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Bylaws of the SAA Description Section
(PDF version)
Article 1. Name
The name of this section will be the Description Section of the Society of American Archivists (SAA), hereinafter referred to as the Section.
Article 2. Objectives
The Section will provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas about all aspects of archival description among those responsible for, involved in, or interested in description projects, descriptive standards, and descriptive systems. The Section represents and promotes the interests and concerns of these archivists to the rest of SAA and may undertake activities as appropriate to promote awareness of descriptive issues within SAA and externally.
Article 3. Membership
Membership in the Section is open to any SAA member in good standing with an interest in
archival description, descriptive standards, or descriptive systems.
Article 4. Officers
- 4.1 Elected and Appointed Officers
-- 4.1.1 Elected
To guide the Section, the Section membership will elect a
4.1.1.b. Vice Chair/Chair-Elect
4.1.1.d. Two (2) Steering Committee members at large
-- 4.1.2 Appointed
The Chair, in addition, will appoint a
4.1.2.a. Newsletter Editor
- 4.2 Terms of Office
-- 4.2.1 Eligibility
-- 4.2.2 Chair and Vice Chair/Chair-Elect
The Chair and Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect will serve terms of three (3) consecutive years: one (1) year as Vice Chair/Chair-Elect, one (1) year as Chair, and one (1) year as Past Chair.
-- 4.2.3 Secretary
-- 4.2.4 Steering Committee Members (Two) (2)
The two (2) Steering Committee members will serve staggered terms of two (2) consecutive years each.
-- 4.2.5 Newsletter Editor
The Newsletter Editor and Web Liaison, who are appointed by the Chair, will serve terms of three (3) consecutive years each.
- 4.3 Duties of the Officers
-- 4.3.1 Chair
4.3.1.a. The Chair will organize and preside over Section meetings, and with the
advice and assistance of the other Section officers, Steering Committee,
and Section membership, will direct the Section's activities.
4.3.1.b. The Chair will serve as liaison with SAA in general, its Council, and other
Sections and Roundtables.
4.3.1.c. The Chair will serve as an ex officio member of the Technical
Subcommittee on Descriptive Standards.
4.3.1.d. The Chair will serve as a member of the Coker Award Subcommittee.
4.3.1.e. The Chair will report to the Section membership at large on such matters
as deemed pertinent or as identified by the Officers, Steering Committee, or membership.
4.3.1.f. The Chair and Vice Chair/Chair-Elect will attend the annual SAA Leadership Forum.
4.3.1.g. The Chair is responsible for selecting candidates to nominate for election
as Section Officers in each year's Section election.
4.3.1.h. The Chair will appoint Section members to fill Officer vacancies or to
serve on ad hoc committees or task forces.
-- 4.3.2 Vice Chair/Chair-Elect
4.3.2.a. The Vice Chair/Chair-Elect will advise and assist the Chair in conducting
the Section's business.
4.3.2.b. The Vice Chair/Chair-Elect will arrange and preside at meetings of the
Section and of its Steering Committee in the Chair's absence or inability to serve.
4.3.2.c. The Vice Chair/Chair-Elect will be responsible for organizing and executing the Description Expo (formerly known as the Finding Aids Fair) at the annual meeting.
-- 4.3.3 Past Chair
4.3.3.a. The Past Chair has no formal responsibilities, but may serve in an advisory capacity on the Section's Steering Committee to ensure organizational continuity within the Section.
-- 4.3.4 Secretary
4.3.4.a. The Secretary will take minutes at the annual Section meeting, completing the minutes and submitting them to the Chair within one (1) week of the annual meeting.
4.3.4.b. The Secretary will oversee Section elections, including, but not limited to:
publishing the ballot, collecting mailed-in ballots and ballots at the annual meeting, validating ballots, tallying ballots, and reporting the results of the tally to the Section.
4.3.4.c. The Secretary may ask the Section officers for assistance.
.3.4.d. The Secretary will assist the Web Liaison to make sure the Section's web
site content is current.
3.4.e. The Secretary will work with SAA administration to assure the transfer
and retention of permanent records.
-- 4.3.5 Newsletter Editor
4.3.5.a. The Newsletter Editor is responsible for the production of the Section newsletter, including, but not limited to, soliciting content, editing content, formatting content, and disseminating content.
4.3.5.b. The Newsletter Editor will produce two (2) newsletters each year, one in
January, and one in late June/early July.
4.3.5.c. The Newsletter Editor will work with the Section Web Liaison to ensure
the Section's web site is current.
-- 4.3.6 Web Liaison
The Web Liaison is responsible for maintaining the Section web site, and to work closely with the Section leadership and SAA administration to keep the web site current and
correct.
-- 4.3.7 Steering Committee
4.3.7.a. Mandatory members of the Steering Committee are the Chair, Vice Chair/Chair-Elect, Secretary, two (2) elected Steering Committee members, Newsletter Editor, and Web Liaison.
4.3.7.b. In addition, at large Steering Committee members may be appointed by the Chair as necessary to assist in advancing the Section's goals and objectives.
4.3.7.c. The Chair of SAA's Technical Subcommittee on Descriptive Standards serves as an ex officio member.
