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C00002 00002	 .sec(|PROPOSED NEW SIGART CONSTITUTION|,|SIGART CONSTITUTION|)
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 .sec(|PROPOSED NEW SIGART CONSTITUTION|,|SIGART CONSTITUTION|);
 
 The following proposed SIGART constitution is designed to update our
 rather outdated constitution$$[b-SICART Newsletter], No.#8, pp.#2-5,
 Feburary 1968.* written while we were still a SIC (instead of a
 SIG).  It is based on the most current sample SIG bylaws recommended
 by the SIG/SIC Board and would be consistent with current ACM Bylaws.
 Its principle features include a shift to an elected form of officers
 and provision for an Advisory Board.
 
 We have been advised by the Chairman of the SIG/SIC Board that the best
 way to amend the existing bylaws is to submit the proposed bylaws to
 the entire SIGART membership for a vote by written ballot, rather than
 handling it at our annual business meeting at ACM-74 in San Diego.
 Even though this procedure is in violation of Article IX of our existing
 bylaws, it is consistent with the Association's sample SIG bylaws, and
 special approval for this procedure will be obtained from the SIG Board.
 
 Please come prepared to discuss the proposed constitution at ACM-74.
 
 
 .begin "bylaws";	skip 1;	need(7);
 .	begin;	center;	select b;
 Proposed Bylaws of the
 Special Interest Group on Artificial Intelligence
 of the Association for Computing Machinery
 .	end;
 
 .turn on "\";	tabs 5,9,13,17,20;
 .at "&" ⊂indent 4,8;⊃;	at "@@" ⊂indent 8,12;⊃;
 .at "⊗" ⊂indent 0,4;need(5);⊃;
 .at "∧" ⊂skip 1; continue;⊃;
 ⊗I.\ARTICLE I - NAME
 
 ∧This organization shall be called the [b-Special Interest Group on
 Artificial Intelligence of the Association for Computing Machinery],
 hereinafter referred to as [b-SIGART], or the [b-Group].
 
 ⊗II.\ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
 
 &A.\This Special Interest Group is organized and will be operated 
 exclusively for educational and scientific purposes in the subject
 area of Artificial Intelligence and in furtherance thereof.
 
 &B.\The organization will promote the interest of professionals by:
 
 @@1.\Affording opportunity for discussion of problems of common interest.
 
 @@2.\Encouraging presentation of papers of special interest to this
 group at National and Regional Meetings of the ACM and at other
 special meetings organized by this group.
 
 @@3.\Providing guidance to the ACM Council on matters of importance
 to the group.
 
 @@4.\Publishing the [b-SIGART Newsletter] containing information of interest
 to the group.
 
 @@5.\Other appropriate means.  No addition may contradict the main
 purpose stated in Article II - A above.
 
 ⊗III.\ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
 
 &A.\Membership is open to any person upon payment of appropriate dues,
 who is interested in furthering the objectives of the organization.
 There are three classes of membership:
 
 @@1.\Regular Member (Class 1) -- Any member in good standing of ACM
 may become a member of SIGART.
 
 @@2.\Associate Member (Class 2) -- Any person whose primary professional
 specialty is in a field other than information processing or computing
 machinery may become a member of SIGART without being a member of ACM.
 
 @@3.\Student Member (Class 3) -- Any person who is presently enrolled
 as a full time student of an accredited institution of higher education.
 
 &B.\Each member shall pay dues as determined by the Executive Committee
 of SIGART.
 
 &C.\Applicants for membership shall submit their applications to the
 secretary of SIGART.  The secretary shall determine the appropriate
 class of membership and the amount of dues then payable.
 
 &D.\The secretary shall terminate the membership of any member of
 the Group who:
 
 @@1.\Fails to maintain membership in good standing in ACM and is
 not eligible for Class 2 or Class 3 membership in SIGART.
 
 @@2.\Fails to pay dues within 30 days of the date on which they
 are payable.
 
 @@3.\Resigns his membership in SIGART.
 
 &E.\The duties of Sections (III, C-D) above may be delegated to ACM
 headquarters.
 
 ⊗IV.\ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
 
 &A.\The governing body of the Group shall be the Executive Committee.
 Its Members shall consist of the four officers of SIGART:  the Chairman,
 the Vice-Chairman, the Secretary-Treasurer, and the Editor of the
 [b-SIGART Newsletter].
 
 &B.\The duties of the Chairman include:
 
 @@1.\Calling and presiding at meetings of the Executive Committee
 and of SIGART;
 
 @@2.\Appointing all standing and ad hoc committees, including the
 Advisory Board described in Article VI;
 
 @@3.\Appointing the Meetings Chairman described in Article VII and
 a liason to the International Joint Council on Artificial Intelligence;
 
 @@4.\Appointing members to fill elective offices that may become
 vacant between elections through resignation or ineligibility of
 an incumbent officer.
 
 &C.\The duties of the Vice-Chairman include:
 
 @@1.\Presiding at meetings in the absence of the Chairman;
 
 @@2.\Assuming the duties of the Chairman in the event of the Chairman's
 resignation or incapacity;
 
 @@3.\Assuming any duties delegated by the Chairman.
 
 &D.\The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer include:
 
 @@1.\Keeping minutes of business meetings of SIGART and of The
 Executive Committee;
 
 @@2.\Maintaining records and correspondence of SIGART;
 
 @@3.\Notifying members of the Executive Committee of the time, place,
 and agenda of the Committee meetings;
 
 @@4.\Sending official notification (2 copies) to the Chairman of
 the SIG/SIC Board of changes in the elected officers of SIGART;
 
 @@5.\Filing such other reports as are required by the ACM;
 
 @@6.\Supervising the financial affairs of SIGART;
 
 @@7.\Preparing budgets as required by ACM;
 
 @@8.\Receiving, holding, and disbursing those SIGART funds held outside ACM;
 
 @@9.\Maintaining and reporting financial records of SIGART;
 
 @@10.\Reporting SIGART's finances annually as required by ACM.
 
