Constitutional change: a note from ex-President John Vig

The IEEE South Australia Section would like to make you aware of recent correspondence received from ex-President John Vig:

As you probably know​, IEEE members will be asked to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment this year​. ​ Voting in the annual election will start on 15 August. ​

The​ governing bodies of many sections and societies have voted to oppose the amendment.  The 24 societies that have so voted include​ the largest ​ones, Computer, Communications, Power and Energy, Signal Processing, Circuits and Systems, Electron Devices, Robotics and Automation, and Solid-State Circuits. ​

Why is there such widespread opposition?  Because, among other reasons, the amendment would enable:

  • ​a​ small group to take control of IEEE,
  • ​​transferring of power from over 300,000 members to a possibly small group of insiders,
  • removing regional representation from the Board of Directors thereby making it possible that, e.g., no Asian          representative will be on the Board of Directors - thus breaking the link between our Sections and decisions          that the Board will make,
  • ​​removing technical activities representation from the Board of Directors thereby diminishing the voice of                technology in steering IEEE's future,
  • ​moving vital parts of the constitution to the bylaws - which could be subject to change by a small group, on short notice.

The possible benefits of the amendment ​are discussed at the amendment website, ​https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/election/2016_constitutional_amendment.html

​The opponents feel that the purported benefits ​do not outweigh ​the​ risks​ and detrimental effects.  

The existing IEEE constitution offers alternative, less complex ways of accomplishing the intended improvements while maintaining members at the core of the decision making process.

Additional reasons for opposing the constitutional amendment and the proposed restructuring may be found ​at the Washington Section's website, ​http://sites.ieee.org/washington/ieee-constitutional-amendment/ and at the "Loyal Opposition's" website, https://ieee2016blog.wordpress.com​.​ 

It is important to inform IEEE members about the possible consequences if this Amendment were to pass.  Please share this message with members of your section and others.

Charles K. Alexander                                               

1997 IEEE President      


W. Cleon Anderson            

2005 IEEE President

​

Marc T Apter                                                       

2013 IEEE-USA President                                      

2004-2005 IEEE Vice President, Regional Activities


Jim Isaak

2002/4 IEEE Division Director

2010 Computer Society President

 

Tony Ivanov

2016 IEEE Washington DC Section Chair


H. Troy Nagle

1994 IEEE President

 

John Vig

2009 IEEE President

 

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