Membership

The Committee is to be composed of seven members, including the Past President and the Texas Section Contact Member of the District 15 Council Representatives.  (The Contact Member shall be one who, because of his or her familiarity with the past actions of the Intra-Society Relations Committee and the District 15 Council, shall serve the Section for an extended term of four years.)  All members of the Committee should be selected based upon their long experience in the Society and for their familiarity with the workings of Section, District Councils, Zones, and the National Society.

District 15 Council Representatives

The Texas Section has an allocation of three representatives to the District 15 Council (as does each other Section in the District).  The District 15 Council Constitution provides that the “…representatives from each Section shall be the President, President-Elect, and one other member of the Section….”  That “other member” shall be the Contact Member of the Texas Section.

Expanded Information

A.C. Burkhalter provided a rotation schedule (4.C.1) and an article for the August/September 1994 Texas Civil Engineer. The article “Election of ASCE National Officers and Directors” is included to give detailed information which the Section Office believes is an excellent resource document (4.C.2).

4.C.1   ASCE NATIONAL OFFICERS/DIRECTORS - DISTRICT 15

click here for the District 15 Rotation Chart in PDF format

4.C.2    Election of ASCE National Officers and Directors

Original Article Prepared by A.C. Burkhalter, Jr., P.E., FASCE

Updated May 1999 by Stan Sarman, Chair, Intra Society Relations Committee

A.C. Burkhalter, Jr., P.E., FASCE, a past Branch, Section and National Officer, prepared an article entitled “Election of ASCE National Officers and Directors,” which explains the election process. This article was published in the August/September 1994 issue of the Texas Civil Engineer and has been included in the Texas Section Rules of Operation.

Since the article was well written and is substantially still accurate today, the only changes are revisions to the statistical data. With A.C.’s concurrence, this updated article will continue to be included in the Rules of Operation.

ASCE has activated the Committee on Districts and Zones (CDZ), which it does every ten years. The charge of CDZ is to study District and Zone membership of the Society, its distribution and area changes, and recommend any boundary adjustments to the Board of Direction. Their final report is expected to be submitted in FY 2000 to the Board at which time this article would be revised if necessary.

Responsibilities

 One of the responsibilities of the Section Intra Society Relations (ISR) Committee is to assure that ASCE members from Texas have the opportunity to serve as National Officers and Directors. And to assure that those who aspire to hold office are “ready, willing, and able” to serve. Sound simple? Believe me, it’s not that easy.

Section Past President Bill Moreau had asked that we provide you with a clearer understanding of the National nominating and election process. ASCE continues to grow and succeed because of the efforts and dedication of its volunteer leaders at the Branch, Section and National levels. We want those members who have the ability, interest and commitment to accept the responsibility of leadership and “take charge.” To do that, you must know the “process.” Hence this article.

Membership

We are all “National” members of ASCE. We pay National dues and accordingly receive the many benefits and privileges of ASCE membership. A portion of your National dues is rebated to the Section. As a National member, you are “assigned” to the Texas Section.

Most of you reading this article in Texas Civil Engineer magazine also pay (voluntarily) Section dues as well. You then also become a “subscribing” member of the Texas Section. As National (assigned) members, we have the right to vote for candidates for National office. If you are a Section (subscribing) member, you also have the right to vote for Section and Branch Officers and Directors. To hold elective office in the Section or a Branch, you must be a subscribing member.

Zonal Organization

To understand the National process, you need first to understand how ASCE is organized geographically. Our current membership is about 122,500 (and growing). Of these, about 7,500 reside overseas; for discussion purposes, call these “International” members. The other 115,000 reside in the 50 states, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico; call these areas “North America.”

“North America” is divided into four Zones. Moving east to west, Zone I covers the northeast. Zone II covers the southeast states up to Michigan. Zone III (our Zone) is central and southwest from Minnesota north to Mexico south. Zone IV covers the far west and Pacific coast states, including Alaska and Hawaii. Zone boundaries attempt to equalize the number of members in each zone. Therefore, 115,000 divided by 4 indicates each zone should have about 28,000 plus members. Looking at the actual numbers, it comes out pretty close. Zone III has about 26,000; Zone I has about 28,000; Zones II and IV have about 30,000 each, plus or minus.

So what, you ask, is the significance of four Zones? We have four National Vice-Presidents, one representing (and from) each Zone. Members in each Zone elect their own Vice-President. The V-P serves a 2-year term. But more about this later.

Let me regress. As you probably know, every year (the ASCE year is from Oct. 1 to the following Sept. 30) we have three National “Presidential” positions – (1) President, (2) President Elect, and (3) Immediate Past President. So whoever is elected President Elect really serves a 3-year term. Each year, the nominee for President Elect comes from a different Zone. The selection rotates from Zone 4 to Zone 3 to Zone 2 to Zone 1 and then starts over. So every 4 years, the new President Elect (and consequently President) will come from our Zone. All 122,500 members get to vote for this person. Unfortunately, as with most elections, only a small percentage end up actually voting.

So far, I’ve accounted for three Presidential positions and four Vice-Presidents. These seven individuals make up what’s called the “Executive Committee” of the Board of Direction. Since the Board is composed of 28 individuals, the Executive Committee is 25 percent of the Board. So, who makes up the remaining 75 percent? Well, each Zone is also entitled to five Directors. So with four Zones, that makes 20 Directors. Wait a minute. If the Board has 28 members, we’re one short! Very perceptive. Remember the “International” members who are not in the four Zones? They elect an “International” Director. This person can come from anywhere in ASCE, but must travel overseas extensively and otherwise be qualified to represent the “International” members.

