ASME District Leader Handbook
Index
Introduction......
District Leader......
Roles andResponsibilities......
Authority......
Succession Planning and Election......
Year as District Leader-Elect (with calendar)......
District Leader Calendar......
Non-Calendar Events......
Recognition......
Section, Subsection and Technical Chapter Visits......
District Administration......
K&C Operation Guide......
StrategicPlanning and the Balanced Scorecard ......
District Operating Boards......
District Meetings......
Communication and Communication Tools......
Web Sources of Information......
Required Reports......
ASME Budgeting......
Budget Planning......
Definitions......
Global Communities (GC) and District Budgets......
Managing Budgets......
Merit-Based Funding......
Policies......
Contracts......
Charitable Status and Deductible Expenses......
Students......
Student District Operating Boards......
Student Sections......
Student Section Advisors......
Student Section Liaison Program......
Student Leadership Seminars......
Student Professional Development Conferences......
Student Competitions......
GC Operations and District Leader Responsibilities......
Global Communities Operating Board Meetings......
Pooled GC Budgets and Their Uses......
District Leader Orientation andTraining......
Leadership Training Conference......
About ASME
ASME Society Overview......
The Knowledge and Community Sector......
Volunteer Orientation and Leadership Training (VOLT) Academy......
ASME Volunteers......
Badges – who is who?......
ASME Staff Partners......
Appendices......
A: Global Communities Web Sites: Links to District, Section, and Student Section Websites...
B: Map of Global Districts......
C: K&C Sector Organizational Structure......
D: Knowledge and Community Sector Staff Structure......
E: ASME Key Volunteer Contacts......
F: ASME Staff Contacts......
G: Specific Responsibilities of the Global Communities Operating Board......
H: Guide for District Operating Boards......
I: Nominations of District Leaders......
J: ASME Society Balanced Scorecard Strategy Map......
K: Knowledge and Community BSC Strategy Map......
L: Balanced Scorecard for the Knowledge and Community Sector......
M: ASME GC FY ’08 Section Merit Based Funding Submittal Form, Districts G through J ....
N: Key Dates and Dates to Avoid
O: ASME Common Acronyms......
P: Sample Letters from District Leaders......
1)Letters of Invitation to District Meeting for Section Leaders
2)Letters following up with section leaders regarding section allocation / MBF / Financial Forms
3)Letter following up with section leaders regarding section officer coding
4)Call for Nominations for District Leader
5)District Leader Qualification Sheet
6)District Leader Nomination Package
7)Section Revitalization Letter to Section Members
8)Invitation to Send Delegates to the LTC
9)Follow up to Sections with no Delegates Identified for LTC
Q: Student Leadership Seminars’ Stakeholders and Their Roles
R: Strategic Planning and the Balanced Scorecard
INTRODUCTION
This handbook is meant to serve as a reference source and convenient means of orientation for ASME District Leaders and members of District Operating Boards. Each District Leader can adopt specific procedures aligned with this handbook and the Knowledge and Community Operating Guide to best serve the goals and needs of the Society and the District Membership. Each District is encouraged to develop and maintain District By-Laws and a District Operating Guide to supplement this handbook.
The information presented in this handbook is not meant to supersede information, instructions or policies currently in use, rather to serve as a complementary guide.
Back toIndex
District Leader
The District Leader (DL) plays a vital role in the ASME organization, representing the members of the District and the Society membership as a whole. The DL must communicate with the local members in order to understand their ideas, wants and activities and be able to express them to others and to the Society. On the other hand, the DL is a member of the Global Communities Operating Board (GCOB) and thus represents the Society to local members.
The job of DL requires a significant amount of time, travel, and expense, and each District Leader receives a budget to cover his/her travel expenses, those of District Operating Board meetings for DOB meetings, and for special requirements, (e.g. travel of DL-elects).
