Bylaws

Bylaws

Article I – Name

This organization shall be called the INFORMS Simulation Society, where INFORMS is an abbreviation for The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences. Herein the INFORMS Simulation Society will be referred to as the Society.

Article II – Purposes

The purposes of the Society shall be

  1.  To provide a continuing, specialized focus within INFORMS on the topic of simulation.
  2.  To encourage the development and dissemination of knowledge in the area of simulation.
  3.  To promote communication and interaction among individuals and organizations who share an interest in simulation.
  4.  To sponsor conferences on simulation and topics therein and sessions at INFORMS meetings.
  5.  To encourage the education of students and the continuing education of practitioners in simulation.
  6.  To give awards to recognize outstanding work and achievements.

The Society is organized and will be operated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Article III – Membership

Any person interested in simulation may become associated with the Society.

  1. Any member of INFORMS may become a member of the Society by completing a membership application and submitting it with the proper dues. All such members of the Society shall have equal rights, duties, and privileges.
  2. An individual who is not a member of INFORMS may become a member of the Society by completing a membership application and submitting it with the proper dues. Such members of the Society shall have equal rights, duties, and privileges as those who are regular members except for the right to hold elective office in the Society.

Article IV – Officers and Council

All Officers and Council Members of the Society must be members of INFORMS and in good standing in the Society.

  1. The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Council shall consist of the Officers, the immediate Past President, and four elected Council Members. (In case the immediate Past President is unable to serve, then the most recent Past President that is able to serve shall be a member of the Council.)
  2. The President shall be the chief administrative officer of the Society, and shall be responsible for the general supervision, direction and control of the business and affairs of the Society. The President shall call, organize, and preside over all business and council meetings of the Society, manage the affairs of the Society between meetings subject to conferring with the Council, represent the Society in external affairs, appoint all committees and committee chairpersons of the Society after conferring with the Council, and conduct Society elections. In addition, the President shall be responsible for maintaining communication with the Society representative to the INFORMS Board, and for participating in the Nominating Assembly for the representative to the INFORMS Board.
  3. The Vice President shall be the principal assistant administrative officer of the Society and shall assume the duties in the absence or temporary disability of the President. In addition, the Vice President shall arrange for sessions at INFORMS meetings, and shall arrange for all business and council meetings of the Society.
  4. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all the Society business and council meetings, send all notices to the membership and council members, and perform other duties usual to the office of Secretary. In addition, the Secretary shall maintain appropriate contact with and prepare and submit all non-financial reports to INFORMS.
  5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all financial matters of the Society, work with the appropriate Business Offices of INFORMS to ensure that all financial matters and membership records are maintained, maintain appropriate financial and membership records for the Society, handle disbursements and collections of funds, arrange for accounts needed to handle the Society funds subject to approval by the Council, and perform other duties usual to the office of Treasurer. In additional, the Treasurer shall maintain other appropriate contact with and prepare and submit all financial reports to INFORMS.
  6. Council Members should represent the breadth of the simulation community in all ways. Furthermore, one of the Council Members shall be from outside the United States.

Article V – Committees

  1. The Society shall have the following standing committees:
    1. An Outstanding Simulation Publication Award Committee whose members are appointed by the procedures established for this Committee.
    2. A Distinguished Service Award Committee whose members are appointed by the procedures established for this Committee.
    3. A Lifetime Professional Achievement Award Committee whose members are appointed by the procedures established for this Committee.
    4. A Communications Committee responsible for the the Newsletter and Website. Unless a procedure for appointing members to this committee is established by the membership, this committee shall consist of three Society members appointed by the President and whose term shall coincide with the President’s term. The President shall appoint editorial staff for the Newsletter after consultation with the Communication Committee. At least two Newsletters shall be produced each calendar year. The President may also appoint a Webmaster after consultation with the Communication Committee.
    5. An Awards Committee to nominate candidates for INFORMS Fellows and for (non-Society) Awards. Unless a procedure for appointing members to this committee is established by the membership, this committee shall consist of three Society members appointed by the President and whose term shall coincide with the President’s term.
  2. The Nominating Committee shall consist of two members in good standing in the Society who do not currently hold office and will not become candidates for any office position and the Past President serving on the Council who shall chair the committee.
  3. The President may create ad hoc committees and appoint their members and chairperson. The tenure of an ad hoc committee shall expire with the term of the President who appointed it.

