Constitution and By-Laws

Article I
THE NAME

This organization shall be called the Association for Computing Machinery University of the Philippines Student Chapter (UP ACM) Student Chapter. In this Constitution it is referred to as the Chapter; the Association for Computing Machinery is referred to as the ACM; the University of the Philippines is referred to as UP or the University.

Article II
THE PURPOSE

  1. The Chapter is organized and shall be operated for educational and scientific purposes. The Chapter shall have the following functions:
    1. The Chapter shall advocate the open interchange of information.
    2. The Chapter shall promote the highest professional and ethical standards.
    3. The Chapter shall promote the increased knowledge of and greater interest in development, construction, languages, management, and applications among other computer-related knowledge.
    4. The Chapter shall serve as medium and link between persons having an interest in computing.
    5. The Chapter shall promote the application of the bodies of knowledge in computer science for the welfare of the computer science community, the University, and the Philippines as well.
  2. The Chapter will serve students at the University of the Philippines and other interested persons in the Metro Manila community.
  3. The Chapter is chartered by the ACM.

Article III
MEMBERSHIP

  1. Eligibility and Procedure.

    2. Any person or institution subscribing to the purposes of the Association and eligible for membership in accordance with this Constitution and Bylaws will become a member upon the acceptance of the application for membership and the payment of dues in accordance with the Bylaws.

  2. Classes of Membership.

    3. Classes of membership and their qualifications and privileges are defined in the Bylaws.

  3. Resignation.

    4. A member may at any time file a resignation in writing with the Secretary, and it shall become effective as of the date it is filed.

  4. Admonition, Suspension and Expulsion.

    5. A member may be dropped or suspended for nonpayment of dues as provided in the Bylaws. A member of the Chapter may be admonished, suspended or expelled for demonstrating lack of integrity, lack of participation, non-compliance and non-advocacy with the Chapter’s purposes as stated upon Article 2, or for other reasonable cause after a hearing of the case before the Council and by affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of all members of the Council, including the recommendation of the Membership Committee. A former member of the Chapter who was expelled from membership can become a member only after approval of the application by an affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of all members of the Council, including the recommendation of the Membership Committee.

Article IV
OFFICERS

  1. Titles and Limitations on Authority.

    2. The officers of the Chapter shall be a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and the heads of each Committee. Each officer of the Association shall be bound by any action taken by the Council or the Association, and shall have such additional authority and duties as may be conferred by the Constitution or resolution of the Council.

  2. The Chair.
    1. Chair as Principal Officer

      2. The Chair is the principal officer and is responsible for leading the Chapter and managing its activities in accordance with the policies and procedures of the ACM and this Constitution. The Chair shall have the duty of supervising and coordinating all work and activities of the different committees for the efficient working of the Chapter, and consideration of such measures as he or she may deem necessary.

    2. Chair as the Official Figurehead of the Chapter

      3. The Chair shall be the official representative of the Chapter, and shall attend meetings or appoint delegates where it necessitates the presence of the Chapter.

    3. On Meetings

      4. The Chair has the power to call, preside over, and adjourn all General Assemblies and Council Meetings.

    4. On Budget and Project Proposals

      5. The Chair has the power to approve or reject project and budget proposals in accordance with the policies and procedures of this Constitution.

    5. Membership to All Committees

      6. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all the standing committees.

    6. Presenting of the Chapter’s Plans to the Members

      7. The Chair shall have the duty of presenting the program of activities to the members of the Chapter at the first General Assembly of each school year, and recommending the consideration of such measures as he or she may deem necessary.

    7. On Ad Hoc Committees

      8. The Chair shall have the power to create and dissolve ad hoc committees, whenever the Chair deems the act necessary.

    8. Delegation of Other Functions

      9. The Chair has the power to delegate other functions that were not covered by this Constitution to members of the Chapter. On this case, the Secretary shall note the assigned task and the appointed member for record keeping purposes.

