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WG11 (CMI) Participation
Policies & Procedures
Operating Procedures for the IEEE LTSC WG11 (CMI) 1484.11
1. Preface
In today’s technological environment, standards play a critical role in product development and market competitiveness. Responsibility for how a standard evolves begins in the working group. Every input, behavior, and action has both a contributory and a potential legal consequence. These procedures help protect working group participants and the IEEE by establishing the necessary framework for a sound standardization process.
In these operating procedures “sponsor” means the IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee.
2. Modifications to these procedures
These operating procedures outline the orderly transaction of business by the working group. The working group may amend these procedures with the approval of its Sponsor. The Sponsor may modify these procedures. Modification in this context means that material in these procedures may be modified as long as that clause is not indicated as one that cannot be changed. It is strongly recommended that all subjects included in these procedures be addressed by the working group or Sponsor. (See also clause 9.)
3. Hierarchy
The latest version of several documents takes precedence over these procedures in the following order:
New York State Not-for-Profit Corporation Law
IEEE Certificate of Incorporation
IEEE Board of Directors Resolutions
IEEE Standards Association Operations Manual
IEEE-SA Board of Governors Resolutions
IEEE-SA Standards Board Bylaws
IEEE-SA Standards Board Operations Manual
IEEE-SA Standards Board Resolutions
IEEE CS Policies and Procedures, Section 10
Policies and Procedures of the IEEE Computer Society Standards Activity Board
Operating Procedures of the IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) is the recommended guide on questions of parliamentary procedure not addressed in these procedures.
4. Fundamental principles of operation
For the development of standards, openness and due process are mandatory.
Openness means that any person who has, or could be reasonably expected to have, a direct and material interest, and who meets the requirements of these procedures has a right to participate by:
a) Attending working group meetings
b) Becoming a member of the working group
c) Becoming an officer of the working group
d) Expressing a position and its basis,
e) Having that position considered, and
f) Appealing if adversely affected.
IEEE due process requires a consensus of those parties interested in the project. Consensus is defined as at least a majority agreement, but not necessarily unanimity.
Due process is based upon equity and fair play. The standards development process should strive to have both a balance of interests and not to be dominated by any single interest category.
5. Working group responsibilities
The working group shall
a) Complete its projects from Project Authorization Request (PAR) approval to IEEE-SA Standards Board approval within the allotted time (normally 48 months)
b) Use the IEEE Standards document template format
c) Submit to the Sponsor any documentation required by the Sponsor; for example, a project schedule or a monthly status report
d) Notify the Sponsor of the draft development milestones
e) Notify the Sponsor when the draft is ready to begin IEEE Standards Sponsor ballot
6. Officers
6.1 Officer overview
There shall be a Chair and there should be a Vice-Chair. All officers shall be IEEE members or IEEE Computer Society members and individual IEEE-SA members.
There may be a Secretary. If there is a Secretary, the secretary shall be appointed by the Chair.
6.2 Election of officers
The Chair or sponsor designee shall appoint an elections processor, whose function is to conduct an election. The elections processor shall not be a nominee in the election and shall not vote in the election. An election will seek to fill offices that are either vacant, have an official in temporary appointment, or when the term of office has expired.
The working group members shall nominate to the elections processor one or more members for each office to be filled at the election. Nominees shall be eligible to hold the office for which they are elected. A member shall not run for more than one office at the same time. The response period for nominations shall be at least 14 calendar days. If no nomination is received for an office, a temporary appointment shall be made in accordance with 6.3.
The elections processor shall conduct the election by letter ballot, electronic ballot or a vote at a meeting. If the vote is conducted by letter ballot or electronic ballot, voting will conclude no sooner than after 14 calendar days. Voting shall be by “approval”, whereby each balloter may cast one approval vote for each of any number of nominees for an office. The nominee with the greatest number of approval votes shall win the election, provided ballots are returned by a majority of the eligible voters for that election. If a majority of votes is not received, the ballot can be extended, or a new ballot will take place. Any tie votes will be broken by a runoff ballot, where eligible voters may cast only one vote in the election.
The Sponsor shall affirm the election of the Chair and Vice-Chair. If the sponsor does not affirm the Chair or Vice-Chair, another election will be run, or, the sponsor will make a temporary appointment per clause 6.3.
6.3 Temporary appointments to vacancies
If an office becomes vacant due to resignation, removal, lack of nomination at an election or for another reason, a temporary appointment shall be made for a period of up to six months. The Sponsor shall make the temporary appointment, with input from the working group. An appointment or election for the vacated office shall be conducted at the earliest practical time.
