Policies and Procedures

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.1.0.0

1 PURPOSE

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 1

Council (10/26 & 30/87)
BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Section 2. Purpose of SIGs.
A SIG is a subunit of ACM formed by Members with the desire to pursue significant long term activity in a specialty of ACM's interests. SIG bylaws will include a statement of scope approved by the Board.

The purposes of SIGs include these activities within their specialties.

(a) collecting and disseminating information in the specialty, through a newsletter and other publications approved by the Publications Board;

(b) Organizing sessions at conferences of ACM;

(c) Sponsoring conferences, symposia, or workshops;

(d) Organizing working groups for education, research, and development;

(e) Serving as a source of technical information for the Council and subunits of ACM;

(f) Serving as an external technical representative of ACM when authorized by the Executive Committee or the Council; and

(g) Working with subunits of ACM on technical interest activities such as professional development seminars or lecture series.

With the approval of the Executive Committee, the Board will formulate a viability Policy that specifies minimum acceptable levels of activities in each of these areas. This policy will be used for evaluating each SIG.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.2.0.0

2 FORMATION, CHARTERS AND MERGERS

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 2

Council (02/24/78)
Council (10/26 & 30/87)
BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Section 3. Formation, Charters and Mergers.
A SIG may be formed only if two-thirds of all members of the Board approve a petition for that purpose brought by Members of ACM in accordance with the current guidelines developed and maintained by the SIG Board.

There are two kinds of SIGs: provisional and permanent.

(a) On formation, a SIG is provisional, being chartered for an initial period not to exceed two years, and having its bylaws provided by the Board (See Section 5). A provisional SIG will exist either until its charter expires, or until dissolution (Section 11), or until the Board converts it to a permanent SIG. The Board may extend a provisional SIG's charter; but no SIG may be provisional for more than three consecutive years.

(b) A permanent SIG exists until either Council dissolves it or it is returned to provisional status. No SIG may become permanent unless it has been provisional for at least one year immediately prior to conversion. When the Board converts a SIG to permanent status, it will specify the method of a transitional government during the period until the first election called for in its bylaws. SIG charters are granted, extended, or converted only by a vote of two-thirds of all members of the Board.

A proposal to merge a group of SIGs may be initiated by the Board, or by all the executive committees of the SIGs in the group, or by a petition including one percent of the regular ACM Members of each SIG in the group.

Two-thirds of all members of the Board may approve the merger if, in a referendum, the majority of returned ballots from each SIG in the group approves. The referendum will be conducted under the rules of Section 6 of this Bylaw. The combined assets and liabilities of the old SIGs will become the assets and liabilities of the new SIG.

Guidelines for Organizing New SIGs
In establishing a new SIG, ACM and the SIG Board are bound by certain rules and regulations as delineated in the Constitution and Bylaws of ACM. The principle Bylaw related to the establishment and management of SIGs is Bylaw 7.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.2.0.0

2 FORMATION, CHARTERS AND MERGERS

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 2 of 2

A provisional SIG is chartered by the SIG Board upon approval (by two-thirds of all Board members) of a petition containing:

a. At least 10 signatures of Members from each of at least half of the regions of ACM;

b. A statement of the name and technical scope of the proposed SIG;

c. A proposed set of Bylaws;

d. A proposed budget for the first year's operation;

e. A proposed slate of officers, including at least two nominees for the Chair and at least one nominee for each other position on the proposed SIG's Executive Committee;

f. A letter from each prospective member of the proposed SIG's Executive Committee affirming that the person is a Member of ACM and is willing to serve if appointed; and

g. A statement from each nominee for the proposed SIG's Chair, which includes a biographical sketch, plans for the first year of activity of the proposed SIG, and a minimum of two references, preferably Members of ACM.

Individuals considering petitioning the Board to form a new SIG should contact the Board's Chair at the earliest opportunity. The Board will not consider such petitions until all of the requirements above are met. Assistance in obtaining sample Bylaws, petitions and budgets is available from the Manager of SIG Activities at ACM Headquarters.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.3.0.0

3 MEMBERSHIP, DUES AND VOTING PRIVILEGES

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 1

Council (10/26 & 30/87)
BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Section 6. Membership, Dues, and Voting Privileges.
SIG bylaws will specify whether membership in that SIG is open or restricted. Membership in a "restricted SIG" is available to any member of ACM or any non-member whose major professional allegiance is outside the computing field. Membership in an "open SIG" is available to anyone. SIGs may sell newsletter subscriptions to anyone.

