Operations Manual – Clause 6

IEEE SA membership qualifications are specified in IEEE Bylaw I-403.1 and shall be established by the IEEE SA. Revisions to these qualifications shall require review and approval by the IEEE Board of Directors, using the process in accordance with IEEE Bylaw I-300.4(5).

Membership in the IEEE SA requires submission of a completed application, acceptance that the application fulfills the criteria for membership as established by the IEEE SA BOG, and payment of dues.

The IEEE SA may charge dues for membership and fees for services appropriate for the efficient operation and to assure financial stability of the IEEE SA. Requirements for participation by IEEE Life Members in IEEE SA are stipulated in IEEE Bylaw I-108.8.

An entity member can be any for-profit or not-for-profit enterprise, as defined in IEEE Bylaw I-403. Controlled groups of enterprises shall be entitled to a single entity membership in IEEE SA except as otherwise provided for by the IEEE SA BOG. No one individual is permitted to serve as the entity member representative for more than one entity member of the IEEE SA.

The IEEE SA BOG may charge appropriate annual dues for membership and services, according to IEEE Bylaw I-107.4. The dues will be determined annually on a calendar basis.

The dues shall be as follows:

IEEE members: US $58
IEEE Society Affiliate members: US $58
Non-IEEE members: US $262

Entity members:

• Corporations (less than US $5 million annual revenue), academic institutions, associations, nonprofits, government agencies: US $4200
• Corporations (US $5 million to US $100 million annual revenue): US $8000
• Corporations (US $100 million to US $500 million annual revenue): US $12000
• Corporations (more than US $500 million annual revenue): US $16000

IEEE SA members are permitted to vote on an unlimited number of proposed IEEE draft standards and on the withdrawal from active status of existing IEEE standards that have reached the Standards Association ballot stage (see clause 5.4) of the IEEE SA Standards Board Operations Manual). Individual IEEE SA members are permitted to vote on individual ballots. IEEE SA entity members are permitted to vote on entity ballots.

The IEEE SA follows the IEEE policies for indemnification as outlined in IEEE Bylaw I-300.3.

IEEE SA members who are also members of the IEEE may vote for the position of IEEE SA President Elect, whose position becomes that of IEEE SA President following a one-year term as IEEE SA President Elect.

IEEE SA members may vote for the member-at-large positions on the IEEE SA BOG that are elected by the eligible members of the IEEE SA.

IEEE SA entity members may vote for the eligible member-at-large positions on the IEEE SA CAG.

The IEEE SA reserves the right to share the following information with entity member companies about IEEE SA standards participants:

• Name and email address of those who claim employment by the company
• Name, email address, and project name from those who claim affiliation with the company

This data is made available to current IEEE SA entity members upon request.

Any IEEE SA member may be suspended or expelled from membership by the IEEE SA BOG for any of the following reasons:

1. Failure to conform with the provisions of the IEEE Bylaws, the IEEE Policies, or the IEEE SA Operations Manual
2. Any unethical or unlawful conduct unbecoming a member of IEEE SA or calculated to bring the IEEE or IEEE SA into disrepute
3. Failure to continue to meet membership or eligibility requirements

Information on IEEE Policy 7.10 — Procedures for Member Conduct Complaints, other misconduct processes, and the IEEE Ethics Reporting Line can be found at https://www.ieee.org/about/ethics/complaint-procedures.html. Information concerning ethics and conduct processes of other IEEE Operating Units is available under Major Board Operations Manuals at https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/governance/index.html.

Upon being informed, through written notice directly to the IEEE SA BOG Secretary or through the IEEE Ethics Reporting Line at http://www.ieee-ethics-reporting.org or +1 888 359 6323 from an advisor of the event, that an event has happened that would constitute grounds for suspension or expulsion of any member from IEEE SA, the IEEE SA BOG may suspend or expel such members upon approval of two-thirds of the voting members of the IEEE SA BOG.

The Secretary shall assess the notice to determine if the procedure is necessary, if additional material is needed from either the member or the advisor to aid in considering the matter, or if the notice can be sent directly to the IEEE SA BOG. When the IEEE SA BOG is to make a decision on a member’s status, that member and the advisor will be informed of the meeting date and given an opportunity to attend that meeting and speak on their behalves. If the member or advisor desires to make an initial statement to the IEEE SA BOG prior to the meeting, they may do so through written notification to the Secretary. Any suspended or expelled member may appeal such suspension or expulsion by notifying the IEEE SA President within ten days of being advised in writing of such IEEE SA BOG action. Upon receipt of such notice, the IEEE SA BOG President shall schedule a hearing at its next meeting to hear the appeal under such procedures as it shall determine in advance thereof.

The procedures of the IEEE Ethics and Member Conduct Committee shall be referred to for guidance.

The IEEE SA President may, at his or her discretion, suspend or expel any member for failure to pay any dues or any assessments made within the authority of the IEEE Bylaws within 60 days after the payment thereof shall be due. Such action shall be effective two weeks after the member has received written notice of the proposed suspension or expulsion from the IEEE SA by certified mail, return receipt requested.

The procedures of the IEEE Ethics and Member Conduct Committee shall be referred to for guidance.

In cases where a member suspended from the IEEE SA is also a member of the IEEE, if the IEEE SA BOG determines that, because the acts of the member would fall within the IEEE Ethics and Member Conduct Committee’s (EMCC’s) purview per IEEE Bylaw I-110, the case shall be forwarded to the EMCC for possible further action. A member of the IEEE SA BOG shall then file a complaint in accordance with the procedures of the EMCC, looking towards the expulsion, suspension, or censure of the IEEE member.

