Bylaws

Ocean and Marine Engineering Division (OMED) Bylaws

Approved 06/29/77

Revised 1979

Revised 1989

Revised 2019

Article I. NAME AND OBJECTIVE

Section 1. The name of this Division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) shall be the Ocean and Marine Engineering Division (OMED).

Section 2. The primary objectives of the Division shall be:

2a. To provide a formal organizational structure to promote, encourage, and facilitate ASEE activities pertaining to professional and technical education in ocean and marine engineering.

2b. To provide a forum for the discussion of problems and exchange of information pertaining to professional and technical education elated to ocean and marine engineering and ocean technology.

2c. To provide programs at meetings.

2d. To establish and maintain liaison with other organizations concerned with professional and technical education.

Article II. MEMBERSHIP

The membership of the Division shall be those members of ASEE who identify to ASEE their wish to be affiliated with the Division each year and annually pay division dues of one dollar. Only current members of ASEE and of Ocean and Marine Engineering Division in good standing shall be eligible to be officers or committee members.

Article III. ORGANIZATION

The division shall be administered by an Executive Committee composed of the Chair, the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect/Program Chair, the Secretary/Treasurer, the Immediate Past-Chair, and three elected Members-at-Large to represent Industry, Education and Government. The Chair or Vice-Chair shall represent the Division on the Council Board of the Professional Interest Council to which the Division has been assigned by the Society. Webmaster will be appointed by the Executive Committee and may be reappointed annually as long as they are willing to serve.

Article IV. OFFICERS AND DUTIES

Section 1. The Division shall have the following officers whose terms of office shall be as indicated:

Chair – Serving a term of 2 years and succeeding to the position of Immediate Past Chair
Vice Chair/Program Chair/Chair-Elect – Serving a term of 2 years and succeeding to the position of Chair
Secretary/Treasurer – Serving a term of 2 years
Immediate Past Chair – Serving a term of 2 years

Section 2. The Chair and other elected officers shall assume their duties at the close of the division’s business meeting conducted at the annual meeting of the Society. Appointed officers shall assume their duties upon appointment.

Section 3. In the event of the resignation or death of one of the members of the Executive Committee, a person appointed by vote of the Executive Committee shall fill the vacated office for the duration of the unexpired term. An exception is if the vacated position is Chair. In this case, the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect/Program Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair. In the event that both the Chair and Vice Chair are unable to assume their offices, the Executive Committee shall elect a Chairman from its membership.

Section 4. The duties of each officer of the Division shall be those usually associated with the respective office including the following:

4a. Chair

The Chair shall have administrative responsibility for all meetings; shall serve as Chairman of the Division; and shall serve as the Division representative in the associated Professional Interest Council of ASEE. The Chair shall prepare a written report for their term of office; shall appoint such committees as are necessary for the adequate administration and operation of the Division; and shall serve as an ex-officio member of those committees directed by the Chair of the associated Professional Interest Council.

4b. Vice Chair/Program Chair/Chair-Elect

The Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in the operation of the Division. In the event, the Chair is unable to perform the duties of the office, the Vice Chair shall assume the office of Chair. The Vice-Chair shall preside over meetings of the Division in the absence of the Chair; and shall also be the Program Chair for the two-year term of office. The Vice Chair will be the Chair-Elect of the Ocean and Marine Engineering Division and will automatically accede to the office of Chair for the following two-year term.

4c. Secretary/Treasurer

The Secretary of the Division shall be responsible for keeping complete records of all meetings of the Division and within sixty days following each meeting, will furnish copies of the minutes of the meeting to all members of the Division. The Secretary shall also supply to the officers of the Division and to the Webmaster up-to-date copies of these bylaws with all amendments, within sixty days following the annual business meeting of the Division, if changes were made; and shall keep an up-to-date record of membership in the Ocean and Marine Engineering Division, indicating an appropriate ocean and marine engineering “interest grouping”, i.e., industry, education, or government, for each member. The Treasurer will supervise the budget, recommend disbursement of funds and maintain appropriate fiscal records.

4d. Immediate Past-Chair

The Immediate Past-Chair shall serve on the Executive Committee and, upon appointment, on such other standing and ad-hoc committees as the Division may establish. The Immediate Past-Chair will be responsible for performing the review of the best associated PIC paper.

4e. Webmaster

The webmaster will be responsible for the design and maintenance of the Division webpage and any interaction that relates to the Division e-mail listserv. The webmaster will also ensure that the division webpage adheres to the policies and standards of the Society as to privacy and all other internet issues.

