5.8.1 Professional and Technical Society Membership

Membership in professional and technical societies is core to the service and knowledge dissemination activities of many research and academic faculty. Membership in professional societies is required by many societies for chairing technical program committees for conferences, for serving on technical committees or groups, and for serving as associate and full editors for journal publications. Professional society membership is required for leadership in such societies, which indicates the technical leadership capabilities of the Institute as a whole. Further, these activities for which membership is required are important to the annual review process of many faculty within the University System of Georgia.

Given the magnitude of the importance of membership in technical societies, payments for professional society memberships of individual faculty members from allowable Georgia Tech funding sources should not be prohibited, and any restrictions or justifications associated with the approval process for these payments, including approval by a faculty member’s supervisor or unit head, should be minimal to conform to Georgia Tech and State of Georgia requirements. Funding sources for professional society membership payments may include, but are not limited to, faculty development funds, Georgia Tech Foundation funds, or when allowed, sponsored grants and contracts.