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COPAE Charter
Committee on Public Awareness of Engineering
Draft: June 2000
First revision: October 2000 / Second revision: May 2002
1. GENERAL
The Committee on Public Awareness of Engineering, herein referred to as COPAE, is a standing committee of the American Association of Engineering Societies, herein referred to as AAES. It shall report directly to the AAES Assembly, herein referred to as the Assembly, through its Board of Governors, herein referred to as the Board.
2. MISSION STATEMENT
COPAE shall serve as the principal forum within AAES for the coordination and oversight of programs that promote public awareness, understanding, and recognition of the engineering profession.
3. OPERATING PRINCIPLES
COPAE has primary authority to address issues related to public awareness, recognition, and understanding of the engineering profession as approved by the Board. An annual operations plan for COPAE will be developed as part of the AAES overall annual budget and planning process. AAES member societies will help develop COPAE's annual operations plan.
COPAE assists individual requests by member societies when requests for support are:
- Initiated by a member of the Board;
- Consistent with the mission of AAES and COPAE;
and
- Approved by COPAE
4. FUNCTIONS
In support of its mission, COPAE shall perform such activities as charged by the Board including, but not limited to:
- Recommending to the Board which issues should be addressed by COPAE through its annual operations plan;
- Recommending to the Board which programs should be managed by AAES (through COPAE) in a given year;
- Recommending to the Board what resources are needed by COPAE to effectively address the issues and manage the programs approved by the Board;
- Managing programs and activities that support public awareness, understanding, and recognition of the engineering profession as approved by the Board, including the solicitation of funding for programs and activities;
- Developing public statements and other forms of communication that are consistent with the mission of COPAE and AAES;
- Supporting COPAE-related initiatives by AAES member societies when all conditions are met for such support within this Charter;
- Forming standing committees and ad-hoc task forces within COPAE as appropriate.
5. MEMBERSHIP & ORGANIZATION
a. Generally - Each AAES member society in good standing may appoint one representative from its membership and one representative from its staff to serve as members of COPAE, as well as one alternate representative in each category, if such persons meet the criteria described in Paragraphs b and c below.
All appointments to COPAE shall be in effect for one calendar year and may be renewed. Appointees serve at the pleasure of the sponsoring society.
b. Society Representative (Volunteer) - A society representative (volunteer) shall be an individual who is a current member of an AAES member society and shall be empowered by the appointing society to speak authoritatively on its behalf and/or cast its vote on such matters as may arise within the scope of COPAE charter. To the extent that a member society has an appointed or elected position within the membership that relates to pubic awareness, understanding, and/or recognition of engineering, such individuals would be preferred as members of COPAE.
c. Society Representative (Staff) - A society representative (staff) shall be a professional staff member empowered by the appointing society to speak authoritatively on its behalf and/or cast its vote on such matters as may arise within the scope of COPAE charter when a respective member representative is unable to participate. To the extent that a member society employs a staff person who is responsible for activities that relate to pubic awareness, understanding, and/or recognition of engineering, such individuals would be preferred as COPAE members.
d. Ex Officio Members Members of the Board may serve as Ex Officio members of COPAE having voice but no voting privilege.
e. Standing Committees and Ad-Hoc Task Forces - The creation of COPAE standing committees as well as ad-hoc task forces may be warranted to accomplish specific tasks under the COPAE annual operations plan. In such instances, the COPAE chair will appoint a subdivision chair with the concurrence of COPAE specifying the charge and term of the new subdivision. Where such subdivisions have been created for the express purpose of a function, it is expected that such subdivisions of COPAE will be managed and staffed by the requesting society.
f. Subject to specific decisions of the Board of Governors, COPAE task forces and committees may accept as members those individuals who the respective chair believes will positively contribute to the success of the respective task force and/or committee. Such decisions shall be made at the discretion of the subdivision chair in consultation with the COPAE chair.
