Ieee Women in Engineering Committee

IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING COMMITTEE OPERATIONS MANUAL

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990, USA

This manual has been developed as a guide to members and staff in an effort to define the operations of the activities that support the mission and goals of the IEEE Women in Engineering Committee and the IEEE WIE membership group. Initially approved by the IEEE Board of Directors, at its November 2001 meeting, all future changes shall be approved by the IEEE Board of Directors.

July07/v.1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION A. About WIE B. Scopes of Interest

II. IEEE BYLAWS

III. WIE COMMITTEE MEMBERS 1. Incoming Member 2. Liaison Members 3. Regional Coordinators 4. Outgoing Members

IV. WIE COMMITTEE MEETINGS A. Agendas B. Minutes C. Meetings and Communications 1. In-Person Meeting 2. Teleconference Meetings 3. E-Mail Communication

V. ACTIVITIES A. Forums B. The Institute Articles C. Newsletter D. Reports to the Board of Directors E. Relationships with Other Organizations

VI. FINANCES A. Budget Development B. Expense Reporting C. Funding Requests

VII. SUBCOMMITTEES A. Awards B. Affinity Groups C. Membership

VIII.WIE WEBSITE www.ieee.org/women

IX. PROGRAMS A. STAR B. Receptions at Conferences C. Traveling Display D. Video Loan Program E. Affinity Group Formation and Activity Requirements

X. IEEE WIE MEMBERSHIP A. Membership Statistics B. Dues C. Membership Directory D. Pins E. Promotional Items F. New Member Welcome Letters

XI. OPERATIONS MANUAL APPROVALS/MAINTENANCE/DISTRIBUTION

July07/v.1 APPENDIXES

Appendix A - Current committee rosters and contact information Appendix B - History of WIE Committee members Appendix C - List of WIE Sub-committee members Appendix D - History of past speakers and topics Appendix E - History of Articles by WIEC members Appendix F - Complete list of the active WIE Affinity Groups Appendix G - History of statistics and relevant information regarding the WIE membership growth Appendix H - List of promotional items Appendix I - Current years welcome letter to new members Appendix J - E-mail alias and participants Appendix K - Funding Request, History and Form Appendix L - IEEE Travel Guidelines Appendix M - Operations Calendar Appendix N – Regional Coordinator Job Description Appendix O – History of the WIE Committee Appendix P – Edith Hannigan McHale Scholarship Fund

July07/v.1 IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING COMMITTEE OPERATIONS MANUAL

I. INTRODUCTION

About IEEE WIE

The IEEE Women in Engineering:

RECOGNIZES women's outstanding achievements in electrical and electronics engineering through IEEE Awards nominations ORGANIZES receptions at major technical conferences to enhance networking and to promote membership in WIE ADVOCATES women in leadership roles in IEEE governance and career advancement for women in the profession. PROVIDES assistance with the formation of new WIE Affinity Groups and supports ongoing activities ADMINISTERS the IEEE Student-Teacher and Research Engineer/Scientist (STAR) Program to mentor young women in junior high school and high school PROMOTES member grade advancement for women to the grades of Senior Member and Fellow FACILITATES the development of programs and activities that promote the entry into and retention of women in engineering programs The WIE Mission: Inspire, engage, encourage, and empower IEEE women worldwide. The WIE Vision: A vibrant community of IEEE women and men innovating the world of tomorrow. Scopes of Interest

Scope 1: Facilitate the development of programs and activities that promote the entry into and retention of women in engineering programs. Scope 2: Promote IEEE membership and retention of IEEE women members. Scope 3: Enhance the career advancement of women in the profession.

II. IEEE BYLAWS

The Women in Engineering Committee is a standing committee of the IEEE Board of Directors as defined in the IEEE Bylaws. The structure of the committee membership and its responsibilities may be found in IEEE Bylaw I-305.21. Standing Committees, as follows:

21. Women in Engineering Committee. The IEEE Women in Engineering Committee (WIEC) shall be appointed by and shall report to the IEEE Board of Directors. The WIEC shall be responsible for facilitating the development of programs and activities that promote the entry into and the retention of women in engineering programs, enhance the career advancement of women in the profession, and which promote IEEE membership and retention of IEEE women members.

