SIG-ASYS | Special Interest Group for Accounting Information Systems

Bylaws

Bylaws of the Association for Information Systems (AIS) Special Interest Group for Accounting Information Systems

Article 1: Name and Form

The name of this organization will be called the Special Interest Group for Accounting Information Systems and abbreviated by the acronym SIG-ASYS. SIG-ASYS is a not-for-profit, special interest group of the Association for Information Systems.

Article 2: Purpose

The primary purpose of SIG-ASYS is to foster international collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners seeking to enhance the theory, practice, design, understanding, and governance of accounting information systems, i.e., information systems that focus on identifying, capturing, retrieving, and interpreting economic phenomena.

Article 3: Objectives

The objectives of SIG-ASYS include (but are not limited to):

(a) To encourage, promote, and facilitate the publication, validation, and dissemination of novel approaches to identifying, capturing, retrieving, transforming, and interpreting economic phenomena as well as the design, governance, assurance, and quality control issues that impact the systems used to represent those phenomena.

(b) To encourage and support constructive interaction among accounting information system researchers, educators, and practitioners throughout the world.

(c) To encourage and facilitate workshops and conferences throughout the world on a regular, e.g., annual basis. When possible, these workshops and conferences will be held in conjunction with other AIS affiliated events, e.g., ICIS and AMCIS.

(d) To encourage and support the development of accounting information system researchers throughout the world, especially those who lack strong support from their home institution.

Article 4: Charter

SIG-ASYS exists and operates as specified by Bylaw 8 of the AIS.

Article 5: Officers

The elected and appointed officers and their duties are as follows.

Position	Description
1. President (elected)	Leads and provides direction to the SIG-ASYS in meeting its purpose and objectives. The President actively represents SIG-ASYS in its relationships. (2 year term starting on even years)
2. Past-President (one)	Facilitate the transition with the in-coming president, assist the president in activities on-going at the time of transition, and provide advice and support to the president.
3. President-Elect (elected)	Facilitates the activities put forth by the President, prepares a plan for future goals to grow the SIG-ASYS and fulfill the SIG-ASYS purpose and objectives, and facilitates the operations of the SIG-ASYS. (2 year term starting on even years)
4. Vice-President Americas (elected)	Represents the SIG-ASYS membership from Region 1 in accordance with the SIG-ASYS’s purpose and objectives. (2 year term starting on odd years and re-electable – may vacate to serve position 3).
5. Vice-President Europe/Africa/Mid East (elected)	Represents the SIG-ASYS membership from Region 2 in accordance with the SIG-ASYS’s purpose and objectives. (2 year term starting on odd years and re-electable – may vacate to serve position 3).
6. Vice-President Asia/Pacific (elected)	Represents the SIG-ASYS membership from Region 3 in accordance with the SIG-ASYS’s purpose and objectives. (2 year term starting on odd years and re-electable – may vacate to serve position 3).
7. Vice-President of Communications, Member Services, and Affiliated Organizations (elected)	Represents the SIG-ASYS in its relationship to the parent organization – the Association for Information Systems (AIS). Responsibilities include filing all reports as needed. Facilitates membership growth and proposes SIG-ASYS activities that would improve service to the members. Maintains and enhances relationships between the SIG-ASYS and professional and academic organizations outside of the Association for Information Systems (AIS). Maintains a detailed record of the SIG-ASYSs evolution and activities in order to preserve organizational memory. (2 year term starting on even years and re-electable – may vacate to serve position 3).
8. Vice-President of Finance and Administration (elected)	Manages SIG-ASYS funds, provides oversight over expenditures/reimbursements, and assures that the SIG-ASYS is not financially overcommitted. Maintains records of meetings and voting decisions to assure a record of SIG-ASYS activities. (2 year term starting on even years and re-electable– may vacate to serve position 3).
9. Vice-President of Meetings & Conferences (elected)	Maintains SIG-ASYS relationships and fosters coordination with accounting information systems symposia and conferences globally. Coordinates SIG-ASYS activities (including papers and panels) at the various annual AIS meetings. (2 year term starting on odd years and re-electable – may vacate to serve position 3).
10. Web-Master (appointed)	Maintains the SIG-ASYS website to facilitate communication with the membership and enhance the announcement of SIG-ASYS activities. (Appointed annually (and renewable) by the President)

Article 6: Executive Board

The composition and operation of the SIG-ASYSSYS

(a) The SIG-ASYS Executive Board consists of the President, the most recent past-President, President-elect, and all VPs.