 &∧Duties 9-10 are normally performed by ACM headquarters except when
 permitted by the ACM Executive Committee; the Secretary-Treasurer,
 nonetheless, has responsibility for monitoring SIGART's finances
 for adherence to the annual budget.
 
 &E.\The duties of the Newsletter Editor include:
 
 @@1.\Publishing of a periodic [b-Newsletter] to be distributed to the
 membership in cooperation with ACM Headquarters;
 
 @@2.\Maintain a current list of correspondents (Newsletter Reporters)
 based at major AI centers or local SIGART Chapters.
 
 &F.\The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, and Ne≥sletter
 Editor shall be elected by the members of SIGART to terms of office
 of two years, beginning June 1 of odd-numbered years.  Any Officer or
 Director may be re-elected.
 
 &G.\Only full members of ACM are eligible to be candidates or
 hold office.
 
 ⊗V.\ARTICLE V - ELECTION OF OFFICERS
 
 &A.\The Chairman shall appoint a nominating committee by November 30th
 in each even-numbered year.  This committee will nominate at least
 one candidate for each elective office and at least two candidates for
 one of the elective offices, and secure accepance of nominees.  The
 nominating committee shall inform the members of SIGART of its state
 of candidates, and solicit further nominations from the members
 at that time.
 
 &B.\The nominating committee will mail ballots to all members of
 SIGART not later than February 28th of each odd-numbered year.  Ballots
 shall state the last day for receipt of a voted ballot by the Secretary.
 This date shall be at least 30 days after the last ballots are mailed.
 Of the ballots returned, a plurality of votes cast for each office
 determines the winner of that office.
 
 &C.\The nominating committee shall count the ballots and inform
 all members of the Executive Committee and the Chairman of the SIG/SIC
 Board of election results no later than April 1 of each odd-numbered year.
 
 &D.\Class 1 and 2 members of SIGART, but not Class 3 members, may
 vote.  However, on any ballot the effective value of the vote of the
 Class 2 members eligible to vote shall not exceed 50α% of the Class 1
 members eligible to vote at that time.  If necessary, an automatic
 prorated reduction of each eligible Class 2 vote will be made to
 maintain a 50α% ratio of eligible ACM votes; in such a case this adjustment
 will be specified and indicated on each ballot when it is mailed.
 
 &E.\Responsibility for the election procedure described in (V, B-D)
 may be delegated to ACM headquarters.
 
 ⊗VI.\ARTICLE VI - ADVISORY BOARD
 
 ∧The Chairman shall appoint or renew the appointment of at least five
 senior members of the Artificial Intelligence Community.  The responsibility
 of the Advisory Board will be to advise SIGART on policy matters at the
 request of the Chairman.
 
 ⊗VII.\ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS
 
 &A.\The Chairman shall appoint a Meetings Chairman for a term of one
 year ending in June of each year.
 
 &B.\The Meetings Chairman is responsible for the planning and conduct
 of all meetings of SIGART during his term of office.
 
 &C.\At least one business meeting of SIGART will he held each year,
 normally in conjunction with the annual ACM National Conference.
 
 &D.\SIGART may hold meetings only in places that are open to all
 classes of members of the ACM.
 
 ⊗VIII.\ARTICLE VIII - AMMENDMENTS
 
 .once indent 4,12;
 A.\1.\A resolution by a simple majority of the Executive Committee
 shall be sufficient to cause a Bylaw ammendment to be voted on by
 SIGART members.  An amendment can be proposed to the Executive
 Committee by any of its own members, or by any member of SIGART.
 
 @@2.\A petition by 10α% of SIGART members shall be sufficient to
 cause a Bylaw amendment to be voted on by SIGART members.  The right
 to petition shall be independent of any decisions taken in accordance
 with the above Article VIII.A.1.
 
 &B.\The proposed amendment shall be reviewed prior to the distribution
 referred to in Section C, below, by the Chairman of the SIG/SIC Board
 and by the Chairman of the ACM Constitution and Bylaws Committee.
 
 &C.\The proposed amendment shall be voted on by the following mail
 balloting procedure:
 
 @@1.\The ballots shall be mailed out by first-class mail from (and
 returned to) ACM headquarters, unless the Group Secretary specifies
 an alternative mailing procedure.  The ballot shall include (i) a
 copy of the proposed amendment including a specification of the date
 on which it will become effective; (ii) a copy of the article[s]
 in the existing bylaws that is [are] being proposed for amendment.
 
 @@2.\Only ballots received at ACM headquarters (or at an alternate
 address, if specified by the Group Secretary) postmarked within thirty
 days after the last ballot was mailed out shall be valid.
 
 &D.\The amendment shall become effective if a two-thirds majority of
 the valid ballots approve the proposed amendment.
 
 ⊗IX.\ARTICLE IX - DISSOLUTION
 
 ∧In the event of dissolution of SIGART, all assets of SIGART will
 be transferred to the ACM.
 
 ⊗X.\ARTICLE X - CONSISTENCY
 
 ∧In the event of conflict between these bylaws and ACM Bylaw 7, or
 the sample bylaws approved by the ACM, the latter shall prevail over
 the SIGART bylaws.
 .end "bylaws";
 
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