BYLAWS FOR REGION 3

OF

THE INSTITUTE of ELECTRICAL and ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS, Inc.

(Adopted April 10, 1978; last amended April 07, 2002)

ARTICLE I: PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Section 1: Region 3 Bylaws supplement the IEEE Bylaws by formalizing certain activities within the Region, which are not specifically addressed in the IEEE Bylaws.

Section 2: In general, it is intended that these Bylaws cover only those activities for which it is desirable to provide a continuum beyond the term of office of an individual Region Delegate/Director, e.g., region management,nominations and elections, student activities, matters relating to Region 3 conferences, etc.

Section 3: These Bylaws derive their authority from the IEEE Bylaws and the Region 3 membership as expressed through their representatives on the Region 3 Committee. Nothing in these Bylaws is to be construed as to be contrary to the IEEE Constitution, Bylaws, Policy and Procedures, Financial Operations Manual and the RAB Operations Manual. If there is conflict, the preceding will prevail over the Region 3 Bylaws.

Section 4: Amendments to these Bylaws shall be submitted by the Region 3 Executive Committee to all section chairs at least 60 days in advance of the Region 3 Committee meeting at which such amendments will be considered. A majority vote of the Region 3 Committee members present at the meeting is required for approval, provided a quorum is present.

A mail vote may be taken provided that ballots are sent with the proposed amendments to all members of the Region 3 Committee at least 60 days before the required return date. A majority vote of the returned ballots is required for approval, provided that ballots are returned from at last half the sections in region 3. A ballot which is not returned shall not be counted as a vote either for or against the proposed amendment.

Amendments may be made by approval of a majority of the voting members of the Region in a referendum held as a result of a petition signed by one percent of the voting members of the region providing that a majority of the sections in the region are represented by one percent of their members on the petition.

Section 5: The Region 3 Operations Manual provides more definitive statements for the operation of the Region than are appropriate for inclusion in these Bylaws. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of these Bylaws and the Region 3 Operations Manual, the Bylaws shall be the controlling document.

ARTICLE II: MANAGEMENT

Section 1: The Region 3 Delegate/Director manages the operation of the Region to best serve the needs of the members.

Section 2: The Region 3 Executive Committee shall act for the Region 3 Committee except for those matters specifically reserved to the Region 3 Committee by these Bylaws. The Region Executive Committee shall consist of the Region Delegate/Director, Delegate/Director-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer, Student Activities Committee Chairman, Junior Past Region 3 Delegate/Director, Region Coordinator of Professional Activities, Region Student Representative, Area/Council Chairs, and the Chairs of Standing Committees appointed by the Region 3 Delegate/Director.

Section 3: The Region Committee is responsible for assuring that the Region is operated in accordance with the Institute Constitution, Bylaws, and Policy and Procedures Manual, the Region 3 Bylaws, and the Region 3 Operations Manual. The Region 3 voting members shall consist of the Region Delegate/Director, Delegate/Director-Elect, the Junior Past Region 3 Delegate/Director, the Section Chairs, the Area/Council Chairs, the Student Activities Chair, the Region Coordinator of Professional Activities, the Region Student Representative, the Secretary and the Treasurer. The remaining members of the Region 3 Executive Committee (see Section 2) will be non-voting members of the Region 3 Committee. At the discretion of the Region 3 Executive Committee, the offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined.

Section 4: The Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect functions as the Vice Chair of the Region and assists the Region 3 Delegate/Director with the administration of the internal affairs of the Region. The Delegate/Director-Elect is directlyresponsible for overseeing the proper functioning of each Area/Council and of each Standing Committee within the Region.

Section 5: Area/Council Chairs will assist the Region 3 Delegate/Director and Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect in maintaining clear and effective communications with all organizational units within their assigned area. They will assist their units in every possible way, conducting workshops; making personal visits and frequent contact with all units; monitoring progress on membership development activities; student activities, etc.; and helping to solve any problems that may develop. Except as provided in Section 6 below, the geographical area assigned to each Area/Council Chair will be determined by the Region 3 Delegate/Director, utilizing State boundaries wherever possible.