    3. The Chair shall act as the head of the Council and shall appoint the heads of all other committees, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution. The Chair shall have the following functions:

  3. The Vice Chair.
    1. Vice-Chair as Proxy to the Chair

      2. In the temporary absence or incapacity of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall act as chair of the the Council. In the absence of both Chair and Vice Chair, the Council shall elect a temporary Chair from among its membership to act for a period to be determined by the Council.

    2. Vice-Chair as Head of the Membership Committee

      3. The Vice-Chair shall be the head of the Membership Committee.

    3. Responsibility to the Chair

      4. The Vice-Chair shall be responsible to the Chair, and must report to the Chair on a regular basis regarding accomplishments and plans with regards to the Chapter to ensure proper coordination of the Chapter.

    4. The Vice-Chair shall have the following functions and duties:

  4. The Secretary.
    1. Secretary as Records Keeper

      2. The Secretary shall ensure that records are kept of all proceedings, actions and meetings of the Chapter and the Council, and that the votes and minutes thereof are recorded to be kept for that purpose. The Secretary/Treasurer shall conduct the correspondence of the Association and shall give due notice of all meetings of members, of the Council, and of the Executive Committee.

    2. Secretary as the Keeper of the Constitution

      3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall provide for custody of the original of this Constitution and of the Bylaws, and of the amendments thereto.

    3. Secretary as Head of the Records Committee

      4. The Secretary shall be the head of the Records Committee.

    4. Responsibility to the Chair

      5. The Secretary shall be responsible to the Chair, and must report to the Chair on a regular basis regarding accomplishments and plans with regards to the Chapter to ensure proper coordination of the Chapter.

    5. The Secretary shall have the following functions:

  5. The Treasurer.
    1. Treasurer as Principal Finance Officer

      2. The Treasurer shall ensure that accurate accounts are kept by the Chapter, that dues and other sums are collected, that all properly approved bills are paid, and that financial statements and budgets are prepared.

    2. Annual Financial Report

      3. The Treasurer has the task of preparing the Chapter’s Annual Financial Report for presentation to the Chapter at the Annual Election meeting, and the completing and submitting the Annual Financial Report to ACM Headquarters.

    3. Treasurer as Head of Finance Committee

      4. The Treasurer shall assume the leadership of the Finance Committee.

    4. Responsibility to the Council

      5. The Treasurer shall render to the Council, as required, an accurate account of all transactions and of the financial condition of the Chapter on a regular basis.

    5. Treasurer as Head for Funds Generation

      6. The Treasurer shall have the task of initiating and supervising any fund-generating projects, and shall have the responsibility of presenting the project to the Council and the Chair.

    6. Responsibility to the Chair

      7. The Treasurer shall be responsible to the Chair, and must report to the Chair on a regular basis regarding accomplishments and plans with regards to the Chapter to ensure proper coordination of the Chapter.

    6. The Treasurer shall have the following functions:

  6. Committee Heads, Vice Heads, and Secretaries.
    1. Committee Heads as Officers

      2. The Committee Heads, with responsibilities and functions as stated on Article 6, shall be considered as officer of the Chapter.

    2. Responsibility to the Chair

      3. The Committee Heads shall be responsible to the Chair, and must report to the Chair on a regular basis regarding accomplishments and plans with regards to the Chapter to ensure proper coordination of the Chapter.

    3. Committee Vice Head and Secretary as Officers

      4. The Committee Vice Heads and Secretaries, with responsibilities and functions as stated on Article 6, shall be considered as officer of the Chapter.

    4. Responsibility of the Vice Head and Committee Secretary to the Committee Head

      5. The Committee Vice Heads and Secretaries shall be responsible to their respective Committee Head , and must report to the Head on a regular basis regarding accomplishments and plans with regards to the Chapter to ensure proper coordination of the Chapter

  7. Special Interest Group Heads, Vice Heads, and Secretaries.
    1. Special Interest Group Heads as Officers

      2. The Special Interest Group Heads, with responsibilities and functions as stated on Article 7, shall be considered as officer of the Chapter.

