How To Organize an IISE University Chapter

Your school has an industrial engineering, industrial engineering technology, or related curriculum but no IISE chapter and you want to change that! Here we outline the steps to charter an IISE university chapter.

The first step is to get other students interested in IISE. Brochures are available for your use in promoting IISE.

When you have a core of students willing to assist with the chartering, elect a temporary slate of officers. This provides an organized method for task assignment.

Next, approach the faculty to find an advisor. The advisor must be a full-time faculty member and a member in good standing with IISE.

The first assignment for the officers is to write the chapter constitution and bylaws. You may refer to our model constitution and bylaws for U.S. chapters and model constitution and bylaws for international chapters as guides, or use them as templates. Fill in the chapter name and submit it to IISE headquarters.

The officers should begin activities as if the chapter was chartered. Plan meetings, tours, and other activities that will benefit an engineering student. Use these functions as opportunities to recruit new members.

An important issue to the success of chartering a chapter is the accreditation of the program. The school's program must be accredited, or seeking accreditation. In the case of related curriculum, or universities outside the jurisdiction of a recognized accrediting agency, the professional enhancement board or their designee will determine the acceptability of any curriculum.

The Charter Package

The following criteria must be met and documented for your charter package:

• Faculty advisor: The faculty advisor must be a full-time staff member of the school and a member in good standing with IISE.
• Letter of endorsement of the chapter from the head of the IE or ISE program.
• Letter of endorsement of the chapter from the local professional chapter if there is one in your area.
• Letter of endorsement of the chapter from the region vice president. For international chapters, contact IISE international council chair, Gino Lim to request letter of endorsement.
• Chapter constitution and bylaws must be submitted to IISE headquarters for approval. The chapter will be notified of any necessary revisions.
• List of members requesting transfer to the proposed chapter. The proposed chapter must have a minimum of 10, although more is recommended for a strong chapter. After a chapter has been chartered, the chapter must maintain a membership of a minimum of 10 members to remain an active IISE university chapter.
• List of the temporary slate of officers.
• Letter requesting the chapter charter.

When the package is complete, send it to the IISE membership administrator at IISE headquarters. The chapter constitution and bylaws will then be sent to IISE's parliamentarian for review. After it has been approved your charter will be granted. Please allow 6-8 weeks for the approval process.