SSSP Approved By-Laws

Click here for a PDF version of the 2024 By-Laws.

ARTICLE I-NAME
ARTICLE II-OBJECTIVES
ARTICLE III-MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE IV-OFFICERS
ARTICLE V-BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE VI-DIVISIONS AND COMMITTEES
ARTICLE VII-MEETINGS
ARTICLE VIII-ELECTIONS
ARTICLE IX-FINANCES
ARTICLE X-PUBLICATIONS
ARTICLE XI-MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATES
ARTICLE XII-MISCELLANEOUS
ARTICLE XIII-AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE XIV-RESOLUTIONS
ARTICLE XV-TIMELY STATEMENTS

 

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this corporation shall be “THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS, INC.”

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ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES

SECTION 1. Purposes

This Society shall be a non-profit corporation to promote and protect sociological research and teaching on significant problems of social life and, particularly, to encourage the work of young sociologists; to stimulate the application of scientific method and theory to the study of vital social problems; to encourage problem-centered social research; to foster cooperative relations among persons and organizations engaged in the application of scientific sociological findings to the formulation of social policies; to foster higher quality of life, social welfare, and positive social relations in society and the global community and to undertake any activity related thereto or necessary or desirable for the accomplishment of the foregoing purposes.

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SECTION 2. Earnings, Activities and Dissolution Provisions

In accomplishing the foregoing purposes, the corporation shall be governed by the following requirements:

First, no part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its members, directors, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the above purposes.

The Society is registered as a 501(h) organization, and as so, is subject to caps on expenditures on lobbying activity, according to the Internal Revenue Service’s regulations, as specified in section 4911.  The annual lobbying expenditure is based on the size of the organization, and may not exceed $1,000,000, as indicated in the table below:

If the amount of exempt purpose expenditures is:

 Lobbying nontaxable amount is:

≤ $500,000

20% of the exempt purpose expenditures

> $500,000 but ≤ $1,000,000

$100,000 plus 15% of the excess of exempt purpose expenditures over $500,000

> $1,000,000 but ≤ $1,500,000

$175,000 plus 10% of the excess of exempt purpose expenditures over $1,000,000

> $1,500,000 but ≤ $17,000,000

$225,000 plus 5% of the exempt purpose expenditures over $1,500,000

> $17,000,000

$1,000,000

Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

Second, upon the dissolution of the Corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes of the corporation in such a manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, education, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Directors shall determine.  Any of such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the court of general jurisdiction of the country in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

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ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP 

SECTION 1. Field of Membership

Anyone interested in implementing the objectives of the Society may become a member.

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SECTION 2. Dues

The Board of Directors may, by a majority vote of its total voting membership, propose changes in the membership dues of the Society.  All such proposed changes shall be submitted for ratification at the annual business meeting of the Society.  They shall take effect if approved by a two-thirds vote of the business meeting.  If they fail of approval by a two-thirds vote, the Board of Directors may submit the proposed changes to an electronic ballot of the total membership, and they shall take effect if approved by a majority voting in the electronic ballot.  The electronic ballot shall remain open for sixty days and the results tabulated and verified by the Elections Committee.

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SECTION 3. Communication with members

The Society for the Study of Social Problems assumes that all members will have access to electronic mail and will provide a current e-mail address to the Administrative Office for official communications from the Society.  A postal address will be provided to the Administrative Office as well.  This information will be considered privileged information and will not be sold or shared with any group without permission of the individual member.  The preferred method of communication with members is by electronic mail.  Electronic mail will be used for the notification of elections, notification of meetings, and any other official announcements.  The Administrative Office shall send a minimum of three e-mail blasts annually to membership updating them as to relevant news of Society activities.  It is considered the member’s responsibility to notify the Administrative Office of any changes in e-mail or postal address in a timely fashion.

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SECTION 4. Rights of Membership and Good Standing

All paid-up members of the Society shall receive the journal, Social Problems.  Regular members shall be permitted to join one division and student members shall be permitted to join two divisions for the price of the annual membership fee (additional memberships can be added for an additional fee), and are entitled to vote on elections and on issues submitted to the membership.  Members will be granted a grace period for voting for up to six months but will not receive Social Problems until dues are paid.

References below to members in good standing refer to members who have fulfilled their dues obligation for the present year.

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ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

SECTION 1. Names of Positions

The officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-President, a President-Elect, a Vice-President-Elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  The officers shall be elected by a membership in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation and in the manner prescribed in Article VIII below.

