Functions

1. Preliminaries

1.1. The name of the organization is Centro Latinoamericano de Estudios en Informática. The acronym CLEI abbreviates this name.

1.2. CLEI does not have a fixed headquarters or domicile. Instead, it operates as a multinational corporation with representatives and officers in different countries.

1.3. The duration of CLEI is indefinite.

2. Objectives

2.1. CLEI aims to promote the development of informatics in Latin America through scientific, technical and educational exchange among participating members, as well as the study of its effects on society.

2.2. CLEI is a non-profit organization.

2.3. CLEI cannot deal with matters other than those established in F2.1.

3. Patrimony

3.1. The CLEI patrimony is constituted by:

Membership ordinary and extraordinary quotas paid by the members.
Assets acquired free of charge or against payment.
Donations or subsidies it may receive.
Income produced by its assets and other income from its activities.

3.2. The amounts of the entrance, ordinary and extraordinary quotas are fixed by the Assembly.

4. Members

4.1. CLEI may have an unlimited number of members.

4.2. The following may belong to CLEI:

Institutions that develop academic, scientific and/or technological activities related to informatics.
Professional, technical and/or scientific associations related to informatics or whose objectives are compatible with those of CLEI. Latin American members are called regional members; non-Latin American members are called extra-regional members.

4.3. The Steering Committee shall regulate the conditions of admission, activity and permanence of members in the Qualification Regulation.

4.4. The duties and attributions of the members are as follows:

To abide by the regulations in force and the resolutions of the Assembly and the Steering Committee.
Contribute to the maintenance of CLEI by timely paying the quotas established for this purpose.
To attend validly convened Assembly meetings, with the right to speak and vote.
Request the holding of extraordinary meetings of the Assembly, to deal with specific matters (numeral 4.9).
Actively participate in the work, plans and programs of CLEI and fulfill the tasks and commissions to which they are obligated or assigned.
Propose activities or investments to the CLEI Steering Committee, within the objectives of the institution (numerals 6.7, and 6.12).

4.5. The CLEI Assembly is the body of active members and is the highest authority of the institution. An Assembly meeting is attended by representatives of active members. Unless the Assembly decides otherwise, a meeting is coordinated by the Executive Committee. In particular, the minutes of the meeting shall be taken by the Secretary of the CLEI; if the Assembly decides to change the coordination, it shall also appoint an ad-hoc secretary to take the minutes of the meeting. Unless the Assembly decides otherwise, the meetings are open to the participation of any person interested in CLEI’s activities. In particular, members under observation or inactive members are invited (cf. Rules of Qualification Member States). However, no participant who does not represent an active member or is not a member of the Steering Committee shall be entitled to vote on any decisions that may be taken.

4.6. For quorum purposes, each member must accredit a representative to the Coordination of the Assembly meeting. A meeting may make decisions if it has a quorum greater than or equal to 20% of the active members.

4.7. Decisions of an Assembly meeting are made by absolute majority of the active members present (half plus one). In the event of a tie, the chairperson of the Assembly shall decide. Decisions approving extraordinary quotas must be made unanimously.

4.8. The ordinary meeting of the Assembly shall be held once a year within the corresponding Latin American Informatics Conference. This meeting shall deal with the following topics:

Approval of the minutes of the previous assembly meeting.
Report of activities, in charge of the President.
Financial statement and inventory, in charge of the Treasurer.
Determination of quota amounts.
Planning of activities for the following year.
Election of the Steering Committee (every two years).
The topics that the Assembly deems pertinent.

4.9. An extraordinary assembly meeting may be called by the Executive Committee, to deal with a specific and determined topic, by half plus one of the members of the Steering Committee or by half plus one of the active members. The agenda of this assembly must include the approval of the minutes of the previous assembly meeting.

4.10. An extraordinary assembly meeting may be held in person or virtually. That is to say, the meeting may take place in a physical location or with the aid of appropriate means of communication. In the latter case, the meeting need not necessarily be synchronous.

5. Authorities

5.1. CLEI is directed by the Steering Committee, formed by the Executive Committee and representatives of each of the countries that have active members. Extra-regional members have a representative in the Steering Committee. The President of CLEI who has held this position immediately prior to the current President (cf. F5.3) is called Past President and is also part of the Steering Committee. On the other hand, those countries that have less than two (2) active CLEI member institutions at the time of the election will not be entitled to their own Country Representative, but all member institutions of those countries will jointly elect a Supra-national Representative (and his/her alternate).

5.2. The Steering Committee has a term of two years. It is elected in even numbered years, and its term of office runs from January 1 of the year following the election to December 31 of the second year.

5.3. The Executive Committee is made up of the President, the Secretary and the Treasurer of CLEI. Its term of office is limited by that of the Steering Committee that elects it (cf. F5.5).

5.4. At an ordinary meeting of the Assembly at which the election of the Steering Committee is to take place, the active members attending the Assembly from each country elect their representative and an substitute representative. The active extra-regional members present also elect their representative and substitute. It is not mandatory for each representative and substitute to be present at the meeting. However, if they are not, there must be a signed communication from the person accepting their eventual election.

5.5. In even numbered years, prior to the Assembly, the outgoing Steering Committee elected by the Assembly chooses, by absolute majority, who shall fulfill the functions of President, Secretary and Treasurer as of the following year (cf. 5.2), thus forming the Executive Committee. Neither the extra-regional representative nor his alternate may hold any of these offices.

