Statutes

STATUTES of the ASSOCIATION OF ASIA-PACIFIC OPERATIONAL RESEARCH SOCIETIES


APORS Regional Grouping within IFORS


ARTICLE I - Objectives

1. The general objectives of the Association are:

a. To promote operational research as a highly-valued discipline and a well-respected profession within the Asia-Pacific region, and

b. To be an effective regional grouping within the International Federation of OR Societies (IFORS).


2. To achieve these ends and subject to resources available to it, the association will:

a. Assist member societies in raising awareness and promoting OR practice among executives, students, and government policy makers in their respective countries;

b. Assist member societies in raising the competence levels of their member-practitioners and academicians by conducting regional conferences, and by supporting, whenever possible, national member conferences through its network of resource people;

c. Assist member societies in strengthening their value proposition for membership by providing discounts and other privileges to national society members who sign up for regional conferences, paper competitions, and scholarships;

d. Encourage free and regular exchange of information of member society initiatives, operating plans, processes and best practices. This can be through:

i. The creation of an e-group to be managed by the Secretary;

ii. Sharing of national society newsletters and association magazines;

iii. Invitation to each other’s conferences and special events, and

iv. Regular meetings and conference calls among the members’ leadership;


e. Encourage multi-country projects and identify regional initiatives where appropriate;

f. Adopt a common and united stand when dealing with IFORS and other regional associations, such as the ALIO, NORAM, and EURO; and

g. Assist in setting up national OR societies within the region.


ARTICLE II – Membership

1. The Association shall consist of the established national societies in the Asia-Pacific region who are full members of IFORS.

2. The following ten societies are current members but APORS will endeavor to expand the membership on continuing basis.

a. Australian Society of Operational Research (ASOR)

b. Operations Research Society of China (ORSC)

c. Operational Research Society of Hong Kong (ORSHK)

d. Operational Research Society of India (ORSI)

e. The Operations Research Society of Japan (ORSJ)

f. The Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society (KORS)

g. Operational Research Society of New Zealand (ORSNZ)

h. Operational Research Society of Singapore (ORSS)

i. Operations Research Society of the Philippines (ORSP)

j. Management Science/Operations Research Society of Malaysia (MSORSM)


3. Annually, the member societies will provide APORS with a copy of the annual return submitted to IFORS containing current membership size and the officers’ names, positions and contact details. Submission of information on member turnover, conferences held, special and regular projects undertaken, and changes in by-laws, if any, will be highly encouraged.

4. Recruitment of new members from within the region will be supported by actively developing contacts in countries without a national OR society or where the society is not yet affiliated with IFORS. Upon approval of the membership by IFORS, APORS will invite the society to apply for APORS membership. Acceptance of the invitation by the new member will imply agreement to abide by the APORS Statutes.

5. Member societies may be expelled from APORS on the following grounds:

a. Lack of communication from the national society;

b. Frequent and unexcused absences of the society representative in council meetings;

c. Repeated failure to comply with reporting and other requirements; and

d. Formal complaint lodged by one or more national societies dealing with unprofessional or unethical conduct


Once formally tabled for discussion, the APORS executive council will immediately deliberate on the expulsion proposal. A two-thirds vote of the executive council will be necessary to expel the member.


6. Member societies may withdraw from the association, provided the request is given in writing, with proof of approval by the society’s members, and with reasons clearly articulated.


The APORS Council may require a few months’ notice, or, it may immediately accept the withdrawal petition, without prejudice to arrears or other commitments overdue or soon to be due.


7. Expulsion from IFORS will automatically mean expulsion from the APORS.

8. A formal notification letter from the APORS leadership addressed to the member concerned will cover any expulsion.

9. When deemed appropriate, a realignment of the regional organization (for example, dividing APORS into two or three distinct sub-regional associations) will require two-thirds vote of the executive council before such a proposal can be finalized and submitted to IFORS.


ARTICLE III – Governance and the APORS Council

1. The governance of APORS and its affairs shall be vested in an executive council (from hereon referred to as the Council). The Council will consist of one representative each from the member national societies as well as the Immediate Past President of APORS, all of whom will serve for a three-year term of office.

2. Each member society must submit the name of its national society representative to the Council prior to the Triennial APORS Conference.

3. Every Council member, as the duly authorized representative of a national OR society, is responsible for:

a. Bringing up agenda items for executive council meetings and participating in all executive council discussions;

b. Conferring with his/her constituency, i.e., the membership of the national society, on major matters requiring a vote or prior to discussion of views at the APORS Council, e.g., bidding for the triennial conference;

c. Reporting to his national society on decisions made and directions taken by APORS that are of significant consequence to national society members;

d. Accepting and/or volunteering for APORS officer or committee assignments, as may be appropriate, and perform these roles effectively; and

e. Designating a duly authorized and fully briefed representative should he be unable to attend an executive council meeting for any reason whatsoever.

4. At the start of every term, the Council decides the frequency of regular meetings. These meetings may either be face-to-face physical gathering or through technology-enabled methods. This does not preclude the Council from convening special meetings outside the regular schedule to handle emergency matters.

5. One meeting every year must be conducted in person. These will be during the triennial IFORS conference and the succeeding year’s APORS triennial conference. The Council will agree on the venue of the third meeting.

6. All APORS Council meetings are open only to duly designated representatives. However, other people may be invited to the meeting, to shed light on a project, elaborate on an idea, or give an important view. Attendance of other parties requires clearance from the APORS president.