    2. Responsibility to the Council

      3. The Special Interest Group Heads shall be responsible to the Council, and must report to the Council on a regular basis regarding accomplishments and plans with regards to the Chapter to ensure proper coordination of the Chapter.

    3. Special Interest Group Vice Head and Secretary as Officer

      4. The Special Interest Group Vice Heads and Secretaries, with responsibilities and functions as stated on Article 7, shall be considered as officer of the Chapter.

    4. Responsibility of the Special Interest Group Vice Head and Secretary to the Special Interest Group Head

      5. The Special Interest Group Vice Heads and Secretaries shall be responsible to their respective Heads , and must report to the Head on a regular basis regarding accomplishments and plans with regards to the Chapter to ensure proper coordination of the Chapter.

  8. Assumption of Office.
    1. Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer

      2. An election, as indicated on Article 7, shall be held for the position of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Standing Committee Heads. Each position should have vote counts of more that half of the voting population to them to be qualified for the position.

    2. Committee Vice Heads and Secretary

      3. The Committee Vice Heads and Committee Secretaries shall be appointed by their respective Committee Head, upon the qualifications of skill, experience, and fitness in office.

Article V
COUNCIL

  1. Purpose

    2. The Council shall be the highest policy and decision making body of the Chapter. The Council shall formulate the policies of the Association, and generally supervise their execution by the officers of the Chapter. Each Council member shall represent the members and the best interests of the Association.

  2. Composition

    3. The Council shall consist of the Chapter Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, the Student Chapter Sponsor, previous Chair and Vice-Chair, and officers of the Chapter’s standing committees.

  3. Authority to Act Without Meeting

    4. Any resolution adopted by majority vote of the members of the Executive Committee after due notice to each of its members shall be deemed and considered the act of the Executive Committee as though adopted at an actual meeting of the Committee whether or not on the occasion of the vote there was an actual meeting of the Committee. The notice and the voting of the members of the Committee may be by mail, telephone, telegraph, electronic mail, or personally, or by any combination of these, and notice by mail or telegraph shall be deemed given when sent to the Committee member’s last mailing address. A record of the notice and of the voting and of the manner in which the action was taken shall be noted in the minutes of the Committee.

  4. Voting and Consensus

    5. In case of issues where the council needs to vote upon, the Chapter Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, the Student Chapter Sponsor, and previous Chair and Vice-Chair are allotted one vote for the issue. One vote is allotted for each standing committee and special interest group. The respective heads, with the advice from their vice heads and secretaries, would represent this vote.

  5. Council Meetings

    6. The Executive Council shall meet at least twice a month to discuss all upcoming activities and plans for the semester, year, et cetera, and report on the progress of past and ongoing projects and activities of the organizations.

  6. Vacated Positions
    1. If the Chair ceases to hold office for any reason, the Vice-Chair shall take over.
    2. If the Vice-Chair ceases to hold office for any reason, members of the Executive Council shall choose among themselves a new Vice-Chair.
    3. If any other Committee Head ceases to hold office for any reason, the Committee Head must be able to assign a new Head before he/she shall vacate his/her position. The outgoing Committee Head may do so either by committee elections or by appointment.
  7. Existence of the Chapter Sponsor

    8. There shall be a Chapter Sponsor, and s/he shall be a voting member of ACM a member of the faculty of UP. The Chapter Sponsor shall be selected by the Executive Council immediately following the Election Meeting.

  8. Duties of the Chapter Sponsor
    1. Helps provide continuity from year to year as student leadership and personnel change.
    2. Promotes good student-faculty relationships.
    3. Helps maintain university standards in all activities of the Chapter.
    4. Exercises financial supervision, if necessary, by:
      1. Promoting prompt payment of bills and collection of dues.
      2. Overseeing the settlement of all accounts in the event of dissolution of the Chapter.
    5. Represents the Chapter interests to the faculty and administration.

