IEEE ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL SOCIETY
CONSTITUTION
Approved by: AdCom 11/7/95
Endorsed by: IEEE Technical Activities Board 11/7/96
Approved by: IEEE Executive Committee: 12/12/96
Article 5 - Administration of the Society
Article 6 - Election and Nominations of the AdCom
Article 9 - Amendments and Bylaws
Section 1.1. This organization shall be known as the IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Society.
Section 1.2. Its objectives shall be scientific, professional, and educational in character. The Society shall strive for the advancement of the theory and practice of electrical and electronic engineering and of the allied arts and sciences, and the maintenance of a high professional standing among its members, all in consonance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the IEEE and with special attention to such aims within the field of interest of the Society as are hereinafter defined.
Section 1.3. The Society shall aid in promoting close cooperation and exchange of technical information among its members and with the scientific community. To this end the Society will publish technical papers and hold meetings for the presentation of papers and their discussion, and through its committees shall study and provide for the needs of its members.
Section 2.1. Membership in the Society shall be available only to members of the IEEE in any grade, including students, having a professional interest in any aspect of Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, or Frequency Control.
Section 2.2. Affiliates may participate in the Society activities as provided by the IEEE bylaws and subject to the applicable IEEE rules and regulations and any additional limitations imposed by the Society Bylaws.
Section 3.1. The scope of interest of the Society shall include the theory, technology, materials, and applications relating to:
1. the generation, transmission, and detection of mechanical waves and vibrations and their interactions with other phenomena;
2. medical ultrasound, including hyperthermia, bioeffects, tissue characterization and imaging;
3. ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and piezomagnetic materials, including crystals, polycrystalline solids, films, polymers, and composites;
4. frequency control, timing, and time distribution, including crystal oscillators and other means of classical frequency control, and atomic, molecular and laser frequency control standards.
Areas of interest range from fundamental studies to the design and/or applications of devices and systems within the general scope defined above.
Section 4.1. The Society shall collect from its members an annual assessment or fee, in accordance with the IEEE bylaws and applicable rules and regulations.
Section 4.2. The Society may make registration charges at its Society meetings, symposia, conferences, and conventions. The registration fee for non-members of the IEEE may be higher than for IEEE members.
Section 4.3. The Society may raise revenues by other means, such as advertising, shows, requests for contributions, and charges for sending out notices to non-Society members, provided such means are consistent with applicable IEEE rules and regulations, and do not encroach on revenue fields of prior established groups or sections. Any new revenue means not explicitly covered by IEEE rules and regulations must be approved by the IEEE Executive Committee, before being adopted by the Society.
Article 5 - Administration of the Society
Section 5.1. AdCom Membership and Offices
5.1.1. The Society shall be managed by an Administrative Committee (AdCom), consisting of a President, and not more than 12 elected members and not more than three most recent past Presidents as ex-officio and not more than 12 non-elected members ex-officio as prescribed in the bylaws.
5.1.2. The terms of the elected members of the AdCom shall be for three years, four members to be elected each year. Only two consecutive terms are permitted for elected members, but eligibility is restored after a lapse of one year.
5.1.3. In a manner described in the Society Bylaws, the AdCom shall elect every two years a President-Elect whose term of office will be for two years.
5.1.4. The President-Elect shall assume the Presidency for a two-year term at the conclusion of his/her term as President-Elect.
5.1.5. A Secretary-Treasurer shall be appointed by the President for his/her term.
5.1.6. The President, newly elected President-Elect, members of the AdCom, and the newly appointed Secretary-Treasurer shall assume office on the first of January, unless a different date is provided by the bylaws.
Section 5.2. Duties and Responsibilities of the AdCom
5.2.1. The duties and responsibilities of the officers shall be as defined hereunder and in the bylaws and as delineated by the AdCom.
5.2.2. The President shall supervise the affairs of the Society, as directed by the AdCom and in accordance with his or her power and duties as defined hereunder and in the bylaws. In the President's absence or incapacity, the President's duties shall be performed by the President-Elect. In the event that neither the President nor the President-Elect is available, these duties shall be performed by an AdCom member appointed by the President.
5.2.3. When the President is notified of meetings of IEEE Boards of which he/she is a member, the President shall insure representation of the Society at such meeting by himself/herself, or by an alternate. If an alternate cannot be found, the President shall present the views of the Society by a letter of proxy.
5.2.4. The Administrative Committee may utilize the services of IEEE Headquarters as bursar for all or part of the funds of the Society, as provided by the IEEE bylaws and rules and regulations. If any part of the Society funds are received and deposited separately, the terms and conditions shall be in accordance with IEEE policies and subject to the provisions of the Society bylaws and to any special limitations imposed by the AdCom.
5.2.5. Neither the Society, nor any officer or representative thereof, shall have any authority to contract debts for, pledge the credit of, or in any way bind the IEEE, except in accordance with budgets previously approved.
