Formation & Ops Guide

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K&C POLICY:

“FORMATION AND OPERATION OF AFFINITY GROUPS”
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APPROVED BY THE AFFINTY COMMUNTIES OPERATING BOARD, JANUARY 2007
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APPROVED BY K&C SECTOR BOARD FOR ABOUT A YEAR OF DIRECT USE AND REFINEMENT, TELEPHONE CONFERENCE, 6 FEBRUARY 2007
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“PETITION” SECTION REVISED TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC FILING, 4 MARCH 2007
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INTENDED FOR SUBMITTAL TO BOARD of GOVERNORS
for ADOPTION AS AN ASME POLICY IN ABOUT MID-2008

I. PREFACE

A) Article C 5.1.1 of the Constitution states, “The Society membership may be divided into smaller units for administrative and technical activities.”

B) Article C 5.1.2 of the Constitution states, “The provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws and Society Policies established by the Board of Governors of the Society shall govern the procedure of all units of the Society but no action or obligation of such units shall be considered an action or obligation of the Society as a whole.”

C) By-Law B 5.1.1 states, “Subject to the approval of the Board of Governors, each Sector shall have the power to establish its boards and committees.”

II. PURPOSE

A) To provide for the formation of Affinity Groups.

B) To state the policy governing the operation of Affinity Groups.

III. POLICY

A) Formation of Affinity Groups

1) “Self-forming” Affinity Groups: new Groups, independently instigated by members from diverse geographical locations, who have mutual interest in a specified technical or professional topic not currently addressed by any existing K&C unit or ASME Sector.

Self-forming Groups shall be titled: “The [specified topic] Affinity Group of ASME.”

2) “Assigned” Affinity Groups: existing and functioning Operating Units of ASME, which may be transferred and accepted into the K&C Affinity Communities structure by agreements between Sector Boards of Directors, or by instructions from of the Board of Governors.

Existing Groups may continue the use of their prior title, or may select a new title which best describes their current mandates and responsibilities within the Society.

B) Operation of an Affinity Group

1) Expenditures: The rules and policies are given in the Affinity Group Operation Manual for the control of Affinity Group expenditures, and shall apply to all Affinity Groups.

a) Any expenditure outside the Group’s authorized budget chargeable to the General Fund of the Society for the purpose of any Affinity Group must be provided for in the annual budget approved by the K&C Board of Directors. No liability otherwise incurred shall be binding upon the Society.

b) A Group may set up a bank account for itself, or a custodial account with ASME. In either case, contact the K&C Managing Director to insure that ASME procedures are followed.

2) Authorization of Funds: The normal annual Society support of an Affinity Group shall be in accordance with the current appropriation from the K&C budget process.

3) Affinity Group Meetings: Each Affinity Group is advised and encouraged to meet at least once per year on topics relating to its mission and interests. These meetings may be actual or virtual.

4) Joint Activities

a) An Affinity Group may arrange to hold joint meetings with other engineering organizations.

b) An Affinity Group may form jointly with other local engineering organizations or multi-society engineering organizations, but the plan of such affiliation or organization, and the obligations assumed by the Affinity Group and the Society thereby, shall first be approved by the Knowledge and Community Sector Board of Directors on recommendation of the Vice President, Affinity Communities. However, if the plan of such affiliation or organization contemplates that the Society, either alone or in conjunction with one or more other engineering organizations, will participate in or lend its name to any legislative, regulatory or political activity, and/or that a separate organization will be formed having its own by-laws or other governing documents and/or letterhead and in which the Society may participate or with which the Society’s name may otherwise be linked, the Affinity Communities Vice President, will forward the request for such affiliation or organization to the Assistant Treasurer for legal review. The request for affiliation or organization, modified to reflect the resolution of legal issues, if any, will be forwarded by the Assistant Treasurer to the Knowledge and Community Board of Directors, with a copy to the Vice President, Affinity Communities. Any expenditures incurred in such an affiliation must be paid by the Affinity Group from its own funds.