7. In all formal votes taken by the Council, each national society, through its representative, is entitled to one vote.


ARTICLE IV – Officers of the Council

1. The Council shall elect a President, a Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer from among the incoming Council members.

2. Election of the APORS Council officers will be conducted during the meeting coinciding with the triennial APORS conference (2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, etc.). The elected officers will officially begin their term in January following the APORS conference.

3. During this meeting, each society will be represented by both the incumbent and incoming APORS representatives. The current Council President is automatically reappointed as his/her society representative since he/she assumes the post of Immediate Past President of the

Council.

4. The APORS President and Vice President will not be eligible for re-election to the same office for at least one term of three years.

5. The President will be responsible for, but not limited to:

a. Preparing the agenda and informing the executive council members in preparation for regular and special APORS meetings (face to face, conference calls, etc.);

b. Managing and leading APORS executive council meetings, and engaging all executive council members;

c. Following through on all to-do’s arising from decisions formalized in APORS executive council meetings;

d. Drafting strategic directions, annual plans, special projects, and operating budgets, for discussion and approval in executive council meetings;

e. Assigning committee leadership and presidential adviser roles to the Vice President;

f. With the help of member societies and as far as practicable, visiting each of the member societies;

g. Executing APORS plans and initiatives;

h. Reporting yearly and at end of term on completed and on-going projects as well as financial and administrative state;

i. Directing the treasurer and secretary in the performance of their functions; and

j. Signing checks, together with the Vice President or Treasurer.

6. Should the APORS President resign, be impeached, be expelled from his national society, or

be unable to serve in any way before completing his term, the Vice President takes over and finishes the term.

7. The President can be removed from office for reasons of bad governance, financial misconduct, job abandonment, or other just cause. This will require a formal motion signed by two APORS executive council members and voted by two-thirds of the number of the executive council members.

8. The Treasurer will be responsible for:

a. Maintaining timely and accurate financials – balance sheet, income statement, cash flow projections, actual against budget - of the association

b. Preparing special profitability reports for specific projects such as conferences, journals, and others.

c. Coordinating closely with project leaders and committee members on funding projections, bidding and canvassing procedures, check issuances, and others.

d. Investing APORS funds in low-risk instruments

9. The Secretary will be responsible for all secretarial and administrative tasks, as follows:

a. Communicating with executive council members and member societies as directed by the President and/or the Council;

b. Overseeing maintenance of the APORS website, including seeing to it that updated information are posted;

c. Preparing meeting minutes for review and finalization by the President and/or the Council;

d. Maintaining APORS records and files and turning these over appropriately at the end of term;

e. Arranging/coordinating APORS-related calls, meetings, bookings, reservations, mailings, and others as may be required;

f. Maintaining APORS office equipment, supplies and other properties, if any;

g. Transacting financial transactions, as directed or empowered by the Treasurer; and

h. Supervising secretariat staff.

10. The Council, as necessary, will appoint an Internal Auditor from among its ranks near the end of every year to review and certify to the appropriateness of financial transactions and to the general fairness of the financials.

11. The APORS Immediate Past President will automatically assume the post of IFORS Vice

President representing APORS. He/she will be responsible for:

a. Providing correct and verified information regarding APORS that may be required by IFORS;

b. Participating actively in IFORS Executive Committee discussions, especially on issues affecting APORS and its member societies;

c. Conferring with APORS Council on major matters requiring a regional vote within IFORS;

d. Reporting on decisions made and directions taken that are of significant consequence to APORS;

e. Accepting/ volunteering for IFORS Executive Committee assignments, as may be appropriate, and performing these roles effectively; and

f. Designating a duly authorized and fully briefed representative should he/she be unable to attend an IFORS Executive Committee meeting for any reason.

12. The President may assign Council members to head committees in charge of the following:

a. Journal publication;

b. Speakers and writers bureau;

c. Triennial conference program;

d. Education;

e. External affairs;

f. Member society support; and

g. New societies.

13. If for any reason, an APORS Council member, other than the President, cannot perform his/her function, the national society represented by the incumbent will be given the option to nominate another person. The Council may confirm the appointment or may select another replacement through a majority vote.


ARTICLE V – Finances:Transitory Provisions

1. Sources of Funds. The Council shall discuss the following items with the view of raising funds for the regional grouping:

a. Annual Membership Dues;

b. APORS Share in Triennial Conference Revenues; and

c. APORS Share from regional technical journal publication.

2. Uses of Funds. Funds raised will be used to fund or subsidize:

a. Operation of the APORS Secretariat office;

b. Maintenance of the APORS website;

c. Conduct of Council meetings;

d. Member society visitations by the APORS President;

e. Publication/ distribution of articles, reprints, newsletters, pamphlets, annual reports of interest to members;

f. Sponsoring speakers for national conferences;

g. Funding regional projects such as surveys, scholarships, grants and lectures; and

h. Costs related to setting up OR societies within the region.


In the event of the Association ceasing to function, the remaining funds, after all debts are paid, will be returned to the current Member Societies in proportion to their fee contribution to-date.


ARTICLE VI - Amendments

1. Any of these statutes may be amended, suspended or annulled through a proposal endorsed by at least two members of the Council and affirmed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Council.

2. These statutes shall take immediate effect upon approval of the executive council.