Article VI – Terms of Office and Elections

  1. The terms of the Officers of the Society shall be for two years beginning on July 1 of the even numbered years. If the Presidency becomes vacant, then the Vice President shall become the President for the reminder of that President’s term. If the Vice Presidency becomes vacant, then the Secretary shall become the Vice President for the remainder of that Vice President’s term. If a vacancy should occur for either the Secretary or Treasurer, the President shall appoint a replacement subject to the approval of the Council to finish the remainder of that person’s term.
  2. The terms of the Council Members shall be two years. Two of the Council Members’ terms shall begin on July 1 of the even numbered years and the other two Council Members’ terms shall begin on July 1 of the odd numbered years. One of the Council Members whose term begins on the even numbered years shall be from outside the United States. If a vacancy should occur for any Council Member, the President shall appoint a replacement subject to approval by the Council to finish the remainder of that person’s term. No Council Member may serve more than five consecutive years.
  3. The Officers and Council Members shall be elected by the membership of the Society from a slate put forth by the Nominating Committee and those nominated by the membership. The Nominating Committee shall select at least two nominees for each office (Officer and Council Member position) and submit the list of nominees to the President for publication in a fall Newsletter in the year prior to which the terms are to begin. Any group of 10 or more members may also nominate a candidate for any office by submitting a signed petition to the President no later than March 1. A spring Newsletter will include the ballots, showing all nominees listed in alphabetical order with no distinction between petition and Nominating Committee candidates and providing space for write-in candidates. The ballots shall specify the deadline for their return. Ballot counting shall be the responsibility of the Past President serving on the Council and the President. A plurality of qualified votes cast shall be necessary for election to any office. In the event of a tie vote for any office position, the members of the current Council shall choose between the tied candidates by secret ballot. Results of the election shall be communicated in the next Newsletter and posted on the website.

Article VII – Finances

  1. Individual membership dues are set by a vote of the membership. Society dues are higher for members who do not hold membership in INFORMS.
  2. The membership decides on the spending of Society finances. The membership can decide to have regular allocation of funds for specific activities such as for Society awards.
  3. In emergencies, the Council can decide to spend Society money. Such expenditures shall be brought to the membership at the next business meeting to request their approval.

Article VIII – Meetings

  1. Business meetings of the Society shall be held at least twice each year in conjunction with the national meeting of INFORMS and the Winter Simulation Conference. A quorum for business meetings shall be at least fifteen members or five percent; whichever is less.
  2. Each business meeting shall begin with an agenda for the meeting and include the minutes of the previous business meeting(s).
  3. An annual meeting of the Council shall take place at each Winter Simulation Conference and additional meetings as necessary or desirable. Additional council meetings can be called by the President or two members of the Council. Council meetings can be held by conference calls. A quorum for each council meeting shall require at least six members including either the President or Vice President.
  4. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all Society business and council meetings in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws.

Article IX – Responsibilities to INFORMS

The Society and its officers, under Charter from INFORMS, are accountable to INFORMS for all operations and procedures. The INFORMS Board may suspend or revoke the Society Charter for inappropriate operations or procedures. Each year, at a time specified by the Vice President for Subdivisions, the Society will submit a report to said Vice President summarizing the significant accomplishments and activities during the previous year. This report must include a careful accounting of Society funds during the year.

Article X – Amendments

Amendments to these Bylaws are approved by the following procedure:

  1. An amendment to the Bylaws may be proposed by any Society member by either (i) submitting the proposed amendment to the Council, which then may bring it to a Society business meeting as an Agenda item by majority vote of the Council, or (ii) introducing the proposed amendment as an item of new business at a Society business meeting. The Council itself by a majority vote may place a proposed Bylaw amendment on the Agenda of a Society business meeting.
  2. A proposed amendment shall be read and discussed at the Society business meeting in which it is introduced or is on the meeting’s Agenda. If the proposed amendment is on the Agenda and it is approved by majority vote, it will be then be submitted to the membership for approval. Otherwise, if the proposed amendment is approved by majority vote it will automatically appear as an Agenda item at the next Society business meeting.
  3. After the business meeting in which a proposed amendment was on the meeting’s Agenda and received a majority vote, a ballot shall be placed in the next Newsletter for a vote on the proposed amendment by the membership or submitted to the membership as a separate mailing. Such ballots shall have a returned date not earlier than six weeks from when the ballots are distributed.
  4. In order for a proposed amendment to be approved by the Society, at least 15 percent of the Society membership must vote on the proposed amendment and at least two-thirds of those voting must be in favor of the amendment.
  5. Following approval by the Society, the proposed amendment is send to the INFORMS Vice President for Subdivisions who shall seek approval from INFORMS. The amendment becomes effective after approval by INFORMS.