Bylaws
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHINESE INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS – USA
Rectified on February 26, 2017
ARTICLE I: OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the National Council are to coordinate and support activities which are of national or international nature, and to foster unity and fellowship among the engineering professionals of all local chapters.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERS
The National Council Members are representatives from local chapters according to the number of subscribed members of each local chapter:
| Number of Members | Number of Representatives to the National Council |
|---|---|
| 25 to 35 | one |
| 36 to 100 | two |
| 101 to 200 | three |
| 201 to 300 | four |
| more than 300 | six |
The National Council Members represent the local chapters to propose and vote on issues which are to the interest of the Chinese Institute of Engineers – USA. The National Council Members are also to elect or to be elected as the officers of the National Council or special committees appointed by the National Council to carry out the duties described in Article IV or tasks approved by the National Council to the benefit and on behalf of the Chinese Institute of Engineers – USA.
Change in the number of representatives from a local chapter as a result of change in the number of local chapter members, including newly established local chapter, needs to be reported to the Chair of the National Council one month before the next National Council meeting and to be approved by the National Council at the meeting. The change in representative number, upon the approval of the National Council will take effect immediately after the conclusion of the meeting.
Substitution of individual National Council Members from a local chapter should be reported to the Chair of the National Council before the next National Council meeting.
ARTICLE III: LOCAL CHAPTER DUES
The annual due from each local chapter to the National Council shall be determined by the National Council. However, the chapter membership due is waived for a new chapter in its first year of operation. The local chapter dues to the National Council for the current year must be paid in full at or prior to the first National Council meeting each calendar year. If the local chapter dues are not paid in full, the National Council Members from that local chapter shall cease to exercise their rights at the National Council.
ARTICLE IV: MANAGEMENT
The National Council management team should consist of four officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The duties and authorities of the officers are:
Chair- the principal executive officer of the National Council to preside the National Council meeting; to execute and supervise all business affairs prescribed by the National Council; to be a custodian of the National Council records, including all meeting minutes and correspondences, and maintain a current National Council Member roster.
Vice Chair- in the absence of the Chair or in the event of the Chair’s inability or refusal to act, the Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair.
Secretary- to take notes and draft the meeting minutes of each National Council meeting and such other duties as from time to time assigned by the Chair. The meeting minutes of the previous National Council meeting should be provided to members at least one month before the next National Council meeting for proofreading prior to the final approval of the minutes at the meeting.
Treasurer- have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds of the National Council; receive and give receipts for moneys due and payable to the Council, and deposit all such moneys in the National Council bank account. The Treasurer will prepare and submit a financial report to the National Council Members at each National Council meeting. Any single expense item less than US$500 is subject to National Council Chair’s approval, for an expense item exceeding US$500 approval by the National Council is required unless the expense item is provided in Article VII of this By-Laws.
The National Council should appoint special working committees for METS (Modern Engineering and Technology Seminar), SATEC (Sino-American Technology and Engineering Conference), AAEOY (Asian American Engineer of the Year Award) program, and other working committees, such as Public Relation, Fund Raising, and Membership Committees from time to time to carry out specific tasks as prescribed by the National Council. The two special working committees, METS and SATEC are to work with their counterparts in Taiwan and Mainland China in preparing and holding the biennial METS and SATEC conferences. The National Council shall elect the officers of these special working committees when necessary as determined by the National Council. The METS and SATEC officers have the sole authority and responsibility independent from the National Council officers to act upon the committee affairs on behalf of the Chinese Institute of Engineers – USA. However, essential documents regarding SATEC and METS should be copied to the National Council Chair for record keeping purposes.
Any form of communication, such as gifts, awards, or statements, which bear the official name of Chinese Institute of Engineers – USA, by the officers of the National Council or the two special working committees shall be approved by the National Council.
Any activities conducted by the local chapters in the name of the Chinese Institute of Engineers – USA shall be presented and approved by the National Council.
ARTICLE V: ELECTION
At the first National Council meeting of each calendar year, new officers should be elected by secret ballots from the attending National Council Members, except the secretary, who shall be appointed by Chair elected. However, only National Council Members present at the meeting can be nominated and no proxy ballot is allowed. The outgoing Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer should transfer their authorities and duties, including the signature authority of the bank account to the newly elected officers immediately after the election. The election of officers for the working committees should follow the same rules as the election of National Council officers.
ARTICLE VI: APPOINTMENT OF ADVISORS
The Advisory Council is the consultation body of the National Council. Advisors make recommendations for decisions or policies for approval by the National Council Members. In addition, the Advisory Council provides strategic directions for National Council’s long term development. The Advisors shall attend the National Council meetings with no voting power.
The term of the Advisors is two years. Subject to the qualification requirement, there could be up to one Advisor from each local chapter at any given time. The immediate past National Council Chair automatically becomes an additional Advisor for a one-year term.
An Advisor should be nominated by a local chapter president and approved by at least two thirds (2/3) of the attending National Council Members at a National Council meeting.
ARTICLE VII: COMPENSATION
The National Council Members and Advisors shall serve without compensation. However the National Council Members and Advisors are entitled to reimbursements for travel expenses for carrying out their duties. National Council shall reimburse local chapters for travel expenses annually. The total amount of travel expense reimbursement to a local chapter shall not exceed
80% of the local chapter’s due. However, reimbursement for reasonable administrative expenses to the officers of the National Council, Advisory Council and working committees are not included in the 80% calculation.
ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS
The National Council shall meet at least twice a year. The meetings shall be held at such places where a local chapter annual convention is held or as may be determined by the National Council. More than fifty percent of the National Council Members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the National Council.
ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws from time to time may be altered, amended or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the National Council Members present, provided, however, that such action shall only be taken if notice thereof is set forth in the notice of the National Council meeting at which the proposal is
to be considered; and further provided that all amendments of this By-Laws at any time, in order to be valid, must be consistent with the objectives of the National Council, as contained in its original By-Laws.
*Original By-Laws – created in 1986
Revision 1 – rectified on June 18, 1995
Revision 2 – rectified on March 13, 2016
Revision 3 – rectified on February 26, 2017