Bylaws of the Reference, Access and Outreach Section of the Society of American Archivists
I. Membership
Membership in the Reference, Access and Outreach Section of the Society of American Archivists is open to any member of SAA who has an interest in reference, access and outreach issues.
II. Officers
The officers of the Reference, Access and Outreach Section shall be the chair, vice chair and newsletter editor. Only members of SAA and the Reference, Access and Outreach Section may serve as officers of the Section. A new vice chair shall be elected at each annual meeting of the Section and shall serve for one year as vice chair, succeeding automatically to the office of chair for the subsequent year. If for any reason the vice chair is unable to succeed to the office of chair, a new chair shall be elected following the same procedures as for election of the vice chair. The newsletter editor shall be appointed by the chair, with the advice of the Steering Committee, for a term of two years, which may be renewed indefinitely. Both a chair and a vice chair shall be elected in the first election following the approval of these bylaws. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the Section and the Steering Committee; represent the Section in its relations with SAA in general and with the Council and other groups within SAA; serve on SAA committees, task forces, etc. as an ex-officio member when required or appoint a representative to do so; appoint Section committees as needed; and submit an annual report of Section activities to the SAA executive office. The vice chair shall serve as acting chair in the absence of the chair. The newsletter editor is responsible for issuing three newsletters annually to the Section membership.
III. Steering Committee
The Steering Committee shall consist of the officers and four members. The members shall serve two year terms, two members being elected at each annual meeting with additional members elected if for any reason unexpired terms need to be filled. The Steering Committee shall serve in an advisory capacity to the chair and its members may be assigned specific responsibilities by the chair. The Steering Committee shall plan each annual meeting of the Section.
IV. Election of Officers and Steering Committee
There shall be a Nominating and Elections Committee consisting of the immediate past chair of the Section (serving as chair of the Committee) and the two Steering Committee members whose terms are not expiring at the conclusion of the next annual meeting. Utilizing an announcement in the newsletter issued by the Section chair, this Committee shall solicit from Section members the names of volunteers or persons recommended for the positions to be filled in the next election. All persons whose names are submitted to the Committee or proposed by the Committee itself shall be considered nominees if they agree to have their names placed in nomination and are members of SAA and the Section. The Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that there is at least one nominee for the position of vice chair and that the number of nominees for membership on the Steering Committee is not less than the number of positions to be filled. The Nominating and Elections Committee shall announce the nominees to the membership of the Section in the last newsletter issued before the Annual Meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the Meeting. Any member of the Section who is unable to attend the Annual Meeting may request an absentee ballot from the chair of the Nominating and Elections Committee; such ballots must be returned to the chair of the Committee prior to the Annual Meeting. Voting at the Annual Meeting shall be by secret ballot if there are more nominees than can be elected; only members of the Section may vote. The Nominating and Elections Committee shall be responsible for tabulating and announcing the results of the election. A simple majority of the votes cast shall be required for election to vice chair. Members of the Section may vote for as many nominees for member of the Steering Committee as there are positions to be filled and the nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. Elected officers and Steering Committee members shall assume office at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the Section.
V. Meetings
The Reference, Access and Outreach Section shall meet once a year at the annual SAA meeting at the time and place scheduled by the SAA program committee and executive office. Additional meetings of the entire membership or the Steering Committee may be scheduled by the chair if needed to carry out the business of the Section.
VI. Amendments
Any member of the Reference, Access and Outreach Section may propose amendments to these bylaws. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the chair. The chair shall distribute proposed amendments to the membership through the last Section newsletter prior to the Annual Meeting and voting on the proposed amendments shall be by secret ballot at the Annual Meeting. A two thirds majority of votes cast shall be required to amend these bylaws. Any member of the Section who is unable to attend the Annual Meeting may request an absentee ballot from the chair; such ballots must be returned to the chair prior to the Annual Meeting.
VII. Enactment
These bylaws shall be distributed to the membership of the Section with a mail ballot for their approval or rejection. They shall become effective immediately if approved by a majority of the votes cast by the deadline set for the return of the ballots.
Adopted 1996
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