August 7, 2004
ARTICLE 1 – Name
This organization shall be named the INFORMS Section on Operations Research in Sports (or SpORts). Hereinafter it may be referred to as the Section. It is understood that INFORMS is an abbreviation for The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences that may be referred to hereinafter as the Institute.
ARTICLE 2 – Objectives
The primary objectives of the Section shall be to further the objectives of the Institute; to promote and disseminate research and applications among professionals interested in methodologies and applications of operations research and the management sciences to sports-oriented problems; and to provide a forum for the exchange of new ideas in the mathematical analysis and modeling of sports-oriented problems In pursuit of these objectives, the Section will organize regular sessions at the INFORMS meetings. The Section shall also conduct special seminars, workshops, or tutorial sessions during INFORMS meetings to promote the aforementioned objectives. In addition, the Section shall arrange joint activities with other Sections/Subdivisions of the Institute as well as other institutes whose members have common interests with the Section members.
ARTICLE 3 – Membership and Dues
Members of INFORMS may join the Section by notifying the Business office of the Institute and paying any dues required. Dues will be halved for students and retired members. Adjunct membership of the Section shall be extended also to others who believe in the Section's objectives and wish to participate in its activities, provided they hold membership in any other germane professional society or association, and upon payment of adjunct membership dues. All members of the Section shall have equal rights and privileges except that only INFORMS members may hold Section offices.
ARTICLE 4 – Officers
The officers of the Section shall be a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson-Programs, a Vice-Chairperson-Publications, a Secretary-Treasurer, and the Past Chairperson.
The Chairperson shall be the chief administrative officer of the Section, performing duties appropriate to the office, including presiding over each of the meetings.
The Vice Chairperson-Programs shall assist the Chairperson, acting as Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson. S/he shall be responsible for coordinating the track at the national conference, maintaining membership and normally acting as program planner and coordinator for the Section's activities.
The Vice Chairperson-Publications shall assist the Chairperson and shall be responsible for maintaining the Section’s web site and editing, publishing and distributing the Section’s biannual newsletter.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall take the minutes, keep the records of the Section (including financial), receive applications, encourage inquiries concerning membership, maintain contact with the Institute, keep a written history of the Section and its activities, and perform other duties usual to the offices of Secretary and Treasurer. This officer shall also cooperate with the Institute's Business offices on any financial operation affecting their authority, shall receive all funds made available to the Section, shall deposit same in a banking institution approved by the Section's officers, and shall disburse funds whenever and wherever appropriate. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also promote the financial condition of the Section, submit reports at business meetings, and prepare an annual budget for the Section.
The Past Chairperson shall be the member who most recently held but does not currently hold the Section’s chief administrative officer position. S/he shall advise the current Chairperson on procedural and policy matters.
The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson-Programs, Vice-Chairperson-Publications, Secretary-Treasurer, and Past Chairperson shall constitute the officers of the Section and shall: (a) call and organize meetings; (b) through their designated representatives call for and decide upon the acceptability of papers, reports, and discussions to be presented at the Section-sponsored sessions of the Institute's meetings and publications sponsored by the Section; (c) establish and appoint such committees as may be required; and (d) manage the affairs of the Section in the intervals between meetings.
ARTICLE 6 – Elections
The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson-Programs, Vice Chairperson-Publications, and Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected in even-numbered years by the membership through paper and/or electronic ballot (to be determined by the Chairperson). The election procedures will be structured so as to provide for the democratic selection of Section leadership in accordance with the usual practice of scientific societies.
A Nominating Committee will be formed prior to each election. It will be composed of the outgoing Chairperson and the two past Chairpersons most recently retired. In even-numbered years the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee will forward a slate of candidates to the Section Secretary-Treasurer, prior to the annual meeting, consisting of at least one member of the Section and the Institute as candidate for the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson-Programs, Vice Chairperson-Publications, and Secretary-Treasurer. The slate of candidates will be announced at least six weeks before the annual INFORMS meeting. Nominations for any office may be made before the announcement by a petition signed by at least six members. Such petitions should reach the Secretary-Treasurer at least four weeks before the annual INFORMS meeting.
The election will be held by mail or e-mail ballot and the results will be announced in the annual Business Meeting of the Section. The results will be based on a plurality of ballots. In case of ties, a coin flip will decide the outcome. The new office bearers will assume office at the conclusion of the Annual Business Meeting of the Section.
No member shall hold any single office for more than two consecutive terms or five consecutive years. No member may be an officer of the section (excluding service as Past Chairperson) for more than four consecutive terms or nine consecutive years.
Vacancies arising after elections will be filled through a special election that will be conducted in the following manner: a slate of candidates for the vacated position will be created by the Chairperson and the two past Chairpersons most recently retired; this slate will be presented to the Section’s members; the members will be given two weeks to cast votes through paper and/or electronic ballot (to be determined by the Chairperson). The candidate who receives a plurality of the votes shall be declared the winner and will serve the remainder of the term.
The founding officers will hold their offices only until the earliest feasible point at which elections can be held.
ARTICLE 7 – Responsibility to the Institute
The Section and its officers are accountable to the Institute. The Section may be dissolved at the discretion of the Council of INFORMS. A yearly report shall be submitted to the Councils of the Institute before February 15 of each year.
In case of dissolution, the unused funds are to be retained by the Institute. Prompt notification of the results of yearly elections shall be made to the Institute through the Vice-President for Member Activities of the Institute.
ARTICLE 8 – Amendments to Bylaws
The Bylaws may be adopted, annulled or amended by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all the members of the Council. Bylaws may also be adopted, annulled or amended by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present at a general business meeting of the Section.
Members shall be given notice by e-mail of proposed Bylaws changes at least six weeks prior to such a meeting.
The Council shall have the authority to interpret the Bylaws.
Prior to taking effect, Bylaws approved by the Council or the membership must be approved by the proper authorities of the Institute. Proposed changes in these Bylaws must be publicized through the Newsletter to the membership at least one year before the changes become effective.
ARTICLE 9 – Meetings
Section will meet at least once each calendar year, preferably during the INFORMS Annual Meeting, at the time and place determined by the officers.
Special meetings of the Section may be held as determined by the officers.
The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order shall govern business meetings held during any regular or special meeting, in all cases to which they are applicable.