Membership. The IEEE WIEC shall consist of ten voting members appointed by the IEEE Board of Directors as follows: Six members shall serve three-year staggered terms; one member who shall be an IEEE Student Member, who shall serve a one-year term, beginning 1 July through 30 June; and one representative each from the Educational Activities, Regional Activities, and Technical Activities Boards, who shall be appointed by the respective Vice Presidents. Members may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms, however with respect to the Past Chair, tenure on the WIEC may extend beyond six years until replaced. In such years the WIEC shall consist of eleven

July07/v.1 members. The Chair, who shall serve a three-year term on the WIEC, shall serve no more than two consecutive one-year terms in that position.

The WIEC shall appoint one of its members to serve as a liaison to the IEEE Awards Board.

The IEEE-USA Board, Publication Services and Products Board, the Standards Association, and the Awards Board may appoint a liaison. Additional IEEE organizational units, with interest in coordinating joint activities and facilitating programs which align with WIEC’s purpose and other professional organizations with similar interests and programs may appoint a liaison. Coordinators and liaisons shall be nonvoting members of the committee.

Travel expenses for the representative members, liaisons, and coordinators shall be the responsibility of the appointing organizational unit.

In accordance with Bylaw I-107, the WIEC may establish an IEEE WIE membership organizational unit. Membership in WIE shall be open to any member of IEEE, and shall require the payment of dues. Dues shall be approved by the IEEE Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the WIEC. Dues shall be waived for Life Members, Graduate Student Members and Students Members.

WIE affinity groups may be established, the requirements for which shall be specified in the WIE Operations Manual.

III. WOMEN IN ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

The Women in Engineering Committee shall consist of 10 voting members. Terms for the members other than the student shall begin on 1 January, shall be for three years and shall be staggered. The term for the Student member shall be for one year and shall begin on 1 July and end on 30 June.

At the end of the year, staff shall contact the Major Boards for new liaison appointments.

Appendix A -contains the current committee rosters and contact information. Appendix B -contains a history of WIE Committee members Appendix C-contains a list of WIE Sub-committee members

1. Incoming Members: Staff Procedures  Shall be added with full contact information to the WIE roster.  Shall be added to the web roster listing name only  Shall be included on WIE email alias and majordomo mailing lists  Shall receive a full set of WIE literature and copy of the WIE Operations Manual

2. Liaison Members: Liaisons shall serve as non-voting members of WIEC, and shall represent the interests of the appointing Major Board or organizational unit. They shall be the communication link between WIE and the other organizational unit. Liaisons are invited to participate at all meetings and conference calls of the WIEC.

Staff Procedures  Add with full contact information to the WIE roster.  Add to the web roster listing name only  Include on the appropriate WIE email alias and majordomo mailing lists  Send full set of WIE literatures and copy of the WIE Operations Manual

3. Regional Coordinators: Regional Coordinators shall serve as non-voting members of WIEC, and shall represent the interests of the appointing IEEE Region. They shall be the communication link between WIE and

July07/v.1 the IEEE Region. Regional Coordinators are invited to participate at all meetings and conference calls of the WIEC. Staff Procedures  Add with full contact information to the WIE roster.  Add to the web roster listing name only  Include on the appropriate WIE email alias and majordomo mailing lists  Send full set of WIE literatures and copy of the WIE Operations Manual

4. Outgoing Members Staff Procedures  Arrange for members who would like to remain involved to continue to receive e-mail and correspondence, as approved by the Chair.  Coordinate appropriate thank you from Chair

IV. WOMEN IN ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The issuing of agendas and maintaining and reviewing minutes of WIE meetings will help insure that, consistent with IEEE's decentralized structure, lines of communication among members are maintained, topics for discussion are clearly defined, and sufficient written records are preserved for future reference and needs.

The committee shall normally meet in-person, twice per year and may have regularly scheduled teleconferences to conduct business between such meetings when necessary.

A majority of the voting members of the IEEE WIEC shall constitute a quorum.

Business shall be conducted in accordance with IEEE Bylaw I-300.1 Parliamentary Procedures.