Section 5.3. Sub Organization of the Society
5.3.1. The Administrative Committee may establish standing and ad hoc committees as provided by the bylaws. All appointments to committees shall be for a term of one year or until successors are appointed or the committees dissolved, except where other specifically designated terms of office are established by the AdCom.
5.3.2. The President shall appoint the Chair and give charge to each committee of the Society. Not more than four Committee Chairs can have the title of Vice-President as prescribed in the Bylaws. The appointment of each Chair or Vice-President shall be ratified by a majority of the elected members of AdCom.
5.3.3. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees of the Society.
Article 6 - Election and Nominations of the AdCom
Section 6.1. Selections
6.1.1. Election of the members of the AdCom shall be by mail ballot to the entire Society membership as prescribed in the bylaws.
6.1.2. Within-term vacancies on the AdCom shall be filled by appointments, for the unexpired terms, by the President. The appointment shall be ratified by a majority vote of the AdCom.
Section 6.2. Nominations
6.2.1. The nomination procedure and the makeup of the Nominating Committee shall be as prescribed in the Bylaws. The nomination procedure shall include provision for the Society members to place a name on the ballot.
Section 7.1. General Meetings
7.1.1. The Society may hold meetings, conferences, symposia, or conventions either alone or in cooperation with Sectional or Regional Committees of the IEEE, or other technical organizations, subject to IEEE rules and regulations. The Society shall sponsor at least one technical conference of international scope each year.
7.1.2. Meetings conferences, symposia or conventions of the Society shall be open on an equal basis to all members of the IEEE, and may be attended by non-IEEE members.
Section 7.2. AdCom Meetings
7.2.1. The AdCom shall hold at least two meetings annually, as specified in the Bylaws. Additional meetings of the AdCom may be called at the discretion of the President of the Society or upon request of at least three other members of the AdCom and held at such times as are found necessary and/or convenient.
7.2.2. Nine members of the AdCom shall constitute a quorum. All members, including ex-officio members, shall have an equal vote, unless otherwise provided.
7.2.3. A majority vote of those members of the AdCom attending a meeting shall be necessary for the conduct of its business except as otherwise provided in this constitution.
7.2.4. Business of the AdCom may be handled by correspondence, telephone, fax, or e-mail where in the opinion of the President matters requiring action can be adequately handled in that manner. A majority vote of the AdCom members is necessary for approval of actions handled in that manner, unless otherwise provided.
Section 8.1. Publications undertaken by the Society shall be subject to IEEE policies and to further guidance or controls prescribed by the AdCom or its duly appointed committees. The Society shall be responsible for the financial aspects of its publication program.
Section 8.2. The President, with the advice and consent of the AdCom, shall appoint such editors-in-chief as may be required to implement the publication program. The duties of an editor-in-chief, and compensation, if any, shall be as prescribed in the bylaws.
Article 9 - Amendments and Bylaws
Section 9.1. Amendments
9.1.1. Amendments to this Constitution may be initiated by the AdCom, or by petition submitted by at least one hundred members of the Society. Proposed amendments shall not conflict with the IEEE Constitution.
9.1.2. Initial approval of an amendment to this constitution as initiated by AdCom requires a two-third vote of the AdCom members present at a meeting, provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to each member of the AdCom at least 15 days prior to such meeting. After having been submitted to the TAB, and by the TAB to the IEEE Executive Committee for approval, the proposed amendment shall be published in the Newsletter, or otherwise publicized by direct mailing to the membership, with notice that it goes into effect unless ten percent of the Society members object within 30 days of mailing. If sufficient objections are received, a ballot by mail shall be initiated as prescribed in Section 9.1.4.
9.1.3. Amendments to this Constitution initiated by petition of the members of the Society shall be published in the Newsletter, or otherwise publicized by direct mailing to the membership. These amendments will be voted on by mail ballot as prescribed in Section 9.1.4.
9.1.4. If a mail ballot is initiated, a copy of the proposed amendment shall be mailed with a ballot to all members of the Society at least 30 days before the date appointed for return of the ballots, and the ballots shall carry a statement of the time limit for their return to the IEEE office. When a mail vote of the entire Society membership is made necessary, approval of the amendment by at least two-thirds of the ballots returned shall be necessary for its enactment.
Section 9.2. Bylaws
9.2.1. Suitable Bylaws, and Amendments thereto, may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the AdCom members present at a meeting, provided that notice of the proposed Bylaw, or Amendment, has been sent to each member of the AdCom at least 15 days prior to such meeting; or a Bylaw, or Amendment, may be adopted by a two-thirds mail vote of the members of the AdCom, provided a 30-day period is provided for such responses. In either event, the proposed Bylaw, or Amendment, shall be published in the Society Newsletter. No Bylaw, or Amendment, shall take effect until it has been received by the TAB Secretary.