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A. SUB-GROUPS WITHIN A SECTION
E. MEMBERSHIP
H. POLICY on SEXUAL HARASSMENT
A. BUDGETS
B. EXCESS FUNDS
E. RESERVE AND SPECIAL MEETING FUNDS
F. AUDITS
B. FUNDAMENTAL OF SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS
B. REPORTS OF SECTION MEETINGS
C. SPEAKERS
B. LETTERHEADS
E. SYMPOSIA
F. GENERAL
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers is one of the leading marine technical forums in the world today and, as such, offers its members a variety of benefits. The technical program of the Society is intended to promote technological progress in naval architecture, marine engineering, shipbuilding and related fields. Another objective of the Society is to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information among its members. The Society's publications and periodicals, its meetings at all levels, the Technical and Research Program and a variety of other activities contribute in important ways to the professional development of the members.
The Society has earned a position of eminence and prestige in the maritime industry throughout the world. Its main strength is derived from the Sections as a result of the regularly scheduled programs held there. The Bylaws of the Society, in Section A1-4 provide for the establishment of Sections in different geographic regions to hold local meetings. The Bylaws, in Section D3-23 also provide for the formation of a Sections Committee, consisting of the Chairman of each Section, or designated alternate, together with a Chairman appointed by the President. The Committee has the responsibility for the general supervision affecting the establishment and operation of all the Sections.
The main purpose of this Manual is to assist Section Officers by providing them with ideas, procedures and guidelines that will help them develop and produce programs that are effective, useful and interesting. This Manual is also based on the experience of many volunteers who have been active in Sections operation throughout the Society.
The Sections Manual serves as a source of ideas and
other information important in conducting the affairs of the
Sections. It assures uniformity in reporting requirements as
well as a certain degree of continuity. It is intended more
as a guide to successful Section operation, rather than a
rule book, except in those circumstances such as financial
reporting, where uniformity is necessary.
Copies of the current revision of this Manual will be provided to Section officers each year.
The masculine pronoun wherever used in this document
shall include the feminine gender.
The majority of the membership of SNAME is divided geographically into the following seventeen (17) Sections for the purpose of facilitating meetings at a local or regional level:
Arctic Los Angeles Metropolitan
Canadian Atlantic New England
Chesapeake New York Metropolitan
Eastern Canadian Northern California
Great Lakes & Great Rivers Pacific Northwest
Gulf Philadelphia
Hampton Roads San Diego
Hawaii Southeast
Texas
The policy of the Society is to encourage the formation of Sections when a concentration of interested members justifies this action. It is also recognized that new Sections should not proliferate and tend to dilute the efforts of existing Sections financially and organizationally. The geographic limits for each Section are delineated in the Bylaws for that Section (see Section II-E). Members not domiciled within any Section area are not affiliated with any of the Sections for voting or budgetary purposes, although they are certainly encouraged to participate in Section activities.
Some of the Sections represent members in widely dispersed geographic areas such that attendance at Society functions in the normal center of Section activities is difficult. In these instances, sufficient leadership and interest may warrant the formation of a
group or groups within the Section for the purpose of conducting technical meetings and related activities. An area or group leader is chosen from among the local members and is generally elected the area Vice Chairman with specific responsibility for that area. It is recommended that Section meetings be rotated from city to city, irrespective if subgroups have been formed, in order to stimulate interest among area members who might otherwise not travel to the normal "center" of Section activities. This method of Section operation has been used successfully for many years in many Sections and particularly in those which cover wide geographic areas.
It is the intention of the Society to encourage younger members to become active in the Society and to maintain that activity and interest. To this end, the formation of Student Sections, under the guidance of a senior Section, is encouraged. The guidelines for formation of Student Sections are as follows:
approval of Student Section Bylaws. Approval for the formation of a Student Section will be granted by the Society's Executive Committee upon the recommendation of the Society's Sections Committee following receipt of proposed Student Section Bylaws (see paragraph e. below).
approval by the Section. Prior to disbursement of the Student Section portion of the Section formula funds Headquarters must receive an activities report for the prior fiscal year and a list of Student Section Officers, faculty advisor, and sponsoring Section Executive Committee Liaison for the current fiscal year. Each senior Section sponsoring a Student Section will be provided funds to defray the cost of operating the Student Section (see Section IV-A.)
Each Section shall adopt its own Bylaws which govern the conduct of its affairs. These Bylaws are to be in harmony with the Bylaws of the Society and are to be submitted to the Chairman, Sections Committee of the Society for approval. The Chairman of the Sections Committee will report approval action taken to the Society's Executive Committee, per resolution of the Executive Committee, September 21, 1994. A pro forma of the Bylaws is included in Appendix A.
The organizing group for a new Section submits its proposed Bylaws to the Society's Sections Committee for review and approval. The Chairman of the Sections Committee will report action taken to the Society's Executive Committee.
Sections are encouraged to cooperate with other engineering societies or organizations having compatible purposes in order to develop and maintain interest in the engineering profession, to promote the interchange of technology or for other reasons considered to be worthwhile. This cooperation may be in the form of conducting joint guidance programs for high schools, professional development of young engineers or for the purpose of conducting joint social functions and technical meetings.
Sections should not become affiliated with commercial organizations whose activities are not compatible with SNAME and which do not conform to the requirements of the non profit section of the Internal Revenue Code. Such affiliation may severely jeopardize the Society's tax status. It is important, therefore, that any Section desiring to affiliate or associate with another organization of any kind should first obtain from that organization a statement indicating that it is exempt from Federal Income Taxes under Section 501(c)(3). Canadian Sections should ascertain any potential tax effects in accordance with Canadian law prior to affiliation. The conduct of joint meetings with other organizations does not always require compatibility and conformity to the Internal Revenue Code, but a financial liaison of any kind (e.g., joint financial responsibility for a meeting) will require conformity. If in doubt, check Society Headquarters for guidance.
Society headquarters should be kept fully informed when a formal affiliation is contemplated. Any activity other than joint sponsorship of a regularly scheduled Section meeting is considered formal affiliation.
Society's Executive Committee approval is required.
