7.5 IEEE Involvement with
Legislative Bodies, Government
Agencies and International Organizations
- While members of the IEEE are of course
at liberty to express their own opinions
on any matter, care must be taken that these are
not put forward as representing the IEEE
except as outlined below.
- It is recognized that there may be
appropriate opportunities for IEEE and
its organizational units to cooperate with
legislative bodies and other agencies of
national and local governments in various
countries of the world, and with
international agencies. Ways should be
sought to try to make such cooperation possible,
recognizing the limitations inherent in
any situation where an individual member is
asked to speak on behalf of the entire IEEE or
any of its organized subdivisions.
- IEEE units may cooperate with
government and international agencies on
issues in which IEEE has no definite policy by
suggesting technically competent persons
to testify on an issue or to act as
consultants. In such cases, the person
testifies as an individual, and not as a
representative of IEEE or any of its units.
- The IEEE Executive Committee, acting
for the IEEE Board, will be responsible
for review of proposals for IEEE cooperation,
making certain that the proposed
participation is in conformity with the IEEE
Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies, and that it
does not damage existing IEEE programs.
- If an activity which appears to the
Executive Committee to be desirable
requires new policy or a change in existing
policy, the question of participation
must be referred to the Board with a
recommendation concerning the proposed
policy change.
- Once an activity is approved, the
Executive Committee may delegate its
implementation to an officer, or to an IEEE
Board or Committee. In making this
assignment, attention will be given to
coordination with all Boards and
Committees having interests in the issue.
- When approving the implementing
participation of the type described in
this policy statement, the Executive Committee
will give attention to the problem of
informing members. This will normally be done by
arranging for items in IEEE SPECTRUM, THE
INSTITUTE, and other IEEE publications.
