Information Security specialist group: Constitution

1. Title

The name shall be the BCS Information Security specialist group.

2. Interpretation

In this constitution, except where otherwise required:

"Group" shall mean BCS Information Security specialist group.

"BCS" shall mean British Computer Society, Registered Charity No. 292786

"Member" or "Members" shall mean a person or persons qualified under article 4 of this constitution.

"Committee" shall mean that body of members elected, appointed or co-opted under article 5 of this constitution.

"Officer" or "Officers" shall mean the Chair, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Secretary and such other appointments which the Group may make under article 5 of this constitution.

"Professional Member" or "Professional Members" shall mean a person or persons holding membership of the BCS in one of the following grades: Fellow (FBCS) or Member (MBCS).

"Chartered Member" or "Chartered Members" shall means a person or persons holding membership of the BCS in one of the following grades: Fellow (FBCS CITP) or Member (MBCS CITP) and entitled to use the designation "Chartered Information Technology Professional."

"In writing" applies equally to e-mail or paper copy.

3. Objectives

The objectives of the Group are:

a) To promote Information Security (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability)
b) To promote awareness of, and competence in, Information Security
c) To encourage research into Information Security
d) To represent the interests of the Group members with other bodies
e) To encourage the professional development of Group members.

4. Membership

4.1 Qualifications
Persons eligible for membership of the Group shall be any member of BCS (Affiliate grade or higher) interested in the objectives and activities of the Group.

4.2 Admission to SG membership
Applicants holding BCS membership at any level shall be admitted without charge.

4.3 Resignation
Any member of the Group may resign by giving notice in writing at any time.

4.4 Exclusions
Individual honorary SG memberships and corporate/company memberships shall not be created.

5. Committee

5.1 Members

5.1.1 The business activities of the Group shall be controlled by the Committee which shall consist of a Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary such other Officer posts as may be required and up to 12 other members who shall be elected at each AGM.

5.1.2 The Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer shall be professional or chartered members of BCS.

5.1.3 Although Affiliate is the minimum requirement for any member of the group, it shall be expected that the Committee members be professional or chartered members of BCS.

5.1.4 The Chair shall be responsible to BCS for the finance, policy and activities of the Group.

5.1.5 The Chair may not also hold the Treasurer post. The posts of Secretary and Membership Secretary may be held by one person.

5.2 Terms of Office and Eligibility of Officers for Re-Election
All Officer and committee membership posts shall have nominal terms of one year, expiring at the following AGM. Officers may stand for re-election annually, without limit.

5.3 Nominations
The name of any member accepting nomination for election or re-election as an Officer or as a Committee member should be submitted in writing to the Secretary, 14 clear days prior to the date of the AGM by two members of the Group and with the written consent of the nominee.

5.4 Election of the Committee

5.4.1 If there is more than one nomination for any of the Officer positions, an election will be held at the AGM.

5.4.2 If the nominations number the same or fewer than the remaining vacancies for the Committee members, all shall be deemed to be duly elected.

5.4.3 In the event of there being more nominations than vacancies, the elections shall be by ballot of those members physically present. Each member present may vote for up to as many candidates as there are vacancies to be filled, and no more.

5.5 Resignation from the Committee
In the event of any elected officer resigning, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the next AGM.

5.6 Removal from the Committee

5.6.1 All members must commit reasonable time and effort to the work of the Committee and make reasonable efforts to attend meetings.

5.6.2 The Committee may cancel or suspend the membership of a Committee member, where the majority of the Committee agree that:

1.  the member's actions have been detrimental to its work or could bring the Group into disrepute.
2. the member has failed to make a reasonable contribution to the work of the Committee.

5.6.3 In making its decision the Committee will take into account any extenuating circumstances.

5.7 Co-option to the Committee
The Committee may co-opt to their number up to a maximum of 4 additional BCS members serving at any one time, for the remainder of its term of office. Co-opted members shall have the same voting rights as other members of the Committee.

5.8 Committee Meetings
The Committee shall meet at such times and in such places as the Committee may determine and in so far as is practicable they shall meet at least four times per year.

5.9 Quorum
6 Committee members, including at least two Officers, shall constitute a quorum.

5.10 Voting
At any Committee meeting each member of the Committee present, save the Chair, shall be entitled to one vote but, in the event of equality, the Chair will use his/her casting vote.