Exhibits in conjunction with a symposium that are appropriate to the subject, may be undertaken provided that property damage and personal liability insurance is obtained to cover the event and the premium charged to meeting expense. Broad spectrum trade shows shall not be conducted by the Section.
The geographic limits of each Section and the
mailing address (residence or business, as chosen by the
member) of a member generally determine the Section to which
the member belongs. Section boundaries are presently
determined on the basis of postal ZIP Codes. Members who wish
to receive meeting notices from a Section with which they are
not affiliated may request the Section directly to be added
to its mailing list. In such cases, however, that member will
not be added to the roster of the ancillary Section.
The activities of the Sections are to be conducted in accordance with the objectives of the Society which are included in the Bylaws. A primary responsibility of all Section officers is to sustain a program that is both active and of interest to a broad spectrum of the marine industry such that qualified persons are encouraged to seek membership in the Society and to participate in its activities. Sections should schedule a sufficient number of technical meetings each year to satisfy the requirements of the members, and the papers presented at these meetings should conform to the highest technical
standards. Standards for preparation of Section papers are included in the booklet "Instruction for Authors of SNAME Publications", a separate publication available from Society Headquarters. Subjects for papers should reflect the varied interest of Section members and should absolutely avoid any semblance of commercialism. The Society's position as the principal marine technical forum in North America can be maintained only by an active and qualified membership.
Paragraph D1-4(a) of the Bylaws requires that the Vice Presidents of the Society be elected from the four Regions. The Regions are defined by the Society's Executive Committee. The Regions have been established as follows:
Northeast Region Canadian Atlantic
New England
New York Metropolitan
Mid-Atlantic Philadelphia
Chesapeake
Hampton Roads
Central Eastern Canadian
Great Lakes/Great Rivers
Gulf
Southeast
Texas
Pacific Arctic
Pacific Northwest
Northern California
Los Angeles Metropolitan
San Diego
Hawaii
It should be noted that the Vice Presidents of the Society are the elected members of the Society's Executive Committee starting with the calendar year 1990 with all twelve in place in calendar year 1992, (see Section III-D.2).
A description of duties for Regional Vice Presidents, Appendix "H", was adopted by the Executive Committee on September 21, 1994. The duties are a guide for present vice presidents and those who are being considered for nomination to the office. Appendix "H" should be shown to each member considering accepting the nomination to the office of Regional Vice President, so that there are no surprises as to the time, travel and work involved in the office.
Note: It is extremely important that the member seeking the position has the time, support (both company and family) and desire to do the job in a professional manner.
The policy, Addendum "H" to the Sections Manual was adopted by the Executive Committee on October 28, 1992. The policy adopted to cover all Sections, the membership, meetings, seminars and other function that is SNAME related, including any vendor. All incidents of sexual harassment shall be reported to the Section Chairman, if at Section level, who shall immediately report to the Director of Finance and Administration or the Executive Director of the Society.
Each Section is responsible for the development of an organizational structure which best serves the requirements of the Section. The Section Executive Committee, under the leadership of the Chairman, is responsible for the successful operation of the Section. The number of persons serving and the manner of selection is to be done in accordance with the Section's Bylaws (see Appendix A for sample Bylaws.) The term of office for all elected officers, Executive Committee members and for appointed committee chairmen and members extends from September 1 to August 31 to coincide with the Section fiscal year.
Some Sections covering a wide geographic area have found it convenient and successful to have Area Vice Chairmen with responsibility for developing leadership and for coordinating activities within that area. Section technical meetings can be rotated among the various areas to maximize the exposure of all Section members. This is covered in more detail in Section II-A.
It is sound policy to develop maximum member participation at all levels of Section operations in order to stimulate interest and to develop future leaders. The Chairman and Executive Committee of each Section establish policy and supervise the operating committees. The number of operating committees required for each section's operation is a function of the size of the Section (geographic and population) and the activities anticipated. The exposure of a member to any part of Section operation, however small, usually stimulates the interest of that member.
An organization structure which is commonly utilized in the Society is shown below:
Chairman
Vice Chairman
or
AreaVice Chairman
(Optional)
Executive Committee
Secretary/Treasurer Operating Committees
(may be separate offices)
Standing Special Committees and
RepresentativesCommittees
Awards Audit
Meetings Nominating
Membership Section Representative
Papers Technical/Research Representative
Public Relations Librarian
Note: Verify that each office and committee chairman is a member.
The Executive Committee, under the leadership of the Section Chairman, establishes the general policy of the Section and is responsible for and directs the technical sessions and other Section activities. The Executive Committee shall insure that necessary advice to Society Headquarters is provided in a timely fashion, e.g., election of officers, Section and Student activities, recommendation for awards and nominations, etc. Composition of the Committee is determined by the Section Bylaws. Committee membership is an excellent way to utilize members' talents and to maintain the interest of prospective officers. It is recommended that the terms of office be staggered such that the turnover among members is spread out as much as possible to maintain continuity between successive administrations.
To the greatest extent possible, nominees for Section officers should be selected from the group of members which has been active in Section affairs and is familiar with the operation of the Section. Some Sections have selected the principal officers on the basis of their positions in industry, government or elsewhere. This procedure is generally not recommended because these people frequently do not have the working knowledge of the Section (or of the Society) necessary to achieve successful programs.
Section officers normally are elected in March or April and they should commence immediately to complete the planning for the program year for which they will be responsible. Standing committees should be formed and the details of the meetings worked out.
The Chairman is directly responsible for establishing and fulfilling Section goals and objectives, and he maintains a supervisory relationship over all Section functions. The Chairman should be familiar with previous Section activities. It is customary for him to have served in some other capacity as an officer, committee chairman or Executive Committee member in order to become familiar with Section and Society operating procedures. He develops working principles to guide committees, and he makes recommendations to the Executive Committee for promoting the effectiveness of the Section's functions.
For the tenure of office, the Chairman is a member of
Council and should attend the Council meeting held during the
Annual Meet ing. If attendance is not possible, the Section
Vice Chairman may represent the absent Section Chairman,
including all of the Chairman's rights and responsibilities
provided adequate advance written notice is given by the
Section Chairman to headquarters.
