Bylaws

Bylaws of the Association for Information Systems (AIS) Special Interest Group on Decision Support and Analytics (SIGDSA) – The International Society for Decision Support and Analytics

Article 1. Name and Scope.

(a) This organization will be called:

The Special Interest Group on Decision Support and Analytics (SIGDSA) – The International Society for Decision Support and Analytics. For brevity, the organization is referred to by the acronym SIGDSA. It is a Special Interest Group of the Association for Information Systems

(b) The scope of  SIGDSA is:

  1. to facilitate the exchange, development, communication, and dissemination of information about Decision Support, Analytics, Collaboration and Knowledge Management Research and teaching issues in business, management, and organizational contexts among AIS members and in the larger community of IS/IT practitioners and scholars.

Article 2. Purpose.

SIGDSA is organized and will be operated exclusively for educational, academic, and technical purposes within its scope. Its activities shall include:

(a) Collecting and disseminating information related to decision support, knowledge and data management systems through a newsletter and other electronic resources and publications approved by the SIGDSA Executive Committee,

(b) Organizing sessions and mini-tracks at conferences of the AIS;

(c) Sponsoring a bi-annual International conference;

(d) Sponsoring other conferences, symposia, and workshops as approved by the Executive Committee and AIS;

(e) Organizing working groups for education, research, and development;

(f) Providing technical information about its area of scope for the AIS Executive Council and other units of the AIS; and

(g) Serving as an external technical representative of the AIS when authorized by the Council or the Executive Committee of the AIS.

Article 3. Charter.

SIGDSA will exist until dissolved as provided in Bylaw 8 of the AIS. SIGDSS incorporated the International Society for Decision Support Systems (ISDSS) into its organization in Fall 2003.

Article 4. Officers.

(a) The elected officers of SIGDSA are the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Past Chair, the Program Chair, and the Program Chair-elect. The officers serve one-year terms and the Vice-Chair becomes Chair and then Past-Chair in subsequent years. The Program Chair-Elect becomes Program Chair in the second year. A Secretary/Treasurer, Membership Chair, Resource Chair, Newsletter Editor, and other officers as needed are appointed by the Chair and approved by the SIGDSA Advisory Board (defined in Article 8). The Secretary/Treasurer is appointed for 3 years. Other appointed officers serve a two-year term. Appointed officers may be re-appointed for a maximum of 2 consecutive terms.

(b) The Chair is the principal officer, responsible for leading SIGDSA and managing its activities. The duties of the Chair are:

  1. Calling and presiding at SIGDSA Executive Committee (defined in Article 5) and business meetings;
  2. Conducting SIGDSA activities in accordance with the policies of AIS and the SIGDSA Advisory Board; and
  3. Making all appointments and filling vacancies as authorized in these Bylaws.

(c) The duties of the Vice-Chair are:

  1. Assisting the Chair in leading and managing SIGDSA;
  2. Presiding at meetings when the Chairman is absent.

(d) The duties of the Past-Chair are:

  1. Assisting the Chair as needed;
  2. Conducting the annual election according to Article 6 of the Bylaws.

(e) The duties of the Secretary/Treasurer are:

  1. Maintaining the records and correspondence of SIGDSA;
  2. Keeping and distributing the minutes of business and Executive Committee meetings of SIGDSA
  3. Planning, administering and monitoring the financial affairs of SIGDSA. According to section 8.8 of the AIS bylaws;
  4. In consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair: Preparing the annual budget for adoption by the SIGDSA at the regular annual meeting;
  5. Providing the membership with access to the financial reports within three (3) months after the close of the fiscal year.
  6. Signing checks and withdrawal slips for SIGDSA for all disbursements above an amount specified by the executive committee, and
  7. Assessing the financial implications of proposed programs, activities, projects, policies, and other practices in the light of the financial resources of SIGDSA.

(f) The duties of the Program Chair are:

  1. Representing SIGDSA in AIS conference discussions;
  2. Managing and coordinating SIGDSA-affiliated tracks for AIS conferences; and
  3. Coordinating the conference and program committees of any workshops and any international conference as approved by the Executive Committee.

(g) The duties of the Program Chair-elect are:

  1. Assisting the Program Chair as requested;
  2. Serving as Conference Chair for any workshops or conferences deemed appropriate by the Program Chair; and
  3. Presiding at meetings of the Program Committee when the Program Chairman is absent.

(h) The duties of the Resource Chair, Newsletter Editor, and other officers are negotiated with the Executive Committee.

