Article I - Organization and Affiliation

1.1 This organization is the Technical Council on Software Engineering, also known as "TCSE". It is a constituent part of the IEEE Computer Society and operates under the rules and policies of that society. The IEEE Computer Society ("IEEE-CS") is a constituent society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ("IEEE").

1.2 TCSE operates in all matters within the parameters of IEEE-CS rules and policies and with due regard for the tax exempt status of the IEEE.

Article II - Purpose

2.1 Provide a forum for exchange of ideas among interested practitioners, researchers, developers, maintainers, users and students in the software engineering field world-wide.

2.2 Promote and facilitate the sharing of ideas, techniques, standards, and experiences between TCSE members for more effective use of software engineering technology.

2.3 Conduct workshops, conferences, and other meetings to advance both the state-of-the-art and the state-of-the-practice of software engineering.

2.4 Publish and distribute among its members, and other IEEE-CS parties, newsletters, proceedings, standards proposals, and other appropriate material on a non-profit basis.

2.5 Provide professional development opportunities for members in software engineering and related technologies.

2.6 Foster other activities for the advancement of the software engineering field and the interests of TCSE membership within the scope of TCSE's charge under the rules of the IEEE-CS, including cooperating with other groups in joint activities and projects.

Article III - Membership

3.1 An individual becomes a member of TCSE by (a) subscribing to one or more of IEEE Software magazine, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, the TCSE newsletter or any TCSE committee newsletter; (b) joining any TCSE committee or task force as a member; or (c) filing an application for TCSE membership in writing, by electronic mail, or via the TCSE web site.

3.2 Membership in the IEEE or the IEEE-CS is not required for membership in TCSE, but is strongly encouraged.

3.3 Members are required to maintain a current mailing address with TCSE. Members who cannot be located are dropped from membership.

3.4 If TCSE at any time establishes membership dues, the payment of such dues for the current period (or within an established administrative grace period) is required to maintain membership.

Article IV - TCSE Governance and Management

4.1 TCSE is governed by its Officers, an Operations Committee ("OpCom"), and an Executive Committee ("ExCom").

4.2 Officers

4.2.1 The executive officers of the TCSE are the TCSE Chair and a set of Vice Chairs, including Executive Vice Chair, Executive Secretary, Vice Chair for Conferences, and others as identified in 4.2.6 below.

4.2.2 TCSE Chair

4.2.2.1 The TCSE Chair is the chief executive of TCSE and performs such duties and responsibilities as specified by the rules and procedures of the IEEE-CS, including being TCSE's principal representative to the IEEE-CS Technical Activities Board. The TCSE Chair appoints the remaining TCSE officers, committee and task force chairs not selected by direct membership election, and any other appointed positions including appointments to fill vacancies. The TCSE Chair chairs the OpCom and ExCom.

4.2.2.2 The TCSE Chair is elected for a two (2) year term starting October 1. The TCSE Chair must be an IEEE-CS member.

4.2.3 The Executive Vice Chair performs duties assigned by the TCSE Chair and assumes the duties of the TCSE Chair in the absence of the Chair. The Executive Vice Chair is TCSE's first alternate representative to the Technical Activities Board. The individual designated as Executive Vice Chair may simultaneously serve in another officer capacity.

4.2.4 The Executive Secretary keeps and publishes the record of ExCom and OpCom actions, and handles such other correspondence and duties as are assigned by the TCSE Chair. The Executive Secretary handles mailing and tabulation of ballots when mail votes are held.

4.2.5 The Vice Chair for Conferences reviews and approves all requests for TCSE sponsorship, co-sponsorship, or cooperation on conferences, symposia, and other technical meetings, in coordination with the IEEE-CS Conferences Office.

4.2.6 As needed from time to time for TCSE operations and activities, the TCSE Chair may appoint additional Vice Chairs with specified portfolios. Examples of portfolios used in the past are publicity, finance, membership, education, standards, and web editor.

4.2.7 The Executive Vice Chair, Executive Secretary, and Vice Chairs are appointed by the TCSE Chair for a term of one year, starting January 1, and are eligible for reappointment.

4.3 Operations Committee

4.3.1 The Operations Committee ("OpCom") manages the operations of the TCSE and determines its budget. The OpCom consists of the Officers, the immediate past TCSE Chair, the chairs of all active TCSE committees and task forces, and the editors (or their designees) of IEEE Software, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, and the TCSE Newsletter.

4.3.2 The OpCom may meet and transact business by electronic mail, using a list address that all OpCom members can normally receive. Formal votes by electronic mail require at least one-third (1/3) of the OpCom voting.

4.3.3 OpCom meetings, in person or by telephone conference call, are called by the TCSE Chair or by a quorum of the OpCom members with advance notice to all members. The quorum for transaction of OpCom business in person or by telephone is one-third (1/3) of its membership.

4.4 Executive Committee

4.4.1 The Executive Committee ("ExCom") determines TCSE policy and the nature of TCSE activities. The ExCom serves as a resource for people to lead special projects and for contact with the membership at large.

4.4.2 The ExCom consists of all current OpCom members, six (6) at-large members elected for two (2) year terms starting October 1, and immediate past OpCom members. Three (3) of the at-large members are elected each year. To ensure continuity in support of TCSE activities, any member of the OpCom who leaves office automatically becomes a member of the ExCom for the next three (3) years. Inactive ExCom members may be removed by the TCSE Chair, subject to review by the ExCom.

4.4.3 The ExCom may meet and transact business by electronic mail, using a list address that all ExCom members can normally receive. Formal votes by electronic mail require at least one-third (1/3) of the ExCom voting.

