Supersonic Tunnel Association, International

STAI CONSTITUTION

CONSTITUTION SUPERSONIC TUNNEL ASSOCIATION, International

Approved : 1 November 1965
Amended : 30 October 1967
Amended : 9 October 1980
Amended : 30 March 1993
Amended : 15 April 1996
Amended : 26 April 1999
Amended : 15 April 2002
Amended : 12 October 2003
Amended : 05 May 2009

1. INTRODUCTION

The Supersonic Tunnel Association was formed in April 1954 to provide an organisation for operators of aerodynamic facilities. At the 85th Business Meeting held on 15th April 1996, the membership voted to change the name of the Association to the Supersonic Tunnel Association, International in recognition of the Association's international character.

2. OBJECTIVES

The broad objective of the organisation is: "To provide at the operational level a means of interchange of ideas, techniques and solutions of problems".
The general area of interest will include, but not be limited to:

1. Design, performance and economics of test facilities.
2. Physical measurements, instrumentation, handling and reduction of data.
3. Facility operation and maintenance problems.

No limitations shall be placed on the speed ranges that may be covered in the discussions.

To ensure the integrity of the Supersonic Tunnel Association, International and to maintain an environment conducive to the free and open exchange of information within the STA, the unsolicited marketing of equipment or services by any member to any other member(s) at STA meetings is prohibited.

3. ORGANIZATION

3.1 Executive Committee and Officers

1. The governing board of the Supersonic Tunnel Association, International shall be an Executive Committee, composed of the President, the President-elect, Secretary, two immediate Past-presidents and two Members-at-large. The Executive Committee shall transact all business of the Association except the election of officers, changes to the Constitution and election of new members.
2. The President Shall:
1. Prepare agendas for and preside over the Executive Committee and business meetings;
2. Handle official correspondence including invitation of guests and applicants;
3. Appoint committees including tenure thereof;
4. Convene the Executive Committee to transact any business required of the Supersonic Tunnel Association, International
3. The President-elect shall conduct the business of the Supersonic Tunnel Association, International in the absence of the President.
4. The most recent Past-president present shall conduct the business of the Supersonic Tunnel Association, International in the absence of both the President and President-elect.
5. The Secretary shall keep minutes of the business meetings and, in cooperation with the host facility, provide members with copies of same. The Secretary shall, at the direction of the President, take care of required correspondence.
6. Business of the Executive Committee will be conducted on the basis of a simple majority of those members in attendance at any meeting.

3.2 Election and Term of Officers

Officers shall be elected annually at the Spring meeting in a secret ballot by a simple majority of members attending, and with each member facility having one vote. Nominations for officers shall not be closed until at least two names have been entered (for President-elect and Secretary positions only). Nominations for Members-at-large can be closed with one candidate per position, requiring no election to be held.

The President and President-elect are elected to their respective positions for a one-year term, and can only stand for re-election after a two-year EC term as Past -president. The Secretary and the two Members-at-large are elected for one-year terms, and may not be re-elected to hold the same position for more than three consecutive years.

1. The officers to be elected are the President-elect, Secretary and two Members-at-large, except for the special situation described in 3.2(d) below wherein a President is also elected.
2. The President's term shall customarily begin upon succession from the President-elect position to fill a vacancy arising from the prior President having completed either a normal term in office or a shortened term occasioned by resignation, death etc. Under the special conditions of 3.2(d) wherein the President is elected directly to that office, his or her term shall begin 30 days after election.
   
   The President's term shall end 30 days after the first Spring meeting which follows a Fall meeting for which he or she was President.
   
   
3. The President-elect's term in that capacity shall begin 30 days after election during the Spring meeting and shall end upon succession to the Presidency.
4. If the office of President-elect becomes vacant, except when a President-elect succeeds to the Presidency between the Fall and Spring meetings, the President with the advice of the Executive Committee shall immediately name a Nominating Committee to nominate for the offices of President and President-elect a total of three candidates. The three nominees will become non-voting members of the Executive Committee until the next Spring election. At that time, the membership shall first vote to elect a President by a majority vote from these three plus any nominations from the floor, and secondly shall vote to elect a President-elect by majority vote from the remaining nominees. If no nominee receives a majority on the initial ballot for each office, a run-off ballot shall be held between the two nominees receiving the most votes in the initial ballot.
5. The terms of the Secretary and two Members-at-large shall begin 30 days after their election and shall end 30 days after the election of their successors in office. A vacancy in the office of Secretary shall be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. A single Member-at-large or Past-president vacancy shall not be filled, but a dual vacancy in either position may be partially filled by Presidential appointment, with concurrence of the Executive Committee, of a Past-president not currently serving on the Executive Committee.

3.3 Voting

Voting on all matters except Constitutional changes shall be based on a simple majority with each member facility having one vote. Except for election of officers, which is by secret ballot, the method of voting shall be at the discretion of the presiding officer.

3.4 Meetings

1. Meetings shall be held semi-annually on a rotating basis at one or more of the member facilities.
2. The host facility shall select for each meeting a program based on the objectives outlined in paragraph 2 above. The program shall provide the participants with a brief description and inspection of the host facility.
3. There shall be no limitation on the number of meeting attendees from any member organisation, except that the host may limit total attendance if there is insufficient space to accommodate all who desire to attend.
4. Permission for representatives of non-member organisations to attend meetings may be granted by the President with the concurrence of the host facility. Non-members will not attend the business meeting.

