NAME
Section 1
The name of this organization is the Student Sections Committee (SSC), a committee of ASME.
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PURPOSE AND GOVERNANCE
Section 2
The purposes of the SSC are:
1. To act as the single focal point for interaction between student members, student section advisors, senior members and staff of ASME
2. To promote and actively assist in the coordination and operation of activities for student members
3. To advance the professional development of student members as engineers and servant leaders in ASME and society as a whole
4. To be a resource center and the information disseminator for students and student section advisors
5. To promote active undergraduate and graduate student involvement within technical divisions
6. To present the student’s view to and interact with other ASME entities
7. To promote upgrading from student membership to corporate membership after graduation
Section 3
The SSC shall be governed by the following, in order of precedence: the Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies of ASME; the SSC Bylaws; and the operating manuals of ASME.
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MEMBERSHIP
Section 4
The voting members of the SSC shall consist of one senior representative and two student representatives from each district.
Section 5
The senior representatives shall be corporate members of ASME chosen by the District Leader of the district they represent. The term of office shall be three years, starting at the Annual Meeting (held in June) attending all regular meetings of the SSC during their term of office. When a senior representative’s term is concluded or the term cannot be completed, the District Leader shall reappoint or replace that individual. It is essential that these representatives have student activities experience
Section 6
The student representatives shall be student members of ASME elected each spring by students from their district, or if necessary, chosen by the District Leader. Each district shall also select an alternate. They shall be students enrolled at their university through the following spring academic term, and shall be in good academic standing at the time of their appointment and during their term of office. The term of office shall be two years, starting at the Annual Meeting. These student representatives shall attend four regular meetings of the SSC. The two students from each district shall have terms of office that overlap by one year or two regular meetings – an Annual Meeting and an International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE held in November).
Section 7
Each District Leader shall forward to the Staff Coordinator of Student Operations the names of the new representatives from his or her district prior to the Annual Meeting. Senior members of the SSC may have consecutive terms. Student members of the SSC may be elected to consecutive terms if they remain students in their district through the following spring.
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OFFICERS AND LIAISONS
Section 8
The officers of the SSC shall consist of a chair, a vice-chair, and a secretary. Senior and student representatives shall act as liaisons between the SSC and other ASME entities.
Section 9
The chair shall be elected from the senior representatives of the SSC, excluding the present chair. The term of office shall be three years starting at the Annual Meeting following the election. The new chair shall remain as the senior representative of the district he or she represents. When the chair’s term of office is completed, he or she may continue in the position of senior representative of his or her district, or the District Leader may select a new senior representative. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the SSC except when the vice-chair shall preside; shall appoint and dissolve all subcommittees; shall make assignments to members and subcommittees; and shall assume all other executive duties not otherwise delegated.
Section 10
The vice-chair shall be elected from the student representatives of the SSC, excluding the present and any previous vice-chairs. The term of office shall start at the end of the meeting at which he or she is elected and continue until the end of the next regular meeting. The vice-chair shall assume the duties of the chair if the chair is unable to perform his or her duties. The vice-chair shall preside over the meeting of the SSC for one-half day.
Section 11
The secretary shall be elected from the student representatives of the SSC, excluding the present vice-chair. The term of office shall start at his or her election and continue until the beginning of the next regular meeting. The secretary shall record the minutes of the SSC meetings and shall assist the SSC chair and ASME staff in compiling and editing the minutes for distribution to the SSC and other relevant members of ASME.
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ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND LIAISONS
Section 12
One of the first items of business at each regular SSC meeting shall be the election of a new secretary. A new vice-chair shall be elected at each regular SSC meeting. A new chair shall be elected immediately after the vice-chair at every third IMECE. Liaisons shall be selected at any time chosen by the chair. The SSC shall vote for a liaison either as a body, or the chair may delegate the election of a liaison to a subcommittee, or the chair may appoint the liaison. A majority vote of a quorum is required for election.
Section 13
In the event of permanent vacancy of the chair, the vice-chair shall assume his or her duties until the next regular meeting of the SSC. As one of the first items of business of the first session of that meeting, a successor chair shall be elected to complete the vacated term of office. A successor chair who has presided over no more than four regular meetings is eligible for election to a full term as chair. In the event of a vacancy of the vice-chair, an election for a replacement shall be conducted before the vice-chair assumes his or her duties at a regular SSC meeting. In the event of a permanent vacancy of a liaison, the SSC, or SSC subcommittee, or the chair shall select a replacement at a time specified by the chair.
MEETINGS
Section 14
The SSC shall hold regular meetings twice a year, the first at the Annual Meeting, and the second at the IMECE. For issues which the chair deems cannot be deferred until the next regular meeting, he or she may call a special meeting or conduct a poll using whatever means is most practical.
Section 15
A preliminary agenda of each regular meeting shall be distributed by the chair to the members of the SSC at least one week prior.
Section 16
A quorum shall consist of at least one-half plus one of the members.
Section 17
Action Items shall be presented to the full SSC at the regular meetings. All discussion and voting shall be conducted in accordance with these bylaws and the intent of Robert’s Rules of Order. A majority of a quorum of the members present is required to pass Action Items.
Section 18
Regular meetings of the SSC shall be open to the public, who shall be encouraged to contribute to the discussion.
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AMENDMENTS
Section 19
A two-thirds majority vote of a quorum of SSC members at a regular meeting of the SSC shall be required to amend these bylaws. Copies of the proposed amendment(s) shall be distributed to the SSC members at least seven days prior to the vote.
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ADOPTION AND SUSPENSION
Section 20
A two-thirds majority vote of the members of the National Student Sections Committee (name at the time of the initial adoption) is required to adopt these bylaws.
Section 21
A three-fourths majority vote of a quorum of SSC members shall be required to suspend these bylaws.
Revised: 06-08-86
Revised: 06-07-87
Revised: 11-25-90
Revised: 12-01-91
Revised: 06-13-93
Revised: 06-05-94
Revised: 06-09-96
Revised: 06-17-06
Revised: 11-10-07
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