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SECTION 2. Qualifications for Holding Society Positions

Any individual accepting a nomination, holding an office, or serving on any standing or temporary committee of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, or as an editor or member of the Editorial Board of any periodical publication of the Society, must be a current member of the Society and must be committed to the SSSP’s purposes and policies, including a commitment to diversity; the Society’s policy on conflicts of interest; and the creation of a safe, welcoming, and supported space for members and staff of the organization and the staff of the venues at which our meetings are held, as outlined in the Society’s Anti-harassment Policy.

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SECTION 3. Terms of Office

The President-Elect and Vice-President-Elect shall serve for one year and then shall automatically succeed to the presidency and the vice-presidency for a one-year term.

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SECTION 4. President

The President of the Society shall preside at all business meetings of the Society, shall chair the Board of Directors, and shall perform all duties assigned to him, her or them by the Society and the Board.

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SECTION 5. President-Elect

The President-Elect may, at any time after the annual election, request the Board, as it may be composed to serve during his, her, or their term of office, to appoint the chair and members of the Program Committee and the chair and members of the Local Arrangements Committee that will serve during that term.  The President-Elect shall appoint the chairs of the C. Wright Mills and Lee Founders Award Committees which will serve during her/his or their term of office.  Upon formally taking office, the new Board shall confirm these appointments.  Two candidates for President-Elect are provided by the Nominations Committee.

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SECTION 6. Vice-President and Vice-President-Elect

The Vice-President and Vice-President-Elect shall serve as voting members of the Board of Directors and other duties as assigned.  Order of succession is specified in Section 10 of this Article.

The Vice-President serves as chair of the Resolutions Committee and may appoint others to assist him, her or them.  In addition, the Vice-President serves as chair of the Committee on Social Action.  Two candidates for Vice-President-Elect are provided by the Nominations Committee.

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SECTION 7. Secretary

This Secretary shall record the transactions of the Society and the Board of Directors, shall work closely with the various committees as herein specified, and shall perform such other duties as the Board may assign.  The Secretary shall give due notice of all meetings of the members and the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors shall nominate at least one candidate for Secretary at its Annual Meeting.

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SECTION 8. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall oversee the funds of the Society, subject to expenditures, at the instruction of the Board of Directors.  The Treasurer or the Secretary shall establish a bank account in the name of the Society, withdrawal from which shall be upon the signature of one officer of the Society, who will ordinarily be the Treasurer, or the Executive Officer of the Society, or of the Administrative Officer, excepting that, if withdrawals exceed one thousand dollars, or are for the purpose of payment of salary of salaried employees, they shall require two signatures, of which at least one shall be that of the President or Treasurer of the Society or of the Executive Officer or of the Administrative Officer, as instructed by the Board.  The Treasurer shall also be a member of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.  The Board of Directors shall nominate at least one candidate for Treasurer at its Annual Meeting.

In accordance with the laws and regulations of the state of Tennessee and the state in which the Administrative Office is located the Board of Directors of the Society for the Study of Social Problems may direct the Treasurer to disburse funds to the host institution for the purpose of paying salaries of the Executive Officer, Administrative Officer and Administrative Office staff so long as a contract exists between the host institution and the Society for the Study of Social Problems.  In the absence of a contract the provisions for salaries stated above hold.

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SECTION 9. Parliamentarian

The President shall appoint, with the consent of the Board of Directors, a Parliamentarian to advise the Society on matters of interpretation of the By-Laws and of Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.  The term of office shall be specified at the time of appointment, but not exceed three years.

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SECTION 10. Vacancies in Office and Order of Succession

(a) Vacancies in any office other than that of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President-Elect, Immediate-Past-President, or Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions shall be filled by the Board of Directors.

(b) In the event of a vacancy in the office of President due to the death, resignation, or absence or incapacitation, temporary or permanent, or the President, the duties of that office shall devolve successfully upon the Vice-President, the Secretary, or the Treasurer in that order.  If the Board of Directors determines that the vacancy in the office of President is not temporary and that the President will be unable to resume the duties of that office, the person upon whom the duties of that office devolve will assume the title of President.

(c) A vacancy in the office of President-Elect shall be filled by a special election, conducted in the manner prescribed in these By-Laws or election to that office (Article VIII below).  Vacancies in the office of Vice-President-Elect shall be filled in a like manner.

