The International Professional Honor Society For Materials Science And Engineering
The
details of the objectives, organization, and procedures of the society are
clearly shown in its Constitution and By-laws as follows:
CONSTITUTION
AND BY-LAWS OF ALPHA SIGMA MU
Article
I
NAME
AND OBJECT
Section 1.
Name
The
name of the International Professional Society for Materials Science and
Engineering shall be Alpha Sigma Mu, designated by the Greek letters ASM.
Section 2.
Object
The
object of this society shall be to recognize and promote high scholastic, scientific,
and professional attainment in the study, experimental investigation,
manufacture, design, selection and use of engineering materials.
Section 3.
Incorporation
The
society shall
be incorporated, not for profit, under the general corporation laws of the
state of Ohio.
Section 4.
Colors
The
colors of the society shall be silver and gold.
Section 5.
Insignia
(a)
The
badge of the society shall be a rectangular gold or silver insignia on the face of
which is engraved a picture of a c-curve and the Greek letters Alpha, Sigma and
Mu, and on the reverse side of which is engraved the owner’s initials and the
year of election.
(b)
The
official badge shall we worn only by members of the society.
Section 6.
Seal
The
seal of the society shall read: “Seal - Alpha Sigma Mu” encircled by “International
Professional Honor Society for Materials Science and Engineering”.
Article
II
DISSOLUTION
In
the event of dissolution of the society, The Board of Trustees shall transfer the
net assets remaining, after payment of all debts and obligations to ASM
International which
are exempt from the payment of Federal income tax under Section 501 (c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or of corresponding provisions of subsequent Internal
revenue Codes.
Article III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
Classes
There
are three classes of membership: Regular, Honorary and Distinguished Life
Member.
Section 2.
Regular
Members
A
Regular Member, at the time of election. Shall be either
(a)
an
outstanding undergraduate student or graduate student, possessing the qualities
of integrity, leadership and initiative, at a recognized college or university.
and in a curriculum which is approved by the Board of Trustees of the society, or
(b)
one
who has attained high stature in the field of materials science and
engineering, either through outstanding scholarly activity, research, or
service to the profession.
Section 3.
Honorary
Members
An
Honorary Member shall have achieved exceptionally high standing in the
materials science and engineering profession.
Section 4.
Distinguished
Life Members
Distinguished
Life Member shall have achieved and maintained, throughout a long career, a
distinguished international standing in the materials science and engineering
profession, either through academic, research or industrial activity.
Section 5.
Eligibility
of Undergraduate Students for Election
(a)
To
be eligible for election as a Regular Member an undergraduate shall be of
junior or senior status, shall have completed at least nine semester credit
hours, or the equivalent in his/her major area, and shall have attended the approved
college or university for at least two full quarters or one semester.
(b)
He/she
shall be in the cumulative upper one-third (1/3) scholastically of all students
working toward a degree in the pertinent curriculum or degree-granting unit.
(c)
He/she
shall be recommended to the Secretary of the society by unanimous action of the
local chapter or, if no local chapter exists, by a faculty member who is a
member of the society.
Section 6.
Eligibility
of Graduate Students for Election
(a)
To
be eligible for membership as a Regular Member, a graduate student shall be
recommended to the Secretary of the society by unanimous action of the
local chapter or, if no local chapter exists, by a faculty member who is a
member of the society.
(b)
He/she
must have completed at least nine semester hours or the equivalent at the
graduate level and must meet the qualities listed in Section 2(A) of Article
III.
(c)
He/she
shall be in the upper one-third (1/3) scholastically of all students working toward
a graduate degree in the pertinent curriculum or degree-granting unit, or must
have demonstrated exceptional promise as a researcher.
Section 7.
Eligibility
of Other Persons for Election as a Regular Member
(a)
To
be eligible for membership as a Regular Member, a person should be well-known
and respected nationally or regionally for his/her contributions to science or
engineering in fields related to materials science and engineering.
(b)
Materials
science and engineering faculty who are not Honorary Members of the society may be elected to Regular Membership
upon nomination by a member of the society, upon nomination by an
active chapter or by action of the Board of Trustees.
Section 8.
Election
of a Candidate
(a)
A
candidate may be elected to Regular Membership by an active chapter if he/she
meets the qualifications listed in Sections 4, 5 or 6. Election requires a
three-fourths 3/4 affirmative vote of the members present at a chapter meeting called
for the purpose of electing new members and must include unanimous vote of all
faculty members present who are themselves members of the society.
