Standards Activities Board

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IEEE Computer Society

Standards Activities Board

Policies and Procedures

(Approved by SAB, 27 October 2004)

 

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1           Scope and Purpose

As set forth in IEEE CS Bylaws, Article X, and IEEE CS Policies & Procedures Section 10, the Standards Activity Board (SAB) is responsible for

  • Recommending to the Computer Society Board of Governors all policies and procedures with respect to standards,
  • Monitoring all Computer Society standards activities to assure conformance to approved policies and procedures,
  • Establishing (or dissolving when appropriate) all Computer Society standards sponsors, approving the scope of each sponsor's charter,
  • Maintaining and publishing Computer Society Standards Handbook, and
  • Serving as a standards sponsor when appropriate.

2           SAB Policies and Procedures

2.1        Documents Governing the SAB

The following documents shall govern the SAB. In the event of inconsistencies among two or more documents, the document appearing first on the following list shall prevail:

  1. New York State Not-for-Profit Law
  2. IEEE Certificate of Incorporation
  3. IEEE Constitution
  4. IEEE Bylaws (includes IEEE Standards Association Bylaws)
  5. IEEE Policy & Procedures Manual
  6. IEEE Board of Directors Resolutions
  7. IEEE CS Constitution and Bylaws
  8. IEEE CS Policies and Procedures, Section 10
  9. IEEE CS Board of Governors Resolutions
  10. IEEE CS SAB P&P (this document)
  11. Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised

3           Terms

3.1        Abbreviations

CS: IEEE Computer Society

IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Inc.

P&P: Policies and Procedures

SA: IEEE Standards Association

SAB: IEEE CS Standards Activities Board

SDO: Standards Developing Organization, e.g. IEEE

SG: Study Group

WG: Working Group

3.2        Definitions

Approval: An affirmative outcome to a vote with a defined threshold for success.

Liaison: an individual approved by the SAB and recognized by another organization to act as one organization's official representative to the other.

Person: a legal entity, including an individual.

Sponsor: A group of persons that has been chartered by the Computer Society to develop standards within a specified scope and in accordance with the Policies and Procedures set forth and referenced in this document.

4           SAB Organization and Procedures

4.1        Overview

The development of standards in the CS is governed by a committee structure consisting of the SAB and Sponsors that report to the SAB. Sponsors may have WGs, SG's and other lower level committees.

4.2        Responsibilities of the SAB

The overall responsibilities of the SAB are defined by the IEEE CS Constitution and Bylaws and by the Policies and Procedures of the IEEE CS. The specific duties of the SAB are to:

(a)    Commission and decommission Sponsors,

(b)   Be a forum for discussion of Committee and common WG issues, procedures,

(c)    Establish budgets as appropriate to carry out its responsibilities,

(d)   Commission and decommission subcommittees of the SAB as Sponsors for Standards Development should it wish to sponsor a standardization activity that no existing Sponsor agrees to sponsor,

(e)    Mediate between Sponsors in the event of an inter-Sponsor dispute,

(f)     Approve 'un-named' Computer Society Service Awards based on criteria approved by SAB and notified to the CS awards committee,

(g)    Establish policies and practices to promote the vitality of all Sponsors,

(h)    Promote mutually beneficial relationships between standards sponsors and other organizations within the Computer Society,

(i)      Recommend policies and procedures for developing and maintaining standards and consensus documents that are not standards to the Computer Society Board of Governors, and

(j)     Assist Sponsors in forming appropriate relationships with other parts of the Computer Society and encourage Sponsors to engage in technical interchange.

4.3        Document Availability

All SAB documents shall be publicly available, unless specifically restricted by law, regulation, or policy of the IEEE or Computer Society. All SAB documents shall be posted to the CS or other Web site and shall remain available for a minimum of five years.

4.4        Meetings

4.4.1      Purpose

The SAB shall hold face-to-face meetings a minimum of three times per year to conduct business such as that described in section 4.2.

4.4.2      Use of Robert's Rules of Order

The SAB shall operate under the latest available edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

4.4.3      Openness

SAB meetings shall be open meetings with the sole exception of executive sessions, which shall be limited to the consideration of confidential personnel matters such as removal of Officers. Any person with a direct and material interest may observe the proceedings of an open meeting.

4.4.4      Notice

Meeting notices and agendas for SAB meetings shall be posted on the public CS Web site and distributed by email to Members. Meeting notice shall be distributed a minimum of forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the meeting and shall include at a minimum the date, time, and location of the meeting. Agendas for SAB meetings shall be distributed a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the meeting.

4.4.5      Minutes

After an SAB meeting, draft minutes of the meeting shall be circulated by the secretary within thirty (30) calendar days of the meeting for approval. Approved written minutes of SAB meetings shall be posted to the CS Web site within sixty (60) calendar days of the meeting.

4.4.6      Quorum

The default quorum for the SAB shall be one-half (50%) of the voting membership of SAB, excluding ex-officio liaison members.

