The College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (EMS) Advisory Board (Advisory Board) at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville exists to provide guidance and counsel to the College regarding its EMS programs; to communicate the changing needs of the EMS professions to the College; to promote the programs and activities of the College in the Midwest; and to assist in development of resources that allow the College to fulfill its missions of education, research, and community outreach.
II. ORGANIZATION
The Advisory Board is a voluntary, self-perpetuating organization that serves at the invitation of the Dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science. Leadership for the Advisory Board is provided by a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is comprised of the Officers, the Immediate Past Chair, the Chairs of the standing committees, and the Dean and Assistant/Associate Dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science. The Dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science serves as Executive Secretary (ex officio) of the Advisory Board.
The Chair provides leadership for the Advisory Board, including calling and presiding over meetings of the Advisory Board, and presiding over meetings of the Steering Committee. The Chair appoints committee members with the advice and counsel of the Executive Secretary.
The Vice Chair assumes the duties of the Chair in the event of his or her resignation, or in the event that the chair cannot perform the duties of the office.
The Executive Secretary reviews and approves individuals nominated for membership on the Advisory Board, provides advice and counsel to the Chair regarding committee assignments, schedules meetings at the instigation of the Chair and so notifies members of the Advisory Board, records and publishes minutes of all meetings, acts as spokesperson for the College, and provides staff support for the Advisory Board.
III. MEMBERSHIP
Members of the Advisory Board are appointed by the Chair of the Advisory Board upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee and the endorsement of the Executive Secretary. Members serve a three-year term and may be reappointed to successive terms. Terms are staggered to ensure continuity.
The number of active Advisory Board members shall be greater than fifteen and less than or equal to forty, and shall appropriately represent the following: the disciplines of the degree programs of the College; the alumni of the College; the geographic constituency of the College; and regional businesses and industries that employ Platteville EMS graduates. Members shall be responsible representatives in Wisconsin and the Midwest. At least two-thirds of the members of the Advisory Board shall be engineers, holding, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree in engineering or registration as a professional engineer in the United States. The mathematics and science members shall hold, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree in mathematics and/or science.
Members who are unable to attend a meeting may send a surrogate for informational purposes. However, such a surrogate may not vote, hold office, or serve as a member of the committee. Repeated use of a surrogate is discouraged.
A member may be removed from the Advisory Board upon a four-fifths vote of the members of the Advisory Board. A member of the Advisory Board who fails to attend a meeting of the Advisory Board in two years will be contacted to determine whether they will continue as an active member, assume inactive status, or be removed from the Advisory Board membership. An inactive member will not take an active role or vote at Advisory Board meetings but will be available for service to the College.
IV. QUORUM
A quorum is one-third of the current membership of the Advisory Board. Surrogates are not counted for quorum purposes. If a quorum is not present, the actions of the Advisory Board are binding if the entire membership is polled by mail and no dissenting responses to the actions are forthcoming.
V. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The Chair of the Advisory Board shall hold an election at the spring meeting in even-numbered years to elect a new Vice Chair, and to reaffirm the ascension of the Vice Chair to Chair. The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of one or more candidates for the office of Vice Chair that is drawn from the current membership of the Advisory Board. Nominations from the floor shall be permitted. Elections shall be decided by the majority vote of those present at the spring meeting.
Terms of the office shall extend from October 1 of an even-numbered year to September 30 of the next even-numbered year.
Vacancies that occur during the term of office shall be filled by promotion where possible. The Chair of the Advisory Board shall appoint an interim officer for any vacancies that cannot be filled by promotion. Interim appointments shall be subject to approval by the Steering Committee. Vacant positions filled by interim appointments shall be filled with duly elected officers at the next meeting of the Advisory Board.
VI. STANDING COMMITTEES
Steering Committee. The Steering Committee serves as the executive committee of the Advisory Board. The Steering Committee meets two or more times each year to assess the current activities of the Advisory Board, to plan future activities, and to develop recommendations for consideration by the Advisory Board. The Steering Committee is comprised of the Officers, the Immediate Past Chair, the Chairs for the standing committees, and the Dean and the Assistant/Associate Dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science. The Chair of the Advisory Board serves as the Chair of the Steering Committee.
Concept Committee. The goals of the Concept Committee are to identify opportunities for the College to improve performance of its mission, to develop options to take advantage of these opportunities, and to present recommendations for further consideration by the Dean. The work of the committee is performed by active members of the Advisory Board at the request and under the direction of the Committee Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Concept Committee are elected at the fall meeting to concurrent three-year terms of office by majority vote of the Advisory Board. The three-year terms of the committee Chair and Vice-Chair begin immediately upon election. The initial term of office for the Concept Committee Chair and Vice-Chair shall be for one year, beginning in the fall of 2001. Except for the initial one-year term, the Committee Chair is limited to a single elected term of office.
Projects Committee. The goal of the Projects Committee is to support the College in the implementation of specific projects identified by the Dean. The work of the committee is performed by active members of the Advisory Board at the request and under the direction of the Committee Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Projects Committee are elected at the fall meeting to concurrent three-year terms of office by majority vote of the Advisory Board. The three-year therms of the committee Chair and Vice-Chair begin immediately upon election. The initial term of office for the Projects Committee Chair and Vice-Chair shall be for two years, beginning in the fall of 2001. The Committee Chair is limited to a single elected term of office.
Program Committee. The goal of the Program Committee is to provide continuing support of ongoing operational needs of the College as identified by the Dean. The work of the committee is performed by active members of the Advisory Board at the request and under the direction of the Committee Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Program Committee are elected at the fall meeting to concurrent three-year terms of office by majority vote of the Advisory Board. The initial term of office for the Program Committee Chair and Vice-Chair shall begin in the fall of 2001. The Committee Chair is limited to a single elected term of office.
Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee assembles a slate of candidates for each vacant position to be filled because of the normal rotation of chairs or because of mid-term vacancies. The Nominating Committee is also responsible for nominating new members of the Advisory Board for appointment by the Chair of the Advisory Board with endorsement of the Executive Secretary. The Nominating Committee consists of past chairs of the Advisory Board who are still active members, and the current Chair and Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board. The Chair of the committee will be the most immediate past Chair of Advisory Board who is still an active member.
VII. MEETINGS
The Advisory Board meets at least twice annually, once in the spring semester and once in the fall semester. Meetings are scheduled by the Executive Secretary, in consultation with the Chair of the Advisory Board. The Chair may schedule additional meetings at his/her discretion. If five or more members of the Advisory Board notify the Chair or the Executive Secretary of their wish for an additional meeting, a meeting must be scheduled within one month of the date of the fifth such request.
Meetings generally are held on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, but other meetings sites may be designated from time to time in accordance with the wishes of the Advisory Board.
Meetings are open to the public, and all minutes and other records of such meetings are available upon request. The Advisory Board may elect to convene an Executive Session for the sole purpose of discussing personnel matters, in which case the meeting is closed and the minutes are held in confidence to the Advisory Board.
VIII. AMENDMENT
These Bylaws shall be amended by a three-fifths vote of the current membership of the Advisory Board and the concurrence of the Dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science.
Revised: 10/93; 3/94; 4/94; 10/95; 4/96; 3/00; and 3/01.