Prodeko | Rules and regulations

Three documents govern the guild: the rules, the guidelines and the decrees. The rules are approved by a guild meeting and registered with the Finnish association register; the guidelines and the decrees make them concrete. All three are below, and the buttons at the top take you straight to each.

The Rules of The Guild

DISCLAIMER: This translation of the Guild’s rules is unofficial. The translation is based on the Guild’s official rules in Finnish approved in Fall 2023.

Chapter I — Name, domicile and purpose

1§ The Name and Domicile of the Association

The name of the association is The Guild of Industrial Engineering and Management Prodeko Ry. The name Prodeko is an unofficial abbreviation of the name of the association. In these rules, the association is later referred as the guild. The hometown of the Guild is Espoo, Finland.

2§ The Purpose of the Guild

The purpose of the guild is to act as a bridge between the students of Aalto University (later referred as the “University”) department of industrial engineering and management, to promote their common interests as well as their intellectual aspirations and professional development. The purpose of the guild is also to maintain healthy teekkari culture and to develop industrial engineering as a discipline. The guild is a non-profit association.

3§ Operation of the Guild

To achieve its purpose, the guild may for example:

Arrange meetings, study tours, parties, celebrations and other leisure activities;
Arrange academic, information and discussion events dealing with studies, higher education as well as business and social issues;
Liaise with professional/business organisations, Aalto University, other universities and educational establishments, the business community as well as with the guild’s and the former Industrial Engineering Club PRODEKO’s former members and stakeholders;
Participate and influence in Aalto University’s and Aalto University’s Student Unions (AYY) bodies with the aim to develop studies and the student’s professional aspirations;
Help its new members to become acquainted with the university and its atmosphere as well as to cope with troubles encountered in studies, for example with organising tutoring;
Manage the internal information among the students of industrial engineering and management.

4§ Supporting Activities

To support its activities, the Guild can arrange entertaining activities, lotteries, engage in publishing activities in the field, do voluntary labour, receive donations and wills, and collect membership fees. The Guild may own immovable and movable property. The Guild may exercise business activities according to the Associations Act section 5, but it will not pursue any financial benefit or gain for the personnel participating in the events.

5§ Official Languages of the Guild

The Official language of the Guild is Finnish. The minutes and notification languages of the Guild is Finnish.

Chapter II — Members and Fees

6§ On the Members

The member types of the Guild are actual members, old members as well as external, supportive and honorary members.

7§ Actual Members

Members of the Aalto University Degree Program in Industrial Engineering and Management or the members of the Student Union of Aalto University can be accepted as actual members of the Guild.

8§ External and Supportive Members and Old Members

A person can be accepted as an external member of the Guild if he/she/they do not suffice the requirements for being an actual member. A person, business or an organisation can be accepted as a supportive member of the Guild who supports the Guild in its activities/purpose. A person who has completed his/her/their studies and has been an actual member of Industrial Engineering Club PRODEKO or the Guild, can be accepted as an old member of the Guild. External, supportive and old members of the Guild are approved by the board of the Guild.

9§ Honorary Members

The Guild’s general assembly can invite a person as an honorary member if he/she/they have earned merit in the activities of the Guild or the Industrial Engineering Club PRODEKO or otherwise promoted their efforts. An actual member cannot be invited to being an honorary member. The board of the Guild makes the proposals for the Guild’s general assembly but however, any group of at least ten (10) actual members can make the proposal.

10§ The Member List

The Guild must keep a list of its members showing the full name, e-mail address and domicile of each member. The members are obliged to notify changes to their personal data to the Guild’s board.

11§ Membership Fees

The members are obliged to pay a membership fee by the end of October each year. “Academic year” represents the academic year of Aalto University. The Guild’s annual general assembly meeting defines the membership fee for actual, external and supportive members. Honorary members and members who have made a declaration of absenteeism at Aalto University for the entire membership period are exempt from membership fee.

12§ On Secession

A member may secede from the Guild by notifying the board or its chairperson in writing or by notifying the secession in the minutes of the Guild’s Board Meeting.

13§ Consideration as a Seceder

A member is considered as a seceder if he/she/they have not paid the membership fee within two months of its expiration.

