How to become a SIPB member

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The most effective way of becoming a SIPB member is to become a prospective and hang around the office helping out so much (see below) that the members forget you aren't a member and proclaim, ``WHAT? You're not a member? We'll have to fix that!''

The full, official procedure for Granting Membership is described in the By-Laws Article III section 3 amended by Section 1 of Amendment III. That document is currently available in /afs/sipb/admin/text/bylaws.


Becoming a Prospective

Becoming a prospective is easy. Show up in the office and express interest in SIPB and in becoming a Prospective. Then ask any member (this means you need to find out who in the office is a member) to add you to the prospective members list.

Being a Prospective

A prospective has virtually all the rights, priviledges and responsibilities of a member. The main differences are that they cannot have a key to the office, they are not to be given the root password to any of the SIPB machines, and they do not get a vote in elections. They also may not be added to certain sipb mailing lists, although there is a mailing list (sipb-prospectives) devoted to prospectives.

A prospective is expected to:

Membership Elections

Before The Elections Meeting:
  1. The prospective should have followed the above instructions about how to become a prospective and how to be a prospective.
  2. At a meeting at least 1 week before the election meeting, a member must move to nominate the prospective for membership, and the motion must carry a majority of full members present at that meeting.
  3. An announcement of the nomination must be made to all members at least 4 days preceeding the election meeting.
  4. Someone, anyone, everyone should read the By-Laws Article III section 3.
At the Meeting:
  1. Introduce the nominees
  2. Open the floor for questions
  3. Ask ``The Question''
  4. Kick out nonmembers
  5. Open private discussion
  6. Pass out ballots (get someone else to pass out ballots, tally, etc. Traditionally a nonstudent)
  7. Apply formula to results
  8. Let the herd in and announce results!

MIT SIPB