The purpose of the Industry Advisory Board is to facilitate the exchange of ideas between Board members, faculty and students of the Biosystems Engineering program in the Department of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering at Michigan State University. Its function is to improve continuously the quality of the program by keeping it current and relevant. The Board advises the Department Chairperson on specific matters identified by the Chairperson or suggested by the Board. The Board receives minutes of the Academic Committee and the Annual Report of the Department and provides input to the Chairperson where necessary.
2. Membership
2.1 Eligibility: The Board will nominally consist of twelve to fifteen members identified by the thrust areas of the Program and from the various industries served by the graduates of the Program. Those selected to serve as Board member will be individuals capable of improving the Program and should represent both academic and non-academic professionals. The membership shall consist of at least three alumni of the department.
2.2 Term: Members shall be appointed to staggered three year terms, with the terms of approximately a third of the membership expiring in any given year. Members can be reappointed for additional terms, but may not exceed two consecutive terms. Members who miss two consecutive meetings will have their membership reconsidered by the Board. Any decision to remove a member will be simple majority vote by the membership of the Board.
2.3 Nomination and Election: The nomination and election of Board members shall take place during a regularly scheduled Board meeting. Any Board member may nominate new Board members. Nominations may be made verbally or in writing at the meeting. In making nominations consideration shall be given to ethnic and gender diversity in keeping with the guiding principles of Michigan State University. Each nominee receiving a simple majority vote will be invited by the department chairperson to join the board.
2.4 Ex-Officio Members: The Department Chairperson, the Dean of College of Engineering and the Vice Provost, Dean of College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Undergraduate Student Advisor and student representative shall be non-voting, ex-officio members of the board.
3. Officers
The Board shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from amongst their regular membership each year.
3.1 Term of Office: Each office shall serve for one year in that position. No officer may serve more than one year. The official year shall begin August 15 and end August 14 the following year.
3.2 Responsibilities: The Chairperson of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the board and perform such other duties as deemed necessary to carry out the objectives of the Board. An appointed staff member of the Department will take and keep all records of the Board. The Vice Chairperson shall preside over Board meetings in the absence of the Board Chairperson.
4. Meeting
4.1 Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of the Board shall be held twice a year, once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester. The meeting time and place shall be determined by the Board Chairperson in consultation with the Department of Agricultural Engineering Chairperson. The meeting agenda along with a list of items from the previous meeting and action taken on them by the Department of Agricultural Engineering Chairperson will be sent by the appointed Department of Agricultural Engineering staff member to all Board members at least 21 days prior to the meeting.
4.2 Special Meeting: Special meetings may be called by the Board Chairperson, or on written request of at least five members of the board. The notice for a special meeting shall clearly state the reason for which the special meeting is being called.
4.3 Minutes: The minutes of all Board meetings shall be distributed to all Board members, the Department faculty, Department chairperson, the Dean of College of Engineering, and the Vice-Provost and Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Special meeting of subgroups which may include non-Board members shall not be bound by these bylaws. They shall proceed in a manner that suits the group's needs, but they shall keep the Board Chairperson and the Department Chairperson fully informed. Any recommendations made by these subgroups must be ratified by the Board in accordance with the bylaws.
4.4 Location: Meetings will normally be held at Michigan State University. Meetings may also be held at an alternate location if necessary as determined by the Board officers. However, the spring semester meeting will be held at MSU.
4.5 Other Consideration: All meetings shall be conducted under Robert's Rule of Order Revised, unless waived by a vote of simple majority present. Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.
5. Amendments and Effective Date
5.1 Amendment to the bylaws may be adopted by a two-third vote of the membership. Amendments may be initiated by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chairperson of the Department, or by a petition of any three Board members.Amended October 18, 2001 name changed to Industry Advisory Board