14§ On Discharging

The board may discharge a member who has severely hampered the functioning of the Guild either within the organisation or outside of it by his/her/their conduct. The decision of dischargement must be formed by a three-fourths (3/4) majority. The board may also prohibit a member from participating in any Guild activities if he/she/they have caused difficulties for the Guild or its activities. The prohibition does not include the Guild’s meetings or assemblies. Prior to the decision on secession or other disciplinary forms, the member concerned must be given the opportunity to give an explanation. Secession decisions must be made public on the Guild’s official notice board.

15§ On Appealing on Dischargement and Disciplinary Actions

A discharged/disciplined member has the right to file a written appeal against the decision to the Guild’s general assembly, which means that the final decision must be agreed by the Guild’s general assembly. The appeal must be submitted to the Board within one (1) month of the release of the dischargement or disciplinary decision and ought to be dealt with mainly at the next meeting, but not later than six (6) months after the filing of the appeal.

Chapter III — The Guild’s Meetings

16§ On the Meetings

The Guild’s meetings are the Annual Assembly, Electoral Assembly and other additional assemblies. The Guild’s meetings are referred as Guild’s General Assemblies (GA’s).

17§ Annual Assembly

The annual assembly shall be held in between February and March and shall cover at least the following topics:

Annual report of the previous calendar year
Financial statements and the balance sheet
Statutory auditors’ or opeartions inspectors’ statement
Approval of the financial statement
Granting discharge to the accountable persons
An action plan and a budget prepared by the board for the current calendar year, the budget must include an asset management plan
One (1) or two (2) operations inspectors as well as one (1) or two (2) vice operations inspectors OR alternatively one (1) or two (2) auditors and one (1) or (2) vice auditors are chosen.
Decision on the amount of the membership fee

18§ Electoral Assembly

The electoral assembly must be held between October and November and must address at least:

The composition of the board and the election of its chairperson and other members for the next term of office
Designating the necessary committees and guild officials. The elections of the Guild are further specified in the Guild’s electoral rule.

19§ On additional GA’s

The Guild shall convene an additional meeting by decision of the board or when the Guild Meeting so decides or when at least ten (10) full members of the Guild or at least one tenth (1/10) of the full members of the Guild request the board in writing. The meeting shall then be held within four (4) weeks of the submission of the request to the board.

20§ Notification of meetings

Notice of Guild meetings during Aalto University semesters must be given at least four (4) business days or seven (7) days prior to the meeting by the primary method of notice as specified in § 42. Outside of Aalto University semesters, meetings must be announced at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting. The notice of the meeting shall state the time, place and business to be transacted at the meeting.

21§ Quorum

A meeting shall be quorate if it has been duly convened.

22§ Matters to be discussed at the meeting

The meeting shall deal with the matters specified in the invitation to the meeting. The meeting may also take up any matter which the meeting, by a majority of three quarters (3/4) of the votes cast, declares to be urgent, taking into account the provisions of Article 24 of the Associations Act. When dealing with the amendment of the Guild’s statutes, the election or dismissal of the Board of Directors or its members or the auditor, the approval and discharge of the financial statements, the dissolution of the Guild or any other matter mentioned in Article 23 of the Associations Act or similar matters, the invitation to the meeting must mention the matter.

23§ Dismissal from office

The Guild Assembly may remove a member of the Guild board or a member of the board from office in the middle of a term of office, in which case the notice of the meeting must mention this and the decision to remove must be taken by a three-quarters (3/4) majority of votes. A board, board member, trustee or officer may resign from office. A new board or board member shall be elected by the Guild Assembly for the remainder of the term of office.

24§ Right to vote, to speak, to be present and to make presentations

The members of the Guild with voting rights are the full members of the Guild. All members have the right to speak, to be present and to make presentations, taking into account §§ 42 and 43 of the rules. The right to speak and to be present may also be granted to a non-member of the Guild by decision of the meeting.

25§ Majority of votes

Unless otherwise provided for in these rules, decisions at meetings shall be taken by a simple majority of votes. In the event of a tied vote, the chairman of the meeting shall have the casting vote, but in the case of elections, the decision shall be taken by lot.

Chapter IV — The Guild Board

26§ On the Guild board

The Guild’s activities are the responsibility of the board elected at an election meeting for a period of one calendar year.