Roles and Responsibilities
As the “CEO” of the district, the District Leader (DL), supported by the District Operating Board:
- Takes an active role in promoting and enhancing unit performance
- Provides guidance and serves as a resource for unit leaders
- Chairs the District Operating Board (DOB)
- Supports the activities of the Student District Operating Board (SDOB)
- Recruits, appoints and trainsDistrict Operating Board (DOB) members, including the next DL
- Works with the DOB to set the strategy, objectives and performance measures for the district
- Manages the budget and deploys resources
- Ensures that the district conducts the Student Leadership Seminar(s) (SLS), the Student Professional Development Conference(s) (SPDC) and any other activities deemed necessary
- Provides leadership and oversight of District Leadership Meetings for section leaders
- Oversees outreach to Student Section Advisors
- Assesses district and unit operations
- Recognizes outstanding contributions to the District, ASME & the engineering profession
- Serves as a Member of the Global Communities Operating Board (GCOB)
District Leader Required Meetings
•All scheduled face-to-face meetings of the Global Communities Operating Board (GCOB):
•IMECE – November
•Leadership Training Conference – early March
•Annual Meeting – June
•Periodic retreats and special events
•All GCOB telecons and webcasts
•All District Operating Board meetings (typically one face-to-face and the others teleconference)
•Student Leadership Seminar(s) (or a designee)
•Student Professional Development Conference(s) (or a designee)
•District Leadership Meetings for Section Leaders
•Other District and Meetings (as needed)
•Section and Student Section Visits (as needed) (or a designee)
Authority
- District Budget (Focus on outcomes, remain within budget)
- Selection of District Operating Board (DOB)
- Merit-Based Funding – evaluation of submissions
- Communication with Unit Leaders
- Selection of district conference hosts & venues
- District Awards (In conjunction with District Honors and Awards Committee)
- Dedicated Service Award and Student Section Advisor Award
Succession Planning and Election
The DL serves a term of three years beginning at the end of the ASME Annual Meeting in June. Each District determines the details of its own internal selection procedure, and selects and proposes a District Leader-Nominee to the Knowledge and Community (K&C) Board of Directors for acceptance and seating, in accordance with ASME Policy P 4.4 and the general procedures outlined in Appendix I. Complete the nomination of a District Leader at least one year prior to the start of term-of-office, to ensure that the successful Nominee can serve a year as District Leader-Elect. Samples for the Call for Nominations for District Leader, District Leader Qualification Sheet, and a District Leader Nomination Package are contained in Appendix P
Recommendations:
- Start seeking candidates for successor in the first year of term
- Identify at least two candidates as a successor in the second year of term
- Establish an Elections Committee on the District Operating Board
- Elections Committee chair makes a District-wide call for nominations in Winter of second year of term
- Hold DL election at the District Leadership Meeting or at the end of the second year of term if there is no meeting
- Prepare the DL-elect during the third year of term
- Document the process of succession planning/ leader cultivation/conducting search/nominations/election
- Resources: GCOB nomination committee – involve NC reps (Tim L., Andy T., Lynden D.) in developing support and resources
- Keep candidates that aren’t elected involved: ask them to Chair a DOB committee, for example
Back toIndex
Year as District Leader-Elect
The 12-month period before taking office can be an extremely valuable training period for the DL-Elect. The performance of the DL and the District units will be largely dependent on the study and preparation of the DL-elect, and how well the incumbent DL blends the DL-nominee into the District and Global Communities Operating Board activities.
Recommended activities are included in the DL-Elect calendar below.
June:
- Organize your work area and files, and prepare for a blizzard of correspondence!
- Order “District Leader-Elect” business cards with your name and contact information.
- Study this DL handbook, the K&C Operation Guide, especially section 6, Global Communities, and the ML-10, “Section, Subsection and Group Operations,” and ML-1 “Student Sections Operations”
- Extract yourself from other obligations of the Society; your time and the current District Leader’s time are valuable. Not being able to attend a meeting due to other obligations reduces the effectiveness of the organization and the Society. Don’t worry; the function you are leaving behind can find another leader.
- Attend the ASME Annual Meeting, and plan to attend the District Leader Orientation, Global Communities Operating Board (GCOB), and K&C Board of Directors. The Student Stakeholders Meeting is also recommended, along with those of other K&C units as requested.
