AES Student Delegate Assembly Elections

RECOGNIZED STUDENT SECTIONS OF THE AES
There are presently Students Sections in the following locations: U.S./Canada East=10, U.S./Canada Central=10, U.S./Canada West=14, Europe=11, Latin America=2, International=0. Total=46 sections. This is a growing part of the Society and is an important source of our future professional membership and leadership.

APPROVAL
The AES Board of Governors approved the following proposal on September 30, 1997.

PROPOSAL
To formally establish an assembly to be known as:

"AES STUDENT DELEGATE ASSEMBLY "

MISSION
1. To provide a forum for student issues and communications in the AES.
2. To provide each Regional Vice President and the Chair of Regions and Sections with timely reviews of the issues of students and student sections as appropriate.
3. To advise the Education Committee on ways to better serve this membership in publications, conventions, conferences, etc.
4. To offer support, coordination and guidance in operations of student sections.

ORGANIZATION
1. Delegates to this Assembly will be the elected Chair of each recognized Student Section of the AES or the designated representative of the Chair.
2. Meetings of the Delegate Assembly will take place at the international conventions of the AES under the guidance of the Education Committee. All AES student members are invited to attend and participate, but the appointed delegate will cast the only vote for each section when requested.
3. Executive Officers; A Chair and Vice Chair of the Student Delegate Assembly will be elected by the delegates at the Spring international convention for Europe and International Regions, and at the Fall international conventions for North and South America Regions.
4. A professional member of the Education Committee will be appointed by the Chair of the Education Committee as student advisor in each of the Regions of the AES.

DUTIES OF THE CHAIR
1. To preside over meetings of the Student Delegate Assembly at their respective international conventions.
2. To direct and designate the activities of the Vice Chair to assure the timely dispatch of the responsibilities of the Assembly.
3. To represent the Student Delegate Assembly on the Education Committee.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS
There will be two sets of officers, one for Europe and International Regions and one for North and South America Regions.

A dossier of a nominated candidate will consist of:
1. A letter from the nominee stating academic standing and accomplishments, and of service to the local Student Section.
2. A letter of recommendation from the Faculty sponsor of the local Student Section.
3. A letter of nomination from the nominee's Regional Vice President.

Each Regional Vice President can nominate two candidates for the offices of the Student Delegate Assembly. Regional Vice Presidents will present dossiers of nominees to the Student Nominations Committee no later than the first day of the respective International Conventions of the AES.

The Student Nominations Committee will consist of the retiring officers of the Student Delegate Assembly, the Chair of Regions and Sections, one Regional Vice President (not currently serving on the Education Committee), and one member of the Education Committee. The Chair of the Education Committee will serve as Chair of the Student Nominations Committee and vote only in case of a tie. The Nominations Committee will select a slate of two candidates for each office from the nominees for presentation to the Assembly for election. Nominations will be accepted from the floor at the general meeting of the Assembly if accompanied by a dossier.

The election of officers will be held at the general meetings of the Assembly during the Spring International Convention for Europe and International Regions, and the Fall International Convention for North and South America Regions. Votes will be cast by written ballot, one delegate, two votes. The candidate receiving the largest count of votes will be designated Chair, and the candidate receiving the second largest count of votes will be designated Vice Chair.

Newly elected officers of the Assembly will serve until the next annual convention (1 year) and will serve on the Student Nominations Committee for the next election.

AUTHORITY AND FINANCES
The Chair of the Education Committee will present all appropriate recommendations made by the Student Delegate Assembly to the Board of Governors for approval.

The AES Education Committee will present and administer any financial requirements of the Student Delegate Assembly to the AES Board of Governors.

COMMENTS
There could be as many as 8 (eight) nominees for the two offices based on the present number of Regions.

Individual section budgets that request line items that are related to this new activity shall be given appropriate review by the AES Treasurer and the Finance Committee. Logical requests should be assumed to be related to establishment of WWW sites, Email communications, and travel support for delegate representation at annual meetings of the Assembly.

The Education Committee budget has been adjusted to authorize up to $500(USD) travel support for each of the four elected Delegate Assembly officers to attend their respective international conventions. While this travel support will not cover the entire costs of attendance, it should be seen as an "incentive grant" to locate institutional or industrial partnership for each elected officer.

Activities of a convention should provide opportunities for candidates to be recognized by badge, by leadership and participation, however no overt campaigning will be allowed.

Possible timetable at a convention:

1st Day - Nominations Committee generates a slate of candidates. Opening meeting.
4th Day - Closing meeting. Election of new officers.

NOTE: Each Student Section of the AES should hold the election of the next year's local officers as early as possible to assure that they could be eligible for nomination in the Delegate Assembly elections.

Things to do now! (see "dossier" above)
1. Determine the intention to present your newly elected Chair for office in the Assembly. Create a letter from the candidate and present it to your faculty sponsor.
2. The faculty sponsor will create a letter of recommendation and present it with the candidate's letter to the appropriate Regional Vice President.
3. The Regional Vice President will select two candidates (one for each Assembly office) and create a dossier including a letter of nomination.