(d) When a vacancy occurs in the Chair of the Council of the Divisions, the Board will appoint one of its own members to coordinate an election of a new Chairperson to fill out the unexpired term of the former Chairperson from among the members of the Council that have served at least one year on the Council.

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SECTION 11. Executive Officer 

The Board may establish an Administrative Office and may appoint an Executive Officer.  It may also, if it deems desirable, appoint an Administrative Officer.  In both cases, the Board is responsible for developing appropriate job descriptions and biennially updating them.  The Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer shall be responsible to the Board or to such member or members of the Board as the Board shall designate.

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ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1. Composition of the Board

The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice-President, President-Elect, Vice-President-Elect, Immediate-Past-President, seven executive members to be elected by the Society, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions; two Student Board Members; and as ex officio, non-voting members, the editor of Social Problems and the Chairperson-elect of the Council of the Divisions.  All members of the Board of Directors shall have been dues paying members of the Society for at least two years preceding their assumption of office except for Student Board Members who shall have been dues-paying members of the Society for at least one year prior to assuming office.

The seven executive members of the Board shall be elected to three-year terms except for the initial Board members who are elected for the terms set forth in the Articles of Incorporation.  The terms shall be staggered so that no more than three new members are elected each year.  Executive members who have been elected by the Society to the Board shall not be eligible for re-election until three years have elapsed since their last term in office.  Student Board Members shall be elected for two-year terms on a staggered basis so that one member is elected each year. If a student board member secures a faculty or other position prior to beginning their term, they must relinquish their seat on the Board to the candidate receiving the next highest number of votes. If the position is secured after they begin their term, they may finish serving their two-year term.

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SECTION 2. Duties of Board

The Board shall manage the affairs of the Society.  All actions of the Board shall be reported promptly to the membership by e-mail bulletins and/or on the Society’s website, and the membership shall review the actions at the regular annual business meeting of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors shall be the only body of the Society to authorize official statements in the name of the Society.  When such statements are thought controversial, they shall first be submitted to the membership for authorization at the Annual Meeting or by e-mail ballot.  All statements not so authorized are subject to critical review after issuance by the Society’s Annual Meeting.

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SECTION 3. Quorum of Board

Nine voting members of the Board of Directors shall be necessary for a quorum; provided however that no action shall be taken by the Board of Directors except upon the affirmative vote of at least nine directors.

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SECTION 4. Meetings of Board

Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such place, whether within or without the State of Tennessee, as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors or in the notice of meeting arrangement.  In the absence of any such designation, the meeting shall be held at the principal Administrative Office of the corporation.  Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such times as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. Special Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time on call of the President, or on written call of not less than a majority of the Directors, or may be held at any time or place upon the unanimous written consent of the voting members of the Board.  This written call may be executed by e-mail or by mail using the U.S. Postal Service.  There shall be at least one meeting of the current Board and of the newly elected Board at any Annual Meeting of the Society.

The person or persons calling a special meeting, or the Secretary, at their direction, shall e-mail or mail, in the manner provided in the By-Laws (Article VII, Section 3), or deliver notice thereof, to each director not less than fourteen (14) days before such meeting.  Such notice shall specify by whom the meeting is called at the time, place and object thereof.  Any Director may waive, in writing, notice of any meeting of Directors.  Presence of a Director at any meeting of the Board and his, her or their participation in such meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice thereof on the part of such Director.

All meetings of the Board that are held during the time of the Annual Meeting shall be listed in the Program or, if called subsequently to the publications of the Program, the times of such meetings in attendance at the Annual Meeting.  When meetings of the board are held at times other than that of the Annual Meeting, no advance notice or announcement to the members of the Society shall be necessary.

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SECTION 5. Vacancies on Board and Committees

Any vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors, other than in the offices of President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Vice-President-Elect, Immediate-Past-President, or Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions, caused by death or resignation, may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board, and any Director so elected shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting of members, and until his/her or their successor is elected and qualified.  In like manner, except as may be otherwise provided in these By-Laws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fill any other vacancies that may occur among the officers of the Society or in the various committees.

