5.8 Meetings & Conferences Board   - approved 11/98 -

Objectives

Meetings & Conferences is responsible for establishing policies and setting strategic directions for Meetings and Conferences of the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc), and for the oversight of the day to day operations in support of conferences. This department reports to the Vice President – Membership Services. To the extent that non-member professionals can be viewed as potential Society members, or that their needs should be understood in maintaining current and formulating new Society services, they, too, will be considered.

Organizational Structure

Meetings & Conferences shall be administered by a Meetings & Conferences Committee, made up of a Chair (Director of Meetings and Conferences) and Committee Members representing the various conference Boards. The Conference Boards are categorized in three areas: Geographic Conference Boards, Conference Management Boards and Session/Product Development Boards. There are four Geographic Conference Boards (Asia Pacific Region, Europe/Africa and Middle East Region, Latin America Region, North America Region). There are five Conference Management Boards (GICB, INFOCOM, MILCOM, NOMS/IM, and Directed Growth Conferences). There are five Session/Product Development Boards (Applications and Systems Engineering, Fundamental Research, Product and Systems Development, Tutorials, and Exhibits and Patrons). The Director is appointed to the position by the Vice President Membership Services; Board Chairs are appointed by the Director, and Board Members are appointed to their position by the Board Chairs, drawing upon a field of candidates from the membership at large, with special attention given to individuals who have special expertise, previously served in related capacities, or held position of responsibility within the Society, especially in Meetings and Conferences. The Director shall confer with the Vice President Membership Services in making a selection. It is expected that the Director and Meetings and Conferences and reporting Board and committee members will be members in good standing of the IEEE Communications Society. In addition a Steering Committee, chaired by the Director, and consisting of the Vice President Membership Services, Vice President Technical Activities, Executive Director and Manager of Meetings and Conferences meets to discuss strategic direction.

All Board Chairs shall serve a nominal two-year term, with terms extendable to a third year, based on mutual agreement of the Director and the Chair. In the event that a Chair position is vacated before the full two- or three-year term is completed, the Director shall appoint a successor to complete that partial term, plus serve an additional traditional (two- or three-year) term. A Chair’s term concludes either by natural expiration, or by invitation to resign, the latter subject to mutual agreement of the Director and Vice President Membership Services.

Activities

As stated above, Meetings & Conferences is chartered with 1) formulating strategic directions, 2) establishing policies and procedures which affect ComSoc conferences and 3) overseeing the ongoing conference operations. Within this mandate Meetings and Conferences is also responsible for 4) maintaining the vitality of existing conferences and products, and 5) assuring that such conferences and products continue to meet the current needs of the Society Members. The Meetings and Conferences Committee and Boards shall share responsibilities in these four areas.

Areas of concern, issues, or proposals for new initiatives can be ‘generated’ anywhere - from members of the Board of Governors, the Operating Committee, Society Councils or members of their boards, the membership at large, the New York Staff, and professionals outside the Society. Proposals for conferences are initiated by members and Chapters around the world. Conference proposals identify Conference Chairs and key members of the conference organizing committees. Proposals must follow defined IEEE and Communications Society guidelines, and they are evaluated according to defined criteria. Approval is given by the Director, following endorsement by one or more technical committees. As needed, progress will be reported to the Operating Committee (OpCom) or Board of Governors (BOG) when they meet. Such reports will be presented by the Director when she/he attends, or by the Vice President Membership Services. Reports are due no less than four weeks prior to OpCom and BOG meetings, so the Vice President Membership Services can, in turn, prepare his/her own report in conformance with a three-week lead time.

In the event the Vice President cannot attend a Management Retreat, OpCom or BOG meeting, the Director might be asked to fill that role on a per-meeting basis.

To successfully fulfill its charter the Meetings and Conferences committee must work closely with the New York ComSoc Staff. In particular, the Executive Director, Staff Accountant, Advertising Sales Manager, Information Services Manager, Marketing Manager, Meetings & Conferences Manager, & Administration Senior Administrator must be kept informed of conference activities, and will work actively with them in the day to day operation.