ACM SIG Bylaws: SIGEnergy

Bylaws of the Special Interest Group on Energy Systems and Infomatics of the Association of Computing Machinery, Inc

  • Adopted: November 16, 2020

Article 1. Name and Scope

  1. This organization will be called the Special Interest Group on Energy Systems and Informatics (SIG Energy) of the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. (the ACM).

  2. The scope of SIG Energy specialty is to cover topics in energy informatics, energy system design, analysis, and operation ranging from building energy management, renewable energy modelling and integration, energy storage system analysis, electric vehicle modelling and optimal operation, and data-center energy management.  SIG Energy will serve an inter-disciplinary group of computing scientists, engineers, educators and professionals with backgrounds in sensing, modelling, optimization, control, network and systems design, and experimentation to discuss and address key challenges in future energy systems.

Article 2. Purpose

SIG Energy is organized and will be operated exclusively for educational, scientific and technical purposes in its specialty. Its services will include:

  1. Collecting and disseminating information in the specialty through a newsletter and other publications approved by the Publications Board of the ACM;

  2. Organizing sessions at conferences of the ACM;

  3. Sponsoring conferences, symposia and workshops;

  4. Organizing working groups for education, research and development;

  5. Serving as a source of technical information for the Council and subunits of the ACM;

  6. Serving as an external technical representative of the ACM when authorized by the Council or the Executive Committee of the ACM; and

  7. Working with subunits of the ACM on technical activities such as lectureships or professional development seminars.

Article 3. Charter

SIG Energy will exist until dissolved by the Council of the ACM as provided in Bylaw 6 of the ACM.

Article 4. Officers

  1. SIG Energy’s officers are the Chair, the Vice-Chair and the Secretary-Treasurer. The officers are elected for two-year terms beginning July 1 of election years.

  2. The Chair is the principal officer and is responsible for leading SIG Energy and managing its activities. The duties of the Chair are:

    1. Calling and presiding at SIG Energy's Executive Committee and Business meetings;

    2. Conducting SIG Energy's activities in accordance with the policies of the ACM; and

    3. Making all appointments and filling vacancies as authorized herein.

  3. The duties of the Vice-Chair are:

    1. Assisting the Chair in leading and managing SIG Energy;

    2. Coordinating conference activities of SIG Energy; and

    3. Presiding at meetings when the Chair is absent.

  4. The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer are:

    1. Maintaining the records and correspondence of SIG Energy;

    2. Keeping and distributing the minutes of business and Executive Committee meetings of SIG Energy; and

    3. Managing SIG Energy's finances according to the Financial Accountability Policy of the ACM. This includes preparing the annual budget, monitoring SIG Energy's disbursements for adherence to the annual budget, and preparing financial reports as required.

Article 5. The Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee comprises the officers, the Past Chair, the Editor of the SIG Energy Newsletter, and three appointed members-at-large. No person may hold two positions on the Executive Committee.

  2. The general duties of the Executive Committee will be to advise the Chair on all matters of interest to SIG Energy. Specific duties or responsibilities may be specified in these bylaws or assigned by the Chair. All the major management policy decisions of SIG Energy must be approved by the Executive Committee.

  3. All members of, or candidates for, the Executive Committee must be full Members of ACM and of SIG Energy.

Article 6. Vacancies and Appointments

  1. Should the Chair leave office before his/her term expires, the Vice-Chair will assume the duties of Chair. Should any other office or the position on the Executive Committee except the Past Chair of SIG Energy become vacant, the Chair of the SIG Governing Board may, on nomination of the Chair of SIG Energy, fill the vacancy. The Chair may fill vacancies in appointed offices according to the procedures for making the original appointments as provided herein.

  2. Should a vacancy be unfilled, either because of inadequacy of these bylaws or because of a dispute or for any other reason, the SIG Governing Board may fill it (as provided in Bylaw 6 of the ACM).

  3. All appointments expire automatically when the Chair's term of office expires. Appointees, however, will continue to serve until a successor is appointed by a new chair.

Article 7. The Newsletter

  1. SIG Energy will publish a newsletter at regular intervals as determined by the Executive Committee. The newsletter will be distributed to all SIG Energy members. Newsletter subscriptions may be sold to nonmembers.

  2. With the advice of the other officers, the Chair will appoint the Editor of the newsletter, who will become a member of the SIG Energy Executive Committee.

Article 8. Membership, Dues and Voting Privileges

  1. A person becomes a member only after enrolling and paying the required dues. The dues for SIG Energy are determined by the SIG Energy Executive Committee with the approval of the Chair of the SIG Governing Board.

  2. All members of SIG Energy may vote in any ballot conducted with SIG Energy. On any ballot, the votes cast by non-ACM members of SIG Energy will, if necessary, be prorated downward so that their effective total cannot exceed 50% of the eligible vote.

Article 9. Reports and Records

The SIG Energy Chair is responsible for filing reports about SIG Energy as required by the SIG Governing Board. These include:

  1. An annual report, due as specified by the SIG Governing Board, on the activities of SIG Energy during the previous year;

  2. All reports required by the Financial Accountability Policy of the ACM; and

  3. Closing reports on conferences and symposia (co) sponsored by SIG Energy as required by the ACM.

The membership records of SIG Energy will be maintained by ACM Headquarters.

Article 10. Elections

  1. By September 30 of the year preceding each election year, if the SIG Governing Board has not exercised its option to extend the term of the SIG's current officers for an additional two years, the Chair will appoint a nominating committee which will propose at least two consenting candidates for each elective office of SIG Energy. The slate of candidates elected by the nominating committee must be presented to all SIG Energy members by the following January 31.

  2. A petition from 1% of the voting members of SIG Energy will place other consenting candidates on the ballot. Petitions must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer of SIG Energy no later than March 15.

  3. The election will be conducted among eligible voters by ACM Headquarters by June 1, following the election procedures of the ACM, unless different procedures have been approved by the SIG Governing Board. Of all the ballots returned in an election, the candidates receiving the largest numbers of effective votes wins. The SIG Governing Board will resolve ties.

Article 11. Amendments

  1. These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the Council, or by a vote of SIG Energy members as provided below. With the approval of the SIG Energy Executive Committee and the Executive Committee of the ACM, 2/3 of all the members of the SIG Governing Board may amend Article 1 of these Bylaws without a referendum of the members.

  2. Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the SIG Energy Executive Committee, the SIG Governing Board, or a petition from 1% of the voting members of SIG Energy. All proposed amendments must be approved prior to being submitted for a vote of the membership by the Chairs of both the SIG Governing Board and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of ACM after the Executive Director of ACM has provided advice.

  3. The ballot on the proposed amendment(s) will be conducted among the eligible voters by ACM Headquarters following the procedures of the ACM for voting bylaw amendments unless a different procedure has been approved by the SIG Governing Board. The proposal is adopted only if at least 2/3 of the effective votes of returned ballots approve it, and only if at least 10% of the ballots are returned. The Secretary-Treasurer will send a clean copy of the amended bylaws to the Executive Director of ACM and to the Chairman of the SIG Governing Board EC.

Article 12. Dissolution

Should SIG Energy be dissolved, control of its assets will revert to the ACM.

Article 13. Meetings

SIG Energy will conduct at least one business meeting each year. All meetings sponsored by the Group must be open to all members of the ACM. SIG Energy may hold meetings only in places that are open to all classes of members of the ACM.

Article 14. Consistency

The Constitution, Bylaws, and policies of the ACM and of the SIG Governing Board take precedence over any conflicting provisions of these bylaws or internal policies of SIG Energy.