All members of a SIG must pay dues as determined by the executive committee of the SIG with the approval of the Board Chairman. In addition to the SIG dues, the non-ACM members of an open SIG will be assessed annually a surcharge equal to one-third the dues set for membership in ACM rounded to the next highest dollar. On all dues, and for all services for which fees are charged, SIGs will offer lower rates to members of ACM.

All members of a SIG may vote in any ballot or referendum conducted within that SIG. Each ballot will be conducted by ACM Headquarters, following balloting procedures approved by the Board and the Executive Committee. On any ballot, the votes cast by non-ACM members will, if necessary, be prorated downward so that their effective total cannot exceed fifty percent of the number of eligible voters.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.4.0.0

4 STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 2

Council (10/26 & 30/87)
BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Section 5. Structure and Management.
Each SIG is governed by a set of bylaws which defines the officers and executive committee of that SIG, and which contains minimal provisions agreed between the Board and the EC. The chairman of a provisional SIG is appointed by the President on advice from the Board Chairman, for the duration of the SIG's provisional charter; this SIG chairman appoints the other SIG officers with the advice and consent of the Board Chairman. The officers of a permanent SIG are elected by plurality vote of the SIG members for two-year terms beginning July 1st in odd-numbered years. At the end of a two-year term following an election, an option may be exercised by the Board to extend the term of a SIG's officers for an additional two years. Execution of this option is subject to a Policy for Extending the Terms of SIG Officers.

All officers, and all members of SIG executive committees, and candidates for these positions, must be Members of ACM.

In the absence of provisions in the bylaws of a SIG, the Board Chairman may appoint a Member to the unexpired term of a vacant office in the executive committee of such a SIG.

The Board may by majority vote settle ties occurring in any SIG election or bylaw amendment ballot.

All SIG bylaws, and all amendments proposed thereto, must be approved by the Chairman of the Board and by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee after the Executive Director has provided his advice. Bylaws of a provisional SIG may be amended by the Board. The bylaws of a permanent SIG may be amended by a majority vote of the EC or by a vote of the SIG members as specified in the SIG bylaws. With the approval of the SIG executive committee and of the EC, two-thirds of the members of the Board may change the name or amend the statement or scope of a permanent SIG without a referendum of the SIG members.

Section 12. Removal of Officers.
For just cause, two-thirds of the Board may remove specific officers or members of a provisional SIG executive committee; or two-thirds of the Executive Committee may remove specific officers or members of a permanent SIG's executive committee. If the Executive Committee removes all the officers of a permanent SIG, that SIG will automatically return to provisional status with a two-year charter.

Grounds for removing officers include but are not limited to: failure to comply with the Constitution, or the Bylaws, or the directives of Council, EC, or the Board, or the policies of ACM; failure to adequately carry out the prescribed duties of office; mismanagement.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.4.0.0

4 STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 2 of 2

During any official deliberations on a proposal to remove from office, the affected persons have the right to participate or to send witnesses. Should these persons fail to exercise this right, votes may be taken in their absence.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.4.1.0

4 STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

1 VIABILITY POLICY

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04/15/88 Reissued Subsection 1 of 3

Council (10/26 & 30/87)
BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Section 9. Viability Review Cycle.
The Board will conduct a thorough review of each permanent SIG at least once every four years; reviews will be staggered so that approximately one-fourth of the SIGs are reviewed each year. The purpose of the review is to affirm that the SIG meets the criteria referred to in Section 2 of this Bylaw, that the SIG specialty is of continuing value to ACM, that the SIG members continue to support it, and that the SIG officers have continued to comply with the Constitution, Bylaws, and policies of ACM. The SIG chairman will be the principal source of information during the review of the SIG. The Board Chairman will report reviews to Council. These reviews can be used as a basis for dissolutions or mergers.

Executive Committee (07/29 & 30/82)
Section 1. Purpose of this Policy.
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines and procedures for determining when a SIG is functioning at an acceptable level of activity. Since the basic purpose of a SIG is to provide benefits to its members, and those benefits may take many forms, only minimal levels of activity are specified to satisfy the requirements of the policy. Failure to meet these requirements may result in remedial action by the SIG Board.