The Chairman presides at business and technical meetings of the Section and at meetings of the Executive Committee. He may, if necessary, delegate the Vice Chairman, another officer or an Executive Committee member to act for him.
The Vice Chairman acts as the Chairman's deputy in the latter's absence. It is strongly urged that definite reproducibilities be assigned to him and that he be exposed to all aspects of Section operations, activities, ideas, problems and the like. Some Sections assign to the Vice Chairman responsibility for advance planning and initial coordination of future technical programs (since the Vice Chairman frequently becomes the next Chairman and is responsible for the next program year, it is in his interest to take an active part in the program planning function.)
He is responsible for:
The Society's data processing system has made it unnecessary for the Sections to maintain their own mailing lists, but the Secretary should make certain that Headquarters is informed of address changes, deaths, resignations, etc. that come to his attention. Mailing labels are available from Headquarters (see Section VI-A). The Secretary is encouraged, however, to maintain lists of prospective members, non-member guests and others that can be used in membership campaigns and to provide this information to the Section Membership Committee Chairman. Most Sections combine the offices of Secretary and Treasurer into a single office of Secretary/Treasurer.
The Treasurer is responsible for the receipt of funds, disbursement of funds in accordance with the budget and the preparation of financial reports.
It is recommended that Section funds be deposited in
interest-bearing accounts. The Section check ing account
should be limited to funds sufficient for current needs only.
The Internal Revenue Service requires that an identification
number be furnished to the institution that pays interest
and/or dividends. The Society's identification number for
this purpose is 13-5631379N.
Examples of the Society Budget and Audit forms are shown in Appendixes C and D, and budget procedures are described completely in Section IV.
Most Sections combine the offices of Treasurer and Secretary into the single office of Secretary/ Treasurer.
Committee appointments should be offered to members who are interested in actively supporting the Section and its program. All Section officers and committee members volunteer their time and efforts, and careful attention should be given in their selection. Consideration should be given to the appointees' abilities to perform the tasks assigned to them and, most importantly, that their professional, business or other responsibilities will enable them to perform those tasks with the support and encouragement of their employers.
The Section Chairman appoints the chairman of this committee, and he in turn, appoints as many committee members as are necessary to function effectively.
It is the responsibility of this committee to make all the physical arrangements for the conduct of a successful meeting. There should be sufficient committee members to insure that assistance is always available. The committee reserves a suitable meeting place, arranges the menu in the event that a meal is to be served, develops the meeting cost, provides audio/visual equipment when required, and serves as a door committee to collect money, distributes name tags and papers, and to greet arriving guests. A successful meeting is characterized by starting and ending on time and by having every operation function smoothly to complement the efforts of the author/speaker. Some ways in which the Meetings Committee can help accomplish this objective are outlined in Section V.
The members of this committee are appointed by the Chairman of the Section. The Committee Chairman is appointed by the President of the Society after having been recommended jointly by the Section Chairman and the Chairman of the national Membership Committee. It is important that the individual selected for this important position be a person who will serve vigorously, imaginatively and with enthusiasm. The Chairman of the Section Membership Committee automatically becomes a member of the Society's Membership Committee with specific responsibility for his Section. Committee members assume their duties on September 1 to coincide with the terms of Section officers.
The membership committee in each Section should undertake a positive and enthusiastic program to solicit membership applicants from all levels of the marine industry and to encourage Society membership.
Applications for new membership, reinstatement or transfer are to be forwarded to Society Headquarters by the Section Membership Committee Chairman after his committee has reviewed and approved them. It is important that the application is complete, properly endorsed and that it is for the proper grade of membership. The application is acknowledged by Headquarters to the applicant and is then forwarded to the Applications Committee for review and approval in accordance with the applicant's qualifications. The Membership Committee Chairman (with copy to Section Chairman) will be advised of acceptance/rejection of the applicant.
The chairman of the Papers Committee is appointed by the Section Chairman and other committee members are appointed by the committee chairman.
The presentation of high quality technical papers on pertinent topics is one of the principal objectives of the Society. It is the function of the Papers Committee to select the best papers available on subjects of interest to the members, and/or to persuade eminent authorities to write such papers. Methods of determining members' interests, standards to be adhered to in the preparation of the paper and suggestions for developing an effective presentation are to be found in Section V - Program Planning Guidelines of
this Manual. The committee should use every source available to develop papers of the highest caliber which avoid commercialism and which have the broadest appeal. Suggestions for papers, authors or special programs are to be submitted to the Section Chairman and the Executive Committee for approval.
Coordination of the technical program is accomplished effectively by assigning one or more committee members to each author to assure that the papers standards are followed, schedules are adhered to, author's requirements for audio-visual aids, etc. are satisfied, and to help make an effective presentation. (The Society's booklet, "Instructions for Authors of SNAME Publications", should be the guide for the format of Section papers. It is obtainable from Headquarters and should be provided to each author.)
The Papers Committee members should not hesitate to insist that high papers standards are followed and to provide helpful suggestions to the author that will enable him to write a top quality paper and make the best possible presentation of it. Many authors have had little experience in the development and presentation of papers and would probably welcome all of the help they can get. Authors should be encouraged to discuss the topic of the paper in an extemporaneous fashion using whatever aids prove effective. Papers should never be read at a technical meeting.
It is particularly important that commercialism in any form be avoided in any of the technical papers presented before any meetings of SNAME.
Authors should submit manuscripts well in advance of
the meeting and in accordance with the schedule established
by the Papers Committee. These can be submitted to other
knowledgeable people for review and possible discussion. The
committee chairman, or someone delegated by him, must assume
responsibility for providing the Secretary with the title,
author, brief synopsis of the paper and importance of the
paper in sufficient time for inclusion in the meeting
notice.
The committee should consist of no fewer than five members, including the chairman. Assignment of the Section Technical and Research Representative to the Papers Committee has been found to be helpful in promoting high quality papers and keeping members abreast of current technological activities. This procedure is recommended.
Society Headquarters maintains a list of papers which have not been selected for presentation to SNAME or other organizations. This list is submitted annually to the Sections and also is available on request.
