Constitution & Bylaws

Adopted July 14, 2006; latest version amended and adopted May 13, 2011.

Constitution

PREAMBLE
In accordance with the scholarly, teaching, and professional interests of its founding members, a new international learned society dedicated to the study of Literary Journalism is hereby created.

ARTICLE 1: NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the International Association for Literary Journalism Studies.

Section 2. The purpose of the organization shall be the improvement of scholarly research and education in Literary Journalism. To this end, members of the Association shall undertake the following objectives:

a. To foster scholarly research and inquiry in the field of Literary Journalism and related areas.

b. To enhance the subject matter of courses related to Literary Journalism and encourage the effectiveness of teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

c. To promote a sense of public service, professional responsibility and freedom among practitioners of Literary Journalism and those in academe.

d. To stimulate close relationships between the researchers and teachers of these subjects and professional organizations and individuals.

e. To encourage the adoption and practice of high standards for scholarship and teaching of these subjects, and an adequate system of rewards and assurances for researchers and teachers to support such standards.

f. To increase the understanding and awareness among professional and academic personnel of the importance of Literary Journalism.

g. To attract to the study of these subjects a growing number of able students.

h. To plan a program to further the improvement of and the practice and advancement of Literary Journalism.

ARTICLE 2: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership shall be by individuals and by educational or professional organizations. Eligible individuals and organizations are those concerned principally with higher-education teaching and/or research in those areas listed in Article 1, Section 2, and those in professional activities related to these subject areas.

Section 2. Membership classifications, qualifications, dues, and privileges shall be defined in the bylaws.

ARTICLE 3: OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be as follows: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The principal officer of the Association shall be designated as its President and be chosen in the manner prescribed in the bylaws. The President shall perform the duties assigned to that position in the bylaws and such other duties as may from time to time be determined by the Association membership.

Section 2. The secondary officer of the Association shall be the First Vice President, who shall perform the duties requested by the President and shall serve as President should the principal officer be absent from annual meeting or otherwise unable to serve.

Section 3. The Second Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer of the Association shall perform the duties assigned in the bylaws and any others requested by the President.

Section 4. The officers, the Journal editor, the newsletter editor, the webmaster, the elected member of the Nominating Committee, and the research, program, membership, liaison, publicity, conference planning, and graduate student chairs shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Association, which shall be vested with the authority to govern the Association and to direct its affairs. The President shall serve as chair of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies pro tempore in its own membership. The outgoing President shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Executive Committee for two years from the end of his or her term as Association President. The outgoing President shall not be counted in determining a quorum or in polling the Executive Committee by phone or email.

ARTICLE 4: DUES
Section 1. The officers shall have the right to apprise the need for operating funds, from time to time, and, upon ratification of such proposal by a simple majority of the membership voting at any annual meeting, to raise or lower annual dues as a requirement for membership in the Association.

ARTICLE 5: MEETINGS
Section 1. Meetings shall be held as prescribed in the bylaws.

ARTICLE 6: AMENDMENTS
Section 1. This constitution and its bylaws may be amended by the affirmative votes of two-thirds of the members participating in any meeting at which a proposed amendment or amendments is or are presented for action by the members.

Section 2. The President shall prepare and distribute the text of the proposed amendment or amendments at least two weeks before the meeting at which the amendment or amendments is or are presented for consideration and action.

ARTICLE 7: PROMULGATION
Section 1. This constitution and its bylaws attached shall become effective upon adoption by a two-thirds affirmative vote of those members voting.

ARTICLE 8: DISSOLUTION
Section 1. The organization may be dissolved by a two-thirds vote of the membership present and voting at any annual meeting.

Bylaws

ARTICLE 1: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Classification of membership: Regular members, who shall be faculty, staff, or student members of institutions engaged in Literary Journalism education at the college undergraduate or graduate level, or persons in related professional activities who have an interest in Literary Journalism teaching and/or research.

Section 2. Funds of the Association shall be deposited with the Association Treasurer, who will provide the facilities of his or her office for their accounting. Other funds will be deposited in appropriate separate accounts.

Section 3. A regular member is one whose dues are paid in advance of the annual meeting.

Section 4. Only regular members are entitled to voting rights.

ARTICLE 2: MEETINGS
Section 1. The annual meeting of the Association shall be held at a time and place specified by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Association may be called and held in connection with any plan or activity designed to carry out the stated functions of the Association, upon concurrence of a quorum of the Executive Committee.

Section 3. Decisions of the Association and its Executive Committee shall be by majority vote of members present and voting.

Section 4. At the discretion of the presiding officer, either Erskine May’s Parliamentary Procedure or Robert’s Rules of Order will be the manual for parliamentary procedure in meetings of the Association.