Article 5. The Executive Committee.

(a) The SIGDSA Executive Committee comprises the Chair, Vice-Chair, Past Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Program Chair, Program Chair-Elect and the Chair of the Advisory Board. No person may hold two positions on the SIGDSA Executive Committee. A quorum of the Executive Committee consists of 4 members.

(b) The general duties of the SIGDSA Executive Committee will be to advise the Chair on all matters of interest to the SIGDSA. Specific duties or responsibilities may be specified in these Bylaws or assigned by the Chair. All of the major management policy decisions of SIGDSA must be approved by a majority of the SIGDSA Executive Committee.

(c) All members of, or candidates for the SIGDSA Executive Committee must be voting Members of AIS and of SIGDSA.

Article 6. Elections.

(a) By December 15 of each year, the Chair will appoint a nominating committee that will propose at least one consenting candidate for the offices of SIGDSA Vice-Chair and Program Chair-Elect. The current Program Chair, if he/she consents, will automatically be included by the nominating committee as a candidate for Vice-Chair. The nominating committee shall complete its slate by January 20 each year. The names of the nominees shall be announced by January 25 each year.

(b) A petition from 1% (or at least 15) of the voting members of SIGDSA will place other consenting candidates on the ballot. Petitions must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer of SIGDSA no later than January 31.

(c) The ballot of candidates selected by the nominating committee and by petition must be e-mailed to all SIGDSA members by February 28.

(d) The election will be completed by the Past Chair by April 1, following the election procedures of the AIS, unless different procedures have been approved by the SIG Board. Of all the ballots returned in an election, the candidates receiving the largest numbers of valid votes wins. The SIG Advisory Board will resolve ties by drawing lots.

Article 7. Vacancies and Appointments.

(a) Should the Chair leave office before his/her term expires, the Vice-Chair will assume the duties of Chair. Vacancies in positions appointed by the SIGDSA 5 Chair may be filled according to the procedures for making the original appointments as provided herein.

(b) Should a vacancy be unfilled, either because of inadequacy of these bylaws, or because of a dispute, or for any other reason, the SIG Chair may fill it, by appointment, with approval of the SIGDSA Advisory Board.

Article 8. The Advisory Board.

(a) The purpose of the Advisory Board is to allow members outside of the SIGDSA Executive Committee to participate in setting policy and direction for SIGDSA. The seven members of the Advisory Board are elected for staggered three-year terms beginning July 1 of each year. Service on the Advisory Board is limited to 6 years.

(b) The Advisory Board will select one of its own members to be its Chair, who will then be a member of the SIGDSA Executive Committee.

(c) The Advisory Board can vote by e-mail.

Article 9. Membership, Dues, and Voting Privileges.

(a) A person becomes a member only after enrolling and paying the required dues in AIS and in SIGDSA. The dues for SIGDSA are determined by the SIGDSA Executive Committee and Advisory Board, with the approval of the AIS Council.

(b) All members of SIGDSA may vote in any ballot conducted by SIGDSA.

Article 10. Reports and Records.

The SIGDSA Chair is responsible for filing reports about SIGDSA as required by the AIS SIG Governing Board.

Article 11. Amendments.

(a) Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the SIGDSA Executive Committee, the SIG Board, or a petition from 1% of the voting members of SIGDSA. All proposed amendments must be approved, prior to being submitted for a vote of the membership, by the Chairman of the SIG Board and by the Constitution & Bylaws Committee of AIS, after the Executive Director of AIS has provided advice.

(b) The ballot on the proposed amendment(s) will be conducted among the eligible voters by AIS Headquarters following the procedures of the AIS for 6 voting bylaw amendments, unless a different procedure has been approved by the SIG Governing Board Executive Committee. The proposal is adopted only if at least 2/3 of the effective votes of returned ballots approve it, and only if at least 10% of the ballots are returned. The Secretary-Treasurer will send a clean copy of the amended bylaws to the Executive Director of the AIS and to the Chairman of the SIG Board.

Article 12. Dissolution.

Should SIGDSA be dissolved, its assets will be supervised by the SIG Advisory Board.

Article 13. Meetings.

SIGDSA will conduct at least one business meeting each year. All meetings sponsored by SIGDSA must be open to all members of the AIS. SIGDSA may hold business meetings only in places that are open to all members of AIS.

Article 14. Consistency.

The Constitution, Bylaws, and policies of the AIS and of the SIG Board take precedence over any conflicting provisions of these bylaws or internal policies of SIGDSA.