Previous Constitution

Article I. Name

Worcester Polytechnic Institute Chapter of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM)

Article II. Purpose

The objectives of SIAM, as established in the Certificate of Incorporation, are:

  • To further the application of mathematics to industry and science.
  • To promote basic research in mathematics leading to new methods and techniques useful to industry and science.
  • To provide media for the exchange of information and ideas between mathematicians and other technical and scientific personnel.

Purposes of the Chapter shall be consistent with the objectives of SIAM

The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Chapter of SIAM is a professional organization whose purposes are:

  • To expose students to applications of mathematics and to mathematicians in industry and science.
  • To provide a forum for students to discuss and collaborate on problems in industrial and applied mathematics.
  • To provide a means of linking students with prospective employers.
  • To provide opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to interact.

Article III. Membership

Any person engaged or interested in mathematics or computing and their applications at WPI shall be eligible for membership in this Chapter. Chapter membership may be interdisciplinary, with members from multiple departments.

More specifically, membership in the WPI Chapter of SIAM shall be restricted to the following groups:

  • Undergraduates who are in good academic standing and have successfully completed freshman Calculus, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra.
  • WPI Mathematical Sciences graduate students
  • WPI graduate students in the applied sciences or engineering whose research contains a significant amount of high level mathematics
  • Faculty of WPI who are regular members of SIAM National.

The WPI Chapter of SIAM will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, or national origin. The WPI Chapter of SIAM also ensures that its membership will not practice any physically or psychologically abusive hazing behaviors either intentionally or unintentionally.

Chapter members shall have the privileges of SIAM membership only if they are regular or student members of SIAM.

All members of the chapter who are students enrolled in the sponsoring institution(s) are eligible for free student memberships in SIAM. Chapter is responsible for providing a list of its student members to SIAM so that complimentary student memberships in SIAM can be processed.

Termination of student membership will take place upon graduation, or withdrawal from the university, or at the request of the student.

Article IV. Officers, Duties, and Requirements

The Chapter shall have a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Officers shall be Regular or Student Members in good standing with SIAM, shall be full-time students, and shall be chosen from Student Members of the Chapter.

These officers, with the addition of the Faculty Advisor, make up the Executive Committee. If necessary, the committee will be enlarged to ensure graduate and undergraduate student representation. The Executive Committee is responsible for the management of the Chapter and for decision making.

The President shall preside at the meetings of the Chapter (and the Chapter Executive Committee). In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President. In the absence of the latter, the Secretary shall assume said duties.

The Secretary shall keep a record of the affairs of the Chapter, handle correspondence, and submit an annual report of Chapter activities to the Secretary of SIAM, which report shall be suitable for publication in SIAM News or its equivalent.

The Treasurer shall receive and take custody of Chapter funds, and shall submit an annual Treasurer’s Report and other financial reports, as requested, to the Treasurer of SIAM. The annual Treasurer’s Report shall be prepared as of the end of the academic year and shall be transmitted to the Treasurer of SIAM no later than 30 days following the end of the academic year.

A term of office is one year. Re-election of an officer for an additional consecutive term is permissible.

Article V. Meetings

There shall be at least 6 meetings per year.

Any member of the Executive Committee may call a meeting. The President shall preside at the meetings of the Chapter. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President. In the absence of the latter, the Secretary shall assume said duties.

The Chapter shall conduct a business meeting once per year during the month of February. Other business meetings may be called by the President or the Treasurer on two weeks notice.

Article VI. Elections and Officer Replacement/Removal

Nominations for officers shall be submitted to the Faculty Advisor of the Chapter via email or in person before the last week in C term. Any chapter member may nominate another member. It is the responsibility of the Chapter Advisor to check the standing and eligibility of each nominee, and to contact the nominee to determine his/her willingness and ability to serve in the capacity for which he/she is nominated. Elections will be held in the last meeting of C term. Voting will be done via a simple majority vote process. All members of the Chapter may vote.

A term of office is one year, from the beginning of A term to the last day of D term. Re-election of an officer for an additional consecutive term is permissible.

If at any time members of the Chapter feel that an officer needs to be removed from his/her position, they may notify the Executive Committee. Only the Executive committee may then call a general member meeting in order to vote on whether the officer should be removed and who shall replace the officer. A two-thirds majority vote is required.

Removal from office is justified by any one of the following:

  • Failure to accomplish one’s duties
  • Failure to remain a full-time student at WPI
  • Failure to remain in good standing with SIAM

Article VII. Judicial Action

The WPI Chapter of SIAM will abide by decisions of the Campus Hearing Board in dealing with charges brought about the organization.

Article VIII. Finances

The Chapter may raise funds in any lawful manner consistent with the Rules and the Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation of SIAM.

The Chapter may request a grant or loan from the Treasurer of SIAM under the provision of Article Xii, Chapter 8 of the Bylaws of SIAM. Such requests shall be made by submission of “Request for Funding” form to SIAM and include a current financial statement for the Chapter and a proposed budget for the requested funds.

The Chapter Treasurer shall maintain books of account that show income and expense items for all activities and balances for all accounts of the Chapter.

The Chapter shall deposit all unused funds to which it has legal title in excess of $200 in an insured savings account, unless current operating commitments are in excess of that amount or unless the Chapter Treasurer obtains a written authorization from the SIAM Treasurer.

Article IX. Advisor

The advisor of the WPI Chapter of SIAM must be a full-time WPI faculty or professional staff member in good standing with SIAM. The advisor is a voting member of the Chapter.

The advisor may be removed from his/her position with a two-thirds vote of the members of the Chapter.

A new advisor may be nominated by any member of the Chapter. It is the responsibility of the Chapter President to contact the nominee to determine his/her willingness and ability to serve as advisor to the chapter. A general member meeting will be held to vote the advisor(s). Voting will be done via a simple majority vote process.

Article X. Amendments/Revisions

These Rules may be altered or amended with the approval by majority vote of members of the Chapter at a scheduled meeting. Chapter members must be given two weeks notice of the proposed change. No amendment or revision may violate the Rules and Bylaws of SIAM National. Any member of the Chapter may propose an amendment.

Article XI. SOC Enabling Clause

The Worcester Polytechnic Institute Chapter of SIAM agrees to abide by the policies of Worcester Polytechnic Institute as well as all federal, state, and local laws. Any changes to this constitution and/or bylaws will follow, in word and spirit, all WPI policies and all federal, state, and local laws.