6. OFFICERS
The officers of COPAE shall consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary. The Secretary shall be a staff member of AAES. No society may have more than one representative as a COPAE officer.
a. Chair - The AAES Chair may appoint the COPAE Chair, subject to confirmation by the Board. The COPAE Chair shall serve for a term of one calendar year. The Board may reappoint the Chair, but in no instance shall a Chair serve for more than two full consecutive terms. The Chair shall preside over all COPAE meetings, make regular reports to the Board regarding progress on the COPAE annual operations plan, and shall be responsible for formulating a budget to support annual COPAE activities. The Chair may not be a paid staff member of AAES or its member societies. Since the Chair is not representing any individual society in performing this function, he or she shall have no voting privileges. If a society's volunteer representative is appointed as chair, that society's staff representative, or another representative appointed by the society, shall have voting privileges.
b. Vice Chair - The COPAE Vice Chair shall be appointed in the same manner as the Chair and will also be limited to serving no more than two full consecutive terms as Vice Chair. In the event of absence or resignation by the COPAE Chair, the Vice Chair shall assume the role and responsibilities of the COPAE Chair in an acting capacity until such time as the Board can approve a successor.
7. VOTING AND QUORUM
a. Generally: Voting shall be by proportional voting, as directed by the society volunteer representative. In the absence of the volunteer representative or designated alternate volunteer representative, the society staff may cast the society's vote. Affirmative action requires approval of at least five societies and at least 60 percent of the membership number represented at the meeting. Each meeting of COPAE will be announced by the Secretary within a reasonable period of time prior to the meeting. [Revision to reflect that this section will be analogous to the voting policies for the AAES Board of Governors.]
b. By Proxy: Any COPAE member who shall be unable to attend a meeting shall have the authority to delegate, to any member or staff of its society who shall be present, the authority to cast its vote by proxy and shall present evidence of this authority to the Chair.
c. Quorum: A quorum shall be constituted if societies are present (or have cast votes by proxy) that represent 60 percent of the total membership as determined by Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution. In addition, at least five societies must be present or have cast their vote by proxy.
8. TASK FORCES AND COMMITTEES
a. Creations and Function: Specific public awareness and communications issues or initiatives may be addressed by COPAE through task forces and committees. Each task force will have a finite life to be no more than 12 months. The finite life of a task force may be extended by COPAE if reasonable progress toward the completion of the task force objective is evident. For those issues that require on going or continued monitoring, committees may be created.
b. Mission Statement: COPAE may approve a mission statement for each task force and/or committee, setting-forth particular goals and objectives to be accomplished within a specific time frame.
c. Officers: The Chair of COPAE, with the advice and consent of COPAE, may appoint a chair for each task force and/or committee to serve until resignation, removal, or discharge. Each task force/committee chair may appoint such other offices as the task force/committee may require. In the case of a task force/committee charged to examine specialty issues of particular concern to a lead AAES society, COPAE would normally be expected to appoint a representative of that society as the task force chair.
d. Membership: AAES member societies may appoint one or more volunteer and/or staff representatives to serve on task forces and committees according to the societies' particular area of interest and expertise. All members serve at the discretion of their appointing society. Non-AAES representatives may be invited to attend with voice but no vote.
e. Administrative Support: Basic administrative and secretarial support for task force and committee activities will be provided by AAES staff in the case of profession-wide issue task forces. In the case of "specialty" or "ancillary" issues, the member society represented by the task force/committee chair is normally expected to provide administrative support.
f. Reporting Requirements: Each task force and committee shall provide regular progress reports per schedules set by the COPAE Chair.
g. Operating Procedure: Each task force and committee may adopt additional operating procedures subject to COPAE approval as required for the conduct of the task force business.
h. Engineers Media Relations Advisory Committee: The Engineers Media Relations Advisory Committee (EMRAC) will meet periodically to aid in communications and coordination of staff matters pertaining to support of the COPAE and its task forces and to provide liaison, coordination and information between and among the member societies on the committee and other engineering, scientific and technical organizations. The committee may assume such specific duties as are delegated by COPAE and shall be composed of communications and media relations staff representatives from AAES and the member societies participating on COPAE. The society staff representatives to this committee should be the same as those appointed to the COPAE.
9. FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
A budget will be provided for COPAE through the normal AAES budget process for such expenses as the secretariat, meeting logistics, and related committee expenses.
Expenses and staff assistance needed for active participation are the responsibility of each society.
Administrative support will be provided by AAES staff and/or by such staff as may be detailed by participating societies at the request of COPAE.
10. AMENDMENTS
Changes to this Charter must be approved by the COPAE and the AAES Board of Governors.