A. Agendas It is the practice of WIE that, whenever practicable, an agenda listing the topics for discussion shall be sent to the members at a reasonable time prior to each meeting. Proposed agenda items should be submitted in written form, electronically, with the following information, noting whether ACTION, DISCUSSION or REPORT:

 Action Items should include a specific request for action and require a summary of the item, the reason for its submission, the action proposed, plus any supporting documentation.  Discussion Items provide for review without a specific action request, however action may result. Discussion items require a summary of the item, including questions to be resolved in discussion, plus any supporting documentation.  Information Items require documentation whenever possible.  Report items may be addressed during the meeting and are provided for information only.  Financial implications, if any, must be included in each item.  If an individual (not directly associated with WIE) wishes to present an information item to WIE the individual must obtain permission from the WIE Chair, in order to have an item placed on the WIE Agenda. These individuals are urged to work through the Staff.

B. Minutes At each meeting, minutes of the meeting shall be maintained by the Staff Secretary. Minutes shall record concise attendance at the meeting, the substance of all discussions and any actions taken. The Staff Secretary shall carry out maintenance of record copies of the minutes and distribution and review of these minutes.

The meeting summary will be distributed electronically to each WIE Committee Member, coordinator, and liaison representative within a reasonable amount of time after the close of the Meeting.

C. Meetings and Communications The liaison members are invited to participate. Travel funding for liaison members and coordinators are the responsibility of the assigning board. (IEEE Bylaw I-305.21)

1. In person meetings

July07/v.1 General Information  Normally held twice a year at a site approved by the Committee.

Staff Responsibilities  Coordinate all arrangements with Meeting Planning Services.  Work with MPS to prepare meeting announcement.  Coordinate and track all related expenses.  Work with Chair to develop Agenda.  Distribute all meeting handouts.  Arrange for a Committee Group Photo to be taken at the February Committee Meeting. Photos will be distributed to each member and will be posted on the web.

2. Teleconferences General Information  Held as scheduled by the WIEC to last for approximately 1 hour.

Staff Responsibilities:  Arrange for the teleconference calls.  Phone charges will be billed directly to IEEE.  Work with Chair to develop Agenda.  Distribute all meeting handouts via e-mail.  Send out via e-mail meeting announcement and agenda to the Committee.

3. E-Mail Communication Whenever possible the committee shall communicate and hold discussion on e-mail between meetings. For this purpose various e-mail lists have been established. Appendix J

V. ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES

A. Forums IEEE WIE sponsors a forum on pertinent topics at a minimum of one of the three IEEE Organizational Unit Meeting Series held each year.

Additionally, the WIE typically holds a mid-year forum at an event outside of the Organizational Unit Meeting Series in order to target a wider and more diverse audience.

The WIEC shall approve all forums and assign a WIE volunteer to coordinate the activity with WIE Staff.

The WIE Forum shall discuss items of interest to women in engineering. All OU Series participants are encouraged to attend.

Appendix D-lists a history of past speakers and topics. Appendix K lists the forum procedures.

 Committee will decide on the speaker and make initial contact with the speaker.  Staff will send the speaker an invitation letter to make necessary travel arrangements, determine presentation equipment needs and provide trip reimbursement information.  Arrangements shall be made for food, room, equipment and announcement.  Invitation letter and flyers shall be prepared for local Affinity Groups, Section Chapters and universities.  Recording of the event, using Corporate Activities equipment, shall only be covered when WIE staff is present. The WIE budget does not cover recording unless covered in the cost of the approved forum funding proposal.  Forum announcement shall be included in the WIE newsletter and website and sent to local section and Affinity Group newsletters for possible inclusion in their publications.  Forum handouts and promotional items shall be provided.  Reasonable reimbursement for speaker and volunteer member shall be provided.

July07/v.1 B. Institute Articles IEEE WIEC may contribute articles to The Institute on pertinent topics of interest, or members may be interviewed on themes used by the newsletter. The following procedures are used for contributing articles, review and feedback:  Staff to contact The Institute Editor in October for the upcoming year's article deadlines.  Topics for articles must be submitted to WIE Staff electronically to be forwarded to The Institute, Photos if available, should be attached to the article. When appropriate, article topics should be synchronized with upcoming themes, special issues or promotional activities.  Institute staff is responsible for writing the article.  Proofs of the articles will be forwarded to WIE Staff for review. Staff will send the proof to WIE volunteer for review. The reply window for the volunteer member is typically one day.  Any Feedback on the article from the membership gets filtered through Staff via the [email protected] address and distributed to the WIEC.

