Mechanical Engineering News

An internet publication of the Mechanical Engineering Division of the American Society for Engineering Education

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DIVISION BY-LAWS

A revised version of the ME Division By-Laws was approved by vote of those present at the Division Business Meeting during the ASEE Summer 2002 Conference in Montreal. The By-Laws are as follows:

Adopted June, 1963
Revised June, 1970
Revised June, 1971
Revised June 1974
Revised June, 1978
Revised Dec. 1989
Revised June, 1990
Revised Nov. 1990
Revised June 2002




1. NAME The name of this division shall be the Mechanical Engineering Division of the American Society for Engineering Education.

2. PURPOSES The purposes of this Division are identical to those of the Society as stated in Article 1 of the Constitution of ASEE, but with special emphasis on those objectives as they pertain to the field of Mechanical Engineering.

3. MEMBERSHIP Membership of this Division shall consist of those members of the Society who are listed in the Society records as having an interest in Mechanical Engineering.

4. ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS The Division shall be administered by an Executive Committee composed of the Division Chairman, the Division Program Chair, the Division Program Chair Elect, the Division Secretary/Treasurer, the Chairman of the Nominating Committee, the Chairman of the Awards Selection Committee, the Division Editor, the three elected members at large. The three elected members shall serve three-year terms, staggered so as to have one replaced by election each year.

5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The Chairman and other elected officers shall assume their duties at the annual conference of the Society. The Chairman of the Division shall officially be installed at the close of the luncheon/business meeting conducted at the annual conference. The Nominating committee shall automatically nominate the Division Vice Chairman to be the new Chairman, the Division Program Chair Elect to be the new Division Program Chair, and the Division Secretary/Treasurer to be the new Division Vice chairman Elect. The Nominating committee shall nominate one or more candidates for the office of Division of Secretary/Treasurer, one or more candidates for one position on the Awards Selection Committee, and one or more candidates for one member of the Executive Committee.

In addition to those nominations made by the Nominating Committee, additional names may be nominated for any office upon presentation of such nominations in writing signed by five members of the Division present at the Annual conference. These nominations of the Division present at the annual conference. These nominations shall be voted upon together with the names of the members nominated by the Nominating committee at the annual meeting of the Division.

In the event of the resignation or death of one of the members of the Executive committee, the vacated office shall be filled for the duration of the unexpired term by a person to be appointed by vote of the Executive Committee, except that (1) in the event of resignation or death of the Chairman, the Program Chair shall assume automatically the duties of the Chairman; and (2) in the event of resignation or death of the Immediate Past Chairman of the Division, the vacated office shall not be filled until after the next regular annual meeting.

6. COMMITTEES The Executive Committee shall establish such committees, as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the Division. Two standing committees, the Nominating Committee and the Awards Selection Committee, shall be maintained.

The Nominating Committee shall be composed of the Immediate Past Chairman of the Division as Chairman and two Division members appointed by the Division chairman with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee.

The Awards Selection Committee shall be composed of three elected members and three members appointed by the Division Chairman, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee. The three elected members and the three appointed members shall serve three elected members and the three appointed members shall serve three staggered terms so that elected members and one appointed member shall be replaced each year. The Chairman of the Awards Selection Committee shall be appointed by the Division Chairman to serve for a one-year term and shall be chosen from the Committee membership and be without vote.

The Awards Selection Committee shall select recipients of awards by the Division in accordance with the provisions of each award and the procedures and policies established by the Executive Committee.

7. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
The Chairman shall:
Have administrative responsibility for the conduct of all functions of the Division in accordance with these By-Laws and the policies and procedures established by the Executive Committee. Schedule, organize and conduct annual business meetings of the Division and all meetings of the Executive committee. Appoint committees in accordance with the By-Laws. Compile an annual report of the activities of the Division as requested by the Secretary of the Society.

The Program Chair shall:
Serve as the Assistant Division Program Chairman and, in this capacity, shall assist the Division Program Chairman with planning, organization and conducting of the program sponsored (or co-sponsored) by the Division at the Annual Conference of the Society. The Vice-Chairman shall supervise the conduct of these sessions, including arrangement of facilities, receiving speakers, etc. Act for the Chairman at business meetings of the Division and Executive Committee in the event of the Chairmanís absence from these meetings.