- At the Annual Meeting, identify staff members and volunteer leaders and introduce your self to them.
- Complete and submit a Conflict of Interest Form.
- Assist with planning for start up of fallStudent Leadership Seminars(SLS).
July:
- Attend District Operating Board Meeting
July – August:
- Continue with planning for start up of fall Student Leadership Seminars.
- Study the District. Learn the locations of the section, subsections, groups and technical chapters in the district. Discuss with members of the current DOB and, together with the current DL, identify people for district leadership positions, including developmental moves for current district leaders.
- Establish your work plan, file system, and effective modes of communication with other district leaders, DOB members, and your District Liaison.
September – October:
- Attend Student Leadership Seminar(s) in your district.
- Clearly understand where next year’s events will be held and ensure that local hosts and organizers are identified.
November:
- Attend International Mechanical Engineering Conference & Exposition (a.k.a. IMECE or Congress) as DL-elect.
- Plan to attend the Global Communities Operating Board (GCOB), and K&C Board of Directors meetings, as well as other K&C meetings as invited or requested.
- Attending the Honors Assembly and the Honors Reception and Dinner are also helpful recommended.
- Identify staff members and volunteer leaders and introduce yourself to them
December - February:
- Accompany the current DL on visits to sections, subsections, groups, student sections and technical chapter meetings.
- Assist in the identification of delegates to the Leadership Training Conference, and encourage each unit in your district to send at least one delegate.
- Attend, if possible, some of the Honors, Awards, and Achievement programs for district members, and at least one industry visit and one industry function (breakfast, lunch, or dinner).
- Work with the District Leader to complete nominations and elections to fill committee need for the unit and DOB.
- Encourage unit leadership to suggest nominees for Student Section Advisor Award(due February 1), Arthur L. Williston Medal (Due February 16), and Charles T. Main Award (Due March 1).
- Participate in any District Operating Board and Global Communities Meetings.
- Work on creating / updating you District By-Laws and Operation Manual.
March-April:
- Attend the Leadership Training Conference (LTC); attend the GCOB meeting and help arrange meetings and networking opportunities for delegates from your district.
- At the LTC, identify staff members and volunteer leaders and introduce yourself to them
- Attend Student Professional Development Conference(s) in your district. Observe the current DL during the event(s), and discuss with participants any potential improvements that could be made.
- Clearly understand where next year’s events will be held and ensure that local hosts and organizers are identified.
- Assist in the planning of the District Meeting for Section leaders.
May:
- Present your district goals and proposed programs, including strategies and schedules for achievement, building upon the goals stated in your DL nomination package with what you have learned throughout the year.
- Announce appointments to the DOB, any DOB transition meetings, and confirm dates, times, and locations for key district events throughout the coming year (Ideally, for your entire term).
- Submit your District Operating Board roster information to ASME unit support.
- Assist in the conduct of the District Meeting for Section leaders.
Back to Index
District Leader Calendar
Here is a simplified listing of things that should be done during the year.
June:
- Attend the ASME Annual Meeting, and plan to attend the District Leader Orientation & any K&C training programs, Global Communities Operating Board (GCOB), and K&C Board of Directors meetings.
- The Student Stakeholders Meeting is also recommended, along with those of other K&C units as requested.
- Appointment of representatives to boards and committees (SSC, Nominating, etc)
- Organize outreach to the Student Section Advisors to promote the Fall Student Leadership Seminars
- Planning for start up of fall unit activities (SLS).
July:
- District Operating Board Meeting.
- Ensure that the section program and annual financial reports are being prepared (due September 1).
July – August:
- Section Activity & Financial reports (Due September 1).
September – October:
- District Annual Financial Report and District Budget Allocation Request.
- Student Leadership Seminars (SLS). Identify a host and a lead organizer for the NEXT year’s SLS. You are ultimately responsible and accountable for the success of these key district events.
- Ensure that the ASME SLS host, the SLS Lead Organizer, and the District Operating Board (DOB) Coordinator all have each other’s names and contact information (for the NEXT year’s SLS).
