IEEE Bylaws

I-402. Geographic Organization of Members

1. Regions.   A Region shall be a geographical organizational unit consisting of a part of one, or of one, or of more than one country established by MGAB in accordance with the IEEE Constitution as an operating organizational unit of IEEE for management and administrative purposes to represent and fulfill the missions of the IEEE within the territory prescribed.
   
   In intent, all parts of the world are in a Region. The boundaries of the Regions are as follows and shall be further specified in each Region’s Bylaws:
   
   

   Region 1	shall comprise Northeastern USA.
   Region 2	shall comprise Eastern USA.
   Region 3	shall comprise Southeastern USA and the island of Jamaica as a part of its territory.
   Region 4	shall comprise Central USA.
   Region 5	shall comprise Southwestern USA.
   Region 6	shall comprise Western USA.
   Region 7	shall comprise the territory of Canada.
   Region 8	shall comprise Africa, Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Republics of the former USSR, and the Near and Middle East countries located west of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
   Region 9	shall comprise the territory encompassing the Caribbean and Bahamas Islands, South America, Central America and North America (except the United States, Jamaica and Canada).
   Region 10	shall comprise Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and related islands.

2. Areas.   Areas may be established as parts of a Region.  An Area shall generally consist of several Sections, states, provinces, or countries which may be established by the Regional Committee as a management and administrative organizational unit of IEEE to fulfill the communication needs and management/ administrative missions of the Region within the territory prescribed.

3. Geographic Councils.   A Council may be formed by agreement of a group of contiguous Sections and it exists at their pleasure. It is formed by the Sections to do only those delegated tasks that can be best done together by the Sections rather than singly by each Section. The Sections retain their recognition as the basic operating, executive, administrative and geographic unit of the IEEE. The formation of a Council must be approved by the Regional Director and the Member and Geographic Activities Board.

4. Sections.   A Section shall be the basic operating geographic organizational unit of IEEE and shall be constituted by a minimum of fifty (50) IEEE voting members. A Section shall be established with the approval of the Member and Geographic Activities Board by petition of those who live/work in relatively close proximity to be served by activities that further the missions of IEEE.

5. Subsections.   A Subsection shall be a part of a Section or Region, constituted by a minimum of twenty (20) IEEE voting members, and established with the approval of MGAB by petition of those who live/work in relatively close proximity to be served by the activities that further the mission of IEEE.
   
   
6. Chapters.   A Chapter shall be a technical subunit of a Region, one or more Sections or a Geographic Council.  There may be single Society Chapters, joint Society Chapters, and Technical Council Chapters.  A Chapter shall comprise a minimum of twelve (12) IEEE voting members of a Society, or group of Societies in the case of a joint chapter, and shall be established by petition to the parent geographical and technical organizational units concerned to fulfill the mission of IEEE. In the case of a Technical Council Chapter, a minimum of any twelve (12) IEEE voting members of Council Member Societies in the parent geographical unit shall be required to petition to the geographic unit and to the Technical Council.
   
   
7. Student Branches.   A Student Branch shall be an operating organizational unit of IEEE constituted by a minimum of twelve (12) IEEE Student Members or Graduate Student Members at a particular college, university, technical institute, or, in unusual circumstances attached to a Section, and established with approval of MGAB by petition to the Region concerned to fulfill the mission of IEEE.
   
   
8. Student Branch Chapters.   Student Branches may have Student Branch Chapters. A Student Branch Chapter shall be a technical subunit of a Student Branch constituted by a minimum of six (6) Student Members or Graduate Student Members of a Society or group of Societies and established by petition to the parent Student Branch and Society concerned to fulfill the mission of IEEE.  A Student Branch Chapter functions in a manner similar to a committee of the Student Branch.
   
   
9. Affinity Groups.   An affinity group shall be a non-technical subunit of a Region, one or more Sections or a Geographic Council. An affinity group shall comprise a minimum of six (6) IEEE voting members, who are members of the geographic unit(s) involved, and established by petition to the parent organizational unit(s) or standing committee concerned to fulfill the mission of IEEE.
   
   
10. Student Branch Affinity Groups.   Student Branches may have Student Branch Affinity Groups. A Student Branch Affinity Group shall be a non-technical subunit of a Student Branch constituted by a minimum of six (6) Student Members or Graduate Student Members established by petition to the parent Student Branch and organizational unit or standing committee concerned to fulfill the mission of IEEE.