Section 2. Frequency of Review.

A. Permanent SIGs - Normally, permanent SIGs will have their viability reviewed once every four years. However, reviews may be initiated at any time upon request from the SIG Chair, the cognizant Area Director, or the SIG Board Chair.

B. Provisional SIGs - Provisional SIGs will be reviewed at the end of each year of their provisional status. The final review of a provisional SIG will result in a recommendation to either convert the SIG to permanent status or let it expire at the end of its provisional term.

C. Special Reviews - Should significant changes in the scope or normal activities of a SIG occur, or should an Area Director identify problems developing within a SIG, a special viability review may be scheduled. The purpose of special reviews is to prevent changes or problems from causing or problems from causing serious harm to SIGs, and to protect their members.

Section 3. Definitions of Viability.

A. Permanent SIGs - A permanent SIG is considered viable if it meets ALL of the following three conditions:

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.4.1.0

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1 VIABILITY POLICY

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04/15/88 Reissued Subsection 2 of 3

1. The SIG maintains regular contact with its members, including at least two distributions of materials such as newsletters each year, AND

2. The SIG conducts regular technical activity in its specialty, such as by (co)sponsoring a national conference, symposium, or workshop or by organizing a session at a major national conference each year, AND

3. The SIG exhibits administrative and financial stability, as particularly demonstrated by running timely elections, filing reports and budgets when due, and maintaining satisfactory fund balance according to the Financial Accountability Policy.

Other criteria may also be considered. Activities such as working groups or committees (e.g., standards development), information clearing houses, public information efforts, etc. may be favorably considered by the SIG Board. However, SIGs are expected to focus on the three primary criteria listed.

B. Provisional SIGs - A provisional SIG is considered viable during its first year of provisional status if:

1. It demonstrates some technical activity (such as publishing newsletters or sponsoring a meeting) and initiates contact with its members, AND

2. It exhibits administrative and financial stability, as demonstrated by the timely provision of budget information and reports, and by maintaining a satisfactory fund balance as prescribed by the Financial Accountability Policy.

During any subsequent years of provisional status, a provisional SIG should satisfy the same criteria as a permanent SIG.

Section 4. Procedures.

A. Scheduling of Reviews - All reviews, whether cyclic or special, will be scheduled and held by the SIG Board.

B. Presentation of Materials - Review materials (statistics of membership, financial status, newsletters issued, meetings sponsored, etc.) will be collected and presented to the SIG Board by the cognizant Area Director. In addition, the Chair of the SIG under review will be invited to present his or her views of the SIG under review. Reviews will be conducted during regular meetings of the SIG Board, which are open to all ACM members. SIG members and are also invited to attend reviews.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.4.1.0

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04/15/88 Reissued Subsection 3 of 3

C. Results of Reviews - The SIG Board will report to the ACM Council the results of all formal viability reviews held. Such results are in the form of motions passed by the SIG Board expressing its interpretation of the viability of the unit reviewed. These motions may contain commendations for exceptional efforts or expressions of support for projects which have been undertaken. They may also contain negative comments, which in the extreme may call for returning a permanent SIG to provisional status, allowing a provisional SIG to pass out of existence, or recommending that the Council dissolve a permanent SIG.

Section 5. The Value of Viability Reviews.

While an occasional need may arise to use a viability review in the negative sense, this is not the primary purpose. Reviews are intended to help SIGs respond to the large demands on them avoid problems which may become serious, and to publicize the very worthwhile efforts and results achieved. The SIG Board sees this process as a learning one for itself and for all the units in its purview, and a positive step towards easier and more fruitful accomplishments for all concerned.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.4.2.0

4 STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

2 EXTENDING THE TERMS FOR SIG OFFICERS

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04/01/85 Reissued Subsection 1 of 1

Executive Committee (11/05/86)

Policy for Extending the Terms of SIG Officers

The term of office for a SIG's officers may be extended for an additional two years provided two-thirds of all members of the Board approve a petition brought by the Area Director for the SIG. The petition must include:

1. A written statement from the Chair of the SIG indicating his or her willingness to serve for the extended two year term.