Some Sections have successfully followed a procedure in which an Assistant Papers Committee Chairman devotes himself exclusively to the development of papers and program ideas one year in advance. He then becomes committee chairman the following year and, with the assistance of the other committee members, develops the program in detail as described previously. The Section Vice Chairman may assume responsibility for the Papers Committee advance planning. The method of an individual or small group working a full year in advance enables the Section to develop its own program and not be forced into merely accepting papers which are already available.
The main purpose of publicity is to encourage interest in the Society's activities and it is axiomatic that the person responsible for Section public relations should have a flair for telling the story of the Society and the Section in a stimulating manner that dignifies SNAME. Suitable publicity announcing a forthcoming meeting should be provided to newspapers and trade journals in order to stimulate interest in that meeting. Photographs of meeting participants, interesting meeting events or other items should be submitted, along with the meeting report, to Society Headquarters at the conclusion of the meeting for possible publication in MARINE TECHNOLOGY. Similar materials, written in an interesting journalistic style, should also be submitted to local newspapers and journals, as well as national and international publications. The main purpose of the publicity is to inform the interested public about the activities of the Section and to convince people that future meetings are not to be missed. This certainly requires talent, imagination and effort.
One of the ways the Society can recognize the accomplishments of its distinguished members properly is by making appropriate awards. The size and geographic dispersion of the current membership makes this a difficult task for the Society's Awards Committee. Sections should form a local Awards Committee comprised of three or more Section members who have had relatively long and active association with one or more Sections to
assist the Society's Awards Committee in nominating potential candidates for the Society's awards:
The David W. Taylor Medal
The Vice Admiral "Jerry" Land Medal
The Davidson Medal
The Webb Medal
The Blakely Smith Medal
The Vice Admiral E. L. Cochrane Award
The Student Paper Awards
The Distinguished Service Awards
Certificates of Appreciation
The William M. Kennedy Award
Other such awards as may be established
by the Society.
The qualifications for each of the awards are provided in the Society's Annual Directory and Information Book.
The Committee might consist of the Section Chairman in addition to other members, and should be comprised of members who are willing and able to serve the committee for an extended time period. Selection of the Section Awards Committee is made by the Section Executive Committee, and the identity of the Committee members is to be sent to Headquarters with the names of Section Officers, special representative committee members.
The Section Awards Committee might also be given the responsibility for proposing names for the membership grade of Fellow of the Society, the requirements for which are described clearly in the form "Nomination for Fellow", available from Headquarters. The grade of Fellow is the highest
Sections to election connotes particular distinction such that selection of
professional grade in the Society and a member's association with one or more
Fellow requires great care and deliberation. Nominations made to the Society's Fellows Committee must be detailed and complete in every way.
The Section Awards Committee might normally select nominees for awards or for the grade of Fellow from the local Section area, but it is emphasized that nominations may include any Society member from any Section to assure that all candidates are considered and that none are overlooked.
In addition to making recommendations to the Awards Committee of the Society, Sections may wish to consider some award(s) to recognize contributions to the successful operation of the Section. An Award, as used here, ranges from Certificates of Appreciation, to support of worthy student research projects. Awards such as these are encouraged, subject to advice to Society Headquarters on awards made, and the following:
The Section Chairman whose term of office is expiring, names an ad hoc committee of two or three members to audit the Section's financial records before the fiscal year which coincides with his term of office. The Section audit covers the fiscal year from September 1 - August 31 and must be submitted to Headquarters promptly in accordance with the schedule shown in the Calendar of Events (Section VII). A sample of the audit form to be used is included in Appendix D.
A Nominating Committee is elected by the Section Executive Committee for the purpose of selecting a slate of officers and Executive Committee members for future year(s). This committee should represent the diverse interests of the Section and might include:
The committee should consider all nominees carefully on the basis of personal ability, interest in the society, previous service and, very importantly, whether or not the individual's business affairs will permit his participation to the degree expected.
The Nominating Committee may make recommendations to the Section Executive Committee for candidates to serve in Society offices. The Section Executive Committee is responsible for forwarding suggested candidates to the Society Nominating Committee in April.
It is very important that the Section make a nomination for the office of Regional Vice President. The Regional Vice Presidents are the elected members of the Society's Executive Committee. Consideration must be given to the ability of the nominee to attend these meetings in addition to the qualifications normally examined for candidacy. See Appendix "H" for duties of Regional Vice Presidents.
The Society Sections Committee is responsible for the general supervision affecting the establishment and operation of Sections. The Section Chairman is automatically the representative unless an alternate is designated in writing to Society headquarters.
The Sections Committee serves as a liaison between the Sections and Headquarters. Its Chairman is a member of the Society's Executive Committee and of Council. General supervision of all activities pertaining to Section operations, including budgets, other financial matters and programs, are the responsibility of this Committee.
The Society will hold a Chairman Elect Seminar in June of each year. The attendees are to be the Section Chairmen Elect, one Regional Vice President from each region, some past chairmen Society Section Committee Chairman, Membership Chairman, the Society President, Executive Director and others as directed by the Society Executive Committee. The seminar is a means of introducing the duties of the chairmen as well as passing of ideas from one Section to another, discussing the operation of headquarters and the Sections, answering questions or resolving problems.
Meetings of the Society's Sections Committee are held during the Society's Annual Meeting in November, and at other times as appropriate for the purpose of exchanging ideas relating to programs or other activities, discussing problems and reviewing progress. One of the primary functions of the Committee is communication, it is very important that the Sections Committee representative attend all meetings when they are called. Extenuating circumstances may require that the regular representative delegate an alternate to whom voting rights are passed, thereby assuring each Section attending one vote on each issue.
The Section Technical and Research Representative is appointed by the Section Chairman to serve as a liaison between the Section membership and the Society's Technical and Research (T&R) program. Minutes of all of the Society's T&R Committee meetings are sent to each Section T&R representative and should form the basis of frequent reports to the Section membership at technical meetings, and in other appropriate ways to generate local interest in the work of the T&R Committees. The local representative should solicit ideas for technical projects and recommend them to the Society's Technical Coordinator at Headquarters for evaluation by the appropriate technical committees. The T&R representative should be available to help coordinate local support for SNAME research work within the geographical area of the Section. It is suggested that the T&R Representative also be a member of the Section Papers Committee.
