HomeGeneral InformationSociety Leader ResourcesSectionFormation Kits

ISA Regular Section Formation

1. Introduction
2. Section Formation
3. Section Government
4. Section Finance
5. Applying for ISA Charter
6. Section Services
7. Staff Support

1. Introduction

a. Purpose - The purpose of this guide is to provide formative ISA Section leaders with general information that will be helpful in establishing and ultimately chartering a Section.

b. Relationship to ISA - A Section is a group of thirty or more ISA members in a defined geographical area. Sections are chartered by ISA's District Board. Sections operate under their own Bylaws. The District Vice President and the Section Delegate represent the Section on the Society's District Board and the Council of Society Delegates respectively.

It is important that Section leaders understand both the legal and operational relationship between the Section and the Society. These relationships are outlined in the Section's Bylaws. While affiliated with ISA, the Section does not represent the Society on policy or other issues.

2. Section Formation

a. Appraisal Analysis Form - To assist in the determination of whether or not a Section should be formed in a specific geographic area an Appraisal Analysis Form should be completed by the initiators. The information contained in the form will assist the District Vice President in the decision to allow or disallow the formation of a Section.

b. Potential Membership - Before forming an ISA Section it must be determined that there are sufficient potential members to support a Section. Thirty members are the minimum required; but a Section usually needs at least double that to continue on a healthy basis.

A list of potential members should be developed. Good sources for this list are:

• local engineer's clubs
• existing technical societies
• engineering schools
• Chamber of Commerce
• local instrument company sales representatives may be the best source

ISA will provide a list of Society members who live in the prospective Section geographic area and also a list of nonmembers as well.

c. Steering Committee Meetings and Function - A meeting of interested individuals, representative of local industry, government agencies and engineering schools, should review the Appraisal Analysis Form. If the group determines that there is good potential for a Section, a steering committee should be formed.

The committee should elect a temporary President, Secretary and Treasurer, whose duties are outlined in the sample Bylaws. These officers will serve until a regular election is held following charter of the Section. They are eligible for reelection.

The Steering Committee should:

• Schedule the date and site for the first organizational meeting
• Appoint a Membership Chairman - All members of the Steering Committee should serve on the Membership Committee.
• Plan the program for the organizational meeting - Arrange for the District Vice President to speak on the benefits of ISA membership.
• Prepare and mail the meeting notice - Include a copy of the Society membership brochure with the invitation
• Contact the prospective members
• Arrange for ISA display materials
• Keep your staff representative informed on the Section's progress - Send a list of Steering Committee members to the representative

d. First Organizational Meeting
Suggested Agenda
1. Welcome
2. State purpose of meeting
3. Introduction of Steering Committee
4. Introduction of attendees
5. Introduction of speaker (District Vice President)
6. General information providing discussion
7. Video or Technical Speaker
8. Closing Summary : Advantages of ISA membership, Date, time and location of next meeting, and encourage attendees to publicize formation of Section

Suggested materials for use at meeting: Name badges, Registration forms, Prospect list form, Membership application forms, ISA membership brochures, Receipt pad (for those paying in cash)

e. Second Organizational Meeting
The Steering Committee should schedule a planning meeting early enough (at least 3 -4 weeks in advance of section meeting) to allow sufficient time to mail out announcements for the section meeting. The Steering Committee should:

• Obtain a speaker.
• Prepare the agenda for the meeting.
• Review and add to the potential member list.
• Publicize the meeting. (Local papers, companies, etc.)
• Prepare notice of meeting and mail/e-mail to first meeting attendees and potential members.
• Follow-up with personal calls.
• Obtain additional promotional materials and membership applications if needed.
• Prepare plan for enrolling new members.
• Prepare plan for obtaining new list of potential members

Suggested Agenda
1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
2. Report of membership activity - total new members, and introduction of attendees
3. Discussion of organization plans:

a. Advantages of ISA Section membership;

b. Question and answer period

c. Name of Section ( Choose a name for the Section before submitting any new member applications. The name of the Section should be easily identified to its geographic location, preferably by city.)

f. Processing New Member Applications - Send new member applications and member requests for transfer to the new section to your staff representative in the Member Services Department. Enclose all the applications along with a cover letter identifying the formative Section. Do not hold the applications until the charter petition is filed.

