Bylaws

SSC Bylaws (Downloadable PDF)

SNAME Student Steering Committee Bylaws

This document was rewritten by Nicholas T. Stinson and ratified at the SNAME Maritime Convention Student Townhall, Congress, and Elections in 2017.


A. General

A1. Name
The name of the committee shall be “The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers Student Steering Committee” hereafter referred to as “SNAME SSC” or “SSC”.

A2. Purpose
The SSC has the responsibility, authority and accountability to represent the interests of students who advance the art, science, and practice of naval architecture, marine engineering, ocean engineering, and other marine-related professions. The SSC will act as the voice of student members in SNAME by concentrating the ideas and interests of its constituents and presenting those issues to the relevant SNAME committees or Executive Committee for consideration and resolution.

A3. Vision Statement
The SSC will lead initiatives that focus on increasing student participation, increasing student retention in SNAME, increasing the student's voice in SNAME, and providing resources to students for their professional development. The goal of the SSC is to increase student membership and participation while guaranteeing the future of the SNAME with continuing membership. The SSC intends for student members to graduate and transition into the Young Professionals group of SNAME and become active members of SNAME throughout their career.


B. Membership and Administration

B1. Membership
The SSC shall be made up of an Executive Committee and the chairs of the SNAME recognized student sections.

B2. SSC Executive Committee Officers
The SSC Executive Committee is comprised of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Communications Chair, Electronic Media Chair, Resource Management Chair, Committee Advisor, and Headquarters Liaison.

B2-1. Officer Duties
Officers shall serve from 1 January to 31 December following their election. All officers must be current SNAME members during elections and their term. Officers may be elected into office if they will be a student during any portion of the prospective term.

Each officer will request/be assigned a student section to maintain contact with. This will be set up as a mentor program for the local section officers. The SSC officer shall communicate with their student contacts throughout the year to check on the section, help wherever possible, lend support and help ensure a strong turnout for the SMC Student Program.

Each SSC officer may have a position on a SNAME committee, as requested by SNAME. The officer may choose the committee they participate in, unless previously specified in the officer description. If there is a request for more student representatives than officers, then former SSC members may also represent the students on certain committees.

All SSC officers are expected to support the Chair in planning the annual SMC student program. The Chair shall coordinate all efforts. The officers may request their responsibility if not previously specified in the officer description and those in the descriptions are not binding.

B2-2. Chair
Chair nominees must have held an officer position at their local section or on the SSC. It is recommended that the Chair have served previously on the SSC Executive Committee. It is also noted that acting as SSC Chair and local student section Chair is a large workload and it is recommended that the SSC Chair not pursue their local student section chair position during their term.

The Chair shall represent the SSC to the Executive Committee and Council of SNAME and serve on the Annual Meeting Committee (SMC Committee). The Chair is to be the leader of the SSC. The Chair shall be responsible for ensuring the SSC is effective and is to follow up with the officers on current initiatives and projects. The Chair is also responsible for organizing meetings and creating agendas with the assistance from the SSC officers. The Chair is to appoint an officer to sit on the SNAME Education Committee, T&R Committee and other various committees that may request a student member for the following year. The Chair is to delegate projects to SSC officers as needed. The Chair is to communicate regularly with the SSC Advisor and HQ Liaison prior to significant events.

The Chair is responsible for the planning of the Student Chair Elect Seminar (SCES). The Chair shall contact local sections and work with SNAME to ensure that each section is represented at the SCES.

The Chair is responsible for the ultimate planning of the student activities for the SMC and shall work closely with SNAME to ensure room location, scheduling and a student hotel. To facilitate planning of SMC, the Chair shall sit on the Annual Meeting Committee. The Chair may distribute the different activities of the student portion of SMC to other SSC officers, but is responsible for a successful student program at the SMTC&E.

SMC duties include running the Student/Industry Roundtable, Student Townhall, Congress, and Elections, and ensuring the entire student program runs smoothly.

Typical committee meetings include Executive Committee (4 full day meetings per year), Council (twice a year), SMC Committee Meetings (biweekly), and SMC Students/YPs/Papers Committee (biweekly in months leading up to SMC). The Chair must attend all meetings possible and should alert another officer if they cannot attend so that a student is present for any discussion.

B2-3. Vice Chair
The Vice Chair may not be from the same student chapter as the Chair.

The Vice Chair shall represent the Student Steering Committee to the Executive Committee and Council of SNAME in the event the Chair is unable to. Duties include acting as assistant, as needed, to all SSC Officers.