Any member suspended from the IEEE SA shall have no claim against IEEE or IEEE SA or vote in the IEEE SA. Any member expelled from the IEEE SA shall have no further interest in the property of, or claim against, the IEEE SA, and shall be entitled to reapply only through reconsideration by the IEEE SA BOG and upon payment in full of all obligations to the IEEE SA outstanding at the time of expulsion.

As stated in the IEEE Policies, IEEE recognizes the need for public statements on topics within the scope and purposes of IEEE. The IEEE SA BOG shall be the sole organizational unit to approve position statements representing the IEEE Standards Association. The BOG may request that another IEEE organizational unit (as defined in Section 15 of the IEEE Policies ) offer a position statement on a standards matter. The rules in Section 15 of the IEEE Policies shall be followed in developing position statements. In addition, the BOG will accept for review and action any position statement presented to it by another body for issuance as an IEEE SA position statement.

Any position statements representing the IEEE Standards Association shall be approved by either the IEEE SA BOG or the IEEE SA BOG ad-hoc council. The IEEE SA President shall determine if usage of the IEEE SA BOG ad-hoc council is warranted (see 4.3.4.1). Oversight for the preparation of IEEE SA position statements resides in the SPCC. The IEEE SA BOG may call upon such expertise as may be required to draft a position statement.

The Secretary of the IEEE SA BOG shall forward any approved IEEE Standards Association position statements to the target recipient of the position statement and to appropriate organizational units within IEEE. A consolidated listing of all such position statements shall be maintained on the IEEE Standards website.

Independent of any conduct or action related to IEEE or IEEE SA membership, any IEEE SA participant may have IEEE SA participation privileges suspended or revoked. A participant includes an individual, an entity representative, or an entity participating directly or indirectly in an individual or entity IEEE SA project. This suspension or revocation may occur for any of the following reasons:

1. Failure to conform with the provisions of the IEEE Bylaws, the IEEE Policies, the IEEE SA Operations Manual, the IEEE SA Standards Board Bylaws, the IEEE SA Standards Board Operations Manual, or the specific procedures of the Standards Committee or working group
2. Any unethical or unlawful conduct unbecoming a participant in IEEE SA or compromising the integrity of the IEEE or the IEEE SA

Information on IEEE Policy 7.10 — Procedures for Member Conduct Complaints, other misconduct processes, and the IEEE Ethics Reporting Line can be found at https://www.ieee.org/about/ethics/complaint-procedures.html. Information concerning ethics and conduct processes of other IEEE Operating Units is available under Major Board Operations Manuals at https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/governance/index.html.

The IEEE SA President shall appoint a Standards Conduct Committee, consisting of a chair, two members, and three alternates. The chair and members will review all notices and material as provided in 6.6.2. If a member is recused, then the chair shall appoint one of the alternates to serve. If the chair is recused, then the IEEE SA President shall appoint a chair from the committee members or alternates. Alternates do not vote unless named to replace a recused member or Chair. References to the Standards Conduct Committee in the remainder of 6.6 refer to those who will hear and act on the matter.

A person who has observed or otherwise becomes aware of conduct that would constitute grounds for suspension or revocation of IEEE SA participation privileges may provide notice by fax, email, or letter (Notice) of such conduct directly to the IEEE SA BOG Secretary. This Notice cannot be anonymous. Alternatively, the conduct may be reported through the IEEE Ethics Reporting Line at http://www.ieee-ethics-reporting.org or +1 888 359 6323, which permits anonymous reporting where feasible. Upon being informed of an event, the Secretary shall assess the information received to determine whether additional information is needed from either the complainant or the participant who is the subject of the complaint. When the receipt of satisfactory information is confirmed by the Secretary, the Secretary shall send the material to the Standards Conduct Committee. Upon receipt of the material, the Standards Conduct Committee shall determine whether to conduct further proceedings. If further proceedings will not be conducted, the Secretary shall inform the complainant.

If the Standards Conduct Committee determines that further proceedings are warranted, then the participant and the complainant will be informed of the hearing date and given an opportunity to attend the hearing. If the participant or complainant desires to provide a statement and/or to submit supplementary documentation to the Standards Conduct Committee prior to the hearing, they may do so through the IEEE SA BOG Secretary.

After considering information described in the Notice, included in the participant’s response, or presented at the hearing, the Standards Conduct Committee shall determine whether to recommend discipline. The Standards Conduct Committee may recommend suspension or revocation of the participant’s IEEE SA participation privileges upon an approval vote of two-thirds of the committee. If the Standards Conduct Committee recommends discipline, then the recommendation shall be forwarded to the IEEE SA BOG. Suspension or revocation of participation rights or other disciplinary actions shall require the approval vote of two-thirds of the BOG members present and voting. Suspension of participation rights shall indicate the terms of the suspension.

If the person is an IEEE member, the IEEE Ethics and Member Conduct Committee shall be notified of the Standards Conduct Committee decision (see 6.4.2).

A participant may appeal suspension or revocation of IEEE SA privileges by notifying the IEEE SA BOG Secretary within ten days of being advised in writing of such action. Upon receipt of such appeal, the IEEE SA President shall schedule an appeal hearing at the next meeting of the IEEE SA BOG to hear the appeal under such procedures as it shall determine in advance thereof, provided the next IEEE SA BOG meeting is at least 30 days after receipt of such appeal. The procedures of the IEEE Ethics and Member Conduct Committee shall be referred to for guidance.

A participant who is suspended or otherwise disciplined under these procedures shall have no legal claims against IEEE or IEEE SA. A participant whose IEEE SA privileges are revoked shall not be admitted to membership in the IEEE SA or permitted to participate in its activities unless granted approval by the IEEE SA BOG.

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