Charter

First version: 1 November 2005
Revised: 20 November 2009

I. ESTABLISHMENT
The Tehran Software & Systems Process Improvement Network, hereafter referred to as the Tehran SPIN, was originally established on 1 November 2005 as an activity sponsored by the Software Academy.

II. MISSION
The Tehran SPIN is a leadership forum for the free and open exchange of software and systems process improvement experiences and practical ideas. We promote achieving higher levels of process maturity, software quality and mutual respect. Our goal is to enhance skills and support technology transition through an active program of networking, publications, recognition of excellence, and mutual support.

III. OBJECTIVES
In carrying out its mission, the Tehran SPIN organization acts to accomplish the following objectives within the software community: Advance the quality of software; Improve software productivity; Promote software process maturity; Transfer software improvement knowledge and innovation to all participants; Share lessons learned between participants and other SPIN organizations; Promote cooperation between industry, academia, and government with respect to software process improvement and systems engineering technology.

IV. ORGANIZATION
The Tehran SPIN is organized as a Steering Committee, various working groups, general participants, and individual meeting coordinators. Steering Committee members, working group members, general participants and meeting coordinators receive no remuneration for their services.

The Tehran SPIN is mainly sponsored by Software Academy. SPIN roles and responsibilities are shared by members of the SPIN Steering Committee and Software Academy staff.

  • A. STEERING COMMITTEE

    • The Steering Committee consists of those SPIN participants who have committed to actively take on the roles and responsibilities of the various functions necessary to run the Tehran SPIN. The Steering Committee operates as a consensus based decision-making team with the following specific roles: leader, deputy leader, Software Academy representative(s), recorder, liaison, working group chairs and members-at-large. One or more individuals may fulfill a specific role. This is not a hierarchically organized team; all roles have equal voice in the decision making process.

    The Steering Committee meets after the general SPIN meeting. The meetings are open to all interested SPIN participants. The responsibilities of the Steering Committee are as follows:
    Manage the affairs of the Tehran SPIN; SPIN budget funds may not be appropriated if the Software Academy budget experiences a shortfall. Maintain coordination with other SPIN organizations; Identify program coordinators for the SPIN meetings; Approve topics and speakers for SPIN meetings; Approve the establishment, charter, and disbandment of working groups, and selection of working group chairs; Elect Steering Committee members to the roles described in this charter; Periodically review the operation of the SPIN to determine improvements in its operation. This includes reviewing the charter at least annually, approving changes, and reviewing the budget at least annually

    1. Responsibilities of Steering Committee Leader
    The leader presides at regular meetings of the Tehran SPIN and at meetings of the Steering Committee. The leader is responsible for assuring the reassignment of duties of other Steering Committee members in the event of their absence, or in the event of incapacity, until they are replaced by the Steering Committee. The leader maintains a list of current role assignments and ensures that the sponsor and co-sponsor interests are maintained.

    2. Responsibilities of the SPIN Steering Committee Deputy Leader
    The Deputy Leader takes over the leader's duties when the leader is not available, and such duties as the leader may delegate.

    3. Responsibilities of Software Academy Representative(s)
    Software Academy and its representative(s) are the custodians of Software Academy funds. Software Academy renders an annual report of the SPIN budget within thirty (30) days of the end of the Software Academy fiscal year plus any special reports required by the Steering Committee. Software Academy monitors all expenditures against the budget and ensures that these expenditures are in compliance with iet policies, regulations and procedures.

    Software Academy representatives carry out the desires of the SPIN Steering Committee in accordance with the SPIN operating budget.

    Software Academy is responsible for securing the meeting site and arrangement of refreshments for the SPIN and SPIN Steering Committee meetings.

    Software Academy is responsible for producing the meeting flyer.

    Software Academy is responsible for maintaining a database of the current SPIN participants.