Section 6: Where the Sections in a state or other geographical area form a Council and elect a chair, this elected chair will serve also as the Area Chair for that group of Sections.

Section 7: The Standing Committees of the Region shall be the Student Activities, Awards and Recognition, Membership Development, Professional Activities Operation, Conference, Educational Activities, Strategic Planning and Communications Committees.

Section 8: A majority of the voting members of the Region 3 Committee shall constitute a quorum provided that at least half of the Sections of the Region are represented.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS

Section 1: The Region 3 Delegate/Director shall have general supervision of the affairs of Region 3 and will provide the primary interface between the members of the Region and the IEEE Board of Directors. The Delegate/Director will fulfill assigned responsibilities within the Region primarily through the Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect and Area/Council Chairs. In case of a vacancy in the office of the Region 3 Delegate/Director, the Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect hall assume the office under provision of the applicable IEEE Bylaw (2001, I-301.14.(6)).

Section 2: The Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect shall assume the duties of the Delegate/Director during the latter's absence or incapacity, and shall assume any of the duties of the office of the Delegate/Director when so directed by the Delegate/Director. The Delegate/Director-Elect will regularly communicate with and meet with the Area/Council Chairs and Standing Committee Chairs to ensure the maximum effectiveness of all Sections, Chapters and Student Branches in serving the Region membership. With the assistance of Standing Committee Chairs and Area/Council Chairs the Delegate/Director-Elect will both initiate programs and oversee established programs. These programs include, but are not limited to, membership development, education, professional activities, awards, Region conferences, student activities, communications, and special projects. The Delegate/Director-Elect will encourage and assist the Area/Council Chairs in conducting workshops for the benefit of the Section and Chapter officers and, in general, serve as an "Executive Assistant" to the Region 3 Delegate/Director in the internal management of the Region.

In case of a vacancy in the office of the Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect the provisions of the applicable IEEE Bylaw (2001, I-301.14.(8)) will apply. Until such time as the Delegate/Director-Elect position is filled, the Region 3 Delegate/Director may appoint an acting Vice Chair.

Section 3: The Secretary shall have the responsibility for sending out notices, preparing the agenda for, and recording the minutes of, all meetings of the Region 3 Committee and of the Region Executive Committee. A copy of the meeting minutes shall be sent to those attending. A copy of all the items listed are to be sent to IEEE Regional Activities Department for record purposes.

Section 4: The Treasurer shall prepare the budget with the assistance of the Finance Committee (see Article IV, Section 1) and shall be responsible for the receipt, deposition and recording of all monies in the name of the Region. The Treasurer shall make only such disbursements as approved by the Region 3 Delegate/Director or the Region 3 Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall make such financial reports as may be required by IEEE Bylaws and/or Federal and State Laws.

Section 5: No later than January 1 of the even numbered years a nominating committee consisting of at least three of the most recent Past Region 3 Delegate/Directors, living in the Region and able and willing to serve, will be appointed by the Region 3 Delegate/Director. The Nominating Committee shall be charged with proposing the names of either two or three candidates for Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect to serve for a period of two years. All Section Chairs shall be advised of this appointment and shall be encouraged to submit suggestions for nominees to the designated Chair of the Nominating Committee.

The Committee shall consider all suggestions and report its recommended nominees to the Region 3 Executive Committee for approval. Additional nominations may be made from the floor by the Region 3 Executive Committee provided the nominees have given permission for such nomination. The Region 3 Committee, which has the final responsibility for nominating candidates for the ballot presented to all Institute voting members in the Region, will nominate from the slate presented by the Region 3 Executive Committee in accordance with IEEE Bylaw requirements.

Under extraordinary extenuating circumstances a single nominee for Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect may be submitted to the IEEE Nominations and Appointments Committee for recommendation to the Board of Directors under provision of the appropriate IEEE Bylaw (2001, I-310.6, R-703.2).