27§ On the tasks of the board

The tasks of the Board include at least:

manage the activities of the Guild
to prepare the matters to be discussed at the guild meetings and to implement the decisions taken at these meetings
manage the finances and property of the Guild
to prepare the Guild’s annual report and accounts and a proposal for an action plan; and budget
supervise the activities of the committees and officers
be responsible for the appropriate and necessary activities of the Guild, such as cooperation with stakeholders, lobbying, programming, information and fuks activities
to convene a Guild meeting when necessary
and such other duties as may be assigned by the Guild Assembly
approval of members

28§ On the composition of the board

The board consists of the President and 4-12 other members. Only full members of the Guild are eligible for election to the office of President of the Guild Board.

29§ On the duties of the President

The President / Chairperson of the board convenes the meetings of the board, presides over the meetings and the Guild meetings, supervises the Guild’s activities in accordance with the rules and represents the Guild. This may be derogated from by a decision of the board.

30§ Other members of the board

The other members of the Board of Directors shall be elected as appropriate to carry out the Guild’s tasks.

31§ Quorum

The quorum for a meeting of the board is constituted if all its members have been informed of the meeting in a manner agreed by the board and at least half of the members of the board are present, with the presence of the President or the Vice-President.

32§ On meetings of the board

Decisions at board meetings shall be taken by a simple majority of votes. If the votes cast are equally divided, the president’s position shall prevail, but in the case of elections, the decision shall be taken by lot.

33§ On writing the name of the Guild

The name of the Guild shall be written jointly by two (2) members of the Guild board.

34§ On the Guild’s decrees

The board may make guidelines specifying the framework of the Guild’s services and related procedures. The regulations are decisions of the board by a majority of at least three-quarters (3/4) of the votes cast, and are valid indefinitely. They may not relate to decisions requiring a decision of the Guild Assembly or similar decisions as specified in the rules. They may, however, specify, for example, the rules of procedure for the use of the guild’s services.

Chapter V — Committees and guild officials

35§ On committees and guild officials

Committees and officers may be subordinate to the board. If necessary, the Guild Assembly shall appoint the committees, their tasks, the persons responsible for them and their staff. The Guild board may also appoint committees, advertise for candidates and elect officers. The positions to be filled must be announced by the primary means of notification in accordance with § 43 at least two (2) weeks before the board meeting at which the decision to appoint the officers in question is taken.

36§ On the dismissal of a guild official

In addition to the provisions of Article 23 of the rules, the Guild board may, for serious reasons, remove a guild official from office, in which case the decision to do so must be taken by a majority of three-quarters (3/4) of the votes cast.

37§ Participation in committees

The body appointing the committee shall determine how members of the Guild may participate in the activities of the committees.

Chapter VI — Administration and finance

38§ On the Guild’s term of office and financial year

The Guild’s term of office and financial year is the calendar year. Membership fees are regulated separately in § 11 of the rules.

39§ On auditors / operations inspectors

The financial management of the Guild shall be supervised by auditors/operations inspectors, to whom the board shall submit the Guild’s accounts at least one month before the Annual General Meeting and at any other time on request. The number of auditors/operations inspectors and their deputies is laid down in § 17 of the rules.

40§ On the submission of the annual report

Auditors/operations inspectors shall submit to the board a written report on the audit of the Guild’s administration and accounts, addressed to the Guild’s Annual General Meeting, no later than fourteen (14) days before the Guild’s Annual General Meeting.

Chapter VII — Specific provisions

41§ On the symbols and emblems of the Guild

The Guild’s General Assembly decides on the symbols and emblems of the Guild. The Guild has its own flag and emblem, which are laid down in the Flag and Emblem Guidelines. The Guild may honour deserving persons by awarding merit badges. The awarding of decorations is governed by the Merit Badge Guideline.

42§ On the advisory board

The Guild shall have a joint advisory board with the Prodeko Alumni Association. The purpose, composition and activities of the Advisory Board shall be set out in more detail in the Advisory Board Guideline. The Advisory Board is a cooperative body without decision-making power.

43§ On information and the official notice board of the guild

The primary means of informing the Guild shall be through the Guild’s members’ e-mail list. When a member joins the Guild, they will be added to this e-mail list. If the nature of the matter so requires or if otherwise provided for in the rules, the official notice board of the Guild shall be used for information. The official notice board of the Guild is decided by the Board. In the event of a transfer of the notice board, three (3) weeks’ notice of the transfer must be given on the notice board in force.

