1.2.3.1 Mission Statement
The mission of the Materials Research Society Chapter at the Pennsylvania State University is to promote interdisciplinary materials research, education and professional develepment. The Chapter aims to bring together students and faculty from various backgrounds in materials to further the exchange of knowledge and ideas between the different programs.
1.2.3.2 Elections
The election of new officers to the Executive Committee is to occur every Fall semester. Nominations are to be held immediately following the start of classes (approximately in the middle of September) with the election taking place soon after nominations. Officers can serve a term of maximum two calendar years.
1.2.3.3 Eligibility
Any student who has been enrolled as a student at Penn State University for at least one semester can be nominated for an officer position. MRS Bylaws require Chapters to have 2 Faculty advisors who must be current regular members of MRS. The Executive Committee members shall be student members of MRS. In addition, Penn State regulations require the members of the Executive Committee to be enrolled as full time students. Students acting on other committees are subjected for approval by the advisors and previous year’s committee members.
1.2.3.4 Duties of the Executive Committee (officer responsibility checklist)
The Executive Committee consists of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. The Web-master does not belong in the Executive Committee unless he/she is one of the officers. The Web-master can (but is not required to) attend the officers' meetings. Certain students can act as delegates of their Departments to the MRS Chapter. The following duties can be transferred among the officers, after agreement.
A. The President shall:
- be the chief executive officer of the MRS Chapter
- sign all official correspondence of the Chapter
- preside over all Chapter meetings and present any speaker(s)
- be empowered to form committees for special projects or assign specific duties to persons outside the Executive Committee
- have all communications needed/required with MRS Headquarters
- establish contact and interactions with other student organizations in the University and with MRS Chapters at other Universities
- submit reports requested from MRS Headquarters in a timely manner (e.g., annual financial report and chapter rebate, newsletters, etc.) and request information for new members (e.g., applications, etc.)
and is responsible to:
- notify the University Student Activities Office (225A HUB) of NEW officers elected notify MRS Headquarters of NEW officers elected
- be the owner of the E-mail list (change of the owner by CAC is required)
- update the E-mail list (i.e., add new members, remove departed ones), post announcements and forward messages to the members received from MRS Headquarters
- submit the annual financial report to MRS Headquarters
- submit the annual activity report and Chapter rebate to MRS Headquarters
- submit travel reimbursement requests to MRS Headquarters
- submit newsletters to MRS Headquarters
- submit award nominations to Penn State University and MRS Headquarters
- keep a file with all MRS materials and give it to his/her successor after the elections
B. The Vice-President shall:
- act as president in the absence of the president
- assume the office and perform the duties of the president upon his/her resignation for any reason
- perform other duties as assigned by the president
and is responsible to:
- organize social events (i.e., reserve a room for MRS meetings, luncheons and happy hours)
- deal with catering services, arrange delivery of food and beverages
C. The Treasurer shall:
- be responsible for the finances of the chapter
- make known the financial status of the Chapter to the Executive Committee assist the president in seeking funding to support activities of the Chapter
and is responsible to:
- obtain the financial report from the University Student Activities Office (225A HUB) once a month
- file proposals to the Student Organization Budget Committee (225 HUB) for funding request purchase orders and update the purchase order list in the University Student Activities Office (225A HUB)
D. The Secretary shall:
- take attendance and minutes at all meetings/socials
- post meeting minutes on website
- be responsible for all internal correspondence relating to the Chapter
and is responsible to:
- obtain correspondence before every officers' meeting
- make flyers for announcing meetings and other events organized by the Chapter
- prepare annual reports as assigned by the President
E. The Web-master is responsible to:
- maintain the Chapter homepage
- make changes to the homepage as approved by the Executive Committee
- notify the Executive Committee of suggestions made by the visitors of the web page and give recommendations
F. The Advisors are responsible to:
- attend the officers' meeting once per month and not less than twice per semester
- indicate sources of funding, facilitate and establish contacts with the industry
1.2.3.5 Responsibilities of the Members
Both national and local members are responsible to:
- attend Chapter meetings and functions
- assist the Chapter with special projects
- encourage growth of the Chapter by introducing new members
- inform the officers about the events in their departments