(b)
Regular
or Honorary Members are elected by a majority affirmative vote of the Board of
Trustees (or by action of an officer or trustee designated by the Board of
Trustees for this duty), after their nomination by any member of the society. Honorary Members may be
nominated by active chapters, in which case additional weight is given the
nomination over nominations made by individuals. This chapter privilege is
limited to one nominee per chapter per year. Nomination of an Honorary Member
by a chapter requires the approval of the faculty advisor and a three-fourths
(3/4) affirmative vote of all members present at a chapter meeting called for
the purpose of electing new members. Nomination to Honorary membership is
usually limited to an individual who is already a Regular Member and who meets
the qualifications outlined in Article II, Section 3 of this Constitution. The
nomination of an Honorary Member must be transmitted to the International
Secretary of the society by the Chapter Secretary at least one month prior
to the annual meeting of the society. All nominations must be accompanied by a
detailed description of the nominee’s qualifications. Usually qualifications
can be submitted in the form of an up-to-date curriculum vitae.
(c)
A
Distinguished Life Member may be nominated by the unanimous action of a chapter
with supporting documentation submitted to the Board of Trustees through the
International Secretary one month prior to the Annual Board of Trustees Meeting,
or by a member of the Board of Trustees at an Annual Meeting. Election of a
Distinguished Life Member shall be by the unanimous action of the members of
the Board of Trustees in attendance at an Annual meeting of the Board.
(d)
Election
to any level of membership becomes final when the elected member is initiated
by a chapter and he/she has received his certificate of membership.
Section 9.
Expulsion
of Members
(a)
Any
member of the society shall be subject to expulsion if his/her behavior is not in
keeping with the principles and ideals upon which the society is based.
(b)
Expulsion
shall be only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the total
membership of the Board of Trustees of the society after due notice and an
opportunity to be heard in his own defense before the Board of Trustees shall
has been given to the member.
Article IV
BOARD
OF TRUSTEES
Section 1.
Board
of Trustees
(a)
All
affairs of the Society shall be managed and directed by the Board of Trustees
consisting of eight (8) or nine (9) members, including the president,
president-elect, immediate past-president, secretary, treasurer (or secretary/ treasurer)
and four (4) trustees.
(b)
Any
five (5) members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of any and all business.
Section 2.
Annual
Meeting
The
Board of Trustees of the society shall hold an annual fall meeting. The annual
meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be followed by the Annual Meeting of the
Society which is open to all members of the society for the consideration and
action of all business proposed by the Board of Trustees or brought before the
membership of the society for consideration and action by a motion from the
floor.
Section 3.
Specific
Responsibilities
(a)
The
Board of Trustees shall act on all matters concerning the welfare of the society, its chapters and its
members.
(b)
It
shall approve the eligibility of colleges and universities to have chapters of
the society,
shall approve curricula or academic programs from which members can be elected,
and shall see that a list of these is kept, subject to periodic review.
(c)
It
shall determine the acceptability of nominees for Honorary Membership and may
elect those it deems qualified.
(d)
It
may elect members-at-large to the society when no local chapter exists.
(e)
It
shall approve and charter, or disapprove, petitions for new chapter in eligible
colleges and Universities.
(f)
It
shall review and approve the annual reports of its elected or appointed
officers and committees and take appropriate action.
(g)
It
shall determine all financial affairs of the society including the amounts of
fees and dues to its members and its chapters.
(h)
It
shall approve all budgets and make all appropriations.
Section 4.
Action
Without a Meeting
Any
action which might be authorized or taken at a meeting of the Board of Trustees
may be authorized or taken without a meeting if it is in writing and is
approved, by all the members of the Board of Trustees who would be entitled to
notice of a meeting for such purpose. Any such properly approved authorization
or action shall be entered into the records of the society.
Article V
OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY
Section 1.
Officers
The
officers of the society shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Past-President, a
Secretary, a Treasurer, and four (4) Trustees. The positions of Secretary and
Treasurer may be combined by action of the Board of Trustees and confirmed by a
majority vote of the members of the society present at an annual
meeting.
Section 2.
President
(a)
The
President shall assume office after serving one (1) year as President-Elect.
(b)
He/she
shall preside at the annual meeting and at all other meetings of the Board of
Trustees, and shall perform such other duties as requested by the Board of
Trustees.
(c)
He/she
shall have the power to appoint, by and with the approval of the Board of
Trustees, all committees deemed advisable, including ad hoc committees and a
nominating committee.
Section 3.
President-Elect
(a)
The
President-Elect shall be elected by majority vote of the members of the society
after
having been duly nominated by the nominating committee or by written petition
submitted from the floor and signed by more than twenty-five (25) members not
more than five (5) of which shall be from any one active chapter.
