Energy, Environment, and Sustainability SIG

The Bylaws

• Definitions

In these guidelines, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "CORS" means the Canadian Operational Research Society/ Societe canadienne de recherche operationnelle, hereinafter referred to as the "Society", as defined in the Society Constitution and Bylaws.

2. "Council" means the board of directors of the Society, as defined in the Society's Constitution and Bylaws.

3. "Policy" means the CORS Policy on Special Interest Groups, as maintained by Council.
4. "Special Interest Group", or "SIG", refers to such entities of the Society, as defined in the Policy.

• Name

This organization shall be called the CORS SIG in Energy, Environment, and Sustainability (EES), hereinafter the "EES SIG". 

• Objective

The objective or purpose of the SIG shall be a mechanism to promote the Society, the SIG area and the SIG members, as well as the opportunity for CORS members with common interests to interact and network.

• SIG Membership

1. Any member of the Society may become a SIG Member.
2. All SIG Members shall have equal rights and privileges within the SIG.
3. A Member can withdraw from the SIG by providing the SIG President written notice, or by notice served by electronic mail that is sent from the contact e-mail address associated with that member on record with theSociety.
4. A Member that is not in good standing with the Society shall cease to be a Member of the SIG.
5. A former member has no rights or privileges effective the day following the date of their withdrawal as indicated on their notice as described in part c), or on the date their membership in the Society ceases, as recorded by the Society.

• SIG Officers

1. The SIG's administrative committee consists of the President, Vice-President (President-Elect), and the immediate Past-President. A SIG may consider appointing additional officers as they see fit.
2. The President shall be responsible for the affairs of the SIG. The President shall preside at meetings and represent the SIG in external affairs, including, but not limited to,
   1. maintaining communication with Council,
   2. organizing a stream of talks, related to the area of the SIG, at each annual conference of the Society,
   3. organizing an annual meeting of the SIG for its Members, which usually should occur at the annuaI meeting of the Society,
   4. providing a report on the SIG's activities during the preceding year before the annual meeting of the society, and
   5. updating the SIG website.

The President may perform these duties directly or by a delegate.

• Election and Tenure of the SIG President

1. The term of the Founding President of the SIG shall be two years. The term of all subsequent Presidents shall not be more than two years. The start of the term of a President coincides with the timing of the Annual Meeting of the SIG (see Bylaw 5).
2. A President who has served two full terms is not eligible for immediate election to the same office.
3. Besides the founding President and founding Vice-President, all subsequent (Vice-)Presidents of the SIG shall be elected using the following process:
   1. No later than three months prior to the end of the Vice-President's term, the SIG President shall solicit all SIG Members for nominations for the new Vice-President (President-Elect). This solicitation for nominations shall be done via electronic mail. Members shall be given two weeks to nominate individual candidates; no nomination shall be made without such candidates agreeing to be nominated and self-nominations are permitted.
   2. No later than two months prior to the end of their term, the SIG President shall distribute ballot forms of the candidates to the membership of the SIG. The current SIG President does not cast a vote. Candidates shall be listed alphabetically, by last name, on the ballot. Ballots shall be electronic (e.g., e-mail or a web-based voting system). Members shall be given three weeks to submit their votes, starting from the time that the ballot was distributed.
   3. The SIG President shall tally the votes. The winning candidate shal I be the candidate receiving the largest number of votes. In the event of a tie, the outgoing SIG President shall cast the deciding vote.
   4. The results of the election shall be announced at the Annual Meeting of the SIG (see Bylaw 5).

• SIG Committees

The SIG President can establish standing committees and/or subcommittees, and appoint qualified Members as chairs to head these committees. The terms of the chairs and members on any such committees shall be re-evaluated by the new SIG President at the time of their appointment.

• Meetings

1. The SIG shall meet at least once a year.
2. Unless exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise, the Annual Meeting of the SIG shall be held at the annual meeting of the Society.

• Responsibility to the Society

1. The SIG shall operate in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society.
2. All Members of the SIG have the duty to uphold the commitment to:
   1. Strive to keep membership at a minimum of 25 members.
   2. Restrict member ship to CORS members.
   3. Organize a stream of talks at each annual meeting of the Society.
   4. Provide a report on the SIG's activities during the previous year.

• Amendments

1. Proposed amendments to these bylaws, consistent to those of the Society, may be initiated by a petition to the SIG President signed by at least 20% of the membership or 10 Members of the SIG, whichever is smaller. The President of the SIG shaII distribute copies of the proposed change to all members of the SIG by electronic mail or in w riting not less than one month before the annual meeting of the SIG. The proposed change shall be discussed at the annuaI meeting of the SIG in a forum open to all SIG Members.
2. Following the discussion of the proposed amendment, a motion for the change shall be voted on by all SIG Members present at the annual meeting. The voting shall take place by secret ballot. Ballots that are not marked to indicate a choice for the motion shall not be counted. The votes will be tallied by two Members of the SIG appointed by its President.
3. The adoption of the proposed amendment shalI require an affirmative vote by at least two­ thirds of the votes cast.

• Termination

1. The Society will consider a SIG to be terminated if it fails to meet any of the requirements outlined in the Policy. The CORS president will send a termination letter to the SIG President.

2. In the event of the dissolution of the SIG, its assets shall become the property of the Society.

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