Some Sections have established the office of Librarian to maintain files of technical papers presented to that and to other Sections. Copies of papers presented to the Section are made available to all SNAME members (as well as to others) at prices established by the Section Executive Committee. Society Headquarters maintains a copy of each Section paper which can be reproduced on request. It is recommended that the Section Librarian also keep one file copy suitable for reproduction.
The Society has been classified a tax-exempt non-profit organization under Paragraph 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 and it is extremely important that Section activities and financial matters be conducted such that the tax-exempt status is not jeopardized. In general, these conditions will be satisfied if a Section conducts meetings and other activities within its Bylaws and abides by the stated objectives and goals of the Society.
It is important that Section officers develop a budget for the fiscal year that will enable the planned program to be successfully implemented. A suggested budget format, based on many years of Sections operating experience, is shown in Appendix C. The Chairman and/or Treasurer who will be responsible for the budget should coordinate the preparation of the budget. The Section fiscal year coincides with that of the Society and extends from September 1 to August 31.
Section membership shall not require payment of dues to the Section. Dues are paid only for Society membership. Society Headquarters transmits an annual lump sum payment of operating funds in two parts (October and January) to the Sections in accordance with the following formula:
First 100 members @ $7.70/member
Next 200 members @ $2.25/member
Next 200 members @ $1.50/member
Next 500 members @ $1.05/member
Next 1000 members @ $ .75/member
PLUS
Number of members plus 40 x number of meetings x $.45
PLUS
$100 for each qualifying Student Section
The formula is reviewed frequently by the Sections Committee and recommendations for changes to the formula factors are made to the Executive Committee as required.
Operating funds provided by the Society Headquarters to the Sections in accordance with the formula are to be used to cover the administrative costs of the Sections, the cost of printing papers (if such costs are not borne by the author) and similar items essential to the establishment and operation of a vital and effective program for the members. Social aspects of the meetings, such as dinner costs, should be self-supporting and it is not intended that "formula funds" will be used for this purpose, (provisions should be made in the budget, however, to cover unexpected catering deficits). Section officers may wish to invite students or other prospective members to attend a meeting as their guest, for example, or they may wish to make provision in their budget in the event a Society officer, honored guest or other dignitary attends one or more meetings. Authors certainly are considered to be the guests of the Section and of the Society, and any reasonable cost associated with their attendance should be covered.
The Executive Committee of the Society has established a policy requiring that registration fees for ALL meetings shall be higher for non-members than for members.
Provided that the ideals and aims of the Society are adhered to, the Section officers and Executive Committee have jurisdiction over the expenditure of the "formula funds", subject only to a year-end audit. It is strongly urged that the funds, except for an amount to meet current requirements, be kept in an interest-bearing account (use the Society tax identification number for this: 13-5631379N). The Section shall not pay for travel expenses for Section officer participation in meeting(s) or any other personal expenses incurred.
Sections which experience financial difficulty during the year because of unforeseen circumstances should communicate with the Chairman of the Sections Committee or the Executive Director of the Society. Requests for additional funds must be accompanied by adequate justification and explanation of the circumstances.
It is permissible for Sections to solicit funds from industry groups or others to assist them in conducting their meetings or other activities, such as student programs. It is imperative, however, that these purposes be consistent with the objectives of the Society and that receipt of such funds be reported to Headquarters. It is not permissible for Sections to undertake trade exhibits or similar activities in conjunction with regular Section meetings. (see Section II-D for Exhibits related to symposia).
Funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year are to be carried over to the next year. Funds carried over are not to exceed the greater of one-half of the audited total Section expenses for the prior year (Audit Form-IV, Total Expenditures), or the current year formula fund calculated amount. The Section will not be required to return monies in excess of this amount (excess funds) to Headquarters, however, formula fund payments will be reduced or withheld until such excess is absorbed. This policy does not apply to Section reserve funds set aside for specific purposes (see Sections IV-E and VIII-E).
Disposition of Section operating funds is to be made in ways which serve to enhance the Society's professional prestige and which will be in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Society. Sections might, for example, use the "excess" funds to conduct special technical meetings, symposia and similar activities, or for the sponsorship of student research projects.
The Society is a tax-exempt organization and any Section which operates in a state or city where an income or a sales tax is imposed (on the cost of meeting dinners, for example) should request assistance from Headquarters for exemption from the tax. It is the responsibility of the Section to apply to the local tax authority for exemptions. Headquarters will assist with any documentation which is required.
Sections should avoid any involvement with the dispensing of alcoholic beverages. That function should be left to the facility where the meeting is held. The Section should be aware, however, that even this step may not afford complete protection from liability, particularly where it is obvious to the Section leadership that an individual has become impaired due to his/her alcoholic intake during the Section activity.
Sections may establish Reserve and/or Special Meeting Fund(s). Examples of reserve funds are: support of student section activities, support of section membership activities, etc. Special Meetings Funds include symposia to be sponsored by the Section, Regional or joint meetings, etc.
An audit of each Section's financial records for the fiscal year is performed annually by a committee appointed by the Section Chairman responsible for the budget. The format to be used in developing the audit is shown in Appendix D. It is the responsibility of the Section Secretary/Treasurer to complete all transactions by fiscal year-end and make his records available to the Audit Committee. Reserve and Special Meeting Fund(s) Activity Report(s) must accompany the Audit (see Appendix D). It is not mandatory that each of these funds be in separate bank accounts. However, each must have a separate Activity Report. The completed audit is to be received at Headquarters no later than September 30 after the close of the fiscal year. A bank statement dated August 31, (or the latest available from the bank) of the year being audited for each account maintained by the Section (including reserve and special meeting funds, as well as all operating accounts), must be attached to the audit.
The principal functions of the Society are to advance the art, science and practice of naval architecture and marine engineering in all their applied forms including the construction and operation of ships, marine vehicles, and structures of all kinds and the arts and sciences allied thereto by:
Section programs should be designed within these general guidelines and should serve to stimulate interest in the Society and its activities.
