What is the ACM?

Founded in 1947, ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is an international scientific and educational organization dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of information technology. With a world-wide membership of 80,000, ACM functions as a locus for computing professionals and students working in the various fields of Information Technology.

What is the role of our ACM Student Chapter?

ACM has established student chapters to provide an opportunity for students to play a more active role in the Association and its professional activities. By encouraging organization of student chapters on college and university campuses, the Association is able to introduce students to the benefits of professional organization. These benefits include regular meetings that encourage and enhance learning through exchange of ideas among students as well as between established professionals and students. Members of a student chapter may also take advantage of the activities and services provided by ACM, including the lectureship program, student programming and tutorial contests, and the publications program. Student chapters provide an obvious setting for the development and demonstration of leadership capabilities. Finally, students find the various activities of ACM and its student chapters both professionally and socially exciting as well as rewarding.

Initially, the ACM organizational structure was based solely on individual membership. In 1954, as a result of growth and the wishes of its members, chapters were officially formed. These chapters provided a means for people in a geographical area with a common interest in computing to exchange ideas and sponsor professional activities. Since the recognition of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter in 1954 as the first ACM chapter, the number of professional chapters has grown steadily to over 130 today, and they have become an integral part of the ACM organization. Student chapters were authorized by the ACM in 1961; the first was chartered at the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

Student chapters provide important services to ACM student members and offer a means whereby the ACM can provide scientific information on the industry to other members of the college or university community as well as to the general public. Moreover, professional chapters and student chapters are focal points for feedback from members to the ACM leadership. Finally, ACM Chapters are a training ground for the Association's future leaders. Over one-third of the current members of the ACM Council began their volunteer work with ACM as officers in the chapter system.

Our Bylaws:

Article I

  1. This organization shall be called the Columbus State University Student Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery. The Association is also referred to as ACM. Columbus State University is also referred to as CSU.

Article II Purpose

  1. The chapter is organized and will be operated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes. In furtherance thereof, specific objectives are:
  2. To promote an increased knowledge of the science, design, development, construction, language, and applications of modern computing machinery;
  3. To promote a greater interest in computing machinery and its applications; and
  4. To provide a means of communication between persons having interest in computing machinery.

Article III Membership

  1. Good standing with the CSU ACM defined as good standing by the standards set in place by CSU
  2. A full or part-time student of CSU, who is a member in good standing with the CSU ACM, may upon request and payment of dues become a voting member of this chapter.
  3. A full or part-time student of CSU, who is not a member in good standing with the CSU ACM, may upon request and payment of dues become a nonvoting affiliate member of the chapter. No such person may be a nonvoting affiliate member for more than one year.
  4. A member of the Columbus community, who is not a member in good standing with national ACM, may upon request and payment of a fee that is at least equal to voting member dues, receive the chapter meeting notices and attend non-business meetings of this chapter.
  5. Grounds for dismissal
  6. If said member breaks local, state, or University laws.
  7. Any misconduct or consistent non-involvement in organization activities.
  8. Procedure for Dismissal
  9. Special meeting will be called of the Executive Council.
  10. Executive Council will review and discuss all allegations.
  11. The said member then will have the opportunity to explain and defend the allegations made against him/her.
  12. Executive Council then will have another discussion and vote in private, with a unanimous vote needed to dismiss the said member from ACM.
  13. No person can be turned down for membership or office because of age, sex, color, creed, or sexual orientation.

Article IV Officers

  1. The Officers of this chapter shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each officer must be a member in good standing of the ACM, a voting member of this chapter, and a full--time student at CSU.
  2. The Officers shall be elected at the annual election meeting. They shall take office immediately after the election meeting and serve until their successor takes office at the end of the next election meeting.
  3. Any member, who has served in either of the offices of President or Vice President in each of two consecutive years, may not hold either office in the immediately following year.
  4. Vacancies in any office other than President caused by resignation, removal or disability shall be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Council. If the office of President is so vacated, the Vice President shall immediately assume that office, and the Executive Council shall then fill the vacant office of the Vice President.
  5. Officers shall be appointed by the Executive Council for the representation and management of the Special Interest Groups within the ACM chapter. These officers will act as the liaisons between the groups that they lead and represent and the Executive Council giving all of the members of the groups a cleaner and more concise leadership chain.

Article V Duties of Officers

  1. The President shall preside at all meetings of this chapter and its Executive Council. The President shall represent this chapter at all meetings with the ACM regional representative.
  2. The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in event of the President's absence. The Vice President shall assume those duties of the President that are delegated by the President.
  3. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all Chapter and Executive Council meetings. Other duties of the Secretary include:
  4. Maintaining the records of the Chapter.
  5. Preparation of the Chapter's activity report and officer contact information, and submission of these to ACM Headquarters.
  6. Submission of any proposed amendment to these bylaws to the ACM Chief Operating Officer. Proposed amendments must be approved before they can be submitted to the Chapter's membership for a vote.
  7. Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair.
  8. The Treasurer shall collect dues, pay all bills, and maintain the Chapter's financial records. Duties of the Treasurer also shall include:
  9. Preparation of the Chapter's Annual Financial Report for presentation to the Chapter at the Annual Election meeting.
  10. Completion and submission of the Annual Financial Report to ACM Headquarters.
  11. Performance of other duties as assigned by the Chair.