2. Written statements from other elected SIG officers indicating their willingness to serve for the extended two year term.

3. Documentation that during the regular two year term the SIG has met or exceeded existing SIG viability criteria.

If the Chair of a SIG is willing to serve for an extended two year term, but other elected officers are not, the Board may still extend the term of those officers willing to serve. Offices for which the current officer does not wish to continue become vacant at the end of the regular two year term. These vacancies will then be filled according to current policy and procedure for filling vacant SIG offices.

At the end of an extended term elections must be held.

Elections must be held for a SIG at the end of regular two year term if a petition requesting an election is brought by one percent of the members of that SIG.

Changes to this policy require approval of both the SIG Board and the Executive Committee.

Procedures for Extending the Terms of SIG Officers

1. The decision to extend or not extend the term of a SIG's officers must be made sufficiently early to allow an election (if it is held) to be conducted before July 1 of odd-numbered years. Typically, this means the decision to hold elections will be made at the Board meeting held in conjunction with the NCC.

2. To notify SIG members of their right to petition for an election, a statement or news item should appear in the September (even-numbered year) issue of the Communications of the ACM indicating: 1) which SIG's are going to have their officer's terms extended; and 2) the procedures a SIG member must follow to petition to force an election.

3. A petition to force an election must be received at ACM Headquarters by October 15th (even-numbered years).

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.5.0.0

5 DISSOLUTION AND PROBATION

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 1

Council (10/26 & 30/87)

BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Section 11. Dissolution and Proration.

A permanent SIG may be dissolved only by Council, and may be returned to provisional status only by Council or by the review of its entire Executive Committee by the EC. If two-thirds of all members of the Board recommend such action, an affirmative majority vote of Council suffices; otherwise, an affirmative two-thirds vote of the entire Council is required. A provisional SIG may be dissolved at any time by a vote of two-thirds of all members of the Board or by a majority vote of the Council. Any proposal to dissolve a SIG must include a reasonable plan for accommodating unfulfilled commitments to the members of that SIG. The terms of this section do not apply to a provisional SIG whose charter expires.

The reasons for considering the dissolution of a permanent SIG include, but are not limited to: the majority recommendation of the SIG executive committee; failure to maintain sufficient activity, or member support, or to comply with bylaws and policies of ACM, over an extended period.

At least 60 days prior to formal action on a dissolution proposal for a permanent SIG, the Board Chairman will publish notice of the proposed action to all members of ACM. If one percent of the Members of ACM, or ten percent of the members of the subject SIG, challenge the proposal, the Board will grant a probation of at least three, but not more than six months; this allows the challengers an opportunity to undertake a revitalization plan under the direction of the Board. If, at the end of such probation, the Board is not satisfied with the revitalization attempt, the Board can recommend that Council either change the subject SIG's charter to provisional status or dissolve the subject SIG.

During any official deliberations on a proposed action, the subject SIG has the right to have a representative participate. If the SIG fails to exercise this right, votes may be taken in the absence of a representative.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.6.0.0

6 REPORTS AND RECORDS

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 1

Council (10/26 & 30/87)

BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Section 8. Reports and Records.

Each SIG chairman is responsible for filing reports about his SIG as required by the Board. These reports include:

(a) An annual report, due as specified by the Board, on the state and activities of a SIG during the previous year;

(b) All reports required by the Financial Accountability Policy referred to in Section 7;

(c) Closing reports on conferences and symposia sponsored or cosponsored by the SIG, as required by the policies of ACM.

All membership records of SIGs will be maintained by ACM Headquarters.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.7.0.0

7 FINANCE

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 1

Council (02/24/78)

Council (10/26 & 30/87)

BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Section 7. Finance.

The responsibility for collecting, holding, and disbursing funds is delegated to all SIGs under the terms of a Financial Accountability Policy agreed upon by the Board and the EC. Should there be disagreement on the interpretation of such a policy, the EC interpretation will prevail unless changed by Council.

All SIG funds are the property of ACM. Should a SIG be dissolved, its funds will be supervised by the Board.