Article V. ELECTION AND SUCCESSION OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The Chair will appoint a Nominating Committee no later than ninety days prior to the annual meeting of the Division. The Nominating Committee shall annually nominate candidates for each elected office for which the term is due to expire at the next annual business meeting.

Section 2. An eligible/nominated candidate must be a current member of the Ocean and Marine Engineering Division who has expressed a willingness to accept the nomination and to serve, if elected, in the office to be filled.

Section 3. Additional nominations for any elective office may be made at the Business Meeting of the Division at the Annual Meeting of the Society. These additional nominees shall be voted on along with the nominees selected by the Nominating Committee.

Section 4. Voting for officers shall take place at the annual business meeting of the Ocean and Marine Engineering Division. A candidate receiving the largest number of votes for the office sought shall be declared elected.

Article VI. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall establish such standing and ad hoc committees as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the Division. Duties:

1a. The Division shall have an Executive Committee whose duty shall be to promote and to coordinate the activities of the Division.

1b. The Executive Committee shall serve as a channel of communication for its members and shall make recommendations on matters of concern to the Chair of the Division and associated Professional Interest Council.

1c. The Executive Committee shall administer such other activities as may be desirable for the objectives of the Division.

Section 2. Members – The Executive Committee shall be the Division officers and three members-at-large representing the ocean and marine engineering interest groups, namely Industry, Education and Government.

Section 3. Proxies – If an elected member is unable to serve on the Executive Committee, the Division Chair shall designate a replacement for the appropriate interest group.

Article VII. MEETINGS

Section 1. The Ocean and Marine Engineering Division shall hold its annual business meeting at the time and place of the Annual Conference of ASEE. The time and place of the annual business meeting shall be announced to the members of the Division not less than thirty days before the date of the meeting.

Section 2. If required, a semi-annual, virtual or special meeting of the Executive Committee may be held if called by the Chair at a place and on a date to be announced upon twenty days notice.

Section 3. A quorum shall consist of one-half of the membership of the Executive Committee.

Article VIII. STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. NOMINATING COMMITTEE: A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Division Chair. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members, including the Immediate Past-Chair of the Division who shall chair the committee. In the event that the Immediate Past-Chair of the Division is unable to serve, the Nominating Committee Chair shall be designated by the Ocean and Marine Engineering Division Chair. The Nominating Committee will present its nominees at the annual meeting and other nominations may be made from the floor.

Section 2. AWARDS SELECTION COMMITTEE: An awards selection committee shall be appointed by the Division Chair and shall consists of three members, including the Program Chair who shall chair the committee. The awards committee will select recipients of OMED awards and nominees for associated PIC awards in accordance with the provisions of each award and the policies and procedures established for awards by the Executive Committee. In addition, the awards selection committee will also nominate an OMED paper for any ASEE award for which they are eligible.

Article IX. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section 1. The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition) shall govern the Division in all cases where applicable and where they are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of ASEE and the bylaws of the Division.

Section 2. Any provision of these bylaws shall be deemed invalid if it contravenes the Constitution and bylaws of the Society or of the Professional Interest Council (PIC) to which the unit belongs.

Article X. AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Executive Committee with no less than two-thirds of the Committee attending and voting at a business meeting of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. These bylaws may also be amended by a letter or Email ballot of the member of the Executive Committee, emailed by the Secretary/Treasurer, the amendment being approved if two-thirds or more of the ballots that are returned within a thirty-day period are favorable.

Section 3. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee or may be submitted by petitions signed by not less than twenty individual members of the ASEE Ocean and Marine Engineering Division addressed to the Division Chair.

Section 4. Amendments approved by the division shall be submitted through the associated PIC Chair for approval by majority vote of the ASEE Board of Directors and shall take effect only upon such approval.

Section 5. New division and national awards must be approved by the Awards Policy Committee (APC). Once approved by the APC, the award description shall be submitted through the associated PIC Chair for approval by majority vote of the ASEE Board of Directors and shall take effect upon approval.

Article XI. STATEMENT OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS

The Ocean and Marine Engineering Division is committed to promoting the inclusion and education of diverse individuals and embracing diverse ideas in the professions of engineering and engineering technology. The Ocean and Marine Engineering Division recognizes that diversity is strength in creativity, broadness of new ideas, and embracing new perspectives to arrive at the most truly innovative, resource-smart solutions possible. More information can be found on ASEE’s Statement on Diversity and Inclusiveness at http://www.asee.org/about-us/diversity.