Technical Committee on Strain Gages (TCSG)

 

1.     Purpose.  The purpose of the Technical Committee on Strain Gages, Hereinafter known as the Committee, shall be:

1.1.               To further develop and advance the art of measurement through exchange of information on the use of bonded electric strain gages, strain gage devices, or related instrumentation.

 

1.2.               To provide improved and efficient technical coordination between the users of these strain gages in industry and the manufacturers of these devices.

 

1.3.               To promote technical discussions with manufacturers on an industry wide basis which would coordinate industrial requirements for strain gages and focus manufacturer's attention thereon.

 

1.4.               To encourage within member organizations the development of in-plant strain gage committees for investigating problems and disseminating technical information on strain gages.

 

1.5.               To identify and sponsor, within the limitations noted below, research projects involving the use of strain gages and strain gage devices.

 

2.     Membership

 

2.1.Qualifications.  To qualify for membership consideration, the individual member shall satisfy all of the following requirements, except where exempted by the Membership Subcommittee:

·       A member of the Committee shall be a paid up member of the National SEM.

·       A member shall be an active user or manufacturer of bonded electric strain gages, strain gage devices, or related instrumentation.

·       A member shall be willing and able to support the aims of the Committee by sharing technical information relating to bonded electric strain gages, strain gage devices, or related instrumentation with other Committee members.

·       A member is expected to participate in a majority of the Committee activities.

·       A member shall not be from a division or company having an employee who is already a member of the Committee.

 

2.2.Election to Membership.  Members will be elected to the Committee by a Membership Subcommittee.  The Vice-Chairman will be chairman of the Membership Subcommittee which will consist of the Executive Board.

 

2.3.Termination of Membership. The status of all members will be reviewed every two years by the requirements of membership in the opinion of the Membership Subcommittee.  A member may be solicited to resign when he fails to satisfy the requirements of membership in the opinion of the Membership Subcommittee.

 

2.4.Honorary Membership.  Individuals who have contributed significantly to strain gage technology may be elected as honorary members of the Committee by the Membership Subcommittee.  Members of the Committee may recommend individuals for honorary membership by submitting names to the Membership Subcommittee.

 

3.     Publications

 

3.1.Proceedings and Minutes.  The Committee may prepare Proceedings and other publications as desired. Each member of the Committee will be supplied with two copies, free of charge, on a timely basis.  Each member of the Committee will receive a copy of the minutes of all Executive Board meetings and business meetings on a timely basis.

 

3.2.Preparation and Distribution.  The SEM Headquarters staff may assist in the duplicating and distribution of such Proceedings and publications.  It is expected that whenever possible, Proceedings and other publications will be made available to the Society for sale or distribution as it sees fit.

 

4.     Duties of Officers

 

4.1.Chairman - The Chairman of the Committee shall preside over all Committee meetings and will be responsible for liaison with the national SEM society.

 

4.2.Vice-Chairman - The Vice-Chairman will assist the Chairman and act in his place when he is absent. The vice Chairman will act as Chairman of the Membership Subcommittee. He will also succeed the Chairman of the Committee to office the following year.

 

4.3.Secretary - The Secretary of the Committee shall be elected by the Committee and will be responsible for all correspondence necessary for proper operation of the Committee and will keep and distribute the minutes.

 

4.4.Executive Board Members - The Executive Board will be composed of the Past Chairman, the present Chairman and Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Chairman of WRSGC, and four Delegates-at-Large. They shall be expected to attend Executive Board meetings, voice opinions, and vote on all matters brought to the attention of the Board. The Chairman of the Committee shall chair the Executive Board meeting. The Delegates-at-Large shall serve for two years; two being replaced each year. The Secretary shall serve for two years and may be re-elected.

 

5.     Subcommittees

 

5.1.Establishment and Duties. The Membership Subcommittee shall be a permanent standing committee responsible for the election of members to the Committee.  The Executive Board or the Chairman of the Committee at their option may establish other subcommittees which shall report at each Committee meeting until dissolved.  The Chairman of all Subcommittees, except the Membership Subcommittee, shall be appointed by the Committee Chairman.  The official actions of all subcommittees, except the Nominating Subcommittee, are subject to final approval by the Executive Board.

 

5.2. Tenure.  The tenure of all subcommittee members shall be for one year or less; a member can be reappointed.

 

6.     Election Procedures

 

6.1.Nominations. 

·       A Nominating Subcommittee consisting of at least three members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Chairman to make initial nominations for each of the offices of Vice-Chairman, Secretary (when applicable), and two (2) candidates for membership on the Board to replace the two (2) retiring Delegates-at-Large.

·       The Nominating Committee shall secure the consent of each nominee before submitting his name for any position.