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SECTION 6. Removal of a Board Member

A Director may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Board. Cause for removal may include, but not be limited to, the director failing to fulfill their responsibilities as a member of the Board or engaging in activities antithetical or harmful to the interests, values, or mission of the organization, or behaving in a manner that prevents the Board from functioning effectively and thereby preventing it from fulfilling its responsibilities to the Society’s members. In order to fulfill their responsibilities, members must attend board meetings and cast votes on policies and other matters before the Board. Failure to attend two consecutive meetings or to cast two consecutive votes, or a total of four meetings or four votes (in-person or online), without providing the President or Administrative Officer with an unavoidable reason for missing the meeting or vote, will result in the Board considering removal of said member. The first step in the possible removal of a member will be a personal intervention to appeal to the person in question and to lend assistance if their behavior is a consequence of personal problems or circumstances beyond their control. If the intervention is unsuccessful, the individual in question may be asked to and be given the opportunity to resign. If the individual does not resign, the Board will form a subcommittee to investigate and make a recommendation to the Board.

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ARTICLE VI - DIVISIONS AND COMMITTEES

SECTION 1. Divisions

The Board of Directors shall be attentive to members’ interest in the formation of new Divisions and shall establish new divisions when they appear desirable and there is sufficient number of persons to carry on division work.  Such interest will be expressed by a petition or statement signed by fifty (50) or more members.  A Division shall be concerned with the development of research and theory in fields which are within the purview of the Society, and shall organize sessions at the Annual Meeting within the framework of the policies and guidelines developed by the Program Committee.

Each Division shall hold an annual business meeting at the time and place of the Annual Meeting of the Society.  Division Chairpersons are expected to provide an annual report of the activities of their divisions, via electronic correspondence, or other means to the Administrative Office.

The chairpersons of newly established Divisions shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.  After a Division is established, its members must elect a Division chairperson, a chairperson-elect and such other officers as determined by the Division.  Such terms of office and election procedures shall be subject to approval by the Board of Directors, provided that:

(a) No Division chairperson shall serve as such for more than three consecutive years.  The Division chairperson-elect shall be elected at least one year prior to the beginning of his, her or their term as Division Chairperson.  Both the Division chairperson and Division chairperson-elect shall assume office at the annual Division business meeting in which his, her or their term begins.

(b) Nominations for candidates will be solicited through a minimum of three emails with at least one email each sent by the Division Chairperson and the Chairperson, Council of the Divisions. While it is intended for elections to include at least two candidates, a Division will be allowed to move into an election with a single candidate, following the minimum of three email solicitations.

(c) There shall be a provision for nominations by the membership of the Division by petition, write-in, or otherwise.

(d) Election procedures shall insure to all members of the Division an opportunity to vote in the election. It is considered the member’s responsibility to notify the Administrative Office of any changes in e-mail address in a timely fashion.  Electronic mail will be used for all election-related communication, and voting is conducted via electronic ballot.

(e) Election notification including candidate qualification shall be sent by e-mail from the SSSP Administrative Office before the voting is opened.  At least four weeks shall be allowed from the opening of the website to receive votes before the voting website is closed.  The Administrative Office will monitor the computer tabulation of votes and will report any irregularities to Division Officers and to the Board of Directors.  A majority of votes cast shall be necessary to elect any Division Officer.  If there are more nominees for an office and there is not a clear majority, a run-off election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the most votes.  The same election procedures described above shall be followed for the run-off election.

(f) The results of Division elections shall be announced prior to the Annual Division Business Meeting either in the Division Newsletter or by a special mailing to the Division members.

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SECTION 2. Council of Divisions  

The Council of the Divisions shall consist of the chairpersons of the Divisions, the Chairperson of the Council, and the Chairperson-elect of the Council, who shall be nominated and elected in the manner provided herein.  The Council shall constitute a means for facilitating communication and cooperation among the Divisions; it shall provide a forum for consideration of matters of interest to the Divisions generally, and it may make recommendations, relative to such matters, to the Board of Directors.  As provided in Article VI, Section 11, the Chairperson of the Divisions, the Chairperson-elect of the Council and four members appointed by the Board of Directors shall serve on the Nominations Committee.

(a) Every third year members of the Council of Division Chairpersons who have served for at least one-year as Division Chairs shall elect from among their members a chairperson who shall serve for a term of three years and cannot be re-elected to this position.

(b) The Chairperson of the Council also shall serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors of the Society and as Chairperson of the Nominations Committee.

(c) The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions may recommend replacing a Division Chair to the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer if the Division Chairperson fails to fulfill one or more of the following requirements after at least two reminders/warnings: (1) distribute at least one newsletter per year, (2) provide an annual division budget on time, and (3) maintain a current division mission statement on the division’s webpage.  The Executive Officer will discuss the recommendation with the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions and the Administrative Officer. If they agree to proceed with the recommendation to replace, the Executive Officer will forward the recommendation to the Board of Directors for the final decision, and invite the Division Chairperson to submit to the Board, through the Administrative Office, a challenge to the recommendation if s/he or they do not agree with the recommendation within two weeks of notification.  If the Board decides to replace the Division Chair, an emergency election will be held within one month to elect a replacement chair. 