Appendix E-lists a history of Articles by WIEC

C. WIE Newsletter Newsletters are distributed to members of the WIE as a member benefit, and are intended to communicate news and information deemed of interest to the members. Typical information includes: reports on activities, news from Affinity Groups, meeting notices, awards programs, reviews of books and other publications of interest to the readers. The monthly newsletter may also contain up-to-date information in relation to women in engineers, careers, activities, WIE columns that appear in The Institute, IEEE news and more.

Feedback is encouraged and shared with the committee. All feedback will be sent to [email protected] and staff will filter them and distribute to the WIEC.

The newsletter is distributed by email and posted on the WIE website.

Appendix J-lists the e-mail alias and participants

Objectives of the WIE newsletter are:  To inform the leadership and appropriate Institute and IEEE staff of newsworthy activities, including the agenda for upcoming meetings (if provided)  To carry news of WIE personalities, appointments, and awards  To report on appropriate Institute matters  To present statements of Region and Institute (as space allows)  Information from What's New at IEEE that would be of interest to our readers  Upcoming WIE activities  Membership, affinity group, awards, conference, mentoring information

Staff Procedures: 1. Work with Editor to establish submission & distribution dates for the upcoming year. 2. Generate distribution list. 3. Post newsletter on web and archive the last month’s issue.

D. Reports to the Board of Directors The Chair shall submit to the ExCom Coordinator for submission to the Board of Directors, a report at year-end that shall include information on the recent activities of the WIEC and the status, growth and activity of the WIE membership. Such reports shall include but are not limited to the statistics of the WIE membership and the breakdown by grade, gender and age, number of active affinity groups, and status of projects supported by the WIEC.

E. Relationships with Other Organizations WIEC has identified the following organizations that share similar interests. The interaction of WIE and these organizations shall encourage the exchange of ideas and information, and shall foster relationships that will benefit the IEEE.

July07/v.1  Society of Women Engineers (SWE)  MentorNet  Women in Engineering Programs & Advocates Network (WEPAN)  International Network of Women Engineers & Scientists (INWES)  EWeek Foundation

VI. FINANCES

Staff shall track all expenses, and revenue, and report to the Committee at each in-person meeting the status of the finances related to WIE activities.

A. Budget Development Working within the normal IEEE Budget Development Process, Staff shall consult and work with the Chair to develop a budget for the ensuing year, and shall inform the Committee, as soon as possible when the final budget has been approved by the IEEE Board and the amounts available for WIE activities.

B. Expense Reporting Expense Reports for committee members shall clearly identify the function for which reimbursement is sought, and shall be in accordance with IEEE Policies. Prior to the expenses being incurred, the Chair shall approve any travel and activity to be funded by WIE.

Speakers shall be reimbursed for normal travel expenses in accordance with IEEE Policies, and staff shall obtain the appropriate approval from the Chair and coordinate the issuance of reimbursement.

Staff shall follow up with members and speakers to ensure that all such reports are submitted in a timely fashion for reporting and budget tracking purposes.

Appendix L-contains the IEEE Travel Guidelines

C. Funding Requests The WIEC provides funds for approved Special Projects. Funding requests for WIE activities shall all be approved by the WIE Committee. These types of requests may include and are not limited to sponsoring a reception, fees associated with a WIE booth, or sponsoring an attendee at a related conference.

Procedures for Funding WIE Receptions: 1. Funding request must be submitted in writing along with the completed funding request form. 2. Committee shall approve funding the reception and the amount. 3. Payments shall not be made to individuals. 4. Upon completion of the reception record of expenses shall be submitted for reimbursement. 5. A brief report on the reception shall be requested and shared with the committee.

Appendix K-Funding Request, History and Form

D. Affinity Group Support

The WIEC encourages development of local activities that are of educational and professional value to IEEE members and that increase the visibility of the WIE Affinity Group. To assist WIE Affinity Groups the WIEC shall budget for Affinity Group Support. The Affinity Group Support budget shall include:

1. Start up Funding. Start up funding shall be $200US for newly established Affinity Groups. Availability of such start up fees shall be communicated to the Affinity Group upon formation by WIE Staff. Affinity Groups requesting such funding shall complete a funding request form prior to receipt of funds. The Affinity Group Chair shall provide the WIEC with a written report on the use of the funds. The WIEC Chair shall approve all such requests.

July07/v.1 2. Special Project Funding. Additional funds shall be available for requests for special projects that the WIEC determines warrants financial support. Such requests shall normally be for $300US but additional funding may be provided, if approved by the WIEC. Affinity Groups requesting such funding shall submit a funding request form at least three months prior to the event. The WIEC shall review the request at their next scheduled meeting. If approved by the WIEC, the Affinity Group Chair shall provide the WIEC with a written report on the outcome of the event.

