Chapter 1: Introduction

Section 1: Abstract

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) was founded in 1884 with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison among its charter members. Today, the IEEE serves over 360,000 members who are geographically organized into 10 Regions, over 300 Sections, and more than 1,400 Student Branches, 385 Student Branch Chapters of technical societies and 60 Women in Engineering Student Branch Affinity groups worldwide. A Student Branch further falls under the auspices of the local Section. Over 60,000 Student members worldwide make up 13% of the membership of the IEEE and are essential to the continued growth and vitality of the IEEE. Over 50% of the current IEEE members joined as students. Not only is the IEEE the world's largest technical and professional society, it is also publishes 30% of the electrical engineering and computer science literature in the world.

The IEEE's worldwide membership is geographically divided into ten Regions. These regions are further subdivided into Sections that serve as the centers of activity for professional engineers at the local level. Your Student Branch further falls under the auspices of your local Section.

This workbook is designed to guide you in your activities at the Student Branch level. It covers Branch Administration, Branch Operations, Membership, Fundraising, Professional Awareness Activities, and Time Management. It is meant to be a reference tool and should be made available to everyone who is interested.

It is our intention to update this workbook annually and to distribute it at the IEEE Regional Student Branch Leadership Workshops. If you have any comments or ideas on how to improve this workbook, please forward them to the IEEE Student Services Department (mailto: student-services@ieee.org, your Regional Student Representative (RSR) or your Regional Student Activities Chair (RSAC) whose addresses can be found in Appendix A.

Section 2 : IEEE Organization

To provide services for members, IEEE depends not only on a well-trained staff but also on thousands of dedicated volunteers, including Student Branch officers and faculty counselors, Section officers, Region Student Activities Chair and the Regional Student Representative

Diagrams in the following pages illustrate the IEEE volunteer and staff organizations and the organization of the Regional Activities Board (RAB). The Student Activities Committee, including the Student Services staff supporting Student Branches, Student Branch Chapters and Student Branch Affinity groups, as well as the faculty counselors and student officers, are under the purview of RAB and the Regional Activities Department.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE CHARTER

RAB STudent Activities Committee

A. GENERAL

The RAB Student Activities Committee (RAB SAC) is a standing committee, which reports to the Regional Activities Board. The Committee shall report to RAB through the RAB Vice Chair – Student Activities.

B. SCOPE

To provide undergraduate and graduate students who have an interest in the IEEE Designated Fields or related professions with opportunities for educational, technical and professional development, emphasizing the value of continuing IEEE membership.

C. FUNCTIONS

To Provide recommendations on overall policy and procedures regarding the IEEE Student Program, Student Services and other activities, and Student members in accordance with the IEEE Bylaws and Policy Manual.
To continuously improve the quality of student membership activities, benefits and services.
To make current and prospective IEEE Student members aware of the nature and responsibilities of the engineering profession and to provide and promote opportunities for educational, technical and professional development.
To represent within IEEE the interests and concerns of students worldwide and facilitate interaction between Student Branches and IEEE organizational units.
To promote networking and the importance of relationship building to students.
To increase synergy between IEEE/RAB/SAC, GOLD Committees and IEEE Societies to promote the value of continued membership in IEEE after graduation.
To foster and support Student Branch development and outreach to prospective student members.
To provide vehicle for efficient communication of SAC activities to the individual region committees.

D. COMPOSITION

The RAB Student Activities Committee shall have up to 38 voting members and 2 non-voting members as follows:

Voting Members:

¨ RAB Vice Chair – Student Activities, who shall be Chair

¨ Vice-Chair and Branch Leadership Training Subcommittee Chair (Appointed by RAB VC – Student Activities)

¨ Past Chair

¨ Student Professional Awareness Activities (SPAA) Subcommittee Chair (Appointed by RAB VC – Student Activities)

¨ Ten Regional Student Activities Committee (RSAC) Chairs from Regions 1-10 (Appointed by Region Directors)

¨ Ten Regional Student Representatives (RSR) from Regions 1-10 (Appointed by Region Directors)

¨ Up to Six Industrial Representatives (Appointed by the Vice Chair – Student Activities)

¨ Branch Chapter Representative (Appointed by the Vice Chair – Student Activities in consultation with the TAB Chair)

¨ Branch Chapter Student Representative (Appointed by the Vice Chair – Student Activities in consultation with the TAB Chair)

¨ IEEE Potentials Editor (Publications, Products & Services Board Liaison) (Appointed by the Vice Chair – Student Activities and the RAB Chair)

¨ IEEE Potentials Student Editor (Appointed by the Vice Chair – Student Activities and the RAB Chair)

