AMCIS Terms of Reference

1. Nature of the Americas Conference on Information Systems

(a) The Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) is the international conference of the Association for Information Systems held annually in the Americas (North, Central, South).  Its objective is to provide a diverse and inclusive forum where scholars who have an interest in the information systems discipline can meet to present and hear quality research, and pedagogical development conducted within the discipline.

(b) AMCIS is a conference under Bylaw 12 of the Association for Information Systems. As such, it is subject to the Articles and Bylaws of the Association for Information Systems.

(c) In the event of a conflict between these terms of reference and the Articles and Bylaws of the Association for Information Systems, the latter shall prevail.

2. Responsibility of the AMCIS Executive Committee

The AMCIS Executive Committee has overall responsibility for ensuring that AMCIS is run in a cost-effective way, consistent with the overall objective of the Conference and subject to the Articles and Bylaws of the Association for Information Systems.

3. Accountability

(a) The AMCIS Executive Committee is accountable to the Council of the Association for Information Systems (AIS).

(b) The Region 1 Representative on AIS Council serves as the Chair of the AMCIS EC.

(c) The AMCIS EC Chair/Region 1 Representative shall provide a written report on AMCIS activities for each meeting of AIS Council.

(d) The President of AIS can also request that the AMCIS EC Chair/Region 1 Representative prepare a report on some aspect of the activities of AMCIS at any time. The AMCIS EC Chair/Region 1 Representative is responsible for preparing the report requested within the time frame given.

(e) The President of AIS has the authority to access all records of the AMCIS Executive Committee at any time.  The President may choose to make such records available to AIS Council.

(f) The President of AIS has the authority to request that the AMCIS EC Chair/Region 1 Representative and the Vice President of Conferences of AIS Council provide a verbal report on any closed sessions of the AMCIS Executive Committee.

(g) AIS Council may revoke any decision of the AMCIS Executive Committee.

4. Membership Positions on the AMCIS Executive Committee

(a) The membership positions on the AMCIS Executive Committee shall be:

• Conference Chairs of the Conferences in the current year, immediate past year, and the following year
• Program Chairs of the Conferences in the current year, immediate past year, and the following year
• VP of Conferences of AIS Council
• AMCIS Executive Committee Secretary
• AIS Treasurer
• AIS Region 1 Representative to Council/AMCIS EC Chair
• The Executive Director of AIS
• The Conference Director of AIS

(b) When more than one person holds the position of Conference Chair or Program chair, they shall be known as Co-Chairs.  Only one person may occupy any other membership position. No person holding the title of honorary chair or similar title for AMCIS may serve on the AMCIS Executive Committee.  

(c) The Chair of the AMCIS Executive Committee shall be the Region 1 Representative to AIS Council.

(d) In the event the Chair of the AMCIS Executive Committee cannot attend a meeting of the AMCIS Executive Committee, the Executive Director of AIS will preside over an election of a chair for the meeting.  The election of a Chair will be the first agenda item for the meeting.

(e) The AMCIS Executive Committee Secretary shall be elected by the other members of the AMCIS Executive Committee from the AIS membership. 

(f) The AIS Treasurer shall be the Treasurer of the AMCIS Executive Committee. 

(g) Any member of the AMCIS Executive Committee can be removed via a resolution adopted by the AIS Council.

(h) A member of the AMCIS Executive Committee may be removed from the Committee if she/he fails to attend two meetings of the Committee within one administrative year (September through August) and fails to fulfill the responsibilities of their position in a reasonable manner.

(i) A vacancy on the AMCIS Executive Committee because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise may be filled by the AIS Council for the unexpired portion of the term of the member.
 

5. Site Selection

(a) The AMCIS Executive Committee is responsible for selecting the site and leadership team for future Conferences with reference to the AMCIS Site and Team Selection Procedures and Criteria.

(b) At any time, the AMCIS Executive Committee may revoke its decision to hold the Conference at a particular site.

(c) In the event the AMCIS Executive Committee revokes a decision to hold the Conference at a particular site, it will refund reasonable costs incurred by the Conference Committee whose site has been revoked.

6. Meetings

(a) The AMCIS Executive Committee shall hold at least one face-to-face meeting each year.  This meeting shall be at the time and the site of AMCIS for that year.

(b) The Secretary may call special meetings of the AMCIS Executive Committee at the request of the Chair and any other two AMCIS Executive Committee members.  Such meetings may be held face to face, by video or telephone conference facilities, or via the Internet.

(c) Notice of any meeting must be given via electronic mail at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

(d) A majority of the members proportioned by vote of the AMCIS Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the AMCIS Executive Committee.

(e) Each of the following membership positions holds one vote:

• Conference Chair of the Conference in the current year
• Conference Chair of the Conference in the immediate past year
• Conference Chair of the Conference in the following year
• Program Chair of the Conference in the current year
• Program Chair of the Conference in the immediate past year
• Program Chair of the Conference in the following year      
• VP Conferences of AIS Council
• AMCIS Executive Committee Secretary
• AIS Treasurer
• AIS Region 1 Representative to Council/AMCIS EC Chair

(f) In the event that more than one person holds a membership position, each will hold an equal fraction of the vote.

(g) A member may register a vote by proxy by notifying the Secretary of the AMCIS Executive Committee in writing or by e-mail at least one week before the start of a meeting.  The person must nominate another voting member to hold their proxy.  They may direct the holder of their proxy to vote in a particular way in relation to any or all of the agenda items for the meeting.  Alternatively, they may authorize the holder of their proxy to vote as the latter sees fit in relation to some or all of the agenda items for the meeting. If no such proxy is designated, it shall not be allowed, except in the case of partial voting members. In the case where a partial voting member is unable to attend a meeting, their respective co-chair(s) may assume proxy for their partial vote without giving notice to the Secretary.

(h) Except at the sole discretion of the Chair of the AMCIS Executive Committee, all meetings of the AMCIS Executive Committee shall be open to any current member of AIS.

7.  Compensation

(a) Members of the AMCIS Executive Committee shall not receive compensation for their services.

(b) By resolution of the AMCIS Executive Committee, reimbursement may be provided to offset expenses incurred by some or all members of the AMCIS Executive Committee to attend a Special Meeting of the AMCIS Executive Committee.

8. Records

The AMCIS Executive Committee shall keep correct and complete records of account and shall also keep minutes of its proceedings.

9. Amendment to Terms of Reference

These terms of reference may be altered, amended, or repealed, and new terms of reference may be adopted by a majority of votes at any meeting of the AMCIS Executive Committee, provided that at least fifteen days’ written notice is given of intention to alter, amend, or repeal and to adopt new terms of reference at such meeting.

(Revised December 2023)