VIII. The SSSP Schedules and Cycles
VIII. The SSSP Schedules and Cycles
VIII. A. SSSP Year - A Monthly Review
SEPTEMBER: This is the first month of the SSSP organizational year. All new officers and committee members assume their duties. A slate of potential nominees is turned over to the Elections Committee to secure permission to place their names on the general election ballot. All committees begin their work. The reports of the sessions being organized by the divisions and the Program Committee arrive in the Executive Office for assembly into the Call for Papers for the next Annual Meeting. The C. Wright Mills Committee begins to seek nominations for the award from members and publishers. Follow-up begins on the decisions made at the Annual Business Meeting and by the Board of Directors. Reports presented at the Annual Meeting are forwarded to the Executive Office to be placed on the Society’s web site. A contract is signed with the Local Arrangements Chair for the next Annual Meeting.
OCTOBER: The Newsletter reaches final preparation. The fall membership renewal campaign begins. All members receive a renewal notice requesting that they renew their membership. Life members, Emeriti before 1989 and sustaining members receive a request to verify their mailing address. The Call for Papers is printed and sent to all members and Ph.D. granting departments. The roster of officers and committee members is completed and mailed to all persons included in the roster. The Elections Committee completes its work and sends the full slate of candidates to the Executive Office. Candidates, who have agreed to run for office, are asked to complete a biographical data form. This form must be returned within 30 days of receipt. The Executive Office processes and mails the Author Payment checks. Final accounting for expenses associated with the Annual Meeting occurs and the third quarter financial statements are prepared and sent to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors. Announcements are prepared for the November issue of Social Problems.
NOVEMBER: The fall issue of the Newsletter is distributed. Newsletters from divisions are distributed electronically to members. Renewals from the first membership renewal mailing are returned and the database files are updated accordingly. The Site Selection Committee visits potential sites for the meetings up to three years from the current year. The Executive Office renews the grant with the hosting institution.
DECEMBER: Candidate statements and biographies are due to the Newsletter Editor by the December 15. All reports of the expenditures of division or committee funds for the year are due in the Executive Office. Any reimbursement of expenses for Society authorized activities must be in the hands of the Executive Office no later than December 15. A contract is signed with the Meeting Manager for the next Annual Meeting.
JANUARY: The second renewal notice is email/mailed to members. Updating of the database with new membership information continues. The Membership Committee launches its recruiting campaign through direct mail, reserving space at professional meetings, advertising, working with departments with graduate programs, person to person contacts, and other new recruiting ideas. The deadline for submission of papers/proposals to the Program Committee Chair and the Session Organizers is January 31. A site visit by the President, Meeting Manager, and the Local Arrangements Chair to the current year’s Annual Meeting site is conducted. All material for the winter issue of the Newsletter is due to the Editor. The Administrative Officer prepares the 1099 miscellaneous tax forms. Announcements are prepared for the February issue of Social Problems. Preregistrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
FEBRUARY: The Meeting Manager continues discussion with the hotel staff about special arrangements for the Annual Meeting. The Local Arrangements Chair continues to work on the Annual Meeting. The Program Committee and session organizers screen papers and complete arrangements for their sessions. Session organizers must notify the participants of their acceptance/rejection of the paper/proposal no later than February 21. The names, addresses, session/paper titles for the program must be in the hands of the Program Chair and the Executive Office no later than March 1. The winter issue of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter is published and mailed. The Executive Office continues to work with Division elections and newsletters. The Administrative Officer schedules the annual audit and begins the year-end budget preparation. If appropriate, the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee reviews the performance of the Executive Office and work of the committee structure of the organization. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
MARCH: The end of the year financial statements are completed and mailed to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and to the Board of Directors. The Executive Officer and Administrative Officer lay out the Annual Meeting program. Registration and verification materials are mailed to all persons listed in the preliminary program. The Administrative Officer begins working on the contents of the preliminary program. By March 1, an email is sent to all members announcing the opening of the general election on March 15. The Membership Committee continues its campaign to recruit new members at regional professional meetings throughout the spring. Submission of applications for the Erwin O. Smigel Award, Lee Scholar-Activist Support Fund, Lee Student Support Fund, and the Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship are due to the committees. The Administrative Officer begins planning the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee meeting. Division Chairs are requested to submit budget revisions for the current year and to project their budget for the following year. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
