Women Archivists Roundtable

Bylaws
 

I. Mission

[The Women Archivists Roundtable (WAR), formerly] the Women's Professional Archival Issues Roundtable (WPAIR) exists to ensure that the Society of American Archivists (SAA) conscientiously deals with issues that affect the status of women within the profession and the Society. The Roundtable also provides a Society-acknowledged forum for individual members to address issues of concern in this area.

II. Statement of Goals & Objectives

[WAR] will:

• Monitor the status of women within the archival profession
• Encourage the participation of women in all phases of SAA business and other activities as well as in the archival profession as a whole
• Monitor gender balance on SAA programs
• Nominate candidates for Fellow in SAA
• Monitor the continuance of day care at the SAA Annual Meeting
• Meet annually in conjunction with the SAA meeting
• Conduct its business in accordance with the SAA's "Guidelines for SAA Roundtables"

III. Areas of Activity

[WAR] activities may include:

• Monitor gender balance on panels at SAA's Annual Meeting
• Conduct surveys among women relating to their work in the profession
• Monitor day care at the SAA Annual Meeting
• Nominate individuals to SAA Fellow
• Work with the Women's Caucus to create a positive environment for women throughout SAA and the profession
• Support and provide input to the SAA Salary Survey
• Provide a report on its activities to council in time for council's mid-winter meeting
• Identify and look for ways to bring women's professional archival issues forward for consideration, to make recommendations to Council, through memoranda or formal papers, an action, or a position the Roundtable believes appropriate for SAA
• Propose program sessions for the SAA Annual Meeting
• Communicate Roundtable activity within the Roundtable and to the Society at large
• Hold networking get-togethers with women archivists
• Conduct workshops on professional issues
• Complete statistical work on salary surveys
• Conduct a survey on women's professional archival issues
• Caucus women about their professional experiences and what they would like to see the Roundtable accomplish
• Promote and coordinate the Navigator program
• Work with the Membership Committee to address the recruitment and retention of women members
• Coordinate other related activities with other roundtables and other SAA units

IV. Governance

[WAR] will have two co-chairs, sharing the leadership of the section. They will be elected for staggered two-year terms. For the first election, one co-chair will be elected for a one-year term and one co-chair will be elected for a two-year term. These individuals must be SAA members in good standing.

There will also be a steering committee comprised of the two co-chairs and from five to seven other individuals. These members may, but are not required to be members of SAA. The steering committee will have broad geographic representation. Working Groups may be established as needed.
 

V. Meetings

[WAR] will meet at least once during the Society of American Archivists' Annual Meeting and at other times as deemed appropriate by the steering committee.

VI. Communication

[WAR] will submit information to the Women's Caucus newsletter, SAA's Archival Outlook, and the Archives Listserv. The Roundtable will also disseminate information about its work through its World Wide Website.
 

VII. Roundtable Leadership & Council

As appropriate, [WAR] leadership may meet with Council Representatives to discuss matters of mutual concern.

VIII. Amendments

Amendments to the Bylaws may be made by majority vote of the steering committee.
 

Approved September 3, 1998
WPAIR inaugural meeting
Orlando, Florida

WAR pages maintained by Jennie Thomas