ACM SIG Bylaws: SIGSIM

BYLAWS of the Special Interest Group on Simulation and Modeling(SIGSIM) of the Association for Computing Machinery

  • Adopted 1981

  • Amended July 22, 2009

  • Amended May 6, 2026

Article 1. Name and Scope

  1. This organization will be called the Special Interest Group on Simulation and Modeling (SIGSIM) of the Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. ("the ACM"); it will be referred to herein as "the Group".
  2. The scope of SIGSIM specialty is development and dissemination of theory, methodology and applications related to modeling and simulation.

Article 2. Purpose

The group is organized and will be operated exclusively for educational, scientific, and technical purposes in its specialty. Its services will include:

  1. Collecting and disseminating information in the specialty, through a newsletter and other publications approved by the Publications Board of ACM;
  2. Organizing sessions at conferences of the ACM;
  3. Sponsoring conferences, symposia, and workshops;
  4. Organizing working groups for education, research and development;
  5. Serving as a source of technical information for the Council and sub-units of the ACM;
  6. Serving as an external technical representative of the ACM when authorized by the Council or Executive Committee of the ACM; and
  7. Working with sub-units of the ACM on technical activities such as lectureships or professional development seminars.

Article 3. Charter

SIGSIM will exist until dissolved by the Council of the ACM as provided in Bylaw 6 of the ACM.

Article 4. Officers

  1. SIGSIM officers are the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, and the Secretary-Treasurer. The Officers are elected for two-year terms beginning July 1 of odd-numbered years.
  2. The Chairperson is the principal officer and is responsible for leading SIGSIM and managing its activities. The duties of the Chairperson are:
    1. Calling and presiding at SIGSIM Executive Committee and business meetings;
    2. Conducting SIGSIM activities in accordance with the policies of the ACM;
    3. Making all appointments and filling vacancies as authorized herein;
  3. The duties of the Vice-Chairperson are:
    1. Assisting the Chairperson in leading and managing SIGSIM; and
    2. Presiding at meetings when the Chairperson is absent.
  4. The duties of the Secretary/Treasurer are:
    1. Maintaining the records and correspondence of SIGSIM;
    2. Managing SIGSIM's finances according to the Financial Accountability Policy of the ACM. This includes preparing the annual budget, monitoring SIGSIM's disbursements for adherence to the annual budget, and preparing financial reports as required.

Article 5. The Executive Committee

  1. The SIGSIM Executive Committee comprises the officers, the Past Chairperson, the Editor of the SIGSIM newsletter, and the representative (if any) of the Technical Committee chairperson. No person may hold two positions on the Executive Committee.
  2. The general duties of the Executive Committee will be to advise the Chairperson on all matters of interest to SIGSIM. Specific duties or responsibilities may be specified in these Bylaws or assigned by the Chairperson. All the major management policy decisions of SIGSIM must be approved by the SIGSIM Executive Committee.
  3. All members of, or candidates for, the SIGSIM Executive Committee must be voting members of ACM and of SIGSIM.

Article 6. Vacancies and Appointments

  1. Should the Chairperson leave office before their term expires, the Vice-Chairperson will assume the duties of Chairperson. Should any other office or the position on the Executive Committee reserved for the Past Chairperson of SIGSIM become vacant, the Chairperson of the SIG Board may, on nomination of the Chairperson of SIGSIM, fill the vacancy. The Chairperson may fill vacancies in offices they have appointed according to the procedures for making the original appointments as provided herein.
  2. Should a vacancy be unfilled, either because of inadequacy of these Bylaws or because of a dispute, or for any other reason, the SIG Board may fill it (as provided in Bylaw 6 of the ACM).
  3. All appointments expire automatically when the Chairperson's term of office expires.

Article 7. The Newsletter

  1. SIGSIM will publish a newsletter at regular intervals as determined by the Executive Committee. The newsletter will be distributed to all SIGSIM members. Newsletter subscriptions may be sold to non-members.
  2. With the advice of the officers, the Chairperson will appoint the Editor of the Newsletter, who will be a member of the SIGSIM Executive Committee.

Article 8. Membership, Dues and Voting Privileges.

  1. SIGSIM is an open SIG as defined in Section 6 of Bylaw 6 of the ACM. Anyone may join the SIG.
  2. A person becomes a member only after enrolling and paying the required dues. The dues for SIGSIM are determined by SIGSIM's Executive Committee with the approval of the Chairperson of the SIG Board. In addition to the SIG dues, the non-ACM members of the SIG will be assessed annually a surcharge equal to 1/3 the dues set for membership in the ACM, rounded to the next highest dollar. All dues, and any fees for activities and services of SIGSIM must be lower for members of the ACM.  All members of SIGSIM may vote in any ballot conducted with SIGSIM. 

Article 9. Reports and Records

SIGSIM's Chairperson is responsible for filing reports about SIGSIM as required by the SIG Board. These include:

  1. An annual report, due in February of each year, on the activities of SIGSIM during the previous calendar year;
  2. All reports required by the Financial Accountability Policy of the ACM; and
  3. Closing reports on conferences and symposia (co)sponsored by SIGSIM, as required by the ACM. The membership records of SIGSIM will be maintained by ACM Headquarters.

Article 10. Elections

  1. By September 30 of each even-numbered year, the Chairperson will appoint a nominating committee which will propose at least two consenting candidates for each elective office of SIGSIM. The slate of candidates elected by the nominating Committee must be presented to all the SIGSIM members by the following January 31.
  2. A petition from 1% of the voting members of SIGSIM will place other consenting candidates on the ballot. Petitions must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer of SIGSIM no later than March 15.
  3. The election will be conducted among eligible voters by ACM Headquarters by June 1, following the election procedures of the ACM, unless different procedures have been approved by the SIG Board. Of all the ballots returned in an election, the candidates receiving the largest number of effective votes win. The SIG Board will resolve ties.

Article 11. Amendments

  1. These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the Council, or by vote of SIGSIM's members as provided below. With the approval of SIGSIM's Executive Committee and the Executive Committee of the ACM, 2/3 of all members of the SIG Board may amend Article 1 of these Bylaws without a referendum of the members.
  2. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by SIGSIM's Executive Committee, the SIG Board, or a petition of 1% of the voting members of SIGSIM. All proposed amendments must be approved, prior to being submitted for a vote of the membership, by the Chairperson of both the SIG Board and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of the ACM after the Executive Director of ACM has provided their advice.
  3. The ballot on the proposed amendment(s) will be conducted among the eligible voters by ACM headquarters following the procedures of the ACM for voting Bylaw amendments, unless a different procedure has been approved by the SIG Board. The proposal is adopted only if at least 2/3 of the effective votes of returned ballots approve it, and only if at least 1/4 of the ballots are returned. The Secretary-Treasurer will send a clean copy of the amended Bylaws to the Executive Director of ACM and to the Chairperson of the SIG Board.

Article 12. Dissolution

If SIGSIM should be dissolved, control of its assets will revert to the ACM.

Article 13. Meetings

SIGSIM will conduct at least one business meeting each year, normally in conjunction with the annual Conference of the ACM. All meetings sponsored by the Group must be open to all members of the ACM. The Group may hold meetings only in places that are open to all Classes of members of the ACM.

Article 14. Consistency.

The Constitution, Bylaws, and policies of the ACM and of the SIG Board take precedence over any conflicting provisions of these Bylaws or internal policies of the Group.