APRIL: The first quarterly financial reports are completed and mailed to Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors. The draft of the preliminary program is completed. The election results are sent to the Executive Office. The candidates are informed of the results. Newsletters from divisions are distributed electronically to members. The final membership renewal notice is prepared for mailing in May. An independent public accounting firm conducts a full audit of the Society’s books. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
MAY: The final membership renewal notice is mailed. Requests for funding from divisions, committees and officers should be sent to the Executive Office by May 1 for assembly for the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Meeting. The Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee meets in late May or early June. The preliminary program is mailed to the membership and all program participants and placed on the web site. The processing of pre-registrations continues. The work of divisions and committees continues. The Administrative Officer obtains the name, address, and award amount of the recipients from the Award Committees. Preregistrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
JUNE: The Meeting Manager continues to work with the hotel and the Local Arrangements Chair on arrangements for the Annual Meeting. All Award Committee Chairs report to the Executive Office so that arrangements for recognition at the Annual Meeting may be planned. The Administrative Officer contacts the registration workers and informs them of their arrival/departure dates, roommate, and work schedule for the Annual Meeting. The stipend/honorarium checks are processed and the letters of appreciation are sent to the Social Problems Editor, Associate Editors, and the Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter Editor. Preregistrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
JULY: The final program is prepared for printing. The second quarter financial statements are completed and sent to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors. All reports from officers and committee chairs are due in the Executive Office by mid-month. The Executive Office works with the President and Officers to set appropriate agendas. The final preparations for the Annual Meeting are finalized by the Meeting Manager, Executive Office, and the Local Arrangements Chair. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
AUGUST: The Annual Meeting is held. All committees and Special Problems Divisions hold meetings. The Meeting Manager staffs the meeting and provides support. The Board of Directors meets and makes all relevant decisions. The Administrative Officer contacts the publishing company of the C. Wright Mills winner and requests a camera ready ad. The Administrative Officer will review the hotel bill when received for accuracy.
VIII. B. SSSP Cycles
VIII. B. 1. Proposals that Involve the SSSP Beyond One Presidential Term
Any proposals that would involve SSSP in activities (e.g., special projects, networking with other organizations) that go beyond one presidential term must be reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors. Any such proposals must be clearly specified, including what is to be done and what group (e.g., division, ad hoc committee etc.) will provide the planning and implementation labor to carry out the proposal. The cost implications of the proposal must be explained and submitted to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee prior to Board review. Projects that entail significant costs should include specific plans or commitments for supplemental funding from outside organizations and granting agencies.
VIII. B. 2. Editorships
The bylaws specify a three-year, renewable term for the Editors of the two continuing publications of the Society. In both cases, the person appointed becomes a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and the Editorial and Publications Committee. The Board of Directors makes the appointment on the recommendation of the Editorial and Publications Committee. Because the terms are three years in length, this means that a properly functioning Editorial and Publications Committee is constantly working to either appoint or assist in maintaining a functioning Editorial Office. Recent editorships of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter have run for six or more years. Most Editors of Social Problems and their host institutions are ready to give up the position after three years.
VIII. B. 2. A. Social Problems
During the Annual Meeting, before candidates for the Editorship of Social Problems are interviewed at the following Annual Meeting, the Editorial and Publications Committee decides how it will publicize the vacancy and what it will require by the way of an application. The basic call for applicants request a statement of the qualifications of the candidate, the support that will be provided by the institutional home of the Editor, a proposed budget for operating the Editorial Office indicating how much monetary support will be needed from the Society, and the nature of the contractual relationship between the institutional home of the Editor and the Society. Usually the committee calls for a statement of goals that the Editor might have for the journal during his or her term of office and any comments on how the philosophy of the Editor coincides with and/or departs from previous scholarship reflected in the journal. When the committee has decided on the nature of these applications, deadlines are set for submissions. The committee members are encouraged to seek applicants and to assist them in preparing applications. The Executive Office makes itself available as a clearinghouse for assembling applications and sending them to committee members. If it is deemed desirable a budget item is requested for site visits by the committee members to proposed institutions. During the year preceding the Annual Meeting where interviews are conducted of the finalists for the Editorship, the committee reviews the applications that are filed and may discuss the applications via email or hold a conference call.