4.4.4 ExCom meetings, in person or by telephone conference call, are called by the TCSE Chair or by a quorum of the ExCom members with advance notice to all members. The quorum for transaction of ExCom business in person or by telephone is one-third (1/3) of its membership.

Article V - Committees and Task Forces

5.1 A TCSE Committee is an organization of TCSE members to foster and promote, over an extended period of time, the growth and dissemination of technical information and activities in a particular subfield or specialty of software engineering or in a particular geographic region. The TCSE Chair, in consultation with the ExCom, may establish or dissolve TCSE Committees.

5.2 The Software Engineering Standards Committee ("SESC") is a TCSE Committee that operates under the rules of both the IEEE-CS Standards Activities Board and the IEEE-CS Technical Activities Board.

5.3 A member of any TCSE Committee is automatically a member of TCSE.

5.4 If the Committee Chair is not directly elected by the Committee members, the Committee Chair is appointed by the TCSE Chair based upon nominations by the appropriate steering group of the Committee. Each Committee Chair of an active TCSE subcommittee is a member of the OpCom.

5.5 Any charter or operating rules of a Committee are subject to the approval of the TCSE Chair in consultation with the ExCom. Committees must operate within the rules and policies of TCSE and the IEEE-CS. Unless otherwise provided in approved Committee rules, a Committee Chair serves for one year, is eligible to be reelected or reappointed only twice in succession (for a maximum of three (3) successive years in office), and appoints the other officers and steering group members of the Committee.

5.6 Task Forces are created to focus on a particular issue or topic for a limited period of time. A Task Force is structured like a TCSE Committee and operates under the same procedures, including membership of its Chair on the OpCom.

Article VI - Nomination and Election

6.1 Nominations Committee. On or before April 1 each year, the current TCSE Chair appoints three or more TCSE members as the Nominations Committee ("NomCom") and designates the Chair. No more than two of the NomCom members may be currently serving as a Vice Chair or a Committee Chair. It is suggested, though not required, that at least one of the members be the current or a former TCSE Chair. No one who is serving on the NomCom may be selected as a nominee.

6.2 The NomCom makes nominations for TCSE Chair, the ExCom, and Committee positions at the request of the Committee Chair or steering group. The NomCom, assisted by the Executive Secretary, solicits nominations from TCSE members for the offices up for election, using substantially the same procedures as the IEEE-CS nominations for Board of Governors (see IEEE-CS Bylaws, Article II, Section 1). The NomCom by majority vote submits its list to the Executive Secretary as soon as practical with a target of May 15. It is intended that there be at least two (2) candidates for each single position election (such as TCSE Chair) and at least the number to be elected plus one for each multiple position election (such as ExCom). The nominations report and the petition deadline is announced immediately on the TCSE web site and to email-accessible members to the extent practical.

6.3 Additional nominations may be made by petition, endorsed by at least 35 TCSE members eligible to vote (or Committee members for Committee positions), received by the Executive Secretary on or before an announced date at least three (3) weeks after the availability of the nominations report. A petition begins by the candidate notifying the Executive Secretary of an intent to run. Recognizing the distributed nature of the TCSE membership, members may join a petition for nomination individually before the deadline by signed letter, facsimile transmission, or electronic mail message that can be validated.

6.4 Upon closure of nominations, the Executive Secretary prepares a ballot containing candidate names alphabetical by family name. No distinction will be made on the ballot between candidates nominated by committee or petition. Each candidate will have an equal opportunity to submit a short statement, due at the close of petitions in 6.3 above, to be made available with the ballot. The ballot and candidate statements may be mailed by publication as part of an issue of a TCSE Newsletter mailed to members in July or August. The ballot may be published via TCSE web site with a notice of its availability mailed to the address on record of members eligible to vote. The deadline for receipt of voted ballots is determined by the Executive Secretary, with at least 45 days from the mailing of notice suggested. Ballots are returned to the Executive Secretary unless the Elections Committee designates another recipient. Ballots may be accepted by postal mail, fax, or submission via TCSE's web site, but not by electronic mail. Ballots will contain sufficient identification of the TCSE member to enable validation of the member's right to vote. However, the Executive Secretary and the Elections Committee will protect the confidentiality of all member votes. The candidate receiving the plurality of the valid ballots cast will be elected. No intermediate counts will be revealed. Final numeric vote totals will be released only to the candidates. Ballots will be retained for 60 days for the resolution of any disputes and then destroyed if no disputes are filed with the Executive Secretary, the Election Committee, or the IEEE-CS VP TAB.

6.5 To vote for TCSE Chair and the ExCom, a TCSE member must be a voting IEEE-CS member.

6.6 Any issue or dispute with any part of the election process is decided by an Elections Committee, consisting of three (3) TCSE members who are not candidates or members of the OpCom or Nominations Committee.

Article VII - TCSE Conferences

7.1 Any charter or operating rules of a conference or technical meeting sponsored in whole or in part by TCSE are subject to the approval of the TCSE Chair in consultation with the ExCom. Such conferences must operate within the rules and policies of TCSE and the IEEE-CS.

7.2 No conference sponsored in whole or in part by TCSE may be released from TCSE sponsorship without the explicit approval of the ExCom.

Article VIII - Amendment of Charter Statement

8.1 This Charter may be amended by two-thirds vote of the ExCom upon written notice of the proposed amendment, mailed by first-class mail/airmail or by electronic mail, at least one month in advance.

8.2 Any amendment is subject to the approval of the IEEE-CS through its Vice President for Technical Activities.

Email to TCSE general mailbox

Go to TCSE home page