Section officers should strive to produce programs and activities that will appeal to the majority of the membership such that maximum attendance and participation is achieved. Some suggestions to accomplish this objective follow:
A definite schedule of events will assist the Section's in accomplishing specific tasks related to the conduct of technical meetings and other activities. Program planning, number of meetings, selection of papers and authors, meeting dates and places and general topics are developed by the Section officers-elect and Executive Committee as early as possible following election so that all arrangements are complete by the start of the new year on September 1. Sections should avoid scheduling their meetings within one week of the Society's Annual and Spring Meetings, the dates for which are published in MARINE TECHNOLOGY. Check for possible conflicts with other organizations or events that will reduce meeting attendance. The October issue of MARINE TECHNOLOGY is the most suitable to publish schedules of Section activities. In order to meet publishing deadlines, it is necessary that Sections' information for that issue be received at Headquarters no later than July 15th.
The purpose of the meeting notice is to stimulate member interest in attending the meeting. To accomplish this objective, the notice must be timely and must attract the attention of the reader. Some Sections use a regular typewriter to provide the necessary information (what, when, where, author, cost, etc.) on letterhead paper and reproduce this by photo-offset methods. If the Section is fortunate to have available someone with a writing flair, a unique and effective meeting notice might be used, provided that this reflected favorably on the dignity and purpose of the Society. Some meeting notices have been designed to incorporate the data concerning the meeting, a listing of the Section officers, a tear-off reply portion and the address label, all on a specially folded sheet of paper. The expense of the envelopes is thus saved. If mailing to Canada or internationally, a first class envelope will be required with the correct postage.
The Society qualifies as a "non-profit" bulk mailer such that meeting notices can be sent at considerable savings. To use this class of mail service, it is necessary that the Section obtain a permit from the mailing post office. Headquarters will provide guidance upon request. It is also necessary to allow a minimum of three or four weeks for delivery and that the notice be sorted by ZIP code. Headquarters can provide mailing labels in ZIP code order to each Section at nominal cost. The labels can then be automatically or manually affixed to the notice.
Reply cards help considerably in estimating potential attendance at a meeting. These can be pre-printed post- cards or tear-off portions of the notice (check postal authorities for correct size and weight) for insertion in an envelope. If the paper stock is sufficiently heavy, the tear-off portion can be pre-addressed and possibly also be used as a pocket identification card. Sections should conserve operating funds by not using franked business reply cards which must be sent at the first class postage rate for cards.
Better attendance at meetings can be expected if sufficient advance notice is given to members. A listing of Section activities for the entire year, providing meeting dates, topic and/or paper title, author(s), and other pertinent information can be sent to all members concurrently with the first meeting notice of the season. Subsequent meeting notices will serve as reminders for dates already (hopefully) marked on calendars. A telephone "network" has been used successfully by some Sections as a last-minute reminder to members to attend scheduled meetings.
Notices of Section meetings are also to be sent to:
. President of the Society
. Executive Director of the Society
. Chairman of the National Sections Committee
. Chairman of the National Membership Committee
. Secretay/Treasurer of other Sections (who
provide this information to his own membership)
It is important that a report (in duplicate) of each Section Meeting be provided to Society Headquarters within ten (l0) days of the meeting using one of the forms entitled REPORT OF SECTION MEETING (see Appendix E) which is provided for this purpose. In addition to the information to be included on the form, the Secretary/Treasurer (or other designated officer) is to provide:
l. Seven copies of the technical paper, together with any
written discussion, and a brief synopsis (about l00 words) of
the paper. These will be used by Headquarters for inclusion
in the library file and for review by the Marine Technology
Committee. Papers published in MARINE TECHNOLOGY enhance the
prestige and recognition of the author and the paper, as well
as of the Section. Failure to provide the required copies
precludes consideration of the paper by the Marine Technology
Committee and also by the Awards Committee. This is unfair to
the author.
A release form, available from Headquarters, must be signed by the author(s) and submitted with the papers and other meeting reports. Ths form indicates
the Society's intent to review the paper for publication and advises the
author(s) that, if the paper is accepted for publication, a transfer of copyright to the Society will be required. Papers submitted without the release form will not be reviewed for publication.
Although Section programs are normally technical, there may be a special occasion from time-to-time where a non-technical speaker is invited to address the members. When this is a political figure of national or international prominence, the invitation must be cleared well in advance with Society Headquarters, and if approved, will be invited by the President of the Society or his designee.
Section officers responsible for the activities indicated should make every effort to adhere to the following schedule of major events in order to facilitate their own operations and those of Society Headquarters. The calendar is presented in the order of the program year and will serve as a "check list" for the events during the year. Section officers are encouraged to make marginal notations or reminders under the appropriate month of activities and events which are singular to their particular Section. Please note that reports of Section Meetings (Section VI-B), and 7 copies of each paper presented, appended with an author's release form, are required to be forwarded to Headquarters in addition to the items listed below.
SEPTEMBER
. Headquarters requests information on Student Sections: 1) all student officers and faculty advisor for current year; and 2) activities for prior year.
. Names of all Section officers and meeting schedule for current program year is required at Headquarters prior to distribution of funds to the Section.
OCTOBER
. Section Chairman together with the Section Executive Committee prepares questions/discussions for Annual Sections Committee Meeting and forward to Headquarters.
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
- Vice Admiral E. L. Cochrane Award
- Student Paper Awards
- Taylor Medal, Land Medal, Davidson Medal, Smith Medal, Webb Medal, Distinguished Service Award, Kennedy Award, OTC Achievement Award, ABS - Linnard Prize, Hahn Award and others as may be directed by the Society's Executive Committee.
FEBRUARY
MARCH
MAY
JUNE
. Chairman-Elect attends seminar for incoming Chairmen.
JULY
AUGUST
Some Sections have conducted successful meetings with other technical societies such that the interests and activities of one augment those of the other. The Executive Committee should make certain that the policies and practices of the other group are consistent with those of the Society, (see Section II-C).