District Directors

Let’s discuss the five Directors in each Zone. In theory, they each represent one-fifth of the members in each Zone, or about 6,000 members for each Director. To accomplish this, the Zones are divided into numbered Districts. The Districts are in turn composed of various Sections. The Districts have geographical boundaries, as do the Sections of which they’re composed. Many Sections are further subdivided into Branches (as is Texas), but others have no Branches. Whew! Confused? Hope not. You can “visualize” the geographical boundaries on the attached map, Subdivision of North America, into Zones, Districts and Sections, taken from the 1999 ASCE Official Register.

Each of the 21 Directors (including International) is elected to 3-year terms. But each year, seven come on and seven go off the Board. So we have what’s called “staggered” terms. The same applies to the four Vice-Presidents. They each serve 2-year terms but two come on and two go off the Board each year.

Back to the Districts. These currently number 14. The Texas Section is in District 15 (along with New Mexico, Oklahoma and Mexico), and there’s also a District 16! Now figure that out. There’s a logical explanation (but not simple). In the process of equalizing member representation in the Zones and Districts, once every 10 years the various boundaries can be adjusted to add or delete Districts or to move Districts into different Zones. So, where are the missing Districts? There is not a District 3, nor a District 13 (superstitious?). Some time in the past, these were eliminated (obviously for some logical reason). The “adjustments,” if they occur, happen at the beginning of each decade. Texas has been in District 15 for many years and no change appears likely in the future.

Some Districts have one Director each. Others have two (including District 15). One (District 11) has four. Depending on the “staggered” election schedule, it’s possible for a “gap” (vacancy) to occur when a District with more than one Director might lose that position for a year or two. In such a case (and it’s rare), a District “Representative” can be designated (appointed – not elected) to perform appropriate Director duties. But this person cannot vote on official Board business, since the Board always has 28 elected members.

Selection of District Directors

But back to the Texas Section. Due to our large membership (7,300), the Texas Section always has a District Director. I served in that position in 1986-89, followed by Dick Furlong in 1989-92; Jerry Rogers in 1992-95; Mal Steinberg in 1995-98; and Bob Patton is currently District Director for 1998-2001. It is the responsibility of the Section Intra Society Relations Committee to seek out qualified members who would be interested in serving as a District Director. The National By Laws say that a candidate shall have served as a Section or Branch Officer, as a Board of Governors member of an Institute or as a member of a National Committee.

The Texas Section has strengthened the National requirements and selected potential candidates only from those who have served as Section President or Executive Director. We feel it is very important to have Texas interests represented by the most experienced, knowledgeable, and able person possible. A past Section President or Executive Director certainly fills the bill. with the second District 15 Director being selected (rotating) from Oklahoma to New Mexico to Mexico and thence to Texas (with gaps in between these 3-year terms), we have the opportunity about every 12 years to have the second District Director come from Texas, which will be coming up in 2000 to 2003.

Election of District Directors and Vice Presidents

Once the ISR Committee selects a candidate, the recommendation is voted upon by the Texas Section Board. If approved (and it usually is), then the choice goes to a District nominating committee for official action and thence to National for placement on the Ballot. There are provisions covering more than one candidate but in the Texas Section, this possibility is resolved by Board action such that only one official nominee is recommended to the District Nominating Committee. National By-Laws allow qualified candidates to seek office by the petition process but this has not been used in the past in the Texas Section for the district Director position. Only members in District 15 get to vote for the District 15 Director. It’s the same in the other Districts as well. After all, we wouldn’t want voters in another District selecting our District Director.

For the election of the Zone III Vice-President, the process is similar but broader in scope. All members in Zone III get to vote for the Zone III V-P. The selection process in Zone III rotates among the three Districts that make up the Zone. So with 2-year V-P terms, District 15 gets to select the candidate every six years. The process starts with Sections in each District, goes to a Zone Nominating Committee, and thence a selection of one or two names to go on the ballot-usually one.

Sometimes, I hear criticism that the ballot has the name of only one candidate for each office. In rare cases, there may be two. Here’s the reason why. ASCE seeks to avoid internal politics at all levels-Branch, Section and National. We are a Technical, Educational and Professional organization seeking to advance the science and profession of civil engineering to improve the quality of life for people worldwide. Active internal politics divert the attention of the organization from our basic purpose. Such activities are discouraged and, in fact, restricted in accordance with National Rules of Operation- Article VI and Canon 6 of the Code of Ethics.

So, no banners, no buttons, no mass mail-outs. Think of the money and hours of effort which are “saved.” Or said differently, think of the money and hours that can otherwise be used for accomplishing the basic purposes of ASCE. And the great majority of our members are not concerned whether Smith or Jones is the next Officer or Director. What members do want is assurance that whoever is nominated is qualified and committed. That’s the purpose of the Nominating Committee: to select and recommend the best person available. With only one name on the ballot for each position, there are only winners and no losers! There are options: the nomination by petition process (as covered in the By-Laws) and blanks for write-in candidates. An individual getting votes and support by these means may not get elected, but they sure will get the attention of the next Nominating Committee. And “Mickey Mouse” has never won an ASCE election.

ASCE has term limits. Once a person has served as an Officer or Director, they cannot serve again in the same office. The opportunity is there for someone else.

Leadership Opportunity

We want to make sure that every member who is interested understands the process and has an opportunity to take leadership role…if they want to. We’re all volunteers and nobody can force you to take a “job” in ASCE against your will.

So, what can you do to seek an office in ASCE…whether it’s as Committee Head, Director or Officer at the Branch, Section, or National level? Let me offer these suggestions:

1.   The process starts in the Branch and moves up. Get active at the local level. Attend your Branch meetings whenever possible. Volunteer to help in Branch activities. Get to know other members in the Branch.