The SIGs collectively will be financially self-supporting in accordance with the Financial Accountability Policy. SIG collective fund balances, beyond any required reserves, may be used for non-SIG ACM activities only with the approval of the Board, or of two-thirds of all members of Council.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.7.1.0

7 FINANCE

1 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY POLICY

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04/15/88 Reissued Subsection 1 of 2

Executive Committee (02/18 & 19/87)

1. Guiding Principles

1.1 Policy

1.1.1 All monies held by SIGs may be used only for ACM business.

1.1.2 Every SIG must maintain a positive Fund Balance.

1.1.3 Except for Conference Accounts, which are governed according to Policy and Procedures 8.7.2.0, no SIG shall maintain an account outside of ACM Headquarters, unless explicitly approved by the SIG Board.

1.1.4 Each SIG must suitably account for all monies received and disbursed. This accounting shall include filing an approved budget, which shall consist of a proposed budget for the next fiscal year and forecasts for the two subsequent fiscal years, at the time specified by the officers of the ACM. No unbudgeted funds shall be spent without prior approval of the SIG Board, whether such funds are held at ACM Headquarters or in an outside account. Budgeted monies shall be spent only if all required approvals have been obtained.

1.1.5 Each year each SIG shall report the state of its finances to its membership. This report shall include a breakdown of income and expenses itemized as in the budget prepared for that year.

1.1.6 The sum of the Fund Balances of all SIGs must adhere to the ACM Measures of Financial Stability, as approved by ACM Council.

1.1.7 Approval of a three year budget shall constitute approval to operate for the first year only. Budgets (forecasts) for the second and third years must be refined and resubmitted in subsequent budgeting activities.

1.1.8 Officers Services are defined to be reimbursement for travel and subsistence, secretarial support, communication costs, and other costs associated with running the SIG, exclusive of costs associated with conference and newsletter activities. Expenditures for Officers Services shall be restricted to a reasonable percentage of total budgeted nonconference expenses. As a guideline, Officer Services budgeted in excess of 25% of the total (non-conference) budget, shall require written justification, but shall be approved if deemed in the best interest of the viability of the SIG.

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7 FINANCE

1 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY POLICY

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04/15/88 Reissued Subsection 2 of 2

1.2 Procedures

1.2.1 The budget should include all expenditures expected in each line item for each of three successive years. Furthermore, the SIGs, collectively, shall adhere to the Policy on Managing SIG Budgets, Policy and Procedures 17.7.2.0. Funds budgeted but unspent for one line item may be spent elsewhere, at the discretion of the SIG Chairman, provided doing so does not conflict with other requirements of this policy/procedure.

1.2.2 Accounting for all SIG funds shall be done at ACM Headquarters.

1.2.3 A SIG's yearly financial reports to its membership shall include, but need not be limited to, a summary of the budget for the next fiscal year and forecasts for the subsequent two years, when they have been approved by the SIG Board, and a report on the financial activity for the past fiscal year, when that information has been made available. This information must be provided to the SIG membership in a timely issue of the newsletter or by a special mailing.

2. Outside Accounts

Other than for conference accounts, SIG funds shall not be held outside ACM Headquarters, unless explicitly approved by the SIG Board. As a policy, the SIG Board discourages outside accounts. The SIG Board shall only approve such accounts for a limited time period, and only under the proviso that the SIG Board and the SIG Secretariat at ACM Headquarters shall receive quarterly reports of all account activities. An outside account may be closed at any time, at the discretion of the SIG Board, with any fund balance returned to the appropriate SIG account at ACM Headquarters.

3. Sanctions

Failure to comply with the requirements of this policy, after the SIG officers have received notification of noncompliance from the SIG Board, is grounds for recommending to the ACM Executive Committee the removal of the SIG's officers and the impoundment of any monies held in outside accounts. Alternative or additional actions may include A RECOMMENDATION TO THE ACM COUNCIL THAT THE SIG BE DISSOLVED.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.7.2.0

7 FINANCE

2 POLICY ON MANAGING SIG BUDGETS

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04/15/88 Reissued Subsection 1 of 1

Council (10/22 & 23/75)
POLICY ON ADDITIONAL SIG CHARGES
New types of charges to the SIGs will not be imposed after budget requests and related instructions have been sent to SIGs.