The Program Chair Elect shall:
Serve as the Assistant Division Program Chairman and, in this capacity, shall assist the Division Program Chairman with planning, organization and conducting of the program sponsored or co-sponsored by the Division at the Annual Conference of the Society.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
Be responsible for official records and correspondence of the Division and Executive Committee and shall maintain the official files of the Division and pass these along to his or her successor. Record minutes of the annual business meeting and meetings of the Executive Committee and distribute copies to appropriate Society and Division officers. Oversee the financial operations of the Division, except for the operations of MECHANICAL ENGINEERING NEWS which is the responsibility of the Executive Committee , and arrange for financial disbursements with the approval of the Division Chairman and in accordance with procedures approved by the Executive Committee. Oversee and maintain the financial records of the Division, and regularly report the financial status at meetings of the Division Executive Committee.

8. MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES An annual business meeting of the Division shall be held concurrently with the Annual Conference of the Society. The theme and objectives of the Divisionís conference sessions shall be established by the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings at the Annual Conference of the Society, at the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and special meetings as called by the Chairman.
Division Awards shall be made during the Annual Conference of the Society at the annual luncheon/business meeting of the Division.

Those members present at the meetings of the Division and Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

The Executive Committee shall establish such other activities as may be desirable for the promotion of the purposes of the Division.

Members of the Society and other interested persons shall be eligible to attend all meetings of the Division.

9. PUBLICATIONS The Division shall sponsor, produce and circulate such publications as the Executive Committee may determine to be appropriate.

All papers presented at meetings of the Division become the property of the Society and may be recommended for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION or in the publications of the Division as may be deemed proper by the Executive Committee of the Division. Papers not accepted for publication shall be returned to the authors and shall no longer be considered the property of the Society.

10. AMENDMENTS Amendments to these By-Laws may be made at the annual business meeting of the Division upon affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present.

Proposed amendments are to be prepared by a committee of three members appointed by the Chairman of the Division. The amendments are to be sent to the members by letter or in the publications of the Division not later than thirty days before they are to be voted upon.

11. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING NEWS Mechanical Engineering News shall be an internet publication, residing on a server decided upon by the editor.

Mechanical Engineering News shall contain (generally) details regarding papers presented at the annual meeting and published in the proceedings, a list of those papers that received the Best Paper Award, the Division ByLaws, a general Call for Papers, Departmental News and Notes, titles and addresses of Division Officers, Equipment Reviews, Information for Contributors, Members in the News, Minutes of Meetings, details about the Roe Award, Software Reviews, results of Society Elections, Textbook Reviews, Links to Publishers, other relevant information, and Links to Other Sites.

The ME News is to contain information that would be of interest to Mechanical Engineering Educators. It shall be published within the guidelines of the ASEE Publication Guidelines for Periodicals. Currently, there is no cost to the Division for this internet publication, but should a cost be incurred, it shall be totally financed by subscriptions, advertising and grants.
The Mechanical Engineering News shall be a publication responsibility of the Mechanical Engineering Division and an Editorial Staff according to the following organization structure:

11.1 Executive Committee (EC);
Through the activities of the editor, the EC shall be responsible for: a) setting publication policy and general guidelines for the management and content of Mechanical Engineering News; b) solicitation of advertising, grants, and subscriptions for the magazine, if appropriate, and c) supervision of the financial management of the publication.

11.2 Chairman of the EC The editor of Mechanical Engineering News will report to the Chairman of the EC, and shall be appointed by the EC for a three-year term. The appointment shall be renewable.

11.3 Editorial Staff of Mechanical Engineering News The Editorial Staff shall consist of an Editor and Associate Editors as appropriate.

a) Editor-The Editor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee based on recommendations made by the Chairman of the Division. The Editor shall be responsible for the overall management of the publishing including editorial content, format, cover design, page layout and overall composition and style. The Editor shall establish general operating procedures and publication deadlines to assure publication on a regular schedule.

The Editor shall be appointed for a three-year term and may be reappointed. The Editor shall be a member of the Executive Committee. The editor is responsible to the EC and to the Division to maintain a continuous publication of quality, good taste, timeliness and progressive spirit that is well-managed and financially sound.

b) Associate Editors-The Associate Editors shall be selected by the Editor, and are contributors to the publication. The number of Associate Editors shall depend on the areas of editorial responsibility needed.