    9. The Student Chapter Sponsor shall be generally responsible for the activities of the Chapter. Specifically, the Sponsor:

Article VI
COMMITTEES

  1. The Executive Committee
    1. Purpose

      2. The Executive Committee shall be the body responsible for the enactment of any decisions made by the Council. The Executive Committee shall also be the body that the Council might consult in situations where brainstorming is necessary.

    2. Composition

      3. The Executive Committee shall composed of the officers of the Executive Council, all Committee Officers including Vice Heads and Secretaries, and SIG Heads of the Chapter.

  2. The Education Committee
    1. Purpose
      1. Academic Priority and Excellence

        2. The education committee shall look after the academic improvement of the members of the organization. The committee shall also see to it that activities that are school and academic related are put a priority above any organization activity.

      2. Trainings for Programming Competitions

        3. The committee shall be responsible for handling trainings for programming competitions, especially of the ACM International Collegiate Programming Competition (ICPC).

      3. Facilitators of Seminars and Tutorials

        4. The committee shall oversee seminars and tutorials which aim to transfer knowledge and hone skills. These seminars shall be referred to as Knowledge and Information Sharing Sessions (KISSes).

      4. Overseer of the Chapter’s Library

        5. The committee shall be responsible for the care, promulgation and maintenance of the Chapter’s library which includes academic resources in electronic or printed form.

      5. Matters of High Technicality and Specialty

        6. The committee shall handle matters which require high technical background and/or specialized field, such as database management and network design and implementation among others, and would oversee these matters when the Chapter deems the task necessary to do so.

      2. The Education Committee shall have the following functions:

    2. Composition
      1. The committee will have two vice heads: a Vice Head for Theoreticals, who will be in charge of theoretical affairs, and a Vice Head for Technicals, who will be in charge of application and implementation-oriented tasks.
      2. The committee shall have a secretary who will have the following duties:
        1. Be responsible for recording and compiling the minutes of all committee meetings.
        2. Assist the Chapter Secretary as necessary.
  3. The External Affairs Committee
    1. Develop harmonious relations with other organizations inside and outside the UP.
    2. Cultivate contacts among the business circles and press people for the benefit of the Chapter.
    3. Facilitate the communication between the resident members and the alumni of the Chapter.
    4. Take charge of the publicity and press relations of the Chapter outside UP.

    4. The External Affairs Committee shall have the following functions:

  4. The Finance Committee
    1. Take charge of the collection of fees and dues from members of the Student Chapter.
    2. Allocate the necessary funds for the projects and activities of the Student Chapter.
    3. Keep financial books of the Student Chapter.
    4. Prepare financial statements of expenditures, revenues, and debt every semester and on occasions when the Executive Council seeks one.
    5. Study the feasibility and expedite feasible fund-raising projects of the Student Chapter.
    6. Conduct marketing by communication upon the receipt of contacts from the External Affairs committee.
    7. Prepare disbursal of expenditures from the treasury of the Student Chapter with authorization of the Executive Council.
    8. Update financial statements of expenditures, revenues, and debts during Executive Council meetings and Student Chapter assemblies.