(b) The Executive Board must approve financial commitments by the SIG through a 2/3 vote (i.e., 6 of 9). The purpose of this policy is to assure a President does not create financial obligations that are not clearly of benefit to SIG-ASYS and to avoid dilution of the vote by President’s appointees on council.

(d) Fifty percent or more members of the Executive Board constitutes a quorum.

(e) All members of, or candidates for, the SIG-ASYS Executive Board must be voting members of the AIS and of SIG-ASYS

Article 7: Elections

Elections will be conducted as follows.

(a) By the first of July each year, the President will appoint a nominating committee that will propose at least one consenting candidate for the open offices of the SIG-ASYS Executive Board. The nominating committee shall complete its slate by the first of August and announce the names of the nominees by the 15^th of August.

(b) A petition from 5% (or at least 10, whichever is less) of the voting members of SIG-ASYS as defined in Article 9 will place other consenting candidates on the ballot. Petitions for additional candidates must be received by the Vice President of Administration within 5 work days after the announcement of the initial slate of candidates.

(d) The election must be completed by the President by the first of October, following the election procedures of the AIS.

(e) The candidates receiving the largest number of valid votes wins. In the event of a tie, the SIG-ASYS Executive Board will draw lots.

(f) Other issues may be placed on the ballot by the SIG-ASYS Executive Board or by a petition from 5% (or at least 10, whichever is less) of the voting members of SIG-ASYS

Article 8: Vacancies and Appointments

The President Elect is expected to become the President after the current President completes their term(s) of office or if the current President cannot fulfill their term of office. If an elected officer other than the President cannot fulfill their term of office, the President, after consulting the remaining members of the SIG-ASYSSYS Executive Board, can appoint a SIG-ASYS member in good standing to complete the term of the departing officer. The remaining members of the SIG-ASYS

Article 9: Membership, Dues, and Voting Privileges

A person becomes a member only after enrolling and paying the required dues to both AIS and SIG-ASYSSYS. The dues for SIG-ASYS are determined by the SIG-ASYS Executive Board with the approval of the AIS Council. All members of SIG-ASYS may vote on any ballot conducted by SIG-ASYS.

Article 10: Reports and Records

The Vice-President of Communications, Member Services, and Affiliated Organizations is responsible for filing reports about SIG-ASYSSYS

Article 11: Amendments

Amendments to these Bylaws must conform to the following policies and guidelines.

(a) Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by the SIG-ASYS Executive Board or by a petition from 5% (or at least 10, whichever is less) of the voting members of SIG-ASYS.

(b) All proposed amendments must be approved, prior to being submitted for a vote of the membership, by the Chair of the SIG Board and by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of the AIS. The Executive Director of the AIS will provide advice to the Chair of the SIG Board and to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of the AIS concerning the proposed amendments.

(c) The ballot on the proposed amendment(s) will be conducted among the eligible voters by AIS Headquarters following the procedures of the AIS for voting on Bylaw amendments, unless a different procedure has been approved by the SIG Governing Board Executive Committee.

(d) Amendments are adopted (1) only if at least 2/3 of the effective votes of returned ballots approve the amendment and (2) only if at least 10% of the ballots are returned.

Article 12: Dissolution

The SIG-ASYSSYS may be dissolved in any one of three ways: low membership (below 10 members), a vote of at least of 2/3 of the voting members of the SIG-ASYS responding to a resolution on the annual ballot, or by direction of the AIS. Should the SIG-ASYS be dissolved, the disposal of all assets will be supervised by the SIG-ASYS Executive Board.

Article 13: Meetings

SIG-ASYSSYS will conduct at least one business meeting each year. All meetings sponsored by SIG-ASYS must be open to all members of the AIS. SIG-ASYS may hold business meetings only in places that are open to all members of AIS.

Article 14: Consistency and Precedence

The Constitution, Bylaws, and policies of the AIS and of the SIG Board take precedence over any conflicting provisions of these Bylaws and internal policies of SIG-ASYSSYS.