A funding request form shall be provided on the WIE website. (See Appendix K)

VII. SUBCOMMITTEES

The WIEC may appoint sub-committees focused on specific goals, and shall normally consist of between three to five members. Chairs of WIE Sub-Committees shall be members of WIE. Each Sub-Committee shall have an e-mail alias established for communication by the sub-committee members. The following committees have been appointed and defined as follows.

Appendix C-for sub-committee membership Appendix J for -email alias addresses.

A. Awards Sub-Committee. Objective: To promote, inform the members of, and stimulate nominations for the various awards throughout the IEEE especially the IEEE Medals, Technical Field Awards, and Medal of Honor; to identify IEEE qualified members and assist with member grade elevation including Fellow when appropriate and to construct within the WIEC an organization to select, document and nominate deserving members to Fellow grade and manage those nominations to successful conclusion.

B. Affinity Group Sub-Committee. Objective: Promote the establishment of WIE Affinity Groups throughout the world by providing assistance in identifying members with a common interest in a specific area. Monitor activity and encourage networking and the sharing of experience between active affinity groups and support the formation of Student Branch Affinity Groups. (See Appendix F for a complete list of the active WIE Affinity Groups)

C. Membership Sub-Committee. Objective: Promote both professional and student membership growth in IEEE as a whole. Encourage all members to seek the highest membership grade for which they qualify. (See Appendix G for a history of statistics and relevant information regarding the WIE membership growth)

Responsibilities:  Conceive, develop, and implement membership growth programs.  Contribute material and, if requested, present information at meetings and conferences.  Identify and communicate the personal and professional benefits of IEEE WIE membership.  Emphasize the programs to facilitate the transition from Student Member to Professional Member for maximum retention of members.  Motivate and encourage activities by the all the leaders by writing timely articles for the WIE Newsletter and Council/Section Newsletters.  Report on membership development activities to the Institute.

VIII. WIE WEBSITE www.ieee.org/women

The WIE web site includes up-to-date information on membership, Affinity Groups, forums, employment and career resources, and other news and initiatives of WIE. The Committee shall approve the addition of new pages to the site and significant changes to content. In accordance with the guidelines defined for IEEE webpages, staff shall regularly maintain all links and administrative updates to the site in a timely fashion and inform the committee of all changes.

IX. PROGRAMS

July07/v.1 A. Mentoring. WIE is interested in providing and promoting mentoring programs for IEEE members. These programs may include working together with other organizations and programs. One such program is identified below and information is posted on the WIE Website.

IEEE Student-Teacher and Research Engineer/Scientist (STAR) Program IEEE Student-Teacher and Research Engineer/Scientist (STAR) Program was developed to address the growing concern that girls are discouraged from careers in mathematics, science and engineering at a young age. This educational outreach program promotes involvement of IEEE members with local junior high and high schools to inspire a positive image of engineering careers. Through a one-to-one interaction of society volunteers with a Teacher- Student Team, the goal of STAR is to create a technical support network for teachers and a mentoring program for the students.

 Invite the students to visit a local university research program that is involved with simple engineering projects.  Work with the teacher to decide how many students to include in the program. IEEE has found that a program has a better chance to succeed if the teacher had previously selected students who may not have opportunities for involvement in programs such as STAR. The teacher will then ask the students if they would like to participate.

B. Receptions at Conferences The WIE may host receptions and forums at IEEE Conferences and meetings. In addition, when requests have been made following the established procedures and when funds are available the WIE may provide financial support (Appendix K) and promotional material. The Chair Committee shall review and approve each request.

C. Traveling Display There shall be a WIE traveling display, available upon request by Affinity Groups and Conferences to display and promote the activities of WIE.

D. Video Loan Program Videos on topics of interest to members which may include, but are not limited to, speakers at WIE Forums, shall be made available on a loan basis to organizational units of the IEEE. Requests shall be forwarded to staff for coordination.

E. Affinity Group Formation and Activity Requirements Following are the requirements, which are established by RAB for Affinity Groups, to form and maintain active WIE Affinity Groups. The normal procedures for Affinity Groups shall be under the supervision of RAB, additional information may be found in the RAB Operations Manual.

