Updated July 2024
SECTION 20 SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVES
20.1 TERMS
Society Representative: a volunteer member who has been appointed by the Computer Society Executive Committee to represent the Society to an organization external to the IEEE, or to any IEEE Council, IEEE Technical Committee or IEEE Technical Community. The term “organization”, when used in subsequent sections about Society Representatives, shall include external organizations, IEEE Councils, IEEE Technical Committees and IEEE Technical Communities.
A Society Representative shall be a member of the Computer Society.
External Liaison: a volunteer who serves as a liaison between a Computer Society Board or committee and an external organization, acting solely as an information conduit.
An External Liaison is not a Society Representative.
2.2 AUTHORITY RESERVED TO STAFF
Computer Society staff is responsible for negotiating any business or legal agreements with other organizations, IEEE Councils, IEEE Technical Committees or IEEE Technical Communities. The staff negotiates agreements consistent with the strategic and financial direction set by the Computer Society Board of Governors and its Executive Committee.
No board, committee, or other organization within the Computer Society may develop an agreement for the Society without the participation of a Computer Society staff member. Signing authority on behalf of the Computer Society for any agreement shall rest with the Executive Director.
20.3 DESIGNATION OF EXTERNAL LIAISONS
Any board, committee, or other organization within the Computer Society is authorized to designate an individual to serve as an External Liaison. The role of the External Liaison is strictly limited to providing for the exchange of information between the Society and the other organization. The existence of an External Liaison does not permit the other organization to make any claims whatsoever regarding Computer Society participation or membership in the organization, or regarding endorsement of its work.
20.4 DESIGNATION OF SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVES
A request to establish a new Society Representative position shall be considered by the Executive Committee to determine the appropriateness of the relationship, appoint the person who will serve as the Society Representative, and determine the Owning Board/Committee (OBC).
A Society Representative shall be a member or designee of the OBC.
Before an individual can serve as a Society Representative, the OBC shall consider possible conflicts of interest that the person may have with respect to the activities of the specific organization to which the Society Representative would represent the Computer Society.
Society Representatives serve at the pleasure of the Executive Committee.
20.5 CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Society Representative shall act in the best interest of the Computer Society at all times.
The Society Representative shall represent only the Computer Society and no other entity to the organization for which that person is serving as Society Representative. In the event that a conflict of interest arises between the interest of the Computer Society and the Society Representative’s other interests, the Society Representative shall immediately recuse himself or herself and report the conflict back to the OBC for action. Duty to the Computer Society takes priority, and this is met as a result of the recusal. Examples of conflict might include responsibilities to the Society Representative’s employer, or other duties to the organization that are unrelated to the Computer Society’s interests.
20.6 DUTIES OF THE SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVE
The Society Representative should help shape the views of the Society and be guided by them.
In doing so, the Society Representative should refer to documented Computer Society objectives or positions wherever possible, and should encourage the Computer Society to develop and document relevant objectives or positions where they do not exist.
The Society Representative shall provide regular reports, at least annually, to the OBC that include:
a) The OBC's objectives and guidance for the Society Representative.
b) A summary of the Society Representative’s significant positions, actions taken, and accomplishments.
c) Results achieved in the organization, including a summary of points of agreement and disagreement.
d) A summary of any issues, if any, for which the Society Representative recused himself or herself.
e) A summary of the Society Representative’s future plans related to the organization.
f) A summary of the future activities and plans established by the organization.
g) Requests for guidance with respect to participation in the organization, when appropriate.
h) Identification of any other individuals who participate in or support the Society Representative.
i) Reporting new officer positions held and/or other services provided for the organization.
20.7 DUTIES OF THE OWNING BOARD/COMMITTEE
The OBC is responsible for ensuring that positions taken by a Society Representative represent the views of the Society.
The OBC should develop and document relevant objectives or guidance for the Society Representative.
The OBC, having responsibility for providing oversight to a Society Representative, shall identify other boards, committees and organizations within the Computer Society that would have an interest in positions taken by the Society Representative under the OBC's responsibility. The OBC shall develop liaison relationships with those other committees and shall keep them informed on positions taken by the Society Representative.
The OBC shall establish report deadlines for Society Representatives.
The OBC shall implement annual reviews of organizational relationships. Reviews shall document the effectiveness and value of maintaining the Computer Society's involvement. Annual reviews shall serve as the bases for consideration of continuing relationships in their existing format, making changes, or discontinuing the relationships.
The OBC shall provide annual reports to the Computer Society Executive Committee on the status of Society Representatives.
If an OBC ceases to function as an OBC, the Executive Committee shall act as the OBC until it designates another OBC.
20.8 DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Computer Society shall maintain a list of all Society Representatives on the Computer Society web site. The web site shall permit users to submit comments about Society Representative activities to Computer Society staff who will direct them to the Executive Committee for further consideration or action.
The Computer Society Executive Committee shall review at least annually, the list and appointments of Society Representatives and, as appropriate, drop Representative positions, create new Representative positions, or change the persons appointed as Representatives.
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