Executive Committee (11/10/84)
POLICY ON MANAGING SIG BUDGETS
It is the responsibility of each SIG to manage the bottom line of its budget in conformity with the financial stability and accountability policies of ACM. It is the responsibility of the SIG Board to manage the bottom line of the collective SIG budgets in accordance with these same policies. Within these limitations, SIGs may transfer funds between categories of approved budgets and amend approved budgets as follows:

Transfers - Funds may be transferred between budget categories as required, so long as the effect of any transfer(s) does not contravene any conditions imposed upon the original approved budget, or prevent an approved budget program from being carried out.

Amendments - Approved SIG budgets may be amended subject to the following restrictions:

a. The effect of any amendment(s) does not contravene any conditions imposed upon the original approved budget.

b. The sources of additional revenue to support any proposed additional expenditures are clearly identified, and

c. Approval of any amendment(s) is obtained from both the appropriate Area Director and the SIG Board Financial Advisor.

Procedure
In any fiscal year the SIG Board is to manage its budget and that of the SIGs collectively so as to achieve the net called for in the budget adopted by Council, except that any unbudgeted expenses in excess of 5% of the approved expense budget must be approved by the Executive Committee.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.8.0.0

8 EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 1

Council (02/24/78)
Council (10/26 & 30/87)
BYLAW 7. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Section 10. External Relationships.
A SIG must have prior approval to establish an obligatory relationship with any group or organization outside ACM. A relationship is "obligatory" if it commits ACM's services, funds, or name.

Special relationships - those for which ACM has no pro forma approval procedure - must be approved by the Board and the EC. The proposal must specify the nature and duration of ACM's obligations. Council must be notified of all special relationships approved.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.9.1.0

9 LOCAL SIGs

1 LOCAL SIG COORDINATION

0

10/01/90 Reissued Section 1 of 1

(XR 8.4.4.0, Chapters, Local SIGs, Local SIG Coordination)

Executive Committee (06/28/90)
The Chairman of the Local Activities Board and the Chairman of the SIG Board appoint an individual to serve as a member of the Local Activities Board as Local SIG Coordinator and liaison to the SIG Board and to serve as a member of the SIG Board as Local SIG liaison to the Local Activities Board.

The Local SIG Coordinator has the following functions:

- Disseminating to members information useful in the formation of Local SIGs;

- Assisting members in organizing Local SIGs and in writing bylaws;

- Making recommendations to the Local Activities and SIG Boards on the appropriateness of each application for a charter;

- Encouraging increased communication between Local SIGs and other chapters so they may help each other solve common problems and become more effective;

- Working with the SIG Board and the individual SIGs on the support of and policies and procedures for the management of Local SIGs;

- Representing the interests of Local SIGs to the SIG and Local Activities Boards.

POLICY

The use of the name of ACM or of an ACM unit (e.g., a Special Interest Group (SIG) or a chapter) by any group requires review and approval of the ACM and its affected unit(s). This review and approval shall apply to the conditions for chartering and on an on-going basis to the levels and type of activities of that group. The continuing use of such a name shall require adherence to the Constitution, Bylaws and procedures of the ACM and its affected units.

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.10.0.0

10 PUBLICATIONS

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 1 of 2

(XR 8.5.0.0, Publications Board, Publications Board, page 2)

Council (04/29/66)
Policy
The publication of newsletters is within the purview of SIGs and they should be encouraged to do so. The Publications Board staff so should review (monitor) newsletters to ensure that they contain material appropriate for publication.

(XR 8.5.4.0, Publications Board, Proceedings, page 1)

SIG and Publications Boards (10/75)

GUIDELINES FOR COPYRIGHT, PRICING AND SALE OF PROCEEDINGS OF ACM AND SIG SPONSORED MEETINGS.

1. All ACM sponsored or co-sponsored conference proceedings must be copyrighted by ACM. Proceedings from conferences co-sponsored with other societies will be jointly copyrighted.

2. Prices for proceedings should offer members of ACM and/or the sponsoring SIGs a 25% discount on the non-member price.

Publications Board (5/20/80) (Item 3 only)
3. Prices for proceedings to non-members should be set along the following general guidelines:

Six cents per page plus five dollars, rounded to nearest dollar.

4. Proceedings from conferences cosponsored with other societies should be the same price from either society.

5. The sale of conference proceedings (or the ACM or SIG share of proceedings for cosponsored meetings) will be administered solely by ACM Headquarters unless other arrangements are agreed to by the Publications Board.