Affinity Group Petitions shall contain: 1. Name of Section or Sections 2. Name of Sponsoring entity (WIEC) 3. Name of Organizer (who becomes the interim Chair) 4. Signatures of at least six IEEE Members  Affinity Group formation requires at least six higher grade IEEE Members.  Affinity Student Branch formation requires at least six IEEE Student Members.  An email stating support of the Affinity Group formation can act as a signature as long as it came from the supporter. 5. Name and Member number of Section Members, who indicate they will join the Affinity Group.

Activity Requirements: 1. Affinity Groups must hold at least two activities per year to be considered active. 2. Maintain a roster of members. 3. Submit the L31 form on an annual basis to the Section.

Student Branch Affinity Group Petitions shall contain: 1. Name of the Student Branch 2. Name of parent entity (WIEC) 3. Name of Organizer (who becomes the interim Chair pending election of a Chair at a later organization meeting)

July07/v.1 4. Name of Faculty Advisor who must be an IEEE member above Student grade and a WIE member. 5. Signatures of at least six IEEE Student Members who are members of the Student Branch involved and who indicate they will join the Affinity Group, if established.

Activity Requirements: 1. Affinity Groups must hold at least two activities per year to be considered active. 2. Maintain a roster of members. 3. Submit the L31 form on an annual basis to the Section.

F. Edith Hannigan McHale Scholarship The Edith Hannigan McHale Scholarship Fund awards an annual scholarship to a female student, who attends John Adams High School, Ozone Park, New York, USA. The Scholarship recipient must designate a major/program of study in a field of engineering, physics or math.

See Appendix P for process flow

X. IEEE WIE MEMBERSHIP Appendix M-contains an Operations Calendar

A. Membership Statistics Data Analysis Efforts: Provide annual WIE membership statistical history: membership totals, with breakdown by grades, regions, gender.

Membership Development/Promotions: Coordination of WIE membership promotions includes research to identify target group (e.g. members in specific region), production and mailing of promotional materials, tracking of responses. Interface with IEEE Membership Development, IEEE Information Services, and IEEE Member Services to ensure accuracy of information and smooth processing of responses.

Labels, Lists, Statistics: fulfill requests for member labels, lists and special statistical reports based on a variety of criteria, for administrative use by WIEC, new WIE member labels/welcome letters, forwarded to the person responsible for Membership or for Affinity Group Activities and formation.

B. Dues The IEEE WIE may charge appropriate annual fees for membership, according to Bylaw I-107. The fee for WIE membership dues shall be approved by the Board of Directors. As of 1 September 2000, the fee shall be $25 US. Fees are waived for Students and Life members and are not subject to half-year payment. WIE dues may be discounted for special circumstances as outlined in IEEE Policy 16.3.

C. Membership Directory The WIE Membership Directory is available online only to WIE members with active membership status. It shall contain the names, position, business contact information of WIE members and the women members of IEEE. Additional information regarding reports on the activities of WIE Affinity Groups, WIE membership growth and other matters of interest to the members will be appear as hyperlinks on the website.

D. Pins Upon request, members shall receive a membership pin upon joining the WIE. WIE Affinity Groups may also request them for their members. Staff shall be responsible for ordering, maintaining stock and distribution of the pins.

July07/v.1 E. Promotional Items Appendix Promotional items are distributed upon request to members holding receptions, hosting Affinity Group meetings or educational activities interested in encouraging young women in the science and engineering fields. Additionally, other groups within IEEE such as Membership Development may request information for inclusion in their promotional displays.

See Appendix H for a list of items.

F. Member Welcome Packets Letters are sent to all new and continuing WIE members. Staff coordinates this activity on an ongoing basis throughout the year. The Chair shall approve the member welcome letter.

See Appendix I for current years welcome letter to new members.

XI. OPERATIONS MANUAL APPROVALS/MAINTENANCE/DISTRIBUTION This manual has been designed to be used as a guide to members and staff in an effort to define the operations of the activities that support the mission and goals of the IEEE Women in Engineering Committee and the IEEE WIE membership group. Initially approved by the Board of Directors, all future changes shall be approved by a majority of the WIE Committee, at a duly constituted meeting and forwarded to the Board for approval. Administrative changes shall be maintained by staff. This manual shall be distributed to all new members of the Women in Engineering Committee at the beginning of their term.

July07/v.1