3.5 Proceedings

1. The host organization shall assemble submitted papers in proceedings on an electronic storage device listed in STAI Attachment 01, for distribution to all members not later than 30 days after the meeting.
2. Member organizations shall be eligible to receive, at a minimum, one Proceedings, or copy thereof, from and only from meetings held during the member's tenure of membership. New members are eligible to receive the Proceedings for the meeting at which they are accepted for membership.
3. Papers in the Proceedings are for members only and not for distribution outside the STAI. Members may obtain particular papers, or copies thereof, from Proceedings without regard to eligibility as defined in Section 3.5(b), directly from the organization originating the paper, at the discretion of the originating member. Papers in the Proceedings shall not be referenced in print outside the Proceedings.
4. Proceedings shall consist primarily of the papers presented and the official group photograph. All other material deemed additional supporting information should be placed on a separate electronic storage device listed in STAI Attachment 01, at the meeting host’s discretion. The supporting information must not determine when the proceedings are distributed.

3.6 Membership

1. Membership shall be limited to those organisations currently operating aerodynamic facilities which are of sufficient size for significant research and/or development work and which have transonic, supersonic or hypersonic capability.
2. Representation: Each member facility shall nominate one of its staff as its official representative to this Association and so inform the President by letter. All correspondence to the member facility shall be addressed to this official representative.
3. The Secretary shall make available to any organization requesting information about the STAI an Information Sheet briefly describing the Objectives and Membership Requirements. If the organization expresses interest in membership, he shall also furnish a copy of the Constitution. The Information Sheet and Constitution shall also be posted by the Secretary on the STAI’s Internet Web Site.
4. To apply for membership, an organization shall:
1. Send a letter to the President from a responsible official requesting membership and agreeing to abide by the Constitution;
2. Furnish the President with sufficient information to enable the Executive Committee to make a determination as to whether the applicant fulfils the membership requiremen
3. If the Executive Committee decides, by a simple majority of those present and voting, that the application merits consideration by the full membership, then:
1. The Executive Committee shall invite the applying organization to present its credentials for membership, in the form of a paper describing its aerodynamic facilities, at the next STAI Meeting; and
2. The applying organization shall be allowed by the host organization to present said paper at the next STAI Meeting in a Technical Session preceding the Business Meeting; and
3. The President shall bring the application up for vote at the Business Meeting.
4. Voting for admission of new members shall be by a simple majority of the membership present and voting, with each member facility having one vote.
5. Membership can be terminated by a letter to the President from a responsible official of the member facility
6. Organisations which have independent facilities at separate divisions may apply for separate membership for each facility.
5. A member facility shall participate in the activities of STA by (1) submitting at least one technical contribution (either written, oral or both) and (2) attending at least one meeting, every two consecutive meetings. The member facility is responsible for obtaining all necessary clearances for their technical contributions.
6. If a member facility fails to participate in accordance with Section 3.6(g), the Secretary will advise the member facility in writing that its membership will be terminated if it fails to participate in the next meeting. If a member facility fails to comply with Section 3.6(g) and has been duly warned by the Secretary and fails to participate, as required, in the next meeting, its membership will terminate automatically unless the Executive Committee recommends to the contrary. This recommendation of the Executive Committee will be submitted to the member facilities for vote. The member facility will be notified by the Secretary of the action taken. Reinstatement of membership shall be reconsidered by the same procedure as used for new admissions at the second regular meeting following termination.
7. Membership of facilities which appear no longer to qualify shall be reconsidered by the same procedure as that used for new admissions at the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

3.7 Changes to the Constitution

Any member may propose Constitutional changes to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall forward the proposed changes, either as submitted or with modifications acceptable to the proposing member, to the membership at least two weeks prior to the next semi-annual meeting. The proposal shall be voted upon at this meeting and the Constitution changed only if the proposed change receives an approving vote which is at least two-thirds of the membership present and voting and which is not less than a majority of the entire membership.

3.8 Member Emeritus

A past member of the STAI may be accorded the honorary position of Member Emeritus at the discretion of the Executive Council. A candidate for Member Emeritus must have made significant contributions to the organization through many years of participation in the STAI and/or service on the Executive Council. After nomination of the candidate through an Executive Council member, a unanimous vote of Executive Council members is necessary to make this designation. The President will announce new Member Emeritus selections to the membership at the Business meeting.

Member Emeritus is welcome to attend all of the STAI Semi-annual meetings and will receive STAI correspondence.

Member Emeritus has no attendance or presentation requirements or voting rights.

Attachment 01

(Dated April 1st 2009)

Allowable electronic storage devices for transfer of papers and presentations, and the distribution of meeting proceedings:

1. CD-ROM
2. DVD-ROM
3. USE Memory Stick
4. USB Portable Hard Drive

Please note:
It is the responsibility of the Executive Committee to periodically update this list based on popular electronic storage technologies, independent of the Constitution, and therefore without recourse to a formal vote by the membership.