(XR 8.5.5.0, Publications Policy on Prior Publication)

Publications Board (09/28/87)
ACM Policy on Prior Publications

The technical contributions appearing in ACM journals are normally original papers of lasting value that have not been published elsewhere. Conference proceedings and newsletters are a form of publication. Like the serial journals, they are often widely disseminated and are available to the entire membership of ACM, but unlike the journals, they are often unrefereed and are not saved in library archives.

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10 PUBLICATIONS

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04/15/88 Reissued Section 2 of 2

Republication of a paper, possibly revised, that has been disseminated via a proceedings or newsletter is permitted if the editor of the journal to which it has been submitted judges that there is significant additional benefit to be gained from republication.

The original source will be clearly identified on the first page of the republished paper. All papers accepted for a conference may be printed in full in the proceedings; all journal editors will not reject such papers simply because they were widely disseminated through the conference proceedings. In case of dual submission, an author must inform both editors that the manuscript is being offered simultaneously to multiple editors. The following paragraphs clarify and illustrate this policy.

A. As part of an agreement with a conference committee for a special section or special issue, a journal editor may consider selected papers recommended by the conference program committee. The journal editor may solicit additional reviews before deciding which of the recommended papers to accept. Accepted papers will contain a clear notice on the first page that the paper is being reprinted from the conference proceedings. If the decision to accept is known at the time the proceedings is compiled, the version of the paper in the proceedings should contain a clear notice that the paper will be republished in the journal.

B. Authors will sometimes submit conference papers to a journal, independently of whether the journal is considering papers for a special section. It is the author's responsibility to notify the journal editor that the paper has appeared in, or has been submitted for, the conference proceedings, and the extent to which it has been revised or changed. The journal editor will follow the normal refereeing procedures and, on the basis of the reviews, determine whether republication is merited under this policy. The journal editor will not reject the paper simply because it appeared, may appear, or will appear in the conference proceedings. Similar statements hold for papers published in SIG or Chapter newsletters.

C. If a conference paper accepted for republication in a journal has been revised sufficiently to warrant a change in title, the first page of the journal version should contain a clear reference to the fact that the paper is based on a version appearing previously in the conference proceedings (or newsletter).

17 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 17.11.0.0

11 INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP SPONSORSHIP

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0

04/01/85 1 of 1

Executive Committee (02/21/78)
A new uniform program of SIG sponsorship is established which will be referred to as SIG institutional sponsors.

PROCEDURE
Such sponsors will be solicited by SIGs. A SIG Institutional Sponsorship cost will vary according to the SIG but must first be approved by the SIG Board. The sponsoring institution will receive options to be administered by ACM Headquarters.

1. Two SIG Newsletter subscriptions for that particular SIG.

2. The privilege of sending employees of that institution to Professional Development Seminars and conferences sponsored by that particular SIG, at ACM/SIG member rates.

3. Recognition as an Institutional SIG Sponsor in the SIG Newsletter.

4. The SIG associated with the above solicitation shall retain a portion of the fee for each SIG Institutional Sponsor.

It is to be understood that this motion will not affect the present "national" Institutional Membership program nor will it affect any local corporate sponsorship of newsletters or other arrangements for local support.

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(XR 8.7.1.3, Conference Committee, Budgets and Finances, page 3)

Executive Committee (08/19/76) (Modified 02/18 & 19/87)
Basic Service Fee Policy

Basic Service Fees will be charged to and for each SIG and Regional and Chapter Conference requiring approval (for ACM sponsorship or co-sponsorship with other organizations) by the Conference Committee. This fee should be used for budgetary purposes on the ACM Technical Meeting Request Form. Fees are not charged to conferences "in cooperation with" ACM, since Headquarters services are not rendered for such conferences. Any subunits which jointly sponsor a conference will share in the Technical Meeting Basic Service Fee.

(XR 8.7.1.3, Conference Committee, Budgets and Finances, page 3)

Executive Committee (10/16/85)
Policy on Conference Final Reports and Closing Conference Bank Accounts

The Executive Committee unanimously supported the following resolution from the SIG Board and the Conference Committee:

Unless other arrangements are made with the conferences staff at ACM Headquarters, all SIG conferences are expected to close their accounts and submit final reports within 120 days of the close of such conferences. Should this not happen, the SIG Board recommends the procedures of so notifying the Area Director and the SIG Chair responsible, and, if no resolution is reached within 180 days of the close of the conference in question, closing the account of such a conference by exercising the signature authority of the ACM Executive Director.

