ACM SIG Bylaws: SIGSAM

BYLAWS of the Special Interest Group SYMBOLIC AND ALGEBRAIC MANIPULATION of the Association for Computing Machinery

  • As revised 1995

Article 1. Name and Scope.

  1. These bylaws define the purposes and policies of the Special Interest Group on Symbolic and Algebraic Manipulation ("SIGSAM"); the authority of the SIGSAM Executive Committee ("the Executive Committee"), the authority of the SIG Board ("the Board"), the Association of Computer Machinery ("the ACM").
  2. The scope of SIGSAM's specialty is the design of algorithms and systems for symbolic and algebraic computation and the use of such systems in different application areas.

Article 2. Purpose.

  1. Collecting and disseminating information in the specialty, through a newsletter and other publications approved by the Publications Board;
  2. Organizing sessions at conferences of the ACM or other relevant societies or organizations;
  3. Sponsoring conferences, symposia, and workshops;
  4. Organizing working groups for education, research and development;
  5. Serving as a source of technical information for the ACM Council and subunits of the ACM;
  6. Serving as an external technical representative of the ACM when authorized by the Executive Committee of the ACM Council; and
  7. Working with subunits of the ACM on technical interest activities such as professional development seminars or lectureships.

Article 3. Membership, Dues, and Voting Privileges.

  1. SIGSAM is an open SIG as defined in Section 6 of Bylaw 6.
  2. A person becomes a member only after enrolling and paying the required dues. The dues for SIGSAM are determined by the SIGSAM Executive Committee with the approval of the Chairman of the SIG Board. In addition to the SIG dues, the non-ACM members of the SIG will be assessed annually a surcharge equal to 1/3 the dues set for membership in the ACM, rounded to the next highest dollar. Any fees for activities and services must be lower for members of the ACM.
  3. All members of SIGSAM may vote in any ballot conducted with SIGSAM. On any ballot, the votes cast by non-ACM members of SIGSAM will, if necessary, be prorated downward so that their effective total cannot exceed 50% of the eligible vote.

Article 4. The Executive Committee.

  1. The Executive Committee comprises the officers, the Past Chairman and the Editor of SIGSAM's newsletter. No person may hold two positions on the Executive Committee.
  2. The general duties of the Executive Committee will be to advise the Chairman on all matters of interest to SIGSAM. Specific duties or responsibilities may be specified in these Bylaws or assigned by the Chairman. All the major management policy decisions of SIGSAM must be approved by the Executive Committee.
  3. All members of, or candidates for, the Executive Committee must be voting members of ACM and of the SIG.

Article 5. Officers.

  1. The officers are the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman and the Treasurer.
  2. The Chairman is the principal officer and is responsible for leading SIGSAM and managing its activities. The duties of the Chairman are:
    1. Calling and presiding at meetings of the Executive Committee and at meetings sponsored by SIGSAM;
    2. Appointing all standing and ad hoc committees;
    3. Making all appointments and filling vacancies as authorized herein;
    4. Conducting SIGSAM'S activities in accordance with the policies of the ACM;
    5. Filing reports about SIGSAM as required by the SIG Board. These include:
      1. An annual report, due as specified by the Board, on the activities of SIGSAM 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 SIGSAM, as required by the ACM.
  3. The duties of the Vice-Chairman include:
    1. Presiding at meetings in the absence of the Chairman;
    2. Assuming the duties of the Chairman's resignation or incapacity.
  4. The duties for the Secretary include:
    1. Maintaining the roster of members of SIGSAM;
    2. Keeping minutes of business meetings of SIGSAM and of the Executive Committee;
    3. Maintaining records and correspondence of SIGSAM;
    4. Notifying members of the Executive Committee of the time, place and agenda of the Executive Committee meetings;
    5. Sending official notification (2 copies) to the Board's Chairman of changes in the elected officers of SIGSAM;
    6. Filing other such reports as required by the ACM.
  5. The duties of the Treasurer include:
    1. Supervising the financial affairs of SIGSAM,
    2. Receiving, holding and disbursing SIGSAM funds,
    3. Maintaining and reporting financial records of SIGSAM,
    4. Managing SIGSAM's finances according to the Financial Accountability Policy of the ACM. This includes preparing the annual budget, monitoring SIGSAM's disbursements for adherence to the annual budget and preparing financial reports as required.
  6. The officers shall be elected by members of SIGSAM to terms of office of two years, beginning July 1 of odd-numbered years. Any officer may be re-elected.
  7. All officers and candidates for officers must be members of class (1) [see Article 3 (a)].