Operation of joint meetings is most effective if complete responsibility for the meeting is assumed by each organization on a reciprocal basis such that responsibility shifts to the other group as host for the next meeting. If the joint meeting is to be on a one-time basis such that alternating the host is impractical, areas of responsibility should be explicitly delineated. This method of split- responsibility is not generally recommended, unless the members in the other organization are well known to the Section officers. Regardless of which group is host, or if responsibility for the meeting is shared, financial responsibility for expenses incurred because of "no shows" or for other reasons, should be shared on a basis which has been clearly defined and agreed to prior to the meeting, provided that the Society's non-profit status with the IRS is not compromised. There is no objection to having a Section assume some degree of financial responsibility to assure the success of the joint meeting or to solicit commercial enterprises for support. Such obligations can sometimes be covered by registration fees or some other kind of member charge associated with the meeting, but it is also proper to use the Section's "formula" operating funds for this purpose.
The amount of financial support may be included in the Section operating budget and is to be properly reported in the year-end financial audit.
Section stationary should be selected to reflect the dignity and stature of the Society. A suitable format might include in the letterhead the Section name, the complete name of the Society, and in the upper right corner the phrase "Please Reply To:".
When the full name of the Society is used, it is to be in one of the following three forms:
AND
MARINE ENGINEERS
AND MARINE ENGINEERS
The Society's emblem when used on stationery, papers or other printing is always to be positioned with the dot at the center bottom, as shown:
Various sizes of the emblem, suitable for reproduction, are available at Headquarters and they may be obtained upon request.
Increasing demands on the President of the Society to appear before Sections inevitably result in mutual disappointment when the request cannot be fulfilled. Invitations to the President should be submitted to Headquarters as early as possible to permit development of a coordinated schedule.
When the President is scheduled to attend a Section meeting, advance notice should be given to the membership in the notice of the meeting. Notice of visits by the President to the Sections is provided by Headquarters in sufficient time to allow the Section to prepare suitable notices and plans. The President should be pre-registered for the meeting.
By action of the Society's Executive Committee on May 24, 1989, each Section is required to establish a two-tier structure of registration fees for all Section meetings with respect to members and non-members. Non-members shall pay a higher fee than members. Registration fees for symposia shall have a non-member registration fee at least 33 1/3% greater than the member registration fees. The difference between member and non-member registration fee may be applied toward a one-year membership in the Society, provided that the application is received within two (2) months of the meeting date, and that all requirements for membership are met. Contact Society Headquarters for administrative details.
From time to time individual Sections conduct symposia on specific subjects, either as the sponsor (sometimes with other than SNAME groups), or as the host in
conjunction with a T&R Panel. To enhance the possibilities for success of such meetings (by preventing overlapping of subject matter and avoiding conflicts in dates with other meetings), and in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws, Section A1.3, the section proposing to sponsor a symposium shall obtain approval of the Society's Executive Committee prior to firming up plans for the meeting, (see Section VIII-D - Meeting Registration Fees). The Society's Executive Committee has directed that symposia are to be structured to produce a MINIMUM total surplus revenue of ten percent. One half of the total surplus revenue will be forwarded to Society Headquarters and the remainder will be retained by the Sponsoring Group(s). The portion retained by the Section, SURPLUS SYMPOSIA FUNDS, must be put to use(s) that meet the objectives of the Society; however, the use(s) will not require the prior approval of the Society's Executive Committee.
As an alternative, the surplus revenue normally forwarded to Society Headquarters may be ratained by the Section to be credited to the calculated formula funds each year until reduced to zero. These will be properly identified in the section audit report as SYMPOSIA FORMULA FUNDS.
The following example demonstrates surplus funding distribution:
A Symposium sponsored or Co-sponsored by a Section, generates a total surplus of $3,500.00. Of this, $1,750.00 is to be kept by the sponsor(s) as SURPLUS FORMULA FUNDS; if two co-sponsors with one being the Section, the Section will retain $875.00 for use in related Society activities with no prior Executive Committee approval required.
The remaining portion of the total surplus or $1,750.00 originally returned to Society HQ may be held by the Section as SYMPOSIA FORMULA FUNDS to be applied to the calculated Formula Fund allocation for the subsequent year(s). If the Sections calculated formula funds is $2,500.00, the amount to be forwarded from the Society or applied from SYMPOSIA FORMULA FUNDS is $2,500.00 less $1,750.00 or $750.00, which is distributed in two equal payments of $375.00
The Sections Manual is intended to provide as much help as possible to Section officers and committee chairmen by providing them with guidelines for Section operation, ideas and practices developed from the experience of others. Ideas, suggestions or experience of one Section should be noted in the appropriate section of the Manual or on the blank pages provided at the end of the Manual for this purpose.
Some Sections have prepared Section operating guides which address matters of particular interest to those Sections. The content of these guides, as well as the marginal notes, should be given to the Society's Sections Committee so that the ideas, suggestions and operating practices can be made available to other Sections.
Retiring officers should make certain that all files and other information are given to the new officers at as early a time as possible. It is recommended that the new officers meet with those retiring from office as soon as possible after election so as to review Sections operation and permit the best transition possible.
_____________________________________SECTION
EXPENDITURES
MEETING EXPENSES
Catering** Speaker Audio/Visual Aids Guests Student Sponsorship Printing/Mailing Notices Publicity(inc. Photography) Other ___________________ ___________________ ___________________
Total Meeting Expenses
COST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS
Printing Postage Other ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
Total
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
Stationery Postage Mailing List Maintenance Secretarial Service Telephone Bank Service Charge Archive Maintenance Other ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
Total Admin. Expenses |
ACTUAL EXPENDITURES*
9/1/__ TO 8/31/__
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ __________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ __________________
|
|
|---|---|---|
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ __________________
*Previous Fiscal Year |
PROPOSED BUDGET
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ __________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ __________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ __________________ |
|
_______________________________________SECTION
PROPOSED BUDGET
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Total Misc. Expenses
RECEIPTS
Catering Sale of Publications Interest (Savings a/c,etc.) Contributions Formula Funds from Hdqtrs. Other _____________________ _____________________ _____________________
Total Receipts |
ACTUAL EXPENDITURES* 9/1/__ TO 8/31/__
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ _______________________
ACTUAL INCOME* 9/1/__ TO 8/31/__
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ _______________________
$ _______________________
_______________________
_______________________ *Previous Fiscal Year |
PROPOSED BUDGET
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ _______________________
ESTIMATED INCOME
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
$ _______________________
$ _______________________
_________________________
_______________________ |
|---|
GUIDELINES FOR SECTION FINANCIAL AUDIT FORM
The Section Financial Audit is an essential document for the Society to complete its annual audit, and to assure compliance with the Internal Revenue Service requirements for nonprofit organizations under Code 501(c)(3). It should also be a useful tool to analyze Section expenses, and thus serve as guidance for modification of the Section Funding Formula as appropriate. To facilitate these purposes, uniform content of each of the line items is necessary. It is the purpose of these guidelines to achieve this uniformity.