(XR 8.7.1.3, Conference Committee, Budgets and Finances, page 7)

Executive Committee (02/23/90)
Conference Audits

A. All technical meetings, in addition to the designated Association Conference, with either budgeted total income or expenses greater than $250,000 (including room, board, or social functions, etc.) will be audited. The cost of such an audit is to be included in the conference budget.

The purposes of the audit/financial review are:

(1) To ensure that established policies and procedures for handling conference finances are adhered to;

(2) To ensure that adequate controls are in place to ensure sound financial management of conference activities;

(3) To make recommendations regarding accounting functions for future conferences.

B. Four conferences (at most) with income of $250,000 or less will be selected at random each year for review of their records, with the cost of such review being borne by ACM and included as a line item in the budget for the Controller's office.

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C. ACM Headquarters will be responsible for selecting the auditors. Available options include an internal audit carried out by one or more members of the Headquarters staff or an external audit with the auditor selection made by soliciting bids from at least two auditing firms.

The auditor selection and the timing of the selection will be made by the ACM controller in consultation with the conference chair and the chair(s) of the cognizant subunits.

Prior to the beginning of each audit, the auditors and the conference chair (or treasurer) will agree upon a timetable, and the conference chair (or treasurer) will provide written procedures being used by the conference, including samples of all forms and reports.

D. For Conferences with a gross income budget over $250,000 cosponsored with other societies, the audit procedure must be stipulated in the joint sponsorship agreement.

Recording of Technical Sessions
Electronic recording and/or reproduction for commercial purposes, in whole or part, of any technical sessions, tutorials, or other presentations at an ACM sponsored or co-sponsored conference, si strictly prohibited without prior written consent of ACM and the speaker.

(XR 8.7.1.3, Conference Committee, Budgets and Finances, pages 8 & 9)

Executive Committee (02/16/84)
Conference Registration Lists
The following policy applies to the distribution of name and address lists of attendees at ACM conferences.

A. A name and address list of conference attendees may be distributed to the attendees at the option of the conference organizers. The list must contain a notice to the effect that the list is for the personal use of the attendee only, and is not to be redistributed nor used as a mailing list.

B. Conferences with exhibits may provide a mailing list of registrants to the exhibitors either gratis or for a fee, for a one time mailing use. Exhibitors are not permitted to resell the list.

C. If a conference attendance list is to be distributed to attendees or to exhibitors, the conference registration form must include the same notice as appears on the ACM membership form and provide an option that permits a registrant to be excluded from the list. That notice reads as follows:

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ACM occasionally makes its conference attendee lists available to companies and other societies for computer-related mailings. Please check one of the following which will apply to the appearance of your name on those lists:

1. No restrictions.
2. ACM announcements only.
3. ACM and other societies' announcements only.

D. If the organizers of a conference provide a mailing list in any form to exhibitors and/or registrants, then the list must also be provided to ACM Headquarters, at cost, in the same form, no later than two months following the conference.

E. ACM Headquarters may rent these lists or use them for promotional purposes under the same policies and procedures which govern the rental of other ACM mailing lists.

(XR 8.7.1.3, Conference Committee, Budgets and Finance, page 1)

Executive Committee (10/29/80) (Modified 02/18 & 19/87)
Membership at Conferences
Conference organizers may choose any of the following options for member rate qualification:

Option 1.
1. For member conference rate, the registrant must have a membership card or member number. Joining ACM during the conference will not be accepted for the lower registration rate.

2. However, non-members will be issued a special ACM membership application worth approximately 20% off new member, first year ACM dues, at no cost to the conference.

Option 2.
By completing a standard ACM membership application form and submitting it with first year dues, a non-member may register at the conference ACM member rate.

Option 3.
For SIG sponsored conferences, organizers may offer the option of becoming a member of the SIG by providing to non-SIG members a special SIG conference application form (supplied upon request from ACM Membership and Promotion Department). Application is valid for two months following the conference and is completed and returned to the ACM Membership Department by individual requesting membership.

(For additional information on conferences, see Section 8.7.1.1 thru 8.7.5.0)