5.6. The substitute replaces the country representative in the totality of his/her functions, in the event that the incumbent resigns or is temporarily unable to perform his/her duties. The replacement must be communicated to the Executive Committee by the original representative, except in cases of force majeure. Upon replacement of the original representative, the alternate becomes the new country representative. If the replacement is temporary, the original representative may resume his or her functions, with prior communication to the Executive Committee, by the current representative. In this case, the latter returns to his or her original status as substitute. If the replacement is due to the resignation of the original representative, a new alternate shall not be appointed. If there is a second resignation or inability to serve, the country shall be left without a representative on the Steering Committee until the next election.

5.7. The Secretary assumes the duties of the President, being called President-in-Charge, in the event that the President resigns or is temporarily unable to exercise the office. The replacement must be communicated to the Steering Committee by the President, except in cases of force majeure. If the replacement is temporary, the original President may resume his or her functions, prior communication to the Steering Committee, by the President-in-Charge. In this case, the latter shall return to his or her original position as Secretary.

5.8. If the Secretary (Treasurer) resigns or is temporarily unable to serve, the President shall appoint, from within the Steering Committee, an ad-hoc replacement.

5.9. The Steering Committee may meet to make decisions with the attendance of half plus one of its members. A session may be face-to-face or virtual and is coordinated by the Executive Committee, unless otherwise decided. The Secretary, or in his absence, whoever is designated, prepares the minutes of the meeting. The next meeting shall begin with the approval of the minutes of the previous assembly meeting.

5.10. Decisions agreed upon at Steering Committee meetings are adopted by an absolute majority of the participants.

6. Functions of the Steering Committee

6.1. To direct CLEI and ensure compliance with the objectives and regulations of the institution.

6.2. To administer CLEI’s patrimony and dispose of its resources.

6.3. To award the venue for the Latin American Informatics Conference, in accordance with the CLEI Conference Organization Rules.

6.4. To fulfill the agreements of the Assembly meetings.

6.5. To render an account of the administrative and financial progress of the Institution at the ordinary Assembly meeting.

6.6. To propose to the ordinary Assembly meeting the annual plan of activities for the corresponding period.

6.7. To select scientific/technological exchange projects proposed by active members.

6.8. To delegate specific functions to active members (or to persons belonging to active members).

6.9. To disseminate CLEI’s activities and to seek financial support for them.

6.10. To approve and modify the Rules for the Qualification and Organization of CLEI Conferences.

6.11. To attend the face-to-face or virtual meetings called by the Executive Committee or by half plus one of the members of the Steering Committee.

6.12. The functions of the members of the Steering Committee who are representatives of countries are as follows:

To disseminate CLEI activities in the respective country. In particular, promote and support CLEI academic events, such as the Latin American Informatics Conference (dissemination of call for papers, clarification of doubts of eventual participants, etc.).
To maintain a registry of CLEI members in the corresponding country. Issue membership certificates to those who request them and support the CLEI Secretary.
To maintain the file of CLEI documents (correspondence, membership documentation, etc.) corresponding to the country.
To inform the CLEI members of the corresponding country of the CLEI activities and of the agreements of the Assembly or the Steering Committee.
To inform the CLEI members of the corresponding country of their particular financial status with CLEI and to support the CLEI Treasurer in the collection of quotas.
To search for new CLEI members.
To propose and stimulate the proposal of regional or sub-regional events within CLEI’s objectives.
To submit an annual report of activities to the Steering Committee in the sessions held in parallel with the Latin American Informatics Conference.

7. Functions of the Executive Committee

7.1. The functions of the President are:

To officially represent CLEI.
To ensure compliance with the regulations of the institution.
To coordinate the activities of the Steering Committee and propose plans of activities for the same.
To call meetings of the Steering Committee and the Assembly. To preside over these meetings, unless the attendees decide otherwise.
To ensure the execution of the agreements of the Steering Committee and the Assembly.
To establish agreements with organizations that pursue objectives related to those of CLEI.
To render an account of the activities developed in the previous period at each ordinary Assembly meeting.

7.2. The functions of the Secretary are:

To officially represent CLEI before the instances that the President or the Assembly may delegate to him/her.
To keep minutes of all Steering Committee and Assembly meetings, unless the attendees decide otherwise.
To maintain a general registry of CLEI members, as an aggregate of the country registries maintained by the corresponding representatives (numeral 6.12). To issue certificates of membership to those who request them.
To maintain an archive of CLEI documents (correspondence, membership documentation, etc.) corresponding to the institution, in general.

7.3. The functions of the Treasurer are:

To guard the assets of CLEI.
To ensure the payment and collection of quotas and other income.
To be responsible for the accounting and the timely preparation of the budget, balance sheet and inventory.
To maintain a record of the financial history of the members.
To certify the statement of account of a member, at the request of the member or the corresponding country representative.

8. Modifications and Dissolution

8.1. The modification of the Operating Rules must be approved at an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly, called exclusively for this purpose. For the meeting to be valid, at least 50% of the active members must be present. Decisions are adopted with the affirmative vote of two thirds plus one of the attending members.

8.2. The eventual dissolution of CLEI is governed by the same rules indicated for the modification of the Operating Rules (numeral 8.1). If the dissolution is agreed, CLEI’s assets shall pass to UNESCO, with the explicit mandate that they be used for the benefit of computer science in Latin America, in accordance with CLEI’s objectives (numeral 2).