The Executive Officer may initiate efforts to review the viability of any division that fails to comply with one or more of the following requirements: (1) have at least 50 members for two years running, (2) have a replacement chair elected by the end of the current chair’s term of office, (3) organize at least two sessions for the Annual Meeting, (4) be represented at every meeting of the Council of the Divisions, and (5) hold a divisional meeting at the Annual Meeting.  If the Executive Officer finds that a division is no longer viable according to these criteria, the Executive Officer will discuss the recommendation to eliminate the division with the Council and invite the division in question to respond to the Executive Officer’s recommendation.  The Executive Officer will then decide whether to forward his/her or their recommendation to the Board for the final decision.

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SECTION 3. Committee Formation and Termination

Except as herein otherwise provided, Committees shall be appointed for a period of one year, to terminate at the end of the current President’s term of office.  Standing Committees shall be reconstituted each year with a turnover membership of at least one-third, and no member may serve on the same committee of the Society, whether by election or appointment, for more than three consecutive years.  Exceptions may be made to this in case of officer-members of the Board of Directors.

Given the one-year limitation, the Society and/or Board of Directors may constitute whatever other committees it may deem needful.  Such temporary committees must be reauthorized by Board or Society action to continue beyond one year.

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SECTION 4. Names of Standing Committees

There are four elected Standing Committees: Budget, Finance, and Audit; Committee on Committees; Editorial and Publications; and Membership and Outreach.

There are four types of Standing Committees appointed by the Board of Directors: those concerned with organizational structure (By-Laws; Elections; Nominations; Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning); those concerned with the Annual Meeting (Local Arrangements; Program; Site Selection); those concerned with annual awards (Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award; C. Wright Mills Award; Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award; Erwin O. Smigel Award; Joseph B. Gittler Award; Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award; Lee Founders Award; Lee Scholar Support Fund; Lee Student Support Fund; Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship; Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award); and those concerned with specific issues (Accessibility; Committee on Mentorship; Committee on Social Action; Justice 21; Transnational Initiatives).

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SECTION 5. Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee

The Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee shall consist of the Treasurer of the Society and three members of the Society elected by the voting membership to three-year terms, with terms staggered so that at least one member is elected each year, depending on the number of vacancies.  Each year the members of the Committee shall select from among their members who have served at least one-year, a Chairperson-elect to serve as Chairperson the following year.  The Treasurer may not serve as Chairperson-elect. 

The Committee’s duties shall be: (a) to examine, acknowledge, and approve, with recommended changes and additions deemed necessary, the Society Budget and income and expenditures as proposed by the Administrative Office; (b) to acknowledge and approve the audit of the Society’s financial records each year by the Administrative Office with the assistance of a certified public accountant; (c) to supervise the investment of the funds of the Society following guidelines established by the Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.

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SECTION 6. Committee on Committees

The Committee on Committees shall consist of six members of the Society elected by the voting membership to three-year terms with the terms staggered so that at least two members are elected each year, depending on the number of vacancies.  Each year the members of the Committee shall select from among their members who have served at least one-year, a Chairperson-elect to serve as Chairperson the following year.  

The Committee’s duties shall be to nominate or recommend for nomination members of selected appointed committees as stated in the By-Laws or assigned by the Board of Directors.  A member may not serve on more than two committees within the Committee on Committees’ authority.

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SECTION 7. Editorial and Publications Committee

The Editorial and Publications Committee shall consist of six members of the Society elected by the voting membership to three-year terms with the terms staggered so that at least two members are elected each year, depending on the number of vacancies.  Members who are nominated for election to the Committee must have editorial experience.  Each year the members of the Committee shall select from among their members who have served at least one-year, a Chairperson-elect to serve as Chairperson the following year.  In addition to the elected members the chair of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee shall serve as a voting, ex officio member.  The outgoing editor of Social Problems shall serve a three-year term as a voting, ex officio member. The Chair of the Justice 21 Committee shall serve a two-year term as a voting, ex officio member.