4.3.7.d. The Steering Committee is responsible for informing, advising, and guiding the Section leadership so that it remains useful and responsive to the need of its members.
- 4.4 Nomination and Election
-- 4.4.1 Nomination
4.4.1.a. The Chair will call for nominations three months before the annual
meeting.
4.4.1.b. Only members of the Section may serve as officers.
4.4.1.c. Only individuals who have consented to nomination may be listed on the
slate of candidates.
4.4.1.d. Nominees will submit a statement of interest and a short biography to the
Secretary at least six weeks before the annual meeting.
-- 4.4.2 Election
4.4.2.a. Only current Section members are eligible to vote in Section elections.
4.4.2.b. The Secretary will publish the ballots electronically at least four weeks before the annual meeting. The ballot will include a provision for a write-in candidate.
4.4.2.c. Ballots may be mailed in to the Secretary, but must be received at least
one (1) week prior to the annual Section meeting, and mailed in ballots must follow this procedure for validation:
4.4.2.c.i. Voter prints out ballot, marks it, and places it into a small envelope.
4.4.2.c.ii. Voter seals the small envelope, signs his/her name across the seal and prints his/her name legibly below for validation.
4.4.2.c.iii. Voter places small envelope in larger mailing envelope and addresses and mails ballot to the Secretary to be received a date prior to the annual Section meeting.
4.4.2.d. At the annual Section meeting, the Secretary, with assistance from the Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and Newsletter Editor, will distribute, collect, validate, and count all ballots and report the results of any election at the annual Section meeting.
4.4.2.e. The candidate with the highest number of votes received will be elected.
-- 4.4.3 Vacancies in Office
4.4.3.a. Chair. In the case of vacancy in the office of the Chair, the vice
Chair/Chair-Elect will assume the office and duties of Chair.
4.4.3.b. Vice Chair/Chair-Elect. In the case of vacancy in the office of the Vice
Chair/Chair-Elect, the office will remain vacant until the next annual Section meeting, at which time a new Chair and Vice Chair/Chair-Elect will be elected. The Chair will assume duties of the Vice Chair/Chair-Elect in the interim, although the Chair may appoint a member of the Section to assist in fulfilling the duties of Chair-Elect.
4.4.3.c. Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Web Liaison, and Steering Committee members. In the case of a vacancy in any of these offices the Chair will appoint a member of the Section to assume the duties until the next Section meeting and election of officers.
Article 5. Business
- 5.1 Decision Making
Decisions of the Section will be determined by a majority of members. All officers except the Chair may vote. The Chair votes only to break a tie. Where there is no majority vote, particularly in the case where more than two (2) members are up for election for a given office, selection will be made through a second ballot between the candidates who received the most votes on the first ballot.
- 5.2 Meeting Times
-- 5.2.1 Annual Meeting
The Section will meet at least once a year at the time of the SAA annual meeting. The
Secretary will publish the meeting time and place as soon as it is finalized.
-- 5.2.2 Other Meetings
Additional Section meetings may be scheduled during the SAA annual meeting. The
Secretary will publish the meeting time and place as soon as it is finalized.
-- 5.2.3 Steering Committee Meetings
The Steering Committee should meet as a group at the annual meeting.
- 5.3 Other Communications
-- 5.3.1 Allowed
Outside of the annual meeting, the Steering Committee will maintain contact to carry out its work program through e-mail, telephone, mail, and fax.
-- 5.3.2 Prohibited
The Section cannot make official statements on behalf of the Society of American
Archivists.
Article 6. Committees
The Chair may appoint and disband committees or working groups as needed for specific purposes. The size, duration, and terms of reference of these groups will be determined by the Steering Committee. Committees will report at the annual Section meeting.
Article 7. Parliamentary Authority
Roberts Rules of Order, latest edition, will govern the proceedings of the Section, except as otherwise provided for in the bylaws of the Section, or in the constitution, bylaws, or other special rules of SAA.
Article 8. Policy for Revision of Bylaws
- 8.1 Eligibility to propose amendments
Any member of the Section may propose amendments to these bylaws by submitting them in writing to the Chair at least three (3) months prior to the annual meeting.
- 8.2 Procedure for submission of amendments
-- 8.2.1 Submission
Submit amendments in writing to Chair at least three (3) months prior to the annual
meeting.
-- 8.2.2 Notification
At least one (1) month prior to the annual meeting, the Chair notifies the membership of the proposed amendments.
-- 8.2.3. Ratification
Voting on amendments will occur during the Section's annual meeting.
8.2.3.a. All members of the Section may vote.
8.2.3.b. Voting at the annual meeting will be by secret ballot.
8.2.3.c. A majority vote of those present at the meeting will be necessary to approve an amendment.
-- 8.2.4 Effective Date
Amendment(s) to bylaws become effective immediately following approval at the annual
meeting.
-- 8.2.5 Authority
Bylaws approved at the 1999 Meeting of the Description Section in Pittsburgh, August
27, 1999, revised bylaws approved at the 2008 Meeting of the Description Section in
San Francisco, California, XX/XX/XXXX.
Society of American Archivists
Description Section
Web Liaison | Janet Carleton
Last Updated | 27 July 2009
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