Checking Account(s)
Savings Account(s)
Petty Cash
These are the operating funds of the Section at the beginning of the fiscal year. Reserve and Special Meeting Funds are NOT listed here. These will appear under Part VIII.
All regular Section Meeting receipts are listed here. Section functions such as a dinner dance are to be listed with Other Receipts (E). Special Meetings intended to draw significant attendance from outside the Section, Symposia, for example, must be separately accounted for.
Receipts from the sale of all Section publications are listed here. If a Section elects to charge for the paper to be presented at a regular meeting, these receipts are also listed here.
As indicated, all contributions, including those in connection with a regular Section Meeting, are to be listed here. Contributions received for Special Meetings are to be listed here. These fund will then be transferred to the approved Reserve Fund in Part V.
Interest on all operating fund bank accounts is to be listed here.
Receipts from all special Section functions, such as dinner dance or any receipt from jointly sponsored meetings, etc. are to be itemized here.
Formula funds received by the Section are listed here.
Total Receipts is the sum of ALL funds received by the Section during the fiscal year.
As indicated, this is the total of all funds available to the Section during the fiscal year.
Note that the total of the expenses in this category should, in general, be covered by the charges made for the event; that is the total expenses for Part IV.A. should be less than or equal to Meeting Receipts, Part II.A.
The cost of the food service for regular meetings is listed here.
Any charges for projectors, screens, etc. are listed here.
Other than photography there should be few if any expenses in this category.
The cost of a meeting room, if a separate charge is incurred, or the cost of transportation that might be provided in conjunction with a facilities tour are to be listed here. Costs associated with special Section functions are also to be itemized here.
Total Meeting Expense is the sum of all expenses directly associated with the conduct of regular Section Meetings.
The cost of printing Section papers, if borne by the Section.
The cost of paper stock or covers if separate charges are incurred.
Total cost of Technical Papers is the total cost of producing these papers only.
This is the expense category that it is intended to be defrayed by the Formula Funds received in two installments from Headquarters.
The cost of printing stationery. (If overprinting is used, this cost is also listed here.)
Postage for any purpose other than meeting notices.
Any telephone charges that are incurred in Section operations that are not otherwise defrayed are listed here.
Any bank service charges or check printing costs are listed here.
The cost of production and mailing of Meeting Notices.
Any other administrative expenses incurred by the Section.
Amounts expended in support of Student Sections and any other expenditures not otherwise accounted for. Total Miscellaneous Expense is the sum of all expenses in this category.
Transfers of approved amounts to approved reserve funds and contributions to approved Special Meeting Funds .
TO RESERVE FUND (III MINUS IV AND V)____________________
These are the funds available for Section operation carried forward into the current fiscal year. It is this amount that will be compared to the Formula Fund calculation to determine the existence of any "excess funds" that would affect the formula fund distribution.
Checking Account(s)
Savings Account(s)
Petty Cash
Total must agree with Item VI. Note, that a bank statement dated as above for each account must be attached to this Audit.
Existence of these funds must be approved by the Society's Executive Committee as well as any transfers into these funds. Activity in each account must be shown in Audit Form D-4 and be attached to this report.
Existence of these funds must be approved by the Society's Executive Committee as well as any transfers into these funds other than specifically designated contributions. Activity in each account must be shown in Audit Form D-4 and be attached to this report. Note, that a bank statement dated on the last day of the fiscal year being audited must be attached to this audit.
This is the total of parts VI, VIII.A. and VIII.B.
Any amplifying or supplementary information is to be entered in this part.
The Section Financial Audit is to be signed and dated by both the Chairman of the Section Audit Committee and the outgoing Section Chairman.
Computer printouts may be used in lieu of copying the Financial Audit form, PROVIDED that the format of the form is followed.
Checking Account $_______________
Savings Account _______________
Petty Cash _______________
A. Meetings $ _______________
B. Sales of Publications ________________
C. Contributions (all sources
itemize purpose(s)
_____________________ ________________
_____________________ ________________
_____________________ ________________
D. Interest on Operating
Fund Bank Accounts ________________
E. Other Receipts (itemize)
______________________ ________________
______________________ ________________
______________________ ________________
F. Operating Funds From
Headquarters $ _______________
1. Catering $_______________
2. Audio/Visual Aids _______________
3. Publicity (incl.
Photographs _______________
4. Other meeting expenses
(itemize)
_____________________ _______________
_____________________ _______________
_____________________ _______________
______________________________________ SECTION
FINANCIAL AUDIT
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
1. Printing $______________
2. Supplies ______________
1. Stationery $______________
2. Postage ______________
3. Secretarial Services ______________
4. Telephone ______________
5. Bank Service Charges ______________
6. Printing and Mailing
of Meeting Notices ______________
7. Other (itemize)
_________________ ______________
_________________ ______________
_________________ ______________
1. __________________ _______________
2. __________________ _______________
3. __________________ _______________
4. __________________ _______________
_____________________ _______________
_____________________ _______________
_____________________ _______________
Checking Account $_______________
Savings Account $_______________
Petty Cash $_______________
A. Reserve Funds (itemize)
____________________ $______________
____________________ ______________
____________________ ______________
B. Special Meeting Funds (itemize) Note: Attach
a copy of final audit(s) for completed meetings)
____________________ ______________
____________________ ______________
A. VII $________________________
B. VIII A ________________________
C. VIII B ________________________
Remarks: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________
Signed: _________________________ Signed: ____________________________
Section Chairman Chairman, Section Audit Committee
Date: ______________________________
(name)
_________________________ $_________________
_________________________ _________________
_________________________ _________________
_________________________ _________________
_________________________ $_________________
_________________________ _________________
_________________________ _________________
_________________________ _________________