The Committee shall recommend an editor of Social Problems to the Board of Directors.  The Committee shall have oversight responsibilities with respect to publication of Social Problems.  In this capacity, the Committee will solicit quarterly reports from the Social Problems editor and offer itself as a resource to him/her or them in order to ensure the quality and timeliness of his/her or their respective publication.

The Committee is also charged with providing the Board with yearly evaluations of the editor of Social Problems.  This evaluation should conclude with a recommendation that the editor be continued in the term of office or replaced in a timely fashion.  On the basis of the evaluation, the Committee can recommend reappointment of the editor to a second and final term not to exceed three years.

The Committee will periodically review and publish its criteria for the oversight of the Editorial Office and for the selection of the editor.  Final decisions regarding the editorial policies of Social Problems shall be made by the Board of Directors or by the membership of the Society in vote or referendum.  The Editor remains the final judge over acceptance and rejection of manuscripts and over format (within the limits set by the budget). 

The Editorial and Publications Committee shall have oversight responsibilities with respect to publication of the Agenda for Social Justice book series. In this capacity, the Committee will conduct a bi-yearly evaluation of the Justice 21 Committee’s work and offer itself as a resource to them in order to ensure the quality and timeliness of this respective publication. Publish a call for applications and appoint a group to select members of the Justice 21 Committee as needed, at least every other year. The Committee can recommend reappointment of the Justice 21 Committee for a second and final term not to exceed four years. The Committee will periodically review and publish its criteria for the oversight of the Justice 21 Committee, including the selection of its members. Final decisions regarding the editorial policies of the Agenda for Social Justice editorial policies are made by the Editorial and Publications Committee. The Chair of the Justice 21 Committee remains the final judge over acceptance and rejection of manuscripts and over format (within the limits set by the budget).

The Committee shall also be responsible for supervising the preparation and the publication arrangements of publications of the Society other than the journal, Social Problems, as provided in Article X below.

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SECTION 8. By-Laws Committee 

The By-Laws Committee shall consist of the Executive Officer and one or more members of the Society with substantial experience and knowledge about the organizational structure of the Society.  The member(s) of the committee and the Chairperson shall be nominated annually by the President and appointed by the Board of Directors.

The duty of the Committee is to draft new By-Laws or Amendments to the By-Laws for submission to the Board of Directors for consideration and approval.  If approved by a majority of the Board, such changes shall be submitted to vote by the membership as specified in Article XIII, Section 1.

The By-Laws Committee shall assist the Elections Committee in obtaining explanations of proposed amendments that are not self-explanatory in nature including interpretations from different points of view as specified in Article XIII, Section 3.

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SECTION 9. Elections Committee

The President in consultation with the Committee on Committees shall nominate a Chairperson of the Elections Committee.  In consultation with the Chairperson, the President shall nominate three or more members to serve as committee members.  The Chairperson and the committee members shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.  The Elections Committee itself, as a committee, shall make no nominations.  It shall be guided in its actions solely by the nominations it receives from the Nominations Committee and petitions it receives from the membership.  Its duties shall be to contact the nominees, supervise the conduct of elections and of referendums on policy and legislation, and to certify the results thereof.  (See Article VIII, section 5 for detailed description of duties and activity.)  The ways in which such elections and referendums are initiated and held are outlined below in Article VIII.

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SECTION 10. Membership and Outreach Committee

The Membership and Outreach Committee shall consist of nine elected members serving three-year staggered terms.  Each cohort of elected committee members should include at least one graduate student.  The members of the committee shall each year elect a chair from among those committee members who are serving their third year on the committee.  The duties of the Membership and Outreach Committee are to recruit new members, to raise awareness of SSSP and to recommend retention strategies to the Administrative Office and to the Board of Directors.

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SECTION 11. Nominations Committee

(a)  The Nominations Committee for each year following the annual meeting is established at the current annual meeting.  The committee shall consist of the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions, the Chairperson-elect of the Council of the Divisions, and four members appointed by the Board of Directors.  The four appointed Committee members will serve two-year terms, with the terms staggered so that at least two members are appointed each year, depending on the number of vacancies.  The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions will serve as the Chair of the Nominations Committee and will be the primary point of contact with the Board of Directors.

(b) Its duty shall be to nominate at least two persons to stand for each elected office and elected committee position for which there will be a vacancy during the following year, except for the offices of Treasurer and Secretary, candidates for which shall be nominated by the Board of Directors, and the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions.  Every third year the Nominations Committee also shall nominate one or more of the Divisions Chairpersons, who are members of the Nominations Committee to stand for a three-year term as Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions.

