Bylaws

Austin Software Process Improvement Network (A-SPIN) Bylaws

I. ESTABLISHMENT

The Austin area chapter of the Software Process Improvement Network, hereafter referred to as the A-SPIN, was established in 1993.

II. MISSION

The Austin SPIN is a leadership forum for the free and open exchange of software quality and process improvement ideas and experiences. The organization will serve as a source of practical, educational, and scientific information for its members, other SPIN organizations, and the general software community.

III. OBJECTIVES

In carrying out its mission, the A-SPIN organization will act to accomplish the following objectives within the software community:

• Advance the quality of software.
• Improve software productivity.
• Promote software process maturity.
• Encourage networking among software professionals.
• Transfer software improvement knowledge and innovation to all participants.
• Share lessons learned among participants and other SPIN organizations.
• Promote cooperation between industry, academia, and government with respect to software process improvement technology.
• Sustain commitment to software process improvement.

IV. MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the A-SPIN is open, without discrimination, to all individuals, companies, universities, and government organizations who are interested in furthering the objectives of the A-SPIN. A company, university, or government organization may designate a member of the A-SPIN as its point of contact. An individual, company, university, or government organization becomes a member of the A-SPIN by enrolling and participating in the organization.

V. ORGANIZATION

The Austin SPIN will consist of its members who attend meetings, an executive board and ad-hoc committees as designated by the executive board. Committee members and officers will receive no remuneration for their services.

A. EXECUTIVE BOARD

The Executive Board will consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, a Program Chair, a Communications Chair, and as many as two (2) at-large members. The executive board will meet at least four times a year.

The responsibilities of the Executive Board will be as follows:

• Manage the affairs of the A-SPIN organization.
• Maintain coordination with other SPIN organizations.
• Decide topics and arrange speakers for A-SPIN meetings.
• Make appointments to vacancies in elected committee positions.
• Set and post meeting dates and times.

Responsibilities of Executive Board Members

Members of the Executive Board are expected to attend A-SPIN meetings regularly and also to attend the regular Executive Board meetings.

Responsibilities of the President

The President will:

1. preside at regular meetings of the A-SPIN and at meetings of the executive board.
2. be responsible for the duties of other officers in the event of their absence or incapacity, until they are replaced by the executive board
3. be the point of contact for other organizations, including SPINs.

Responsibilities of Vice-President

The Vice-President will:

1. provide backup and counsel for the president and other officers of the A-SPIN. The vice-president will usually be the previous president of the A-SPIN.

Responsibilities of Secretary-Treasurer

The Secretary-Treasurer will:

1. be responsible for recording the minutes of all A-SPIN and executive board meetings, and disseminating all A-SPIN membership correspondence.
2. be responsible for providing an accounting of all funds.

Responsibilities of Program Chair

The Program Chair will:

1. take the lead responsibility for deciding topics and arranging speakers for SPIN meetings.

Responsibilities of Communications Chair

The Communications Chair will:

1. Maintain and update the A-SPIN website including such items as scheduled speaker information (topic overview and bio) and archives of presentations.

VI. TERMS OF OFFICE

All Executive Board members will be elected by the A-SPIN members for a term of one (1) year, or until elections are held. The term of office will coincide with the A-SPIN calendar year. An individual in an elected position may serve no more than four (4) consecutive terms in the same position. A two (2) term hiatus must ensue before the individual is once again eligible for the same position. Executive Board members who have failed to attend at least half of the Executive Board meetings during a period of one year, or who have failed to attend A-SPIN meetings for a period of six months or more, may be removed from the Executive Board by vote of the remaining members of the Board.

VII. A-SPIN CALENDAR YEAR

The A-SPIN calendar year will run from 1 August to 31 July.

VIII. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

A slate of nominations for the following offices will be presented to the membership for vote at the election meeting:

• President
• Vice-President
• Secretary-Treasurer
• Program Chair
• Communications Chair

Nominations for these offices will be accepted from the membership both prior to the election meeting and from the floor before the vote. The elections will be conducted by secret ballot for contested offices. The winner of the office will be determined by a simple majority vote among the participating members. The membership is defined as those persons who attended one meeting in the last twelve-month period. Any elected officials can be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the executive board.

IX. MEETINGS

Meetings of the A-SPIN membership will take place regularly during the year at one or more sites that are open and accessible to all members. An announcement for each membership meeting will be disseminated to all members in advance of the meeting. . No official business of the A-SPIN will be conducted unless a quorum of the organization is present. A quorum is defined to be at least ten (10) percent of the membership. The election meeting will be the last meeting of the A-SPIN calendar year.

X. BYLAW REVISIONS

Bylaw revisions must be approved at membership meetings by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the participants in the vote. At least ten (10) percent of the A-SPIN members must participate in the vote for the vote to be valid.

XI. DISSOLUTION OF ORGANIZATION

Dissolution of the A-SPIN organization by consent of the members shall consist of unanimous agreement of all its officers, together with a majority vote at a meeting which has been publicized in advance to all members of the organization for the purpose of taking this vote.

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More Info

For more information about A-SPIN,or to suggest program topics, send email to: President “at” austin-spin.org

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Mailing List

Information about monthly meetings is distributed by E-mail. To be added to the mailing list, send your name, a brief description of what you do, and your email address to: President “at” austin-spin.org