Bylaws

ACADEMY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
BY-LAWS
Amended April 18, 2008

I.       Membership Qualifications for the Academy of Computer Science

A.     Active Members shall be limited to living individuals who are duly elected and subject to the following conditions:

  1. Each candidate shall hold a degree from the Missouri University of Science and Technology at least 10 years prior to election.  In addition, the person shall have experience in computer science or in a computer science related field.  (By a vote of the membership, this requirement may be relaxed to include members with less than 10 years’ experience prior to induction; however, the majority of the membership must each possess at least 10 years of experience prior to induction.)
  2. Each candidate shall have demonstrated notable leadership and/or professional achievement and success, and possess admirable personal and professional integrity.
  3. Each candidate shall receive at least a three-fourths affirmative vote of the total votes cast for election to membership.
  4. A candidate who is elected to membership is expected to be present for induction at the first induction ceremony held after said election, but may elect to be inducted at the second induction held after said election.  The President may waive this requirement in the event of illness of the candidate, absence of the candidate from the country or other reasons acceptable to the President.  If the President does not waive this requirement, the invitation shall be withdrawn.

B.     Honorary Members shall be living individuals who are duly elected and subject to the following conditions:

  1. A person to be considered for Honorary Membership shall be one who may not be a graduate of the Missouri University of Science and Technology but shall possess the qualities necessary for Active Membership in the Academy.
  2. Each shall have the unanimous approval of the Directors (Article IV.C) and a three-fourths affirmative vote of the membership.
  3. At no time shall the living Honorary Members exceed ten (10) percent of the Active Members.
  4. Honorary Members shall have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of Active Members, except they may not be officers of the Academy or on the Board of Directors.
  5. Honorary Members may be inducted without being present at the induction ceremony.

C.     Posthumous Members shall be deceased individuals who are duly elected and subject to the following conditions:

  1. A person to be considered for Posthumous Membership shall be one who may or may not be a graduate of the Missouri University of Science and Technology but shall possess the qualities necessary for Active Membership in the Academy.
  2. Each shall have the unanimous approval of the Directors and a three-fourths affirmative vote of the membership.
  3. Induction of Posthumous Members will be acknowledged at the annual induction ceremony.

D.    Distinguished Past Members shall consist of those Active and Honorary Members who have died.

II.    Nominations for the Academy of Computer Science

  1. The Chair of the Membership Committee (Article IV.E.2) shall request of all active members such nominations as they care to make.  Such nominations shall be of individuals qualified under Article I.A.1 of these by-laws and shall be accompanied by data substantiating their qualifications.
  2. The Membership Committee shall review the nominees, determine eligibility, and forward their recommended nominations to the Board of Directors.
  3. The Board of Directors shall review and certify the nominations and return those that are acceptable to the Board to the Chair of the Membership Committee.

III. Balloting for the Academy of Computer Science

  1. The Chair of the Membership Committee shall prepare a ballot listing the names of all those certified by the Board of Directors as nominees for membership and shall deliver it to all active members. A brief profile of each nominee shall accompany the ballot
  2. The Membership Committee shall canvas all ballots received and shall declare as elected and eligible for invitation to membership those who have qualified under the provisions of these by-laws.
  3. The President of the Academy and the Chair of the Computer Science Department shall jointly notify the nominees of their election and extend to each of them an invitation to join the Academy.

IV. Organization of the Academy of Computer Science

A.    Meeting of the Membership

  1. An Annual Meeting of the membership shall be held at such time and at such place as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
  2. There shall be an Induction Ceremony for the purpose of inducting newly elected members, and it shall usually be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors.
  3. There may be other meetings as shall be determined either by the Board of Directors or by a petition signed by one-third of the Active Members who shall require the Board of Directors to call such meetings.
  4. Each meeting shall be announced by mail (standard post or e-mail) thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

B.     Quorum at the Membership Meetings

  1. A quorum shall consist of thirty (30) percent of the Active Members or eighteen (18) Active Members, whichever is less.
  2. Every act or decision made either when a majority of the membership is present or when a quorum is present shall be an act of the membership.

C.     Directors

  1. The Board of Directors shall consist of eight (8) Directors:
  • President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer,
  • Past President,
  • Chair of the Computer Science Department (ex-officio), and
  • Directors (three)

Two directors will be elected from the active members at each annual Academy meeting.

  1. At the first Annual Meeting of the Academy, the members shall elect six (6) directors; two (2) to serve for two (2) years, two (2) to serve for three         (3) years, and two (2) to serve for four (4) years.  Successors will be elected for three (3) year terms.
  2. Each vacancy on the Board of Directors shall be filled at the next Annual Meeting of the Academy.  The Active Members will elect a Director to            complete the unexpired term for each vacancy.