(c)  Each year the Nominations Committee led by the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions shall begin soliciting names for consideration at the following year’s meetings immediately following the Annual Meeting.  In order to be considered for nomination at the meeting the name of the person and a brief biographical sketch including information on scholarship and professional service, including service in SSSP, should be circulated to all members of the Nominations Committee in advance of their meeting at the Annual Meeting.  These potential nominees should have been contacted to determine their willingness to run.  The Committee shall invite nominations from all members of the Society through the Society’s website, from the Board of Directors, from members of Standing Committees and whatever other sources it deems appropriate.

(d)  The Committee has the responsibility of presenting as its report an ordered list of nominees for each vacant position.  This report goes to the Elections Committee by no later than two weeks following the Annual Meeting, with a corresponding copy to the Administrative Office of the Society.

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SECTION 12. Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee 

The Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and six members who shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  The committee members shall serve three-year staggered terms so that at least two members are appointed each year.  The President-Elect shall nominate and the Board of Directors shall appoint a Chairperson-elect from among the committee members who have served on the committee at least one-year prior to his, her or their appointment and who shall serve as Chairperson of the committee during the year that the President-Elect serves as President.  

The duties of the committee shall be (a) the critical survey of the functioning of the Society; (b) the development of proposals for the improvement of the organization and operation of the Society; (c) the examination of the distribution of functions between volunteer members and paid staff for more effective achievement of organizational objectives; (d) initiate the process of planning for new goals and future development for the Society; (e) review of the maintenance of a system of permanent records and operating procedures (f) “serve as personnel Committee for the Society.”  These permanent records and operating procedures relating to the operation of the Society and its committees should be made available to new officers, Board members, and officers of other constituent bodies and committees of the Society.  

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SECTION 13. Local Arrangements Committee

The Local Arrangements Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and at least three members residing in the local area where the Annual Meeting is to be held the following year.  The President-Elect shall nominate and the Board of Directors shall appoint the Committee Chairperson.  In consultation with the Committee Chairperson, the President-Elect shall nominate and the Board of Directors shall appoint the other committee members.  The duties of the committee shall be to assist the Program Committee and Administrative Office in preparation for the Annual Meeting of the Society.  Specific duties include: assist the Administrative Office in the preparation of a guide to the locality of the Meeting; arrange for volunteers to assist in the registration process at the Annual Meeting; provide referrals to local services available; arrange special activities in keeping with the theme of the Annual Meeting.

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SECTION 14. Program Committee

The Program Committee, including its Chairperson, shall consist of three or more persons nominated by the President-Elect and appointed by the Board of Directors.  Its duties shall be to develop and implement the plans for the program for the Annual Meeting based upon the theme for the meeting developed by the Chair-elect and published widely in Society publications beginning at least one year prior to the meeting.  The Executive Officer of the Society will advise the Program Committee and will place at its disposal the services and the resources of the Administrative Office.  The Program Committee will also work closely with the Divisions in developing and carrying out the program.

The Committee shall be empowered to stimulate discussion at the Annual Meeting of topics it deems important in furtherance of the interests of the Society.  To this end it may arrange for the presentation of papers, colloquia, seminars, and any other formats it deems appropriate.  These forums for discussion may deal with research findings, theory, or policy questions.  The Committee shall also invite the membership of the Society to contribute suggestions for topics around which sessions might be organized.  The Committee shall make a special effort to provide for the critical discussion of constraints, internal and external to the social science professions, on integrity, independence, freedom and creativity of these professions in their pursuit of research, theory, and policy analysis.

The Committee will issue a call for the submission of papers well in advance of the Annual Meeting.  In addition to submitted papers, the Committee may also solicit invited papers when, in its judgment, such papers are necessary to achieve the objectives of the program.  The Committee will provide opportunities at the Meeting for the presentation or distribution of all papers submitted by members.

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SECTION 15. Site Selection Committee 

The Site Selection Committee shall consist of the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer.  They may consult with one or more members of the Society who reside in the local area where an Annual Meeting is to be held in the future.  The Committee may also wish to consult with the Chairperson of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee on financial considerations regarding the site.  The committee shall have as their responsibility of selecting sites for future Annual Meetings according to the site selection criteria established by the Board of Directors and submitting their recommendation to the Board of Directors for their approval.