Section 5. Each regular member of the Association shall be entitled to one vote in elections, and to one vote on all issues or proposals presented at an annual or special meeting of the Association.

Section 6. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once during the annual Conference and at such other times as its membership shall determine. For purposes of conducting business of the Association, the President may present propositions to the Executive Committee and poll its membership by email or phone. Such balloting shall constitute performance of the advisory function of the Executive Committee between annual meetings.

ARTICLE 3: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. The current First Vice President, who is the incoming President of the Association, shall, with consultation of a two-member Nominating Committee, present a list of nominees to the Association President prior to the annual meeting. One member of the Nominating Committee shall be elected at the previous annual meeting and one shall be appointed by the President.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Nominating Committee to invite nominations and develop a slate of nominees from the Association’s regular membership prior to the annual meeting, to present the slate at that meeting, inviting further nominations from the floor, and then to conduct the election of the officers and Executive Committee members. Nominations to the position of Second Vice President may be made from the floor of the annual meeting. Upon completion of the election, the nominating committee chair shall inform members of the name of the winning candidates.

Section 3. Elections shall be held every two years at the annual meeting. Only members of the Association shall be entitled to vote in the election.

Section 4. A candidate for office shall be deemed elected if he or she receives more votes than those cast for any other contender for the office.

Section 5. Upon successful completion of an elected term of office as First Vice President, the holder of that office shall automatically succeed to, and possess all the rights and responsibilities of, the office of President. His or her term as President will begin the day immediately following his or her election.

Section 6. Upon successful completion of an elected term of office as Second Vice President, the holder of that office shall automatically succeed to, and possess all the rights and responsibilities of, the First Vice President. His or her term as First Vice President will begin the day immediately following his or her election.

ARTICLE 4: TERMS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The President, First Vice President, and Second Vice President of the Association shall serve for two years from the day after election at the annual meeting until the election at the annual meeting two years hence. They shall not be eligible to succeed themselves in office, although they may be re-elected to the office after a period of two years. They shall be responsible for planning and carrying out a program designed to accomplish the purposes of the Association. The Association’s Secretary, Treasurer, Journal editor, newsletter editor, webmaster, the elected member of the Nominating Committee, and the research, program, membership, liaison, publicity, conference planning, and graduate student chairs shall serve for two years from the day after election at the annual meeting until the election at the annual meeting two years hence. They shall be eligible to succeed themselves in office.

Section 2. The President of the Association shall be the Executive Officer of the Association and shall administer its affairs, with the advice of the Executive Committee, including the appointment of any necessary committees. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee, when present. He or she shall also preserve order, enforce the Constitution, and perform all duties of a presiding officer. All contracts entered into by the association must be signed by both the President and the Treasurer.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the First Vice President to carry out whatever tasks may be assigned to him or her by the President for the purpose of accomplishing the stated objectives of the Association. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President for any reason, the First Vice President shall assume the title and duties of that office for the unexpired term until a new President is chosen at the next regularly scheduled election. The First Vice President shall preside, in the absence of the President, at meetings of the Association and/or the Executive Committee. In the event the First Vice President is unable to complete the term of that office, or succeed to the position of President, the Second Vice President shall assume the title and duties of First Vice President until the next annual Association meeting. The President will then name a new Second Vice President with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee. In the event both the President and First Vice President are unable to complete their terms, any member of the Executive Committee may convene a meeting of that body and elect Association members to serve as President and First Vice President until the next annual meeting.

Section 4. The Secretary shall take and keep the minutes of the Association annual meeting, all Executive Committee meetings and any other Association records, as well as perform any other duties requested by the Association President.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall manage the financial affairs and records of the Association, as well as perform any other duties requested by the Association President.

Section 6. The Association’s Executive Committee shall consist of the Association’s President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Journal editor, newsletter editor, webmaster, the elected member of the Nominating Committee, and research, program, membership, liaison, publicity, conference planning, and graduate student chairs, and the Association’s outgoing President as an ex-officio, non-voting member. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at an annual meeting to serve a term of two years, from the time of the election at the annual meeting until the time of election at the annual meeting two years hence. In the event any member of the at-large membership of the Executive Committee resigns or is unable to fulfill the functions of the office, the Executive Committee shall fill the vacancy until the next annual meeting at which time an Association member shall be elected to serve the unexpired term.

Section 7. A quorum at a meeting at which all members of the Executive Committee have been invited to attend in person shall be five. For the purposes of conducting the Association’s business, the President may present propositions to the Executive Committee and poll all its members by email or phone. Such balloting shall constitute performance of the advisory function of the Executive Committee between annual meetings.

Section 8. Any member of the Executive Committee who does not attend the Association convention may be removed from office upon a recommendation by the Association President and a majority vote of the members attending the annual meeting. Once a position is declared vacant, the members will elect another Association member to fill that unexpired term.