5) Status Reports

a) Each Affinity Group shall provide regular periodic reports to the Vice President, Affinity Communities, to record the progress and active status of the Affinity Group. These reports may be posted on a CoP or other electronic forum.

b) Each Affinity Group shall submit Annual Financial Reports in compliance with ASME requirements.

c) Each Affinity Group shall provide a current-leadership contact-information roster to the Affinity Communities Operating Board, on an annual basis or better.

6. By-Laws

a) Each Affinity Group shall adopt by-laws. A “template” de-minimus set of by-laws which suffices for small groups will be provided by the Affinity Communities Operating Board.

b) Affinity Group by-laws will provide for the nomination and election of Group officers, as needed for its mission. At minimum, the Group shall have a Chair and Vice Chair.

IV. PROCEDURE: FORMATION OF AFFINITY GROUPS

A) “Self-forming” Groups

1) A group of members, desiring establishment of a new Affinity Group, shall provide a Petition to the Affinities Communities Operating Board for consideration. A Petition form is attached. Signatures may be affixed directly, or may be provided as a compilation of separate electronic messages.

2) The proposed Group shall provide assurances that the topic-of-interest is not currently addressed by geographically-convenient activities or by existing Society-wide technical programs, that at least six ASME members are involved, that there is sufficient leadership and interest to warrant meetings and related activities, and that the group’s common interest is consistent with ASME Goals and Mission.

3) The proposed Group shall be established by an affirmative act of the Affinity Communities Operating Board. Establishment of new Groups shall be reported promptly to the K&C Sector Board of Directors and to K&C Staff. A Charter (possibly in electronic form) shall be provided to the leaders of the new Group.

B) “Assigned” Groups.

1) An existing and functioning Operating Unit from another Sector of ASME may be transferred into the K&C Affinity Communities structure only if so-recommended by the Sector Board of Directors of that Unit’s prior Sector and with the agreement of the K&C Sector Board of Directors.

Existing Units may also be transferred as directed by the ASME Board of Governors.

2) Existing and functioning Operating Units from other parts of the K&C Sector may be transferred into the K&C Affinity Communities structure by an act of the K&C Board of Directors.

C) Changes in status of Group

1) If the Vice President, Affinity Communities, determines that an Affinity Group has completed its original purpose or has become dormant beyond recovery, a recommendation shall be made to the Affinity Communities Operating Board for the dissolution of that Group and the disposition of its funds.

2) If an Affinity Group grows in size and achieves a noticeable presence in the affairs of the Society, then the Affinity Communities Operating Board, in conjunction with the K&C Board of Directors, may work to change the organizational status of that Group to one more appropriate to its function.

Responsibility: K&C Affinity Communities Operating Board

Adopted by the Affinity Communities Operating Board: February 2007

Adopted as a K&C Policy: 6 February 2007

Editorial: Petition Section revised for electronic filing 4 March 2007

Slated for submittal as an ASME Policy in mid-2008 after proof testing and experience

Reaffirmed:

Modified:

 

PETITION TO ESTABLISH AN AFFINITY GROUP

To the Operating Board, Affinity Communities

Knowledge and Community Sector

ASME

We, the undersigned members in good standing of ASME, do hereby petition as witnessed by the signatures attached, the Affinity Communities Operating Board to constitute an Affinity Group of this Society, which will include the following defined area to further the interests of members consistent with the purpose and objectives of the Society.

Name of Affinity Group “____________________________________________ of ASME”

Purpose/Area of Interest ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

□ This area-of-interest is not currently addressed by any existing ASME program or Operating Unit (additional data may be attached): ____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Charter Members (Minimum of Six Required)

Name Member Number e-mail

___________________________ ________________ ___________________________

___________________________ ________________ ___________________________

___________________________ ________________ ___________________________

___________________________ ________________ ___________________________

___________________________ ________________ ___________________________

___________________________ ________________ ___________________________

□ Data for additional Charter Members may be submitted by using duplicate copies of this Petition, or by attaching e-mail messages, or by any equivalent method.

(Petition continued)

Name of Affinity Group “____________________________________________ of ASME”

Person completing this form:

Name: ________________________________________________

Member No. _____________________________________________

Phone: ________________________________________________

e-mail: ________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________

Date of Petition ______________________

Date of Acceptance ___________________

________________________________________

Signature, Vice President, Affinity Communities