·       The Nominating Committee shall report the names of the nominees to the Executive Board and the Secretary at least six weeks prior to the Spring Meeting, and their report shall be submitted to the members in the published announcement of the meeting along with a biographical sketch of each nominee.

·       After the names of the candidates submitted by the Nominating Committee have been published, additional nominations for any or all of the offices may be made from the floor at the Spring Meeting provided the consent of the person being nominated has been obtained.

 

6.2.Elections.  The Executive Board members shall be elected at the Spring Meeting by the Committee members present using the following procedures:

 

·       If no additional nominations are received at the meeting, nominations shall be closed and the Secretary shall cast the unanimous vote for all members of the Committee for the election of the candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee.

·       The nominees are then declared elected as of the Spring Meeting and shall be formally installed at the close of the meeting.

·       If the Secretary receives additional nominations from the floor at the meeting for specific offices of the Committee, the Secretary shall conduct an election at the meeting, providing that a quorum is present.

·       Should a quorum not be present, the Secretary shall prepare a letter ballot which he shall send within 7 days to each member of the Committee in good standing.

·       Marked and signed ballots are to be returned to the Secretary within two (2) weeks (specific date marked on ballot) or postmarked prior to the due date marked on the ballot.

·       In the event of a mail ballot, the Secretary shall check all returned ballots for validity, and present all ballots with validity comments to the Nominating Committee.

·       It shall be the duty of this committee to count all such ballots and to certify immediately the results of the vote to the Secretary.

·       In the event of any tie in the voting, the individual selected by the Nominating committee shall be declared elected, and will immediately take office.

 

6.3.Voting.  Only bona fide Committee members shall vote.

 

6.4.Vacancies.

 

·       Should a vacancy develop on the Executive Board, the Chairman shall appoint a replacement to fill the vacancy, subject to the approval of the remaining Board members.

·       Should the immediate past Chairman be unable to serve on the Executive Board for any reason, the position shall remain vacant.

·       Should the immediate past Vice-Chairman be unable to serve as Chairman, the Executive Board shall nominate a candidate for Chairman.

 

7.     Finances:  Financial Operation.  The Committee shall not incur any financial obligations in the name of the Society without appropriate approval of the Executive Board of SEM. However, with the concurrence on the Executive Board, the Committee may raise funds for specific projects sponsored by the Committee and shall be responsible for the administration of those funds.

 

8.     Meetings

 

8.1.Committee Meetings.  The Committee shall meet semi-annually in conjunction with the scheduled meetings of the National Society.

 

8.2.Executive Board Meetings.  The Executive Board meetings shall be held as required by Committee activity and business. The Executive Board will set the dates of these meetings.

 

8.3.Notices.  Notices of Committee meetings shall be sent to all members at least six weeks prior to the meeting date.

 

9.     Amendment Procedures

 

9.1.Proposals.

·       Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by any member of the Committee.

·       A proposal of change must be submitted in writing to the Executive Board for its approval and transmission to the Committee for vote. Rejection of the proposal by the Executive Board may be by its direct action or by its failure to act on the proposal at the next regular meeting of the Board after receipt of the proposal.

·       Immediately following the meeting, the Secretary shall convey to the submitter the result of the Board review.

·       If the proposal is rejected by the Executive Board, the proposer may submit it in writing to the Executive Board and they shall submit it to the membership for information, provided the proposal bears the signatures of five members of the Committee. The proposal shall be voted on at the following regular meeting of the Committee. During the review of the proposed amendments by the Executive Board or by the Committee as per Article 9.1.b, changes may be suggested, but such changes will require approval of each of the original submitters prior to voting.

·       If the original submitters do not approve the suggested changes, the proposed amendment will be presented for approval exactly as it was submitted to the Committee for vote.

 

9.2.Voting.

·       Consideration of the proposed change shall be at a Committee meeting wherein a quorum is present.

·       A quorum shall be defined as a simple majority of the Committee members of the record immediately preceding a Committee meeting.

·       For Committee approval, all balloting shall require a simple majority of the Committee delegates present, except as herein noted.

 

9.3.Notification.  Accepted amendments shall be written into the record by the Secretary and distributed to all members of the Committee.

 

9.4.Temporary Change.  Temporary amendments or the suspension of a single Article of the Bylaws for a period not exceeding the time between successive general meetings may be made for a specific purpose at any general meeting by a two-thirds majority of the vote of the members present, provided a quorum is present. The purpose, the working or suspension, and the time period covered shall be noted in official records.

 

Rev 1 - As amended at Detroit, MI, June 1, 1981

Rev 2 - As amended at Cleveland, OH, May 17, 1983