGAPP be dissolved, its assets will be supervised by the SIG Board.

Article 11. Meetings.

SIGAPP will conduct at least one business meeting each year. All meetings sponsored by SIGAPP must be open to all members of the ACM. SIGAPP may hold meetings only in places that are open to all classes of members of the ACM.

Article 12. Consistency.

The Constitution, Bylaws, and policies of the ACM and of the SIG Board take precedence over any conflicting provisions of these bylaws or internal policies of SIGAPP.