ARTICLE IV: FINANCES

Section 1: The Region 3 Finance Committee chaired by the Region 3 Treasurer willconsist of the Region 3 Delegate/Director, Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect and Junior Past Region 3 Delegate/Director.

Section 2: An annual budget of expected income and expenditures shall be prepared by the Treasurer with the assistance of the Finance Committee and will be approved by the Region 3 Executive Committee.

Section 3: The fiscal year shall be the calendar year.

Section 4: A policy for travel expense reimbursement shall be established by the Region 3 Executive Committee on the recommendation of the Region Delegate/Director. Such policy shall be consistent with similar policies or guidelines issued by the IEEE or the Regional Activities Board and must be such that it can be supported by the financial resources of Region 3. The policy shall be made known to all Region 3 members who may in any way be involved in IEEE travel at Region 3 expense.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

Section 1: The Region Executive Committee will normally meet at least twice during the year other than during the Region 3 Conference.

Section 2: The Region 3 Committee shall meet at least once a year at an appropriate time and place within the Region. This meeting will normally be held at and during the annual Region 3 Conference (SoutheastCon). One additional meeting may be held at the discretion of the Region 3 Delegate/Director.

Section 3: Areas/Councils are encouraged to hold technical conferences, symposia, workshops, etc. for the benefit of their members. Schedules for all such meetings should be coordinated with the Chair of the Region 3 Conference Committee.

ARTICLE VI: CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS

Section 1: Oversight

Where Region 3 has administrative and/or financial responsibility the coordination and advisory support for Conferences and Conventions shall be the Region 3 Conference Committee. Refer to the Region 3 Operations Manual.

Section 2: SoutheastCon

a. An annual technical conference will be held for the purpose of presentingtechnical and professional papers, for student paper competition, and for other appropriate purposes to serve the needs of the members of the Region. This conference will be designated SoutheastCon (year) and will be moved about the Region at the invitation of local Sections or groups of Sections. If the sponsoring entity is other than a single Section, the location in which the conference is held will still be referred to as the host Section. SoutheastCon will normally be held during the spring at a time approved by the Region 3 Committee. The specific dates may be selected by the host Section.

b. Invitations to host a future SoutheastCon will be submitted in writing to the Region 3 Delegate/Director, the Region Delegate/Director-Elect, and the Region 3 Conference Committee Chair at least two months prior to a Region 3 Committee meeting at which action on the invitation is to take place. At each SoutheastCon, the location of the SoutheastCon for at least the third subsequent conference will be determined; for example, at SoutheastCon 2002 the location for the 2005 conference will be determined. If a Section intends to submit an invitation for a SoutheastCon beyond the third subsequent year, such intent should be sent to the Region 3 Delegate/Director, the Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect, the Region 3 Conference Committee Chairman, and all other Region 3 Sections at least 120 days prior to the Region 3 Committee meeting at which action on the invitation is to take place, in order to allow other Sections equal opportunity to submit invitations for a given year. Sections responding to such a notice are not required to meet the 120 day requirement but must submit their invitation at least 60 days prior to the Region 3 Committee meeting.

c. Since SoutheastCon is authorized by the Region 3 Committee and is the occasion for the most important annual Region 3, Area/Council and Section meetings and workshops, there shall be strong mutual support and cooperation between the host Section, the Region 3 Conference Committee, the Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect and the Region 3 Delegate/Director.

The Region 3 Delegate/Director is responsible to determine that a viable financial plan is established and that all IEEE Bylaws and Policies are being observed. The host Section shall provide adequate facilities for the Region Committee meetings and give proper notice and publicity in the Conference Program.

d. A Conference General Chair should be appointed shortly after approval for a conference and the host section(s) conference committee staffed 18 months prior to the meeting date.

e. A preliminary budget will be submitted to the Region 3 Delegate/Director, the Region 3 Delegate/Director-Elect, and the Region 3 Conference Committee Chair not less than 15 months prior to the meeting date. Upon the Delegate/Director's approval, a monetary advance may be made by the Region, if required. Any surplus or deficit) will be shared equally by the sponsoring entity and the Region in recognition of the substantial commitment of Region 3 support to the success of the conference.