    5. The Finance Committee shall have the following functions:

  5. The Logistics Committee
    1. In a universal sense fulfill the role of a “ways and means” arm of the whole Chapter.
    2. Be responsible for providing the necessary facilities for the activities of the Chapter, as well as for the procurement of such equipment and articles that may be authorized by the Executive Council.
    3. Manage the flow of the events sponsored by the Chapter; such “flows” are manifested as the events’ programmes, and may involve the presence of the master(s) of ceremonies, ushers, and technical support. The committee shall be in charge of providing and/or assigning these personnel.
    4. Assist in the development of the cultural, political, and social awareness of the members of the Chapter by coordinating with other committees in espousing the goals and creeds of the Chapter. Even though the committee’s formal name does not imply handling of internal affairs, the resource and strategic management integral to the Logistics Committee will provide the backbone for any such domestic ventures.
    5. The Head of the Logistics Committee shall have the same universal duties and functions as stated in the Constitution article mandating these particulars, but with one additional item: the Head has the power to allow the existence of two committee Vice-Heads, each in charge of their own respective sub-committees:
      1. The Logistics Vice-Head for Resource Management shall be responsible for the procurement and handling of equipment and facilities held under Logistics jurisdiction, as stated in Item B of this article. The Vice-Head’s role is mainly to ensure the excellent health of pre-event preparations.
      2. The Logistics Vice-Head for Floor Management shall be responsible for the management of the programs of the Chapter’s events, as stated in Item C of this article. The Vice-Head’s role is mainly to ensure that the event proceeds smoothly and according to plan.
      3. There shall only be one committee Secretary; he/she shall be required to attend and take the minutes of the meetings of both the two sub-committees and the committee as a whole.

    6. The Logistics Committee shall have the following functions:

  6. The Membership Committee

    7. This committee will evaluate all members according to their performance in every term of their membership in the organization. This includes checking the attendance during organization events and meetings.

  7. The Records Committee
    1. Ensure that proceedings of all meetings, including general assemblies, committee meetings, and council meetings are recorded whether as soft copies or hard copies, as long as they are filed away in one place for safekeeping and immediate access by parties authorized to view them.
    2. Maintain a list of profiles of each member, including contact numbers, email addresses, home addresses, and names of parents/guardian with the information gathered by the Membership Committee.
    3. Maintain a separate list of contact information for the Executive Council, as well as the Executive Committee.
    4. Be the safekeeper of all financial reports submitted by the Finance Committee.
    5. Be the safekeeper of all other important papers of the Chapter, which include the Constitution and By Laws and Amendments of the organization itself, and ACM International, documents for Chapter renewal, documents for University recognition, committee reports, et cetera.
    6. Submit an annual report according to the guidelines of ACM International. The Mother Chapter expects that this organization shall provide the following information upon the closing of every fiscal year: updated officers list, basic finances & census, cash & disbursements, meetings & recent activities and upcoming activities.
    7. Notify ACM Local Activities of any change in membership information or council officers of the Chapter.
    8. Submit all necessary requisites within the prescribed period for University Recognition.
    9. Provide the official logo of the organization, and when authorized by the Executive Council, affix it to any item requiring it.

    8. The Records Committee shall have the following functions:

  8. Ad Hoc Committees
    1. Ad Hoc Committees shall be created by the Chair when he deems it necessary. These committees shall have explicit functions, limits of power, structure, and purpose.
    2. There are Ad Hoc Committees that are exempted from the dissolving power of the chair. Such are the Electoral Committee, which shall be created every election to facilitate a non-bias, credible, and democratic election; and the Audit Committee, which shall be created at the end of the term to serve as a check-and-balance for the Finance Committee.

Article VII
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

  1. Creation and Qualifications

    2. Any group of Chapter members in good standing with an initial membership of at least ten (10) members who share a common research or professional interest may organize a Special Interest Group (SIG). The members would seek the approval of the Council for the creation of the SIG. A SIG is official once it has the approval of the Council.

  2. Consistency with the Chapter’s Goals

    3. The objectives and purposes of the SIG’s shall be consistent with those of the Chapter and must be approved by the Executive Council.

  3. Internal Structure

    4. The SIG may elect among themselves a chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer who shall have a fixed term of office. A mechanism for continuity of operations should be established by the SIG.

  4. Head of a SIG as member of the Council

    5. The Chair or a representative of a SIG shall become an ex-officio member of the Council.

  5. Funds

    6. The SIG may maintain its own fund, separate from the main Chapter fund. The fund will include membership fees paid by its members and income derived from its activities. Twenty (20) percent of the income from the activities will be remitted to the main Chapter funds and the remainder will be retained in the SIG funds.

