Purpose

Groups 1, 2, and 3 are organized into sections, each of which contains committees with related areas of responsibility. This organization permits close coordination of related activities. Groups 4 and 5 have relatively few committees; therefore, sections are not needed.

Section Numbers

Sections are assigned numbers for convenience in computer listing. The section number consists of the Division and Group symbols followed by a capital letter designating the section, and then two ciphers (e.g., A1A00, A1B00, A2A00, A2B00, A3A00, A3B00).

Chairs

Appointment

The Executive Director, with the approval of the SNO Chairman and appropriate Group Council chair and on behalf of the Chair of the Executive Committee, appoints the section chairs for a 3­year period. Interim appointments are for the period designated by the Executive Director.

Tenure in Office

The maximum tenure in office is two consecutive 3­year appointments.

Duties

The duties of section chairs vary somewhat among the groups, but generally include:

1. Direct and coordinate the activities of the section.
2. Conduct section meetings.
3. Consult with committee chairs concerning committee membership and activities.
4. Attend as many committee meetings as possible.
5. Act as liaison representative between the committees and the Group Council in matters of mutual interest.
6. Recommend
   • Appointment of members to committees;
   • Date and time for section and committee meetings;
   • Papers, panels, conference sessions, and so forth, for the Annual Meeting;
   • Publication of papers presented at the Annual Meeting or offered for publication by TRB;
   • Outstanding papers from among those sponsored by the section to be considered for TRB paper awards;
   • Means and methods for improving the effectiveness of TRB in accomplishing its stated purposes;
   • Improvements in section and committee organization, including changes in name or scope and the formation of additional committees or the discharge of units that are no longer needed; and
   • Potential candidates for liaison members representing committees or sections on other committees or sections.
7. Consult and cooperate with other section chairs regarding matters of mutual interest.
8. Notify authors of papers not recommended at the section level for presentation or publication.
9. Approve and forward to the Executive Director, for approval and distribution, questionnaires prepared by committees of the section.
10. Arrange for the preparation of minutes of meetings and their distribution after approving them.
11. Establish ad hoc committees as needed when the scope falls wholly within the scope of the section.
12. Prepare the Annual Report on the year's activities for inclusion in the Group Council minutes.

Section Steering Committee

The section steering committee consists of the section chair, as chair, and the chair of each committee within the section.

Appointments

Appointments are ex officio and shall coincide with the term of appointment as section or committee chair.

Duties

Duties shall be specified by the section chair.

Other Officers

The section chair may designate a member of the steering committee as secretary of the section. He may also designate a chair pro tem to officiate in his absence and may designate a proxy to attend meetings of the Group Council.

Meetings

When Held

Section steering committees should meet at the time of the Annual Meeting and at such other times as the chair may

find advisable. The chair must obtain approval for section meetings from TRB through the staff representative.

Quorum and Rules of Order

Two­thirds of the members shall constitute a quorum for the adoption of motions concerning scope of committees, work programs, committee reports, and other motions that express the will of the committee. If a quorum is not present, those present should operate as a subcommittee and such motions shall be put as a letter ballot to the section members. Favorable action by two­thirds of the steering committee members shall be required for approval of any letter ballot. Meetings are executive sessions. Visitors may be permitted to attend with the permission of the chair. Section steering committee members who are unable to attend a meeting may designate proxies who as such shall have all the rights and privileges of the members. The section chair may require proxy designations in writing.

Minutes

Minutes should be prepared to record the actions of the meeting. The minutes shall be approved by the section chair and distributed to all the section members, the Group chair, and the TRB staff representative to the Group.

Expenses of Those Attending

It is the policy of TRB to help defray transportation and subsistence expenses of chairs of sections for the TRB Annual Meeting when they cannot obtain funds elsewhere and to the extent funds are available in the annual budget of TRB. Funds are not available to cover the expenses of section members. In all instances, written approval of TRB must be obtained before reimbursable expenses are incurred.