3. Section Government

a. Bylaws - The Section must have Bylaws. They should be modeled after the sample and can not conflict with the Society's Bylaws. A copy must be filed with the Member Services Department at ISA at time of charter.

b. Officers - Sections should have elected as well as appointed officers to manage the operations of the Section. Each Section's Bylaws will indicate the elected and appointed officer titles. Position guides are available online.

c. Executive Committee - This committee consist of the elected officers (President, President elect, Secretary and Treasurer), the immediate Past Section President, the Society Delegate and the Chairmen of all standing committees. The Section's Executive Committee establishes operating policies for the Section as provided by each Section's Bylaws.

d. Elections - Most sections nominate the officers in February, elect in April and they assume duties in May or June so that new officers can participate in planning sessions which are generally held during the summer. The Section may opt to have an order of ascension i.e. the Vice President automatically moves up to President.

4. Section Finance

Sound financial management is essential for the Section. Refer to the Treasurer Guide, which covers: incorporation, insurance, tax matters, etc.

a. Insurance - Insurance is essential in the protection of the Section: its assets, and its members and their assets. The basic insurance requirement is comprehensive general liability. This covers claims arising from injuries to persons or damage to property of others based on the acts or omissions of the Section or persons acting on behalf of the Section. Sections are encouraged to obtain the broadest policy available and to add additional provisions as needed.

b. Membership Dues - Dues provide for one, two, or three year memberships in ISA. The new member will be sent his/her renewal form approximately 8 weeks prior to the membership expiration date with several reminders thereafter. The schedule of dues is:

• Senior Member - $85.00
• Member - $85.00
• Student Member - $ 10.00
• Reduced Dues Member - $40.00
• Division Dues - $ 9.00 per Division ( ISA membership is required.)

c. Rebates to Sections - For each new or renewing member the Section receives a rebate in the following amounts:

• Senior Member - $17.00 (20% of annual dues)
• Member - $17.00 (20% of annual dues)
• Student Member - $3.00 (30% of annual dues)
• Reduced Dues - $8.00 (20% of annual dues)

Once the Bylaws are on file at ISA Headquarters, Section rebates accrue in the Section name. Upon charter, the rebate checks are sent monthly to the Section Treasurer. No rebates are paid for members who transfer into a new Section until the member renews membership the following year.

5. Applying for ISA Charter

Requirements for chartering:

• Thirty members
• Section Bylaws
• Petition for Section Charter

A copy of the Appraisal Analysis Form, the Petition for Section Charter and the Section Bylaws are to be completed and sent to the District Vice President. (An additional copy is required for filing at ISA Headquarters.) The District Vice President's endorsement is necessary for the Society's District Board to consider the petition.

The petition will be presented at the next District Board meeting following receipt of all the required items. The District Board meets three times each year. (February, June and October.) Upon approval of the petition, a printed charter certificate is sent to the District Vice President for presentation to the Section.

Upon request from the Section, the District Vice President may authorize ISA to repay out-of-pocket expenses incurred for mailings, meeting rooms, and other essentials required during the formation of the section. Receipts for reimbursement by the Society should be sent to your District Vice President for approval and transmission to ISA Headquarters.

6. Section Rosters and More Online

Key coded leaders (President, Secretary, Membership Chair, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster) can download the Section roster. Section rosters are updated monthly by the 9th. Access and Excel templates are provided. You can use these templates to produce labels, learn who your new members are, and when memberships expire.  Members in the grace period (three months after membership expires) are included. The coded leaders for this privilege will find the information, including instructions, at the bottom of the Operations page: Leadership Resources > Section> Operations.  We like to think the instructions are straightforward, but let us know if you have questions.

The monthly rebate report is also posted on the Operations page — after the roster — and can be accessed by the President, Treasurer, and Membership Chair.

7. Staff Support

The ISA Section and Division Services Department is organized with a member of the staff assigned responsibility for each District. This person should be your primary contact at ISA Headquarters.

Member Services Staff:

Staff Support

For assistance or more information, contact Member Services Staff.