6.4 Removal of officers
An officer may be removed by approval of two-thirds of the members of the working group. Removal of the Chair and Vice-Chair requires affirmation by the Sponsor. Grounds for removal shall be included in any motion to remove an officer of the working group. The officer suggested for removal shall be given an opportunity to make a rebuttal prior to the vote on the motion for removal.
6.5 Responsibilities of working group officers
6.5.1 Chair
The Chair or his designee shall
a) Lead the activity according to all of the relevant operating procedures
b) Form Study Groups, as necessary
c) Be objective
d) Entertain motions, but not make motions
e) Not bias discussions
f) Delegate necessary functions
g) Ensure that all parties have the opportunity to express their views
h) Set goals and deadlines and adhere to them
i) Be knowledgeable in IEEE standards processes and parliamentary procedures and ensure that the processes and procedures are followed
j) Seek consensus as a means of resolving issues
k) Prioritize work to best serve the group and its goals
l) Ensure compliance with the IEEE-SA Intellectual Property Policies, including but not limited to the IEEE-SA Patent Policy and Copyright Policy.
m) Fulfill any financial reporting requirements of the IEEE, in the absence of a Treasurer.
n) Participate as needed in meetings of the Sponsor to represent the working group
6.5.2 Vice-Chair(s)
The Vice-Chair(s) shall
a) Carry out the Chair's duties if the Chair is temporarily unable to do so or chooses to recuse himself or herself (i.e., to give a technical opinion)
b) Be familiar with training materials available through IEEE Standards Development Online
6.5.3 Secretary
If there is a Secretary, the Secretary shall
a) Record and have published minutes of each meeting within 60 calendar days of the end of the meeting
b) Record participant attendance at each meeting
c) Maintain lists of unresolved issues, action items, and assignments
7. Working group
7.1 Overview
Working group membership is by individual. Those attending meetings shall pay any required meeting fees if established. Participants seeking working group membership are responsible for fulfilling the requirements to gain and maintain membership.
7.2 Working group membership status
Membership voting status shall be granted automatically to those participants attending the meeting of a newly chartered working group and upon their request. Thereafter, membership voting status shall be granted after the participant attends two consecutive meetings of an existing working group, and also requests membership status.
Each voting member is expected to attend meetings as required by these procedures. The chair shall ensure that attendance is recorded at meetings. If there is a Secretary, the Secretary shall record attendance. Attendance credit is granted to those who attend at least 50% of a meeting’s duration. Attendance at a meeting via teleconferencing and/or electronic means, e.g., Internet conferencing, shall count towards the attendance requirements.
Membership voting status is maintained through consistent participation at meetings and through working group votes. If a working group member misses two consecutive face to face meetings, or two consecutive working group letter ballots, or all meetings held by teleconference in a six month period in which at least six such meetings were held, his or her membership status may be revoked. The Chair shall notify, in writing, a member who fails to attend two consecutive meetings and who has therefore lost his or her voting membership.
A member who lost his or her voting privileges shall have his or her voting privileges reinstated by attendance at two consecutive meetings of the working group and upon request for member status. All voting privileges and rights shall be restored after attending the second consecutive meeting. If, for reasons of personal hardship, a member cannot attend two consecutive meetings (but that member continues to vote in ballots taken between meetings), the working group chair will be consulted on the status of the member.
Memberhip observer status shall be granted upon request. Members who loose voting privileges will automatically be granted observer status.
7.3 Subgroups of the working group
The working group may, from time to time, form subgroups for the conduct of its business. Only working group members appointed to the subgroup shall vote on questions within such subgroups. Such formation shall be explicitly noted in an official record, such as meeting minutes. At the time of formation, the working group shall determine the scope and duties delegated to the subgroup. Any changes to its scope and duties will require the approval of the working group. Any resolution of a subgroup shall be subject to confirmation by the working group.
The Chair of the working group shall appoint the chair of the subgroup.
8. Working group roster and membership list
8.1 Working group roster
A working group roster is a vital aspect of standards development. It serves as a record of members and participants in the working group and is an initial tool if an issue of indemnification arises during the process of standards development.
A working group officer or designee shall maintain a current and accurate roster of members and participants in the working group. The roster shall include at least the following:
a) Title of the Sponsor and its designation
b) Title of the working group and its designation
c) Officers--Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer (as applicable)
d) Members and participants (including names, email addresses, and affiliations for all members)
A copy of the working group roster shall be supplied to the IEEE Standards Association at least annually by a working group officer or designee. Due to privacy concerns, the roster shall not be distributed, except to the IEEE-SA staff, IEEE-SA Board of Governors and IEEE-SA Standards Board, unless all Working Group members and participants have submitted their written approval for such distribution.