At the Annual Meeting where the final interviews are held, the candidates address any questions that have not been resolved and the committee makes its final recommendation to the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors accepts the recommendation, the Editor opens the new Editorial Office on June 1 of the following year. This enables the receiving of manuscripts at the new office. The retiring Editor finishes out the third year with the November issue. This means that during the third year of any Editorship there will be two Editorial Offices open for a period of three to six months, depending on the length of time taken by the retiring Editor to finish the November issue. The goal is to close the retiring Editor’s Office by September 30 of the third year.
During the third year of the Editor’s term, the retiring Editor sits as a member of the Board of Directors for the meetings before the Annual Business Meeting. The new Editor sits on the Board for the meeting after the Annual Business Meeting.
First full journal year of Editor’s term: The committee plans solicitation and collects the proposals for the new Editor.
Second full journal year of Editors term: The committee conducts finalist interviews and recommends the new Editor to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting.
Third full journal year of Editor’s term: The new Editor opens the Editorial Office in June and begins to receive manuscripts. The retiring Editor completes the November issue and closes the office by September 30.
VIII. B. 2. B. Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter
Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter is an important publication for the institutional memory of the Society. The official minutes of the Board of Directors and of the Annual Business Meeting, the annual audit, and the approved SSSP budget appear in the Newsletter. In addition to calls for participation in scholarly exchange, various award programs appear in the Newsletter. In recent years, the Editors have used its pages to call our attention to issues that must concern those persons using scholarship to pursue social justice. The Editorial Office for Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter requires less personnel and a smaller budget than the Social Problems Editorial Office. A similar timeline to that followed for the Editorship of Social Problems must be followed. If the Editorial and Publications Committee and the current Editor of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter are happy with the arrangement, the committee may elect to extend the term fully or partially. In general, six years must be viewed as the outside limit for the term of Newsletter Editor.
VIII. B. 3. Contracts and Agreements for Editors
The Society remains flexible in the type of contract written between it and the host institution. In some instances, the adopted budget of the Society serves as the budget used by the host institution with the supplements provided invisible to the Society but not to the Editor. It is important that budget categories of expenditures be approved by the Society when the Board of Directors takes action on the budget. Modifications in requested amounts must come to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee if they can be anticipated in advance of expenditure. The Society understands that a final accounting may reveal over and under expenditures, but recognizes the value of a budget that accurately estimates income and expenses.
VIII. A. SSSP Year - A Monthly Review
SEPTEMBER: This is the first month of the SSSP organizational year. All new officers and committee members assume their duties. A slate of potential nominees is turned over to the Elections Committee to secure permission to place their names on the general election ballot. All committees begin their work. The reports of the sessions being organized by the divisions and the Program Committee arrive in the Executive Office for assembly into the Call for Papers for the next Annual Meeting. The C. Wright Mills Committee begins to seek nominations for the award from members and publishers. Follow-up begins on the decisions made at the Annual Business Meeting and by the Board of Directors. Reports presented at the Annual Meeting are forwarded to the Executive Office to be placed on the Society’s web site. A contract is signed with the Local Arrangements Chair for the next Annual Meeting.
OCTOBER: The Newsletter reaches final preparation. The fall membership renewal campaign begins. All members receive a renewal notice requesting that they renew their membership. Life members, Emeriti before 1989 and sustaining members receive a request to verify their mailing address. The Call for Papers is printed and sent to all members and Ph.D. granting departments. The roster of officers and committee members is completed and mailed to all persons included in the roster. The Elections Committee completes its work and sends the full slate of candidates to the Executive Office. Candidates, who have agreed to run for office, are asked to complete a biographical data form. This form must be returned within 30 days of receipt. The Executive Office processes and mails the Author Payment checks. Final accounting for expenses associated with the Annual Meeting occurs and the third quarter financial statements are prepared and sent to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors. Announcements are prepared for the November issue of Social Problems.
NOVEMBER: The fall issue of the Newsletter is distributed. Newsletters from divisions are distributed electronically to members. Renewals from the first membership renewal mailing are returned and the database files are updated accordingly. The Site Selection Committee visits potential sites for the meetings up to three years from the current year. The Executive Office renews the grant with the hosting institution.
DECEMBER: Candidate statements and biographies are due to the Newsletter Editor by the December 15. All reports of the expenditures of division or committee funds for the year are due in the Executive Office. Any reimbursement of expenses for Society authorized activities must be in the hands of the Executive Office no later than December 15. A contract is signed with the Meeting Manager for the next Annual Meeting.
