Meet your INFORMS Subdivisions team
Beth West
Sections and Societies
Chelsea Teimoori
Chapters, Student Chapters and Forums
Welcome Community Officers!
We appreciate your willingness to devote time and expertise to this position. Our communities provide valuable and important contributions to our members and INFORMS so we want to do all we can to help you excel in your role.
Below, we’ve highlighted several resources that you will find helpful.
Guides and Handbooks
Provides information to help support leadership responsibilities and make your respective community successful. Included are numerous templates, contacts, task lists, FAQs, staff information, and more.
Designed to answer the most frequently asked questions regarding the approval process and administration of INFORMS-sponsored and co-sponsored conferences.
The goal of this document is to provide guidance for communities to create their own best practices Policies and Procedures (P&P) documents to manage their awards.
Please complete this form if your subdivision is interested in creating a new award. Forms must be submitted to and reviewed by the Subdivisions Team.
Report of effective practices from among and across the various INFORMS subdivisions.
The following services are provided to all subdivisions as part of INFORMS’ strong commitment to the health and well being of its subdivisions.
INFORMS Regional Analytics Conferences (IRAC) are regional analytics conferences held by INFORMS subdivisions/communities to serve specific geographical regions. These events are usually organized by chapters. For some chapters, e.g. the Chicago Chapter, these annual conferences are flagship events for the chapter.
INFORMS Branding Guides and Framework
Please check out this video from our Communications Manager Ashley Kilgore to learn more about this framework and how to use it.
Bylaws
When your Board is contemplating Bylaws changes, review the current version of the Model Bylaws. INFORMS prefers subdivisions to align with the current version of the Model Bylaws to the best extent possible. The Model Bylaws contain elements that have been approved by INFORMS staff, Subdivisions Council, and INFORMS legal counsel.
Student Chapter Model Bylaws (coming soon)
Policies
The Chair/President of each Subdivision must complete and return a Conflict of Interest Policy to the Subdivisions Team.
INFORMS launched an anonymous conduct and ethics hotline, which ensures that anyone wishing to submit a report anonymously or otherwise can do so. We have arranged to have a third-party, Operations Inc, conduct any investigations required.
The INFORMS Code of Conduct applies to all INFORMS activities, including committee and subdivision meetings and calls, virtual conferences, in-person conferences, webinars, sessions, tours, receptions, and any other events.
Section 15 (Subdivisions) of the INFORMS Policies and Procedures
Journal Sponsorship and Process (coming soon)
INFORMS wants its Subdivisions to be successful and wants to aid and support their efforts, which includes Subdivision sponsorship of non-INFORMS journals. At the same time, INFORMS must take care to avoid any potential legal issues or conflicts of interest and to ensure compliance with INFORMS’ branding guidelines regarding the use of INFORMS and Subdivision logos.
Operations (links open in a Google drive)
Award request form
Please use this form when ordering awards for your Community. If you have any questions, please reach out to your INFORMS contact.
Check/wire/reimbursement form
This form is to be used for all award cash prizes and reimbursements. If you are receiving a cash prize, please be sure to complete this form as well as a W8 or W9 tax document and submit to your INFORMS contact. For reimbursements, a tax document is not needed.
Elections
All community elections will be conducted by INFORMS staff in collaboration with the officers and in accordance
with the bylaws. INFORMS utilizes survey software for all elections.
INFORMS Connect is a tremendous tool for our communities to easily communicate with their membership. Current officers are automatically subscribed to the INFORMS Community Officers group as a Daily Digest subscriber. Please be sure to keep your community's Connect page up to date.
Important Dates
This calendar includes key dates and deadlines for awards, conferences and more. Check back often as importate dates and deadlines are added.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Student Chapter Resources (links open in a Google drive)
Be sure to complete the INFORMS Student Chapter Activity Report Submission Form by the end of the academic year to help INFORMS serve and support student chapters, it is important that a designed officer (preferably the President and/or Faculty Advisor) from your student chapter complete the Activity Report. Please complete this report as thoroughly as possible.
Be sure to complete the INFORMS Student Chapter Information form at the beginning of the academic year and make any important updates throughout the year.
INFORMS Student Chapter Handbook
Student Chapter Officer Requirements
Faculty Advisor Roles & Responsibilities
INFORMS Student Chapter Communication Kit
Officer Webinars (links open in a Google drive)
Chapters/Fora Officer webinar
Section/Society Officer webinar
Powered Productivity: Tech Tools and Tips for INFORMS Community Officers
Subdivisions Council
The Subdivisions Council is charged with establishing effective communication between the subdivisions and the INFORMS Board. Council members are selected by subdivisions members. The Chapters/Fora Committee provides support to the VP Chapters/Fora and the Sections/Societies Committee provides support to the VP Sections/Societies.
Subdivisions Council volunteers are a vital part of achieving our goals and making a difference. In the past the council has played a large part in many accomplishments within INFORMS. Some of these accomplishments include:
1) Chartering new Student Chapters
2) Creating and approving of new Sections, Societies, and Regional Chapters
3) Creating a Diversity Initiative within INFORMS
4) Promoting the creation of Ethics Guidelines
5) Creating and making permanent a subdivision as a member benefit
INFORMS Information (links open in a Google drive)
INFORMS Constitution and Bylaws
Are you seeking an introduction to better decision making? Would you like your colleagues to hear an O.R. luminary in one of the many fields to which operations researchers and analytics have made a lasting contribution? Or do you want to invite a speaker who can explain an advanced topic in operations research?
The INFORMS Speakers Program is designed to provide access to excellent speakers who are experts in operations research, analytics, and the management sciences.
The INFORMS Mentor Match Program is a benefit just for members. This online tool helps you find and connect with others, and gives you a suggested program to follow with your mentor.
Who do I call when.....
Beth West - for questions regarding Sections and Societies
Chelsea Teimoori - for questions regarding Forums, Chapters, and Student Chapters
Liz Hood - for questions regarding INFORMS and Community meeting logistics. Liz would be your point of contact for your Community's conference.
Ellen Tralongo - for questions about your Community's sessions and abstracts.