8.2 Working group member list
A working group officer or designee shall maintain a current and accurate membership list. The membership list can be posted on the committee web site and can be publically distributed. The membership list shall be limited to the following:
a) Title of the Working Group and its designation
b) Scope of the Working Group
c) Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary (Treasurer)
d) Members: for all, name, affiliation
9. Voting
9.1 Approval of an action
Approval of an action listed in 9.2 requires an approval by a majority vote. Approval of an action listed in 9.3 requires approval by a two-thirds vote. Two types of votes are described.
a) At a meeting (including teleconferences) where quorum has been established, approval ratio is calculated as Approve votes divided by the sum of Approve and Do Not Approve votes.
b) Outside of a meeting (e.g. letter ballot), approval ratio is calculated as Approve votes divided by the sum of Approve and Do Not Approve notes. A majority of all voting members of the Committee must respond for the ballot to be valid.
9.2 Actions requiring approval by a majority
The following actions include approval by a majority vote
a) Adoption of working group procedures or revisions thereof
b) Formation of a subgroup, including its procedures, scope, and duties
c) Disbandment of subgroups
d) Approval of collaborations or liaisons with other organizations if such collaboration is an official act of the working group or requires a significant ongoing commitment of time or resources
9.3 Actions requiring approval by a supermajority
The following actions require approval by a [two-thirds] vote :
a) Approval of change of the working group scope
b) Approval to move the draft standards project to the Sponsor for IEEE Standards Sponsor ballot
c) Request that a standard be withdrawn
These actions are subject to confirmation by the Sponsor.
9.4 Voting between meetings
The working group shall be allowed to conduct votes between meetings at the discretion of the Chair by use of a letter or electronic ballot. If such actions are to be taken, they shall follow the rules of IEEE Bylaw I-300.4(4).
9.5 Quorum
The presence of a quorum must be announced by the Chair at the beginning of each meeting. Unless otherwise approved by the Sponsor, a quorum shall be defined as one-half of working group voting members If a quorum is not present actions may be taken subsequent to confirmation by a letter or electronic ballot as detailed in 9.4, or at the next working group meeting
10. Meetings
Working Group meetings shall be held, as decided by the working group, the Chair, or by petition of 15% or more of the members, to conduct business, such as making assignments, receiving reports of work, considering draft standards, and considering views and objections from any source.
A face to face working group meeting shall be announced, by a working group officer or designee, 30 calendar days in advance to all participants. An agenda shall be distributed at least 14 calendar days in advance of a meeting. Teleconferences shall be announced 14 calendar days in advance with the exception of regularly scheduled recurring teleconferences. Agendas for teleconferences shall be sent out 7 calendar days in advance. When regular teleconferences are held weekly agendas shall be sent out at least 24 hours in advance of the teleconference. However, any business may be conducted at a regularly scheduled recurring teleconference.
The working group, or meeting host, may charge a meeting fee to cover services needed for the conduct of the meeting. The fee shall not be used to restrict participation by any interested parties.
While having a balance of all interested parties is not an official requirement for a working group, it is a desirable goal. As such, the officers of the working group should consider issues of balance and dominance that may arise and discuss them with the Sponsor.
Participants shall be asked to state their employer and affiliation at each working group meeting as required by the SASB Operations Manual (Section 5.3.3.1 Disclosure of Affiliation).
11. Conduct
It is expected that participants in the working group behave in a professional manner at all times. Participants shall demonstrate respect and courtesy towards officers and each other, while allowing participants a fair and equal opportunity to contribute to the meeting, in accordance with the IEEE Code of Ethics.
All working group participants shall act in accordance with all IEEE Standards policies and procedures. Where applicable, working group participants shall comply with IEEE Policies Section 9.8 on Conflict of Interest.
12. Appeals
The working group recognizes the right of appeal. If technical or procedural appeals are referred back to the working group, every effort should be made to ensure that impartial handling of complaints regarding any action or inaction on the part of the working group is performed in an identifiable manner.
If the working group must conduct an appeal hearing, it shall model its appeals process based on the appeals processes of the IEEE-SA Standards Board.
13. Communications
Formal inquiries relating to the working group should be directed to and recorded by the Chair. All replies to such inquiries shall be made through the Chair. These communications shall make it clear that they are responses from the working group. Responses shall be recorded and disseminated to the working group on a timely basis. The Chair shall seek appropriate counsel prior to formulating a response.