Article 6. Election of Officers.

  1. By September 30 of each even-numbered year if the SIG Board has not exercised its option to extend the term of SIGSAM's current officers for an additional two years, the Chairman will appoint a nominating committee which will propose at least two consenting candidates for each elective office of SIGSAM. The slate of candidates elected by the nominating committee must be presented to all SIGSAM's members by the following January 31.
  2. A petition from 1% of the voting members of SIGSAM will place other consenting candidates on the ballot. Petitions must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer of SIGSAM no later than March 15.
  3. The election committee shall count the ballots and inform all members of the Executive Committee of election results no later than April 1 of each odd-numbered year.

Article 7. Vacancies and Appointments.

  1. Should the Chairman leave office before his term expires, the Vice-Chairman will assume the duties of Chairman. Should any other office or the position on the Executive Committee reserved for the Past Chairman of SIGSAM become vacant, the Chairman of the SIG Board may, on nomination of the Chairman of SIGSAM, fill the vacancy. The Chairman may fill vacancies in offices he has appointed 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 Board may fill it (as provided in Bylaw 6 of the ACM).
  3. All appointments expire automatically when the Chairman's term of office expires. Appointees, however, will continue to serve until a successor has been appointed by the new Chairman.

Article 8. Meetings.

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

Article 9. Publications.

  1. SIGSAM will publish a newsletter at regular intervals as determined by the Executive Committee. The newsletter will be distributed to all members. Newsletter subscriptions may be sold to non-members at a price determined by the Executive Committee.
  2. The Chairman shall appoint a newsletter Editor for a term of two years ending in June of each odd-numbered year.
  3. With the advice of the other officers, the Chairman will appoint the Editor of the newsletter, who will become a member of SIGSAM's Executive Committee.

Article 10. Amendments.

  1. These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the ACM Executive Committee, or by a vote of SIGSAM's members as provided below. With the approval of SIGSAM's Executive Committee and of the Executive Committee of the ACM, 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 may be proposed by SIGSAM's Executive Committee, the SIG Board, or a petition from 1% of the voting members of SIGSAM. All proposed amendments must be approved prior to being submitted for a vote of the membership, by the Chairman of both the SIG Board and the Constitution and Bylaws of ACM after the Executive Director of ACM has provided his 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 Board. The proposal is adopted only if at least 2/3 of the effective votes of returned ballots approve it, and only if at least 1/4 of the ballots are returned. The Secretary-Treasurer will send a clean copy of the amended bylaws to the Executive Director of ACM and to the Chairman of the SIG Board.

Article 11. Finance.

  1. The responsibility for collecting, holding and disbursing funds is delegated to SIGSAM under the terms of a Financial Accountability Policy agreed upon by the Board and the Executive Committee of the ACM. Should there be disagreement on the interpretation of such a policy, the interpretation of the Executive Committee of the ACM will prevail unless changed by the ACM Council.
  2. Funds of SIGSAM are the property of the ACM.
  3. SIGSAM will be financially self-supporting in accordance with the Financial Accountability Policy. SIGSAM collective retained-earnings, beyond the required retained-earnings reserves, may be used for non-SIGSAM ACM activities only with approval of both the Board and the Executive Committee of the ACM, or of 2/3 of all members of the ACM Council.

Article 12. Dissolution.

  1. SIGSAM will exist until dissolved by the Council of the ACM as provided in Bylaw 6 of the ACM.
  2. Should the group be dissolved, control of its assets will revert to the ACM.

Article 13. 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 SIGSAM.