D.    Officers

  1. The Officers of the Academy of Computer Science shall be a President, a Vice President, and a Secretary/Treasurer.  The President and the Secretary/Treasurer shall be nominated and elected for a thirty-six month term by and from the Board of Directors at the Annual Board Meeting.  If possible, the election of the President and the Secretary/Treasurer will be staggered in order to provide for continuity.  The Vice President can be elected for up to a thirty-six month term.
  2. The Vice President shall succeed to the Presidency in the event that office is vacated.
  3. The President shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint replacements to fill officer vacancies.
  4. The Officers shall have such duties as are necessary for the purposes and functions of the organization and such duties as are assigned by the Board of Directors.
  5. The Officers shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred, if such expenses are authorized and approved by the President and approved by the Board of Directors.

E.     Committees

  1. The Board of Directors shall authorize and the President shall appoint such committees as are necessary to advance the purposes and business of the Academy.
  2. There shall be a Membership Committee of Active Members and said committee shall take such action as is necessary to comply with Article II of these by-laws.
  3. There shall be a Nomination Committee of Active Members, who shall present a slate of candidates for election as Directors at the annual Academy meeting.  Any member present may make additional nominations.  There will be no vote by proxy, and a majority of the membership or of a quorum present shall elect.
  4. There shall be a Committee on Conduct of Active Members who will listen to and recommend to the Board of Directors any question concerning the conduct of any or all members.

V.    Limitations and Procedures for the Academy of Computer Science

  1. The Board of Directors may remove from the Academy any member upon the recommendation of the Committee of Conduct, but such removal may not be enacted until such time as the Board and the membership have heard the appeal of the member so recommended if such hearing is requested by the aggrieved member.
  2. The by-laws may be amended at any Academy annual meeting at which such intention has been a part of the notice of the meeting.  The amendment will be adopted if it carries the favorable recommendation of a majority of the Directors present and is approved in a ballot by a majority of the membership of a quorum present. E-mail proxy votes provided to the Board of Directors will be accepted in advance of the meeting.
  3. The members of the Academy of Computer Science shall not be responsible for any indebtedness or liability incurred by or for any acts performed by any member or individual who is in attendance at any annual or special meeting, outing, or social activity of the Academy.
  4. Information about members of the Academy may only be used for Academy business.

VI. Financial Requirements

  1. The Academy of Computer Science shall be self-supporting.  It shall use only those moneys that are exclusively reserved for it in a University account.   Said moneys shall accrue from contributions made or solicited by the members.
  2. The Board of Directors shall adopt an annual budget, which shall be reported to the active members.  This budget will provide the Chair of the Department of Computer Science at the Missouri University of Science and Technology with direction for the expenditure of moneys from the account in the name of the Academy.
  3. The Officers and Directors shall instruct the Secretary/Treasurer in such efforts as he or she shall make annually to maintain funds in the Academy or Computer Science pursuant to the “Statement of Agreement and Understanding Concerning the Academy of Computer Science.”

VII. Recognition and Awards

  1. A plaque and/or certificate of membership in the Academy will be awarded to each active and honorary member (living or deceased) at the Induction Ceremony.
  2. A framed photograph (eight by ten inches) and a name plate of each active, honorary, posthumous, and past distinguished member of the Academy shall be prominently displayed in the Department of Computer Science at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
  3. A current biographical sketch of each honorary, active, and distinguished past member of the Academy will be maintained in the library of the Department of Computer Science at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, where it will be easily accessible to the students.

HISTORICAL STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING THE ACADEMY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

  1. The Academy of Computer Science was established on January 10, 2003, with the approval of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Chancellor of the University of Missouri-Rolla.
  2. Academy founding members are as follows:  Jean K. Holley, Mark X. Stratman, William A. Eaton, Daniel C. Hirschbuehler, and Daniel G. McNicholl.  The founding and charter members are eminent computer scientists, graduates of the computer science curricula of the University of Missouri-Rolla.
  3. The Computer Science faculty now delegates to the founding and charter membership the privileges and responsibilities of perpetuating the Academy.
  4. The Academy of Computer Science in appreciation of the honor bestowed individually and collectively will be perpetuated:
    1. As an endeavor to strengthen the dedication of students to Computer Science through personal and professional example.
    2. For the annual recognition of those graduates of the Computer Science curricula who bring honor to Computer Science as practitioners and as citizens.
    3. For the purpose of providing advisory guidance and counsel at the call of the department chair, faculty, and students.
    4. And for encouraging personal, corporate, foundation and government gifts and grants of money, equipment and facilities to the Curators of the University of Missouri for the benefit of the Computer Science Department at the University of Missouri-Rolla.
    5. In the accomplishment of the above the Academy of Computer Science does establish and abide by the by-laws.