6. General Meetings

6.1 AGM
The AGM of the Group shall be held each year, at the direction of the Committee, for transacting the following business:

1. To receive the Annual Report of the Chair
2. To receive and approve the Annual Accounts
3. To elect the Officers and Committee for the ensuing year
4. To consider any other business relevant to the AGM.

6.2 Notice of General Meetings

6.2.1 The notice shall be conveyed in writing to every member of the Group.

6.2.2 The notice shall be issued at least 14 clear days before the date of the meeting and shall indicate the business to be transacted.

6.2.3 In the case of the AGM the notice shall include a request for nominations of Officers and Committee members.

6.2.4 The accidental omission to give notice of any meeting or non-receipt of such notice by any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate any resolution passed.

6.3 Chair
At all General Meetings and meetings of the Committee the Chair of the Group shall be Chair or, if absent, the members present shall appoint one of their number to be Chair.

6.4 Voting
At any General Meeting each member shall be entitled to one vote. Voting at any meeting may be determined by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded by at least one third of the members present. The number of votes shall be recorded and stated in the report, which shall also be posted on the SG's website.

6.5 Quorum
At any General Meeting of the Group, 6 members, including 2 Officers shall constitute a quorum.

6.6 Absence of Quorum
At the discretion of the Chair, any meeting may proceed with its business, but all resolutions passed must be confirmed at the first subsequent, quorate General Meeting.

6.7 Extraordinary General Meetings
Extraordinary General Meetings of the Group shall be convened by the Secretary by direction of the Committee or on the request of 8 members.

7. Finances

7.1 Accounts will be held centrally by HQ with monthly reports being made available to the Treasurer. Accounts completed up to the last day of August each year will be presented to the AGM next following the end of the financial year to which the accounts relate.

7.2 The financial year of the Group shall commence on the first day of September each year.

7.3 The allocated funds of the Group shall be under the control of the Committee, in accordance with central accounting practices and subject to annual submission of a detailed financial plan.

7.4 Any surplus funds arising from the activities of the Group shall be managed in accordance with the financial guidelines determined by BCS.

8. Records

8.1 A correct record of the proceedings of all Committee and General Meetings of the Group shall be kept by the Secretary.

8.2 A record of members of the Group will be kept on the BCS central database. Membership Secretaries and Chairs will have access to standard data reports produced by HQ.

9. Public Announcements

Public announcements concerning the Group shall be made only by, or with the consent of, the Chair. Any press releases shall be cleared by the BCS Press Office before issue.

10. Meetings (other than Committee meetings), Events and Journals

10.1 Meetings and events of the Group may only be held with the consent of the Committee and the organiser shall notify local BCS branches, any other relevant Specialist Groups, and place an entry in the BCS Events Diary.

10.2 'Meetings' - free regular gatherings of members.

10.3 'Events' - These include 'schools' and conferences and shall normally be chargeable, with preferential rates for BCS members, or members of other organisations with bi-lateral agreements.

10.4 Apart from identified and separately budgeted 'Outreach' meetings aimed at a specific non-BCS audience (e.g. the public), non-member visitors may attend 40% of a Group's free meetings in a year, on a trial basis, after which they shall seek to become a BCS member.

10.5 Journals/publications produced by the Group shall be chargeable.

11. BCS

The Group is a part of BCS and thus shall be subject to the BCS Charter, Byelaws, Members’ Regulations, Trustee Board Regulations, Charity Commission requirements and any applicable legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act and Data Protection Act.

12. BCS Specialist Groups Assembly & Executive Committee

12.1 The Group shall appoint two of its number, (normally Chair and Treasurer), who shall hold professional or chartered membership of the BCS, to attend meetings of the BCS Specialist Groups Assembly as the Group's representatives.

12.2 The Group shall be required to submit an annual report to the BCS Specialist Groups' Executive Committee describing the Group's activities, a financial statement and budget projections.

13. Knowledge Communities

The Group will engage and work closely with relevant SGs and Forum Strategic Panels to become part of one or more flexible Knowledge Communities.

14. Winding Up

If upon winding up or dissolution of the Group, there remain, after the satisfaction of all its liabilities, any assets, they shall be vested in BCS.