44§ Amending the rules

Amendments to these rules may be made if the proposed amendment has been approved by a majority of at least three-quarters (3/4) of the votes cast at two (2) consecutive Guild meetings at least two (2) weeks apart. The motion to amend must be stated in the notice of the meeting. A motion to amend may be made by the board or by at least ten (10) full members of the Guild or at least one-tenth (1/10) of the full members of the Guild. The proposal must be made in writing to the board, which must then convene a Guild meeting to consider the matter within four (4) weeks of the submission of the proposal.

45§ Guidelines

Guidelines supplementary to these Rules may provide for more detailed regulations on the activities of the board, on committees and their duties, and on other matters deemed important for the functioning of the Association. Amendments to the Guild guidelines or a new set of guidelines may be made if a motion to that effect is passed at a Guild meeting by a majority of at least three-fourths (3/4) of the votes cast. A proposal to amend the Guild’s guidelines or to propose new guidelines may be made in writing by the board, one-tenth (1/10) of the Guild’s full members or ten (10) full members to the board, which must then bring the proposal to the next Guild meeting for a decision. The proposal to amend or propose new guidelines must be mentioned in the invitation to the meeting.

46§ Dissolution of the Guild

The Guild shall be dissolved if the Guild Assembly so decides by a three-quarters (3/4) majority vote at two consecutive meetings held at least one (1) month apart. The proposal to dissolve must be mentioned in the notice of the meeting. Upon dissolution or termination of the Guild, its assets shall be transferred to the Aalto University Student Union for use for activities in accordance with Article 2 of these Statutes or, if this is not possible, to support the activities of the AYY.

47§ Entry into the force of the amendment to the rules and the decision to dissolve the association

An amendment to the Statutes or a decision to dissolve the Association shall enter into force when it is entered in the Register of Associations.

48§ Matters not provided for in the rules

In matters not expressly provided for in these rules, the Associations Act shall apply.

49§ Entry into force of the rules

These statutes shall enter into force when they are entered in the Register of Associations.

Guild Guidelines

Guild guidelines are created to supplement the guild’s rules. Below is an unofficial translation of the guild rules regarding the guidelines:

§45 Guidelines

Prodeko Code of Conduct: Read English version here!

Prodeko Safer Space Policy: Scroll down for English!

Guild Decrees

Decrees are set by the board and are valid until further notice. Note: the official wording of the decrees is in Finnish, below you will find unofficial translations. Currently, the guild has four decrees:

I Queue and registration decree
II Moderating decree
III Decree on the guild’s bank card
IV Brand decree

I Queue decree and registration

The queue decree defines how the queuing policy for registration for guild events works. This guideline is valid until further notice from 13.5.2025.

1. Form of the queue list

The following basic information will be written at the top of the list:

the event for which you are queuing
the time when the queue list is created
the call times for the list, remember to leave enough space

Below this, the details of the queue holders are entered. For each person on the queue, you must indicate

queue position
name
year class
column that is used to marking the first call of the queue that the queuer has missed

The queue position is determined according to the order in which they join the queue (the first person to join the queue is ranked number one). Removing a name from the list does not change the position of the other queue holders, but the queue holder retains the position they had at the beginning. The list will be displayed in a prominent place in the guild room (e.g. on a notice board or on a cleared table). In the case of two lists, the first one to start is the official list, provided that it was displayed in a visible place in the guild room.

2. Queuing area

No queuing area is specified, but queuers must be present in the guild room at the time the list is called. During the time between calls, queueers may be wherever they wish. Sleeping at night is not allowed in the guild room, but no one will forbid queuing at night if the queue holder has a pass to the guild room.