- SLS: Attend SLS(s) in your District (or send DOB SLS Coordinator or a designee); announce the host and location of the next year’s SLS.
- Schedule date and location for District Leadership Meeting for Section leaders (timeframe April-May).
- Diversity Action Grant (Due November 1).
November
- International Mechanical Engineering Conference & Exposition. Attend any K&C Training and Orientation programs, Global Communities Operating Board (GCOB), and K&C Board of Directors meetings.
- Participate in the officer-elect orientation, sponsored by the VOLTAcademy.
- Dedicated Service Award (Due December 1).
December - January:
- Identify delegates to the Leadership Training Conference, and encourage each unit in your district to send at least one delegate. (The LTC will pay the travel and per diem living expenses of one delegate from each Section, Subsection, and Group, provided the person has not previously attended more than one LTC.)
- Nominations for District and or Society officers.
- Student Section Advisor Award Nominee (nominations submitted to DL from students - due February 1).
•Forward nominations to Committee on Honors c/o Cathy Mervyn, , 212-591-7736)
•
- District Operating Board Meeting.
- Provide input as requested into Global Communities Budget Preparation
February:
- Charles T. Main Award Nominee (nominations submitted to DL - due March 1)
•Forward nominations to Committee on Honors c/o Cathy Mervyn, , 212-591-7736)
•
- Elections Committee send District-wide call for nominations for District Leader (second year in office)
March-April:
- Leadership Training Conference. Attend the Global Communities Operating Board meeting and help arrange meetings and networking opportunities for delegates from your district.
- Announce date for the District Leadership Meeting for Section leaders to district members attending LTC.
- Student Professional Development Conference (SPDC). Attend if possible. If there are more than two Conferences, then the District Leader is responsible for selecting two winning teams to attend the finals of the Old Guard competition. (see Old Guard Competitions)
- At the SPDC - Election of student representative to the SSC.
- Clearly understand where your District’s SLSs() and SPDCs() will be held next year and ensure that there is a host and lead organizer assigned to each.
- Assist in the preparation of the District Leader Orientation to be held at the Annual Meeting.
- Plan agenda and invite / assign roles to District Operating Board members, District Leader-Elect, District Liaison, etc. (Recommendation: Assign at least two people to coordinate student conferences and activities) Include yourASME District Liaison in the planning.
- Nominations for District Leader Candidates due (second year in office)
May:
- Submit Officer Listing Form by May 15.
- Conduct election of new District Leader (End of second year in office).
- Encourage Student Section Officers to complete their activity, financial and officer election reports before school ends.
- District Leadership Meeting for Section leaders.
- Work with SLS hosts, lead organizers, SDOB members, and District Liaisons to develop preliminary SLS agenda and budget.
June:
- ASME Annual Meeting
- Attend the District Leader Orientation at the Annual Meeting
- Hold final Executive Committee for the year
- Student Section Activity & Financial Reports (Due June 30)
Key dates and dates to avoid in scheduling your district’s meetings are summarized in Appendix N.
Non-Calendar Events
There are several District Leader function in addition to those on the calendar:
- Certificates of Appreciation to Past Section Chairs; these are prepared by the K&C Unit Support Staff and sent to the DL for distribution. Presentation of these certificates is best done at the section’s meeting or other special event. Each section is responsible for requesting the certificates, and must do so within one year of the chair’s end of term.
- Conferences, functions, and Society events, when they fall within the District. Events, and their point of contact, include:
- History and Heritage landmark ceremonies, Marina Stenos,
- Technical division conferences, K&C Division Liaison, see Appendix F, staff contacts.
- District Mechanical Engineering Department Heads and Mechanical Engineering Technology Department Heads Committee Meetings, Tom Perry,
- Preparation and mentoring of the District Leader-Elect, by offering him/her the opportunity to participate in all district operations, including planning, meeting, and training; and copying him/her on District correspondence.
- In addition to visits to units, a general communication to members in the District is needed. A periodic newsletter, email to the general membership, or a web page are some ways of keeping members current.
Recognition