(b)
He/she
shall perform the duties of the President in case of absence of the President
or the inability of the President to act and shall perform such other duties as
requested by the Board of Trustees.
(c)
The
president-elect shall serve one (1) year after which he/she will assume the
office of President.
Section 4.
Past-President
The
immediate past president of the society shall serve for one (1) year after the
expiration of his term as President, and shall perform such duties as requested
by the Board of Trustees.
Section 5.
Secretary*
(a)
The
Secretary shall be elected by a majority vote of the members of the society at the annual meeting after
having been duly nominated by the nominating committee or by written petition
from the floor and signed by more than twenty-five (25) members not more than
five of which shall be from any one active chapter. He/she shall be elected for
a term of two years and shall be eligible for re-election on the completion of
any given term.
(b)
He/she
shall act as recording and corresponding secretary of the society and shall keep, or cause to
be kept, full and complete records of the society.
(c)
He/she
shall act as secretary at the annual meeting and at all meetings of the Board
of Trustees and shall perform such other duties as requested by the Board of
Trustees.
Section 6.
Treasurer*
(a)
The
Treasurer shall be elected by majority vote of the members of the society at
the annual meeting after having been duly nominated by the nominating committee
or by written petition submitted from the floor and signed by more than twenty-five
(25) members not more than five of which shall be from any one active chapter.
He/she shall be elected for a term of two years and shall be eligible for
re-election to that office.
(b)
He/she
shall be the financial officer of the society, shall keep or cause to be
kept, a complete record of all money received and dispersed by, or on behalf of
the society,
and shall secure proper receipts for all monies dispersed.
(c)
He/she
shall report the financial condition of the society to the annual meeting and
to the Board of Trustees whenever requested, and shall perform such other
duties as requested by the Board of Trustees.
*At
the option of the Board of Trustees, one person may simultaneously hold the
offices of the Secretary and the Treasurer under the title of
Secretary/Treasurer.
Section 7.
Trustees
Two
(2) trustees hall be elected each year by a majority vote of the members of the
society at the annual meeting after having been nominated by the nominating
committee or by written petition from the floor signed by more than twenty-five
(25) members not more than five of which shall be from any one active chapter.
The Term of office for a trustee shall be two (2) years and no trustee shall be
eligible to serve consecutive terms.
Article VI
FEES AND DUES
Section 1.
Annual
Chapter Dues
Each
active chapter shall pay annual dues to the Treasurer of the society in an amount fixed by the
Board of Trustees. These dues shall be used to help defray normal operating
expenses of the society.
Section 2.
Chapter
Initiation Fee and Annual Dues for Regular Members
Chapters
may collect an initiation fee from each Regular Member they initiate. The
initiation fee shall be set by the Board of Trustees to cover expenses. Active
Regular Members also may be assessed annual dues not to exceed five (5)
dollars. These funds shall be used to help defray the normal operating expenses
of the chapter including payment of annual chapter dues to the society.
Section 3.
National
Initiation Fee for Regular Members
Regular
Members not initiated through a chapter shall pay an initiation fee established
by the Board of Trustees. This fee shall be payable to the Treasurer of the society
and shall
be used to defray normal operating expenses of the society.
Section 4.
Fees
for Honorary and Distinguished Life Members
Neither
an initiation fee nor dues shall be required of Honorary Members or
Distinguished Life Members.
Article VII
CHAPTERS
Section 1.
Eligible
Colleges and Universities
(a)
A
chapter of this society may be organized at any eligible college or university.
(b)
Any
college or university that offers at least one curriculum or program of study
leading to a baccalaureate or graduate degree in metallurgy, metallurgical engineering,
ceramic science, ceramic engineering, polymer science, polymer engineering,
(c)
electronic
materials, materials engineering or materials science and engineering, with
such degree(s) being accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology or equivalent engineering accrediting body if the college or
university is not located in the United States.
(d)
Any
college or university must have a total of at least ten (10) qualified students
and faculty (Juniors plus Seniors plus Graduate Students plus faculty) to be
eligible to organize a chapter.
(e)
The
Board of Trustees, shall determine the eligibility of each college or
university to organize a chapter of the society.
Section 2.
Petition
for Charter
(a)
A
petition to establish a chapter may be directed to the Board of Trustees
through the Secretary of the society by any faculty member of the eligible college or
university who is a member of the society or by any group of eligible students with
the endorsement of such faculty member. Such petitions must be accompanied by
the approval, in writing, of an administrative officer of the college or
university.
(b)
Such
petitions may be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the total membership of
the Board of Trustees of the society. After such approval, the Secretary shall issue a
charter and assign a name to the chapter (state name followed by a Greek
letter).