The Vice Chair, along with the Secretary, shall be the keeper of section information and is responsible for maintaining a list containing contact information for all student chapter officers. The Vice Chair will work with SNAME to make sure all membership lists are distributed to each section twice a year (October and January) to help ensure that the section membership rosters match those of SNAME. The Vice Chair will also work to ensure that all SNAME student section officers are members and that the membership is current. In order to complete the mentioned tasks, the Vice Chair and Secretary is to work closely with the HQ Liaison in order to maintain the correct membership information.

SMC duties include planning and running the design competition and assisted all other officers as needed. The design competition may be used at the summer meeting, so planning should begin early.

B2-4. Secretary
The Secretary shall record events of each meeting to be posted in the SSC community group and prepare a monthly summary of committee correspondence to be placed on the mircosite for information and reference or in the newsletter as necessary. The Secretary will also work directly with the Vice Chair to facilitate the duties listed above in the Vice Chair description.

The Secretary will also be required to assist the student sections with the development of their fundraising and continuing efforts to better the sections as requested. The Secretary will maintain a list of possible speakers/topics of interest for student section meetings in an effort to increase student participation.

SMC duties include running the Student Job Fair and assisting other officers as needed.

B2-5. Communications Chair
The Communications Chair shall be responsible for ensuring disbursal of Student Steering Committee correspondence to all members. He/she shall maintain communications with each student section in order to have current information regarding section activities for the monthly newsletter.

The Communications Chair shall also be responsible for content creation for the newsletter and social media sites. The newsletter is to be distributed every other month or as required. The newsletter may be distributed via the SSC web site, social media pages, and SNAME communities. The newsletter is to be done in a standard program and format to facilitate passing of the newsletter to the new Communications Chair each year. The Communication Chair shall work closely with the Electronic Media Chair to maintain student news and updates on the microsite and social media platforms. This position focuses more on content and message than logistics. Content should be generated frequently to maintain interest in social media pages.

SMC duties include working with the HQ Liaison to plan a student social and assisting other officers as necessary.

B2-6. Electronic Media Chair
The Electronic Media Chair shall be responsible for maintenance of SSC microsite and social media. The Electronic Media Chair is to work closely with the Communications Chair in the development of the newsletter and the disbursal of information via the Internet. This position focuses more on the logistics of the microsite and social media sites. Previous web development experience or graphical design experience is preferred.

SMC duties include leading the review process for the Electronic Media Competition and assisting other officers as necessary.

B2-7. Resource Management Chair
The Resource Management Chair is to be chosen by the newly elected and current officers of the SSC Executive Committee. A call for nominations shall be sent out within a month of SMC with a two week opening for applications.

The Resource Management Chair is responsible for updated the Student Sections Standards Guide prior to the Student Chair Elect Seminar. They will also serve as the Student Papers Chair and Lead reviewer for the SMC Papers Subcommittee. They will need to find additional reviewers for student papers.

This position is very time intensive and deadline oriented during the late spring and summer months due to the extensive paper review process.

SMC duties include attending the SMC Students/YP/Papers Committee meetings, helping organize the student paper sessions, and assisting other officers as necessary.

B2-8. Interim Officers
Additional officer positions may be added on a year to year basis depending on the needs of SNAME and the SSC. These positions should be filled by the same process as the Resource Management Chair position.

B2-9. Committee Advisor
The Committee Advisor is the most recent, former, and willing SSC Chair. They will serve the SSC and SSC Executive Committee in an advisory role on all topics, especially the SMC student program. The Committee Advisor may only vote on Executive Committee items when there is a tie.

B2-10. Headquarters Liaison
The Headquarters (HQ) Liaison is a staff member at SNAME HQ designated as the primary point of contact for the SSC. They will attend SSC Executive Committee meetings as required and assist all SSC members with their respective responsibilities. They do not have a vote in SSC matters, but may offer advice or direction from an HQ perspective.


C. Government

C1. Meetings
The sections below outline the various meetings within the SSC.

C1-1. Executive Committee Meetings
Executive Committee meetings should occur at least once a month and preferably every two weeks. These meetings will be used to discuss any upcoming initiatives for the SSC as well as planning for the SNAME Maritime Convention (SMC) student program.

C1-2. SSC Meetings
Meetings of the SSC should occur quarterly to inform the student chairs about the SSC Executive Committee initiatives. One of these meetings is the Student Chair Elect Seminar. Meetings should be recorded for students unable to attend.