JANUARY: The second renewal notice is email/mailed to members. Updating of the database with new membership information continues. The Membership Committee launches its recruiting campaign through direct mail, reserving space at professional meetings, advertising, working with departments with graduate programs, person to person contacts, and other new recruiting ideas. The deadline for submission of papers/proposals to the Program Committee Chair and the Session Organizers is January 31. A site visit by the President, Meeting Manager, and the Local Arrangements Chair to the current year’s Annual Meeting site is conducted. All material for the winter issue of the Newsletter is due to the Editor. The Administrative Officer prepares the 1099 miscellaneous tax forms. Announcements are prepared for the February issue of Social Problems. Preregistrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
FEBRUARY: The Meeting Manager continues discussion with the hotel staff about special arrangements for the Annual Meeting. The Local Arrangements Chair continues to work on the Annual Meeting. The Program Committee and session organizers screen papers and complete arrangements for their sessions. Session organizers must notify the participants of their acceptance/rejection of the paper/proposal no later than February 21. The names, addresses, session/paper titles for the program must be in the hands of the Program Chair and the Executive Office no later than March 1. The winter issue of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter is published and mailed. The Executive Office continues to work with Division elections and newsletters. The Administrative Officer schedules the annual audit and begins the year-end budget preparation. If appropriate, the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee reviews the performance of the Executive Office and work of the committee structure of the organization. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
MARCH: The end of the year financial statements are completed and mailed to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and to the Board of Directors. The Executive Officer and Administrative Officer lay out the Annual Meeting program. Registration and verification materials are mailed to all persons listed in the preliminary program. The Administrative Officer begins working on the contents of the preliminary program. By March 1, an email is sent to all members announcing the opening of the general election on March 15. The Membership Committee continues its campaign to recruit new members at regional professional meetings throughout the spring. Submission of applications for the Erwin O. Smigel Award, Lee Scholar-Activist Support Fund, Lee Student Support Fund, and the Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship are due to the committees. The Administrative Officer begins planning the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee meeting. Division Chairs are requested to submit budget revisions for the current year and to project their budget for the following year. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
APRIL: The first quarterly financial reports are completed and mailed to Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors. The draft of the preliminary program is completed. The election results are sent to the Executive Office. The candidates are informed of the results. Newsletters from divisions are distributed electronically to members. The final membership renewal notice is prepared for mailing in May. An independent public accounting firm conducts a full audit of the Society’s books. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
MAY: The final membership renewal notice is mailed. Requests for funding from divisions, committees and officers should be sent to the Executive Office by May 1 for assembly for the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Meeting. The Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee meets in late May or early June. The preliminary program is mailed to the membership and all program participants and placed on the web site. The processing of pre-registrations continues. The work of divisions and committees continues. The Administrative Officer obtains the name, address, and award amount of the recipients from the Award Committees. Preregistrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
JUNE: The Meeting Manager continues to work with the hotel and the Local Arrangements Chair on arrangements for the Annual Meeting. All Award Committee Chairs report to the Executive Office so that arrangements for recognition at the Annual Meeting may be planned. The Administrative Officer contacts the registration workers and informs them of their arrival/departure dates, roommate, and work schedule for the Annual Meeting. The stipend/honorarium checks are processed and the letters of appreciation are sent to the Social Problems Editor, Associate Editors, and the Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter Editor. Preregistrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
JULY: The final program is prepared for printing. The second quarter financial statements are completed and sent to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors. All reports from officers and committee chairs are due in the Executive Office by mid-month. The Executive Office works with the President and Officers to set appropriate agendas. The final preparations for the Annual Meeting are finalized by the Meeting Manager, Executive Office, and the Local Arrangements Chair. Pre-registrations for the Annual Meeting are processed.
AUGUST: The Annual Meeting is held. All committees and Special Problems Divisions hold meetings. The Meeting Manager staffs the meeting and provides support. The Board of Directors meets and makes all relevant decisions. The Administrative Officer contacts the publishing company of the C. Wright Mills winner and requests a camera ready ad. The Administrative Officer will review the hotel bill when received for accuracy.
VIII. B. SSSP Cycles
VIII. B. 1. Proposals that Involve the SSSP Beyond One Presidential Term
Any proposals that would involve SSSP in activities (e.g., special projects, networking with other organizations) that go beyond one presidential term must be reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors. Any such proposals must be clearly specified, including what is to be done and what group (e.g., division, ad hoc committee etc.) will provide the planning and implementation labor to carry out the proposal. The cost implications of the proposal must be explained and submitted to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee prior to Board review. Projects that entail significant costs should include specific plans or commitments for supplemental funding from outside organizations and granting agencies.