¨ Technical Activities Board Representative (Appointed by the TAB Chair)

¨ IEEE-USA SPAC Committee Chair

¨ GOLD Committee Representative (Appointed by the GOLD Chair)

¨ RAB Chair (ex officio)

Non-Voting Members

¨ RAB Secretary (ex officio)

¨ Manager-Student Services shall serve as Secretary, without vote

Corresponding Members – may serve as appropriate by appointment of committee chair

E. VACANCIES

In the event of the incapacity of the Chair, the most recent Past Chair available shall serve as Acting Chair until such time as the RAB Assembly elects a successor. The Acting Chair shall notify RAB in a timely manner and continue to serve until further directed by RAB. In the event of the absence of the Chair, the most recent Past Chair available shall serve as Acting Chair or, if none, the voting members of the Committee present, from amongst their own, shall select someone to so serve.

F. MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Voting members of the Committee shall be IEEE members of Student, Member, Senior Member or Fellow grade.

G. APPOINTMENTS, ELECTIONS AND TERMS OF OFFICE

All committee members serve by appointment for a one‑year term, with reappointment permissible. All references to committee appointments are listed in Section D- Composition.

The Committee Chair shall serve a one‑year term, with reappointment permissible for up to two additional one-year terms.

Other members shall serve on an ad hoc basis by appointment of the Committee Chair, with the concurrence of the RAB Vice Chair or RAB Chair, in connection with specific projects as may arise.

H. MEETINGS

A meeting shall occur at the call of the c Chair.
Electronic mail and teleconference may be utilized for the transaction of business and for the conduct of interim meetings.
A quorum shall be a majority of the voting members of the Committee. Voting shall be by majority vote with the Chair voting when his or her vote would make a difference in the outcome.

I. COMMITTEES/SUB-COMMITTEES/AD HOC COMMITTEES

The Committee Chair may create Ad Hoc Committees to address specific issues or deal with special situations as deemed appropriate. The Chairs of such Ad Hoc Committees must be a member of the Student Activities Committee and shall be appointed by the Student Activities Committee Chair. Reporting to the committee shall be the following standing Subcommittees:

¨ Regional Student Representative (RSR) Steering Subcommittee - Comprised of the 10 Regional Student Representatives. The function of this subcommittee is to provide recommendations for SAC approval of motions addressing policy, procedures, services and activities concerning SAC functions emphasizing the point of view of the RSRs.

¨ Regional Student Activities Chair (RSAC) Steering Subcommittee - Comprised of the 10 Regional Student Activities Chairs. The function of this subcommittee is to provide recommendations for SAC approval of motions addressing policy, procedures, services and activities concerning SAC functions emphasizing the point of view of the RSACs.

¨ Awards and Recognition Subcommittee - The function of this subcommittee is to provide recommendations for SAC approval of motions addressing policy, content and issues regarding IEEE student awards and recognition programs.

¨ Branch Leadership Training Subcommittee - The function of this subcommittee is to provide recommendations for SAC approval of motions addressing relevancy, content and policy issues regarding the Student Branch Leadership Training program.

¨ Student Professional Awareness Activities Subcommittee - The function of this committee is to provide recommendations for SAC approval of motions addressing relevancy, content and policy issues regarding the Student Professional Awareness programs and to coordinate, approve and fund, as needed, student professional awareness activities, including technical awareness, with emphasis on Regions 7-10.

¨ Potentials Magazine Subcommittee - The function of this subcommittee is to provide recommendations for SAC approval of motions addressing content, relevancy and policy issues concerning the Potentials magazine.

¨ Electronic Communications Subcommittee - The function of this subcommittee is to facilitate SAC in fulfilling its functions, as stated in the SAC charter, in the most effective way possible via electronic communications. This subcommittee will also provide recommendations on content, policy and procedures and services associated with the IEEE web site contest and the IEEE Student Concourse.

J. FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

Provision shall be made in the RAB/Regional Activities Budget for expenses incurred in the work of the Committee. The RAB Vice Chair – Student Activities will have responsibility for these funds to insure reasonable activities of the Committee while maintaining its budget.
Funding shall be provided to the SAC Chair for attendance at the two SAC meetings annually, and RAB meetings.
Funding shall be provided to the Past Chair, Vice-Chair, SPAA Chair and GOLD Representative for attendance at the two SAC meetings annually.
The Regional Activities Department shall provide administrative support for the Committee.

K. REPORTS

A brief report, outlining the business transacted, will be transmitted to RAB by the Chair at each RAB and RAB Operating Committee meeting.

L. CHANGES TO CHARTER

Changes to this Charter must be approved by the Regional Activities Board (RAB).