3. Updating (calling) the list

Anyone on the list may call through the list, provided that at least half an hour has elapsed since both the last shouting and the establishment of the list. The list is called out by calling out the names in order. If a queue member is not present, they will lose their place and the name will be neatly crossed off the list. Every queue member has the right to miss one queue call during the whole queuing. The first call that the person misses and its timestamp is marked in the column available in the queue list. If the person in the queue misses any more calls they are therefore considered to have left their place in the queue. Exceptions to this rule are those persons who, by virtue of their duties, are required to organise events or represent the Guild. It is also allowed to leave the queue for an exam. In this case, these queuing persons do not lose their place in the queue during the organisation of the event or the examination. In such cases, the organiser of the event and other queue holders (if possible) must be informed at least 24 hours before the leaving the queue. Any doubtful cases will be submitted to the decision of the guild board. The organiser of the event (for which the queue is being taken) may also suspend the queue for the duration of the guild event. The person queuing can only add their name to the list and cannot queue nor register for events on behalf of anyone other than themselves. If a companion can be brought to the event, the companion will also be added to the waiting list by adding +avec to their own name after their own name.

4. Determination of a guild members queue quota

When a student starts their studies in the Aalto University’s IEM degree programme, their queue quota for enrolment in events is determined according to the degree level as follows: the quota for a student starting a Bachelor’s degree is I and the waiting period for a student starting a Master’s degree is IV. At the start of studies, a new student is granted a one-off right to change their quota year.

There are five queue year class quotas in the following order: I, II, III, IV and N. Each time the academic year changes, the queue year moves up one in order, e.g. I -> II, II -> III, etc. In this way, for example, during a period of military service in the middle of studies, a student’s waiting year will also increase. However, when a student reaches a queue year N, their queue year will no longer increase as the academic year changes, but will remain N. After finishing their Master’s studies, they can register in the alumni quota.

If a student who, for example, has other studies from another programme or institution, wishes to be treated as a student from another year class, they should send a short, free-form request to the Board meeting, stating their name, current year class used in quotas, programme, wanted quota year and the reasons for the change. As mentioned above, a request to change the quota year can only be made once. After requesting a change to a quota year, the student will still be able to participate in the events of their original year course, provided that there is no limit on the number of participants in those events. The quota year course for students studying in other degree programmes and for members of Prodeko who are not members of AYY is calculated from the start date of their studies (current academic year) according to the above-mentioned principles for determining the quota year. The list of exceptional year courses is managed by the Minister of Media & IT.

5. Use of the Ilmokilke

Ilmokilke is filled in in the order of the queue list. If you can bring a companion to the event, you can add this person after your name on the registration form. Registration must be kept open for at least 24 hours. Ilmokilke can only be set open on the computer in the guild room for the first three (3) hours of the registration period. During this period, each entrant may only enter their name (and, if possible, the name of their companion). After the first three hours, registration will be open to everyone on the Internet. If there are year quotas on the ilmokilke, the quota for your year will be filled first, followed by the open places. If both the places for your own year group and the open places are full, you can register for a reserve place on the waiting list. In the queue, the cancelled places will be filled by giving priority to the person in the same year as the one who cancelled (in order of enrolment). The places will then be filled in the order of enrolment. Cancelled vacancies will be filled by alternates in the order of enrolment. After the registration has closed, the registration becomes binding and the participant is binded to pay the participation fee. In the event that a participant has to cancel their registration after the closing date, it is the responsibility of the participant to inform the event organiser that will then give instructions on how to find the replacement. If the queue is empty or if the queue is already gone through, the participant is required to find a replacement on their own. The organiser of the event is responsible for making the entry form and, in the event of a technical problem, for making a replacement entry. In the event of any doubt regarding the registration and the use of the ilmokilke, the decision will be left to the guild board.

6. Deletion of registrations

Any irregularities in the queuing or registration process may result in the cancellation of your registration. Such cancellations will always be decided by the Board of the Guild. A registration may also be cancelled if the registrant has failed to comply with the binding to participate in the previous events or has failed to arrive at the place reserved for him/her at free events without giving notice or without good cause.

II. Moderation Decree

Board moderation policy:

For the time being, messages will be allowed through to the various mailing lists on the basis of the following rules:

Members:

Communications from board members
Board and guild meeting communications.
matters concerning all members of the guild
study coordinators announcements etc.

Year classlists:

internal events of the yearly class(es)
internal discussion within the year class(es)
Targeted communications
Targeted recruitment events
housewarmings, birthdays, other private parties

III Decree on the guild’s bank card

(Not yet translated. You can contact the board if you want to know more. The decree can be found by switching the language of this site of Finnish)

IV Branding decree

(Not yet translated. You can contact the board if you want to know more. The decree can be found by switching the language of this site of Finnish)