VIII. B. 2. Editorships
The bylaws specify a three-year, renewable term for the Editors of the two continuing publications of the Society. In both cases, the person appointed becomes a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and the Editorial and Publications Committee. The Board of Directors makes the appointment on the recommendation of the Editorial and Publications Committee. Because the terms are three years in length, this means that a properly functioning Editorial and Publications Committee is constantly working to either appoint or assist in maintaining a functioning Editorial Office. Recent editorships of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter have run for six or more years. Most Editors of Social Problems and their host institutions are ready to give up the position after three years.
VIII. B. 2. A. Social Problems
During the Annual Meeting, before candidates for the Editorship of Social Problems are interviewed at the following Annual Meeting, the Editorial and Publications Committee decides how it will publicize the vacancy and what it will require by the way of an application. The basic call for applicants request a statement of the qualifications of the candidate, the support that will be provided by the institutional home of the Editor, a proposed budget for operating the Editorial Office indicating how much monetary support will be needed from the Society, and the nature of the contractual relationship between the institutional home of the Editor and the Society. Usually the committee calls for a statement of goals that the Editor might have for the journal during his or her term of office and any comments on how the philosophy of the Editor coincides with and/or departs from previous scholarship reflected in the journal. When the committee has decided on the nature of these applications, deadlines are set for submissions. The committee members are encouraged to seek applicants and to assist them in preparing applications. The Executive Office makes itself available as a clearinghouse for assembling applications and sending them to committee members. If it is deemed desirable a budget item is requested for site visits by the committee members to proposed institutions. During the year preceding the Annual Meeting where interviews are conducted of the finalists for the Editorship, the committee reviews the applications that are filed and may discuss the applications via email or hold a conference call.
At the Annual Meeting where the final interviews are held, the candidates address any questions that have not been resolved and the committee makes its final recommendation to the Board of Directors. If the Board of Directors accepts the recommendation, the Editor opens the new Editorial Office on June 1 of the following year. This enables the receiving of manuscripts at the new office. The retiring Editor finishes out the third year with the November issue. This means that during the third year of any Editorship there will be two Editorial Offices open for a period of three to six months, depending on the length of time taken by the retiring Editor to finish the November issue. The goal is to close the retiring Editor’s Office by September 30 of the third year.
During the third year of the Editor’s term, the retiring Editor sits as a member of the Board of Directors for the meetings before the Annual Business Meeting. The new Editor sits on the Board for the meeting after the Annual Business Meeting.
First full journal year of Editor’s term: The committee plans solicitation and collects the proposals for the new Editor.
Second full journal year of Editors term: The committee conducts finalist interviews and recommends the new Editor to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting.
Third full journal year of Editor’s term: The new Editor opens the Editorial Office in June and begins to receive manuscripts. The retiring Editor completes the November issue and closes the office by September 30.
VIII. B. 2. B. Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter
Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter is an important publication for the institutional memory of the Society. The official minutes of the Board of Directors and of the Annual Business Meeting, the annual audit, and the approved SSSP budget appear in the Newsletter. In addition to calls for participation in scholarly exchange, various award programs appear in the Newsletter. In recent years, the Editors have used its pages to call our attention to issues that must concern those persons using scholarship to pursue social justice. The Editorial Office for Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter requires less personnel and a smaller budget than the Social Problems Editorial Office. A similar timeline to that followed for the Editorship of Social Problems must be followed. If the Editorial and Publications Committee and the current Editor of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter are happy with the arrangement, the committee may elect to extend the term fully or partially. In general, six years must be viewed as the outside limit for the term of Newsletter Editor.
VIII. B. 3. Contracts and Agreements for Editors
The Society remains flexible in the type of contract written between it and the host institution. In some instances, the adopted budget of the Society serves as the budget used by the host institution with the supplements provided invisible to the Society but not to the Editor. It is important that budget categories of expenditures be approved by the Society when the Board of Directors takes action on the budget. Modifications in requested amounts must come to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee if they can be anticipated in advance of expenditure. The Society understands that a final accounting may reveal over and under expenditures, but recognizes the value of a budget that accurately estimates income and expenses.