Article VI Chapter Sponsor

  1. The Sponsor shall be a faculty member or full-time staff member of your school. Each Student Chapter has one Sponsor.
  2. The Student Chapter Sponsor shall be a voting member of ACM and either a member of the faculty or full-time staff of CSU
  3. The Student Chapter Sponsor shall be selected by the Executive Council immediately following the Election Meeting. The selection shall be confirmed by the school.
  4. The Student Chapter Sponsor shall be generally responsible for the activities of the Chapter. Specifically, the Sponsor:
  5. helps provide continuity from year to year as student leadership and personnel change;
  6. promotes good student-faculty relationships;
  7. helps maintain university standards in all activities of the Chapter;
  8. exercises financial supervision, if necessary, by:
  9. promoting prompt payment of bills and collection of dues, and
  10. overseeing the settlement of all accounts in the event of dissolution of the Chapter
  11. Represents the Chapter interests to the faculty and administration.

Article VII Executive Council

  1. The Executive Council shall consist of the Chapter Officers, the immediate past President, and the existing Faculty Sponsor. The Executive Council shall meet and nominate the faculty sponsor immediately following the annual election meeting.
  2. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, the Executive Council shall act for this chapter in all matters except election of officers at the annual Election Meeting and the amendment of these bylaws. Minutes of all Executive Council meetings shall be filed with the chapter records.
  3. With the approval of the National Chapters Board President, the National Student Chapters Committee President appoints the sponsors for the Student Chapters.
  4. Meetings of the Executive Council shall be called by the President at his or her discretion or upon request by any member of the Executive Council.

Article VIII Special Interest Groups

  1. Currently decisions are being made on how the SIG's will be reflected in our by-laws. This documnet will be updated when a new amendment has been ratified

Article IX Temporary Committees

  1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three voting members of this chapter, at least two of whom shall not be members of the Executive Council. The chapter President shall appoint the Nominating Committee at least one month prior to the annual Election Meeting. At the annual Election Meeting, the Nominating Committee shall present at least one nominee for each office.
  2. In addition to Standing Committees, Temporary Committees may be established by the chapter President.
  3. The President and members of both Standing and Temporary Committees are appointed by the chapter President, except as otherwise provided in the bylaws. All previous committee appointments shall terminate at the end of the annual Election Meeting.

Article X Meetings

  1. Meetings shall beheld as planned by the Executive Council.
  2. This chapter may hold meetings only in places that are open to all members of the ACM.
  3. The annual Election Meeting shall be held during the spring term of every year.
  4. Following the report of the Nominating Committee, additional nominations may be made from the floor by any voting member.
  5. After the nominations are closed, the voting members present shall vote.
  6. A majority of the votes cast for any office is necessary for election to that office.
  7. The Secretary shall present the annual Chapter Report.
  8. Notice must be available to all members at least one week prior to any meeting.
  9. There shall be at least six meetings each year.
  10. A quorum of this chapter for the conduct of business shall consist of ten voting members or a majority of the voting members of this chapter, whichever is smaller.
  11. The President's active role in presiding over meetings will also include the responsibility to use his/her vote in the event of a tie.

Article XI Disbursements and Dues

  1. Disbursements from the treasury for chapter expenditures shall be made under authorization of the Executive Council and be included in the minutes of that meeting.
  2. Annual dues shall be established upon recommendation of the Executive Council and approved by a majority vote of the voting members present at any chapter meeting, provided that the notice for the meeting included this as an item of business.

Article XII Amendment and Voting Procedures

  1. Amendments to these bylaws shall be made in the following manner.
    1. The proposed amendment shall be read at a regularly announced chapter meeting.
    2. Three copies of the proposed amendment shall be sent to the executive director of the ACM, requesting the approval of the President of the Student Chapters Committee and the President of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.
    3. After approval has been received from the designated ACM authority, the proposed amendment shall be distributed to the membership in writing with notice of a subsequent meeting at which the amendment will be considered.
    4. At the designated meeting the amendment shall be read again, discussed, and voted upon. Two-thirds of the voting members present and voting shall be required to adopt the amendment.
  2. Rulings on any point of procedure not included in these bylaws shall be made by the President with approval of the Faculty Sponsor.

Article XIII Dissolution of the Chapter

  1. In the event of revocation of this charter of dissolution of this chapter, all the assets of the chapter will be transferred to the Association of Computing Machinery.