C1-3. Student Chair Elect Seminar
The student chair elect seminar occurs every summer at SNAME HQ. This meeting is for the SSC Executive Committee to teach the student chair elects about their role and how to lead a student section. If the chair of a student section cannot attend then another officer from that section should attend in their place. It is recommended that attendance to the summer meeting is limited to one year. This meeting shall be led by the SSC Executive Committee.

C1-4. SNAME Maritime Convention Student Townhall, Congress, and Elections
This is the annual meeting of the SSC along with any students that wish to attend physically or electronically. The session will start with an open townhall to discuss current issues, advice, and other topics as necessary. Then it will transition into the congress portion where votes are carried out as necessary, including bylaw changes. Finally, the session will end with elections for the SSC Executive Committee of the following calendar year.

C2. Officer Elections
All nominees must be members of SNAME at the time of elections and during their term. The person receiving the most votes will win the position. Votes will be cast anonymously by ballot in person and electronically for distant attendees. Current Executive Committee officers will count the ballots, excluding any current officers running for the given position.

Statements of intent must be submitted to the current SSC Chair one week prior to elections. During elections each candidate will get a chance to speak briefly. Following this speech, they will be removed from the room where discussion may occur regarding the candidates. Candidates will then be brought back into the room and voting will commence. If only one or no submissions for a position are submitted, then students may nominate themselves for the position during the Election process.

Voting will proceed in a waterfall fashion: Chair first, then Vice Chair, Secretary, Communications Chair, and Electronic Media Chair. Students may run for as many positions as they like, but may only serve in one role. Election results will be announced immediately and the elected candidate must accept or reject the position.

C3. Voting Procedures
The following sections outline the different voting procedures for the levels of SSC requests.

C3-1. Executive Committee
All voting members must cast a vote for a vote to be valid. It is up to the discretion of the Chair whether a vote should be conducted orally or anonymously.

C3-2. SSC
The SSC typically does not vote on any issues. Most issues are handled at the Executive Committee or General Student Body level. However, the SSC may vote on matters of opinion (newsletter frequency, webinar topics, etc.) as requested by the Executive Committee. Oral votes should be sufficient, but ballots (electronic or physical) may be used as necessary.

C3-3. General Student Body
Votes presented to the general student body can occur if a quorum is met. Voting will be orally given first and written ballot if necessary.

C4. Officer Removal
In the event that an officer is unable or unwilling to fulfill their duties, they may be removed from the SSC Executive Committee. To do this, an email must be sent to the address listed in the SNAME directory stating that the other officers are not satisfied with the work being accomplished. If no response is given within 7 days, a phone call to the number in the directory should be made. If no response is given, the offending officer has 7 days to reply the contacting officer. If still no response is given, the other officers may call an emergency Executive Committee Meeting to discuss the issue. A vote may be called to remove the officer from their duties. Remaining officers will have 7 days to respond anonymously to the vote. The vote must be unanimous to remove an officer.

If an officer is removed, the remaining Executive Committee officers may either appoint another officer to fill the position or send out a call for applicants to the position. If a call for applicants is sent out, the remaining officers will vote anonymously on the position with simple majority required.

C5. Succession of Power
In the event that the Chair is unable or unwilling to fulfill the duties of their position, the order of succession is: Vice Chair, Secretary, Communications Chair, Electronic Media Chair, Resource Management Chair, Committee Advisor.

C6. Quorum
A quorum at SMC STC&E is defined as a minimum of 50 students present either physically or electronically from at least 10 distinct SNAME recognized student sections.

C7. Special Panels
Special Panels may be created to study an issue required to deem further investigation. Panels may also be created to aid the SSC Executive Committee in make preparations for any event, including the annual meeting. A committee member appointed by the Chair will chair panels. The rest of the panel may include other SSC members, or any member of SNAME whose input may be deemed beneficial.


D. Revisions

D1. Process
Revisions to these bylaws may only be made by a ¾ majority vote of students physically and electronically present during the SMC STC&E.

D2. Revision list
Date Changes Signature
27 October 2017 Reorganization of bylaws;
Clarification of election procedures;
Position roles descriptions updated to reflect accurate operating procedures;
Secretary/Treasurer changed to Secretary;
Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson changed to Chair and Vice Chair;
Officer removal procedure added;
Succession of officers added;
Quorum and other voting requirements and procedures clarified		 Chair: Nicholas T. Stinson

D3. Signatures approving current SNAME SSC Bylaws
Chair: Nicholas T. Stinson Vice Chair: James Coller
Secretary: Holly Berckenhoff Communications Chair: Jon Stone
Electronic Media Chair: Jillian Greatsinger SSC Resource Management Chair: Vacant
Committee Advisor: Vacant Headquarters Liaison: Matthew Mantione