    Software Academy representatives are responsible for maintaining literature pertinent to the mission of the organization, including all Steering Committee and working group meeting minutes and any available presentation materials.

    A Software Academy representative takes over the responsibilities of the deputy leader in the event of an absence until the deputy leader either returns or is replaced by the Steering Committee.

    4. Responsibilities of Recorder
    The recorder is responsible for recording and disseminating Steering Committee meeting minutes. The recorder conveys these minutes to the Software Academy representatives.

    5. Responsibilities of Liaison
    The liaison is the point of contact for other SPINs, professional organizations (e.g., IEEE, ACM, INCOSE), and other organizations such as the SEI. The liaison coordinates with these organizations to transfer information and disseminate information to Steering Committee members.

    The liaison distributes related information that the Steering Committee feels is of general interest to the current SPIN participants.

    6. Responsibilities of Working Group Chairs
    Proposals to add working groups are submitted by interested SPIN members to the Steering Committee for the conduct of specific, special interest activities. The chair is approved by the Steering Committee. The chair of each working group in cooperation with working group members is responsible for approving all members of the working group, holding meetings, and for ensuring that meeting minutes are forwarded to the Software Academy representatives. The chair disseminates the minutes to all working group members. The working group is responsible for developing a charter that is approved by the Steering Committee. The chair or designee is required to give periodic status reports to the Steering Committee.

    7. Responsibilities of Members-At-Large
    Any SPIN participant may petition to the Steering Committee to become a member-at-large. The appointment must be approved by the Steering Committee. Members-at-large regularly attend and fully participate in Steering Committee meetings.

  • B. GENERAL PARTICIPANTS

    • Participation in the Tehran SPIN is open without discrimination to all individuals, companies, academic institutions, and government organizations who are interested in furthering the objectives of the Tehran SPIN. Co-sponsorship is encouraged.

  • C. MEETING COORDINATOR

    • A meeting coordinator is chosen for each meeting by the Steering Committee. The meeting coordinator is responsible for arrangement of the meeting and for providing complete flyer information to the Software Academy representatives at least two weeks in advance. The meeting coordinator is responsible for reviewing the meeting planning activities with the Steering Committee and for ensuring the quality of the meeting. The meeting coordinator introduces each speaker and acts as a time-keeper to ensure that the meeting runs according to schedule. The meeting coordinator ensures that adequate copies of the presentation material are available at the time of the SPIN meeting.

V. TERMS OF ROLE ASSIGNMENTS
Role assignments must be reviewed and elected by a majority vote at least on an annual basis coinciding with the Tehran SPIN calendar year. The Tehran SPIN Election Procedure for Steering Committee Roles provides election procedure details.

Any appointment can be rescinded by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Steering Committee at a meeting where a majority of the Steering Committee members are present.

VI. PARTICIPANT FEES
Any fees for meetings or special events are determined by Software Academy and approved by the Steering Committee. Collection of annual SPIN co-sponsorship fees is handled by the Software Academy.

VII. TEHRAN SPIN CALENDAR YEAR
The Tehran SPIN calendar year will run from March 1 to February 30.

VIII. MEETINGS
Meetings of the Tehran SPIN will normally take place on the last Wednesday of each month at the Sharif University of Technology. An announcement for each meeting will be disseminated to all current participants at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.

IX. CHARTER REVISIONS
Proposed charter revisions are distributed and announced in advance of a general SPIN meeting. Charter revisions must be approved at a subsequent Steering Committee meeting, where the approval has been identified as an agenda item, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the participants in the vote. At least fifty (50) percent of the Tehran SPIN Steering Committee must participate in the vote for the vote to be valid. Voting may be done in person or via electronic means.

X. DISSOLUTION OF ORGANIZATION
Dissolution of the Tehran SPIN organization shall consist of unanimous agreement of all Steering Committee members, together with a majority vote at a meeting that has been publicized in advance to all current participants of the Tehran SPIN for the purpose of taking this vote.