  6. Annual Reports

    7. The SIG shall submit to the Council an annual report, which shall include its financial report.

Article VIII
COUNCIL OF ADVISERS

  1. Former Chairs as Advisers

    2. After serving his/her term of office, the Chair of the Chapter shall automatically become a lifetime member of the Council of Advisers. The Council of Advisers shall be composed of the founders and former chairperson.

  2. Functions of the Council of Advisers

    3. The Council of Advisers shall have the responsibility to give advice on the Council upon questions regarding the leadership of the Chapter, upon request of the current Council.

Article IX
ELECTIONS

  1. Election Period

    2. The election period for the organization shall be held in the second semester of the academic year. February shall be the month in which all activities pertaining to the election of the new Executive Council shall be held, unless certain circumstances prevent this requirement from being fulfilled. In such a case, the election season shall be re-set to another month within the second semester.

  2. Nominations

    3. Every member of the organization is entitled to submit one or more nomination forms, specifying the candidate they wish to elect into office. The nominee shall be informed of such nomination, and a three-day grace period would be given to the nominee to allow him to back out of nomination.

  3. Positions and Length of Office.
    1. The following positions shall be open for candidacy during the election season: Chair, Vice-Chair (Head of Membership), Secretary (Head of Records), Treasurer (Head of Finance), Head of Education, Head of Logistics, Head of External Affairs.
    2. The Head of Education must be a faculty member.
    3. Committee officers such as the Vice Heads and Secretaries shall be put into office according to the procedures prescribed by the Committee Heads. It shall be the discretion of the elected Committee Heads whether to hold committee elections for these positions or to single-handedly appoint people instead.
    4. Length of Office. The Executive Council, together with all Committee Heads and SIG Heads, will officially begin in the first semester of the next academic year after the elections. The newly-elected officers will hold office for exactly one academic year.
  4. Eligibility
    1. Eligibility by tenure

      2. A member running for office must be a member of the organization for at least one semester prior to the current semester of elections.

    2. Positions in other organizations.

      3. Officers of the organization can hold positions in other organizations as long as these positions are not the highest ones in their respective organizations.

    3. The Chairperson of this organization, however, cannot hold any other position in other organizations. This is to ensure that the Chair shall keep this organization as top priority, as he is the highest official in charge of and responsible for the organization well-being.
    4. Definition of organization.

      5. The term “organizations” refers to duly-recognized organizations either by the Department, College, or University. They do not include ad hoc organizations such as yearbook committees, school papers, or such.

    5. Miting de Avance

      6. The Miting de Avance shall be held during the next General Assembly from the start of the election season. Candidates shall each be given a chance to present their platform for the organization, if elected. Fellow members shall be given time to interrogate these candidates and make clarifications on their plans.

    6. Reelections

      7. A person can hold office for a maximum of two terms, consecutive or not, for any two positions.

Article X
TENURE

  1. Tenure of The Council Members

    2. The Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, all committee heads, and all other officers appointed by votation shall hold officially on the first Monday of the schoolyear. The said officers may not run for the same office for two terms. Prior to being appointed officially, they shall be officers-elect, with the title Chair-elect, Vice Chair-elect, and so on, and would act with the guidance of the current Council members.

  2. Recall

    3. Any elected member may be recalled if deemed necessary by the Electoral Committee, provided that the committee would provide sufficient evidence for such action. Impeachment may be either by a three-fourth vote of the whole Council. The Council shall promptly direct a special ballot by all Members. Provided that at least onethird of all eligible Members cast ballots, a two-thirds majority of the votes cast will suffice for immediate removal of the Council Member from the Council.

Article XI
AMMENDMENTS
All proposed changes to these Chapter Bylaws shall be approved or rejected by the Chair of the Chapter.

Article XII
MEETINGS

  1. General Assemblies

    2. General Assemblies shall be held at least once every month. They must be announced to the whole Chapter by the Membership Committee at least three days before the given date.

  2. Executive Council Meetings

    3. Meetings shall be held as planned by the Executive Council. The Chapter shall hold meetings only in places that are open and accessible to all members of the Association.