4.5        SAB Membership

SAB Membership and Officers shall be as set forth in IEEE CS Policies & Procedures Section 10.4 and IEEE CS Bylaws Article X. All SAB members are required to be members of the IEEE or CS-affiliate members.

4.5.1      Sponsor Representatives

Each Sponsor shall designate a representative to serve as a member of the SAB. Sponsor representatives vote and are counted in the determination of quorum.

4.5.2      Attendance and Reports

Each Sponsor shall be represented, in person or electronically via teleconference, at least two (2) SAB meetings each calendar year. Each Sponsor Chair shall submit a report of Sponsor activities to the SAB Secretary once per year.

4.5.3      Email Address

Each SAB Member shall provide and keep the SAB Chair informed of a current valid electronic mail address.

4.6        Voting

4.6.1      Electronic Ballots

Votes not taken at face-to-face meetings shall be taken by electronic ballots.

4.6.2      Voting Procedures

Votes are limited to YES, NO, Abstain and Present but Not Voting.  At meetings, a YES vote from a majority of the votes cast as YES or NO is required for approval unless defined otherwise in this document. For electronic ballots, a YES vote from a majority of those eligible to vote is required for approval unless defined otherwise in this document.

4.7        Duties of the Chair

The SAB Chair shall perform the duties of the chair set forth in the IEEE CS Policies and Procedures, Section 10, and in the documents listed in Section 2.

4.8        Avoiding Conflicts among SDO WGs

The SAB shall endeavor to avoid overlaps among SDO activities, including among its own Sponsors and between its Sponsors and other SDOs. Inter-SDO cooperation should be encouraged in order to facilitate the efficient and effective development of standards. However a working group within one SDO should not be prohibited from developing a standard if a working group in another SDO is working on similar standards. The marketplace should be allowed to decide which standard(s) to adopt. Should potential project overlaps arise, the SAB shall play a facilitative role and encourage liaison activities.

4.9        Executive Committee

Sponsors may delegate the exercise of any of their rights and responsibilities to a subcommittee. However the SAB shall look to the Sponsor itself, and not to the subsidiary committee, as the responsible committee.

4.10   Amendments

These P&P's may be amended by the SAB at a regularly scheduled meeting of the SAB for which 60 day prior notice of the proposed change has been provided. Approval of the amendment requires a two-thirds majority of voting members attending the meeting. Approved amendments go into effect immediately upon approval.

5           SPONSOR PROCEDURES

Sponsors are required to maintain a vital and active technical program of standardization in accordance with their approved scope.

5.1        Commissioning of Sponsors

Each Sponsor shall be commissioned by the SAB. Commissioning includes approval of the Sponsor Scope. Potential sponsors shall submit a Scope and P&P's to the SAB.  The approval vote must occur at a regularly scheduled meeting of the SAB for which 60 day prior notice of the proposal has been provided. Approval requires a two-thirds majority. Sponsors remain commissioned until decommissioned.

5.2        Sponsor Scope Changes

Any change in Sponsor Scope shall be approved by the SAB. The approval vote must occur at a regularly scheduled meeting of the SAB for which 60 day prior notice of the proposal has been provided. Approval requires a two-thirds majority.

5.3        Sponsor Relationship to Computer Society

CS Sponsors have the responsibility to relate their work to the overall technical program of the Computer Society. The SAB shall assist sponsors in forming appropriate relationships with other parts of the Society and encouraging sponsors to engage in technical interchange.

5.4        Decommissioning of Sponsors

The SAB may decommission an existing Sponsor upon request from the Sponsor or for failure to execute its duties as provided in this document. The vote must occur at a regularly scheduled meeting of the SAB for which 60 day prior notice of the proposal has been provided. Approval requires a two-thirds majority.

5.5        Sponsor Policies and Procedures

Each Sponsor shall have and shall adhere to a set of P&P's.  Sponsors shall inform the SAB of changes in their P&P's.

5.6        Financial Reporting

The Bylaws of the IEEE provide special treatment for meetings and finances of standards Sponsors. Standards Sponsors must report financial and meeting activity to IEEE-SA, as required.

6           APPEALS

6.1        Right to Appeal

In accordance with the procedures of the IEEE-SA, persons who have directly and materially affected interests and who have been or will be adversely affected by the actions or inactions of a Sponsor shall have the right to appeal procedural actions or inactions of a Sponsor, a Sponsor committee or its officers. Appeals first shall be made to the Chair of the Sponsor. The SAB will assist Sponsor Chairs in staffing appeals panels, when requested.

6.2        Informal Resolution Encouraged

Every attempt should be made to resolve concerns informally. If informal attempts are unsuccessful, the formal procedures described in IEEE-SA procedures shall be invoked.

6.3        Appeals Procedures

In the situation that an appeal is made against an action of the SAB acting as a sponsor, then the SAB shall follow the procedures specified by the IEEE-SA. The Chairman of the SAB may appoint another individual to serve as Sponsor Chair for the purpose of the appeal.