ACM SIG Bylaws: SIGPLAN

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

  • Originally adopted 1967

  • Revised in 1971, 1975, 1980, 1990, 1996, 2003, 2005, 2008, and 2015

Article 1. Name and Scope

  1. This organization is the ACM Special Interest Group on Programming Languages ("ACM SIGPLAN").
  2. The scope of SIGPLAN is the theory, design, implementation, description, and application of computer programming languages - languages that permit the specification of a variety of different computations, thereby providing the user with significant control (immediate or delayed) over the computer's operation.
  3. SIGPLAN's mission statement: SIGPLAN, the premier programming languages organization, promotes awareness and advancement of research and practice in programming languages. SIGPLAN accomplishes its mission by sponsoring conferences and publishing newsletters. The SIG also serves as a coordinating body for the volunteers who wish to undertake projects to further the goals of the SIG.

Article 2. Purpose

SIGPLAN is organized and operated exclusively for educational, scientific and technical purposes within its scope. Its activities include:

  1. Collecting and disseminating information in the specialty, through a newsletter and other special-interest publications approved by the ACM Publications Board;
  2. Organizing sessions at ACM conferences;
  3. Sponsoring conferences, symposia, and workshops;
  4. Organizing working groups for education, research and development;
  5. Fostering the organization of local groups and activities;
  6. Serving as a source of technical information for the Council and ACM subunits;
  7. Serving an external technical representative of ACM when authorized by the ACM Council or the ACM Executive Committee;
  8. Working with ACM subunits on technical activities such as lectureships or professional development seminars; and
  9. Determining and representing members' opinions with respect to the specialty.

Article 3. Charter

SIGPLAN will exist until dissolved by the ACM Council as provided in ACM Bylaw 6.

Article 4. Officers

  1. SIGPLAN's officers are the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The officers serve three-year terms beginning July 1.
  2. The Chair is the principal officer of SIGPLAN and is responsible for leading SIGPLAN and managing its activities. The duties of the Chair include:
    1. Calling and presiding at SIGPLAN business and Executive Committee meetings;
    2. Conducting SIGPLAN's activities in accordance with the policies of ACM;
    3. Creating ad hoc committees; and
    4. Making all appointments and filling vacancies in elective or appointed positions.
  3. The duties of the Vice-Chair include:
    1. Presiding at meetings when the Chair is absent;
    2. Coordinating and supervising all SIGPLAN-supported technical meetings;
    3. Serving as the point of contact between SIGPLAN and the ACM Conference Department.
    4. Assisting the Chair in leading and managing SIGPLAN.
  4. The duties of the Secretary include:
    1. Maintaining the records and correspondence of SIGPLAN;
    2. Keeping and distributing the minutes of SIGPLAN business and Executive Committee meetings; and
    3. Maintaining all SIGPLAN's written policies and guidelines.
  5. The duties of the Treasurer include:
    1. Managing SIGPLAN's finances according to the ACM Financial Accountability Policy. This includes preparing the annual budget, monitoring SIGPLAN's disbursements for adherence to the annual budget and preparing financial reports as required.

Article 5. Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee comprises the officers, the Past Chair, the Past Vice Chair, the Information Director, and five other elected Members-at-Large. No person may hold two positions on the Executive Committee simultaneously. The office of Past Vice Chair is filled by the previous Vice Chair unless some other responsibility precludes it, e.g., the previous Vice Chair runs for and wins election to be Chair; in that case, the Past Vice Chair position remains empty.
  2. The Members-at-Large serve for three-year terms beginning July 1.
  3. The general duties of the Executive Committee are to advise the Chair on all matters of interest to SIGPLAN. Specific duties or responsibilities may be specified in these Bylaws or assigned by the Chair. All major policy decisions of SIGPLAN must be approved by the Executive Committee.
  4. All members of, or candidates for, the Executive Committee (including the SIGPLAN officers) must be members of SIGPLAN and voting members of ACM.

Article 6. Vacancies and Appointments

  1. Should the office of Chair become vacant, the Vice-Chair will assume the duties of Chair. Should any other position on the Executive Committee become vacant, the SIGPLAN Chair, with the approval of the SIG Board Chair, may fill the vacancy with an eligible person.
  2. 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 7. News.