f. The Guidelines for organizing an IEEE Conference as published by IEEE will be followed insofar as they are applicable.

g. Presentation of student papers will be in separate sessions from the remainder of the technical program, and the student program will be the responsibility of the Region 3 Student Activities Committee and the Student Branch(es) of the host Section as described in Article VIII. Student Members will be encouraged to participate in all social activities of the conference, and wherever possible reduced rates will be established for their benefit and subsidized by other conference activities.

h. In establishing the level of registration fees for the conference, there shall be a member/non member differential maintained in the range of 25% to 50% in accordance with IEEE policy. Student Member registration will not exceed fifteen (15) percent of the conference member registration fee without approval of the Region 3 Delegate/Director upon recommendation from the Regional Student Activities Chair (RSAC). Unless the SoutheastCon Committee and the Region 3

Conference Committee stipulate[s] otherwise, the individual registration fee forunemployed, retired and Life Members shall be no more than for students.

i. To assure the financial success of the conference, it shall be the policy that all conference officers, committee members, authors, session chairs, Region 3 Committee members, Section chairs, etc., who participate in the technical conference shall register. Honored guest and Award recipients shall be excluded from this requirement.

Section 3: SOUTHCON

a. SOUTHCON is a major combination trade show and technical conference sponsored jointly by Area 4/Florida Council and Region 3 of the IEEE, and the Florida Sunshine Chapter of Electronic Representatives Association (ERA).

b. Responsibility for policies and operation of SOUTHCON is lodged in a Board of Directors appointed in accordance with SOUTHCON Bylaws by the sponsoring entities. Region 3 is represented by two members, serving staggered terms, who are appointed by the Region 3 Delegate/Director with the approval of the Executive Committee.

c. Region 3 will receive a 25% share of operating surplus when such surplus is declared by the SOUTHCON Board of Directors and will similarly be liable for 25% of any deficit that may accrue, after SOUTHCON resources are exhausted.

ARTICLE VII: AWARDS

Section 1: There shall be a Region 3 Awards and Recognition Program Administered by the Region 3 Awards and Recognition Committee and outlined in the Region 3 Awards and Recognition Program Manual.For committee details refer to Region 3 Operations Manual.

Section 2: The recipients of all Region 3 awards shall be selected in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Region 3 Awards and Recognition Program Manual.

Section 3: These awards will normally be presented at an appropriate time during SoutheastCon.

ARTICLE VIII: STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Section 1: The Region Student Activities Committee Chair is responsible for the overall student activity within the Region and will monitor the Branches and assist them in local operations. Refer to the Region 3 Operations Manual for committee responsibilities.

Section 2: A Student Conference and Paper Competition will be held annually, normally in conjunction with and as a part of, SoutheastCon.

ARTICLE IX: PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Section 1: The planning, organizing, implementing and monitoring of professional activities within Region 3 is the responsibility of the Professional Activities Operation Committee. Refer to the Region 3 Operations Manual for Committee responsibilities.

Section 2:The Region 3 Professional Activities Operation Committee shall provide a recommendation(s) to the Region 3 Delegate/Director for the position of Region 3 Coordinator of Professional Activities.

Section 3:An annual budget to support Region 3 professional activities shall be developed by the Region 3 Professional Activities Operation Committee. This budget shall be supported by funds made available through the IEEE-USA and the Region 3 General Fund.

IEEE-USA funded professional activities and the expenditure of such IEEE-USA funds shall be in accordance with said committee budget and shall be the responsibility of this committee under procedures that they may adopt.

The actual receipt, deposit, safekeeping, disbursement and accounting for these funds shall be the responsibility of the Region 3 Treasurer.

Initially adopted by the Region 3 Committee, April 10, 1978. Amended by the

Region 3 Committee as follows:

April 2, 1979;

April 6, 1981;

April 5, 1982;

April 9, 1984;

April 1, 1985;

January 17, 1987;

April 10, 1989;

April 6, 1993;

January 7, 1995;

April 14, 1996

April 07, 2002