  1. SIGPLAN will publish a newsletter at regular intervals as determined by the Executive Committee. The newsletter will be distributed to all members of SIGPLAN. Newsletter subscriptions may be sold to non-members.
  2. SIGPLAN will also maintain a web presence, publication-related materials (e.g., a LaTeX class file), and make electronic announcements.
  3. With the advice of the other officers, the Chair will appoint an Information Director who will edit the newsletter and maintain the web presence and publication materials. The Information Director will become a member of the Executive Committee and serve for a term of 3 years (or a term of an agreed-upon length).

Article 8. Membership, Dues, and Voting Privileges

  1. SIGPLAN is an open SIG as defined in ACM Bylaw 6.
  2. A person becomes a member only after enrolling and paying the required dues. The required dues are determined by SIGPLAN's Executive Committee with the approval of the Chair of the SIG Board. The dues shall be consistent with ACM Bylaw 6.
  3. All members of SIGPLAN may vote in any ballot conducted by SIGPLAN. The counting of the votes and the definitions of effective votes shall be consistent with ACM Bylaw 6.

Article 9. Reports and Records

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

  1. An annual report on the activities of SIGPLAN during the previous year;
  2. All reports required by the ACM Financial Accountability Policy; and
  3. Closing reports on SIGPLAN-supported technical meetings, as required by ACM.

SIGPLAN membership records will be maintained at ACM Headquarters.

Article 10. Elections

  1. By September 30 of each year before a new term is set to start, if the SIG Board has not exercised its option to extend the term of SIGPLAN's current officers and Members-at-Large for three years, the Chair will appoint a Nominating Committee which will propose at least two consenting candidates for the office of Chair of SIGPLAN, one or more consenting candidates for the office of Vice Chair, and at least eight consenting candidates for the remaining seven elected positions of the Executive Committee. The slate of candidates selected by the Nominating Committee must be presented to the SIGPLAN membership by the following March 1.
  2. A petition from 1% of the voting members of SIGPLAN will place other consenting candidates on the ballot. Petitions must be received by the SIGPLAN Secretary no later than March 15.
  3. An election will be conducted among eligible voters by ACM Headquarters by June 1, following the election procedures of ACM, unless different procedures have been approved by the SIG Board. Of all the ballots returned in an election, the candidate for Chair receiving the largest number of effective votes (see Article 8.c) will become Chair, and similarly for the Vice Chair position. The seven candidates receiving the largest numbers of effective votes for the other positions win. The SIG Board will resolve ties. The newly elected Chair will appoint one of the elected members of the Executive Committee as Treasurer and another member as Secretary. The remaining five will serve as Members-at-Large.

Article 11. Amendments and Referenda

  1. These Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the ACM Executive Committee, or by a vote of the SIGPLAN membership as provided below. With the approval of the SIGPLAN Executive Committee and of the ACM Executive Committee, 2/3 of all the members of the SIG Board may amend Article 1 of these Bylaws without a referendum of the members.
  2. Amendments to these Bylaws, or a referendum on any relevant issue, may be proposed by the SIGPLAN Executive Committee, the SIG Board, or a petition from 1% of the members of SIGPLAN. All proposed amendments must be approved, prior to being submitted for a vote of the membership, by the Chairs of both the SIG Board and the Constitution and 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 ACM for voting on bylaw amendments, unless a different procedure has been approved by the SIG Board. The proposal is adopted only if at least 2/3 of the effective votes (see Article 8.c) of returned ballots approve it, and only if at least 1/4 of the ballots are returned. The Secretary will send a clean copy of the amended bylaws to the Executive Director of ACM and to the Chair of the SIG Board.

Article 12. Dissolution

Should SIGPLAN be dissolved, control of its assets will revert to ACM.

Article 13. Business Meetings

  1. SIGPLAN will conduct at least one business meeting each year.
  2. Additional national, regional or local business meetings may be convened by the Chair.
  3. All business and Executive Committee meetings must be open to all members of ACM. SIGPLAN may hold meetings only in places that are open to all classes of members of ACM.

Article 14. 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 SIGPLAN.