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SECTION 16. Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee

The purpose of this fund is to help defray expenses of scholar activists attending the Annual Meeting.  Particular emphasis is given to supporting the attendance of international scholar activists.  The Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and one other member.  The Chairperson-elect and other member shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  They shall serve during the President-Elect’s term as President.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming the Chairperson.

The Committee shall have as its responsibility the development of a fund to help defray the expenses of attending the Society’s Annual Meetings by scholar-activists.  Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall be responsible for allocating the monies raised for the fund, which shall come from contributions by members, allocations by the Board of Directors and other sources.  This fund was established by the Board of Directors to honor Alfred McClung Lee and Elizabeth Briant Lee.

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SECTION 17. Lee Student Support Fund Committee

The Lee Student Support Fund Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and one other member.  The Chairperson-elect and other member shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  They shall serve during the President-Elect’s term as President.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming the Chairperson.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of allocating to the most deserving student applicant monies from a fund established by the Board of Directors in honor of Alfred McClung Lee and Elizabeth Briant Lee.  The specific purpose of the fund shall be to aid students who otherwise could not attend the Society’s Annual Meetings.  Particular care shall be taken to aid students who have actively participated in humanistic social causes. Monies for this fund shall come from contributions from members, allocations by the Board of Directors and other sources.

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SECTION 18. C. Wright Mills Award Committee

The President-Elect shall appoint the Chairperson-elect for the C. Wright Mills Award Committee. On the basis of nominations from the Committee on Committees and in consultation with the Chairperson-elect, the President shall appoint a committee of at least five other members of the committee. In appointing these members, the President, with the assistance of the Chair of the Committee and the Administrative Office, will ensure that the committee is diverse, based on, but not limited to, racial-ethnic background, gender and sexual identities, geographic locations, faculty rank, and institutional settings (e.g., academia, practitioners, organizations, etc.).The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming Chairperson. The Committee serves during the term that the individual who appointed them is President.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall select among books submitted by individuals and/or publishers, the book(s) which are the most consistent with C. Wright Mills dedication to the search for a sophisticated understanding of the individual and society.  The book(s) considered for the award must have been published in the year prior to receiving the award.  The Chairperson shall receive and distribute to the committee the books that meet the minimum criteria established for the award, organize the committee to perform the task of selecting the award-winning book(s), and, if possible to insure that the award is presented to the author(s) of the award winning book(s) at the Annual Meeting or as soon there after as appropriate.

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SECTION 19. Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee  

The Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and one other member.  The Chairperson-elect and other member shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  They shall serve during the President-Elect’s term as President.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming Chairperson.

The purpose of the award is to assist unemployed and underemployed social scientists, particularly those with scholar-activist backgrounds, to participate in the Annual Meeting.  Criteria for the award are set by the Board of Directors. 

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SECTION 20. Lee Founders Award Committee

The President-Elect shall appoint the Chairperson-elect for the Lee Founders Award Committee.  On the basis of nominations from the Committee on Committees and in consultation with the Chairperson-elect, the President shall appoint at least five members of the committee.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming Chairperson.  The Committee serves during the term that the individual who appointed them is President.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the award is made in recognition of the significant achievements of a person or persons that have demonstrated over a distinguished career continuing devotion to the ideals of the founders of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, especially in the humanistic tradition of Alfred McClung Lee and Elizabeth Briant Lee.

The Chairperson shall receive and distribute to the members of the committee nominations and supporting materials (including those from members of the committee), organize the committee to perform the task of selecting the winning nominees, and insure that the award is made to the winner(s) at the Annual Meeting or as soon thereafter as appropriate.

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SECTION 21. Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee

The President-Elect shall appoint the Chairperson-elect for the Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee.  On the basis of nominations from the Committee on Committees and in consultation with the Chair, the President-Elect shall appoint the remaining five members of the committee.  The committee must be comprised of members at all levels of seniority, although there will be no student members on the committee.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming Chairperson.  The Committee serves during the term that the individual who appointed them is President. 

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of selecting among the applicants, the most deserving minority student(s) to receive a scholarship award from the Society.  The applicants must be enrolled in or accepted to a social and/or behavioral science doctoral program, have financial need and a strong commitment to a career of scholarly activism.  Two winning scholars shall receive a one-year stipend, the amount of which is to be designated by the Board from a fund established for this purpose. 

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SECTION 22. Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee

The Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and not more than six members.  If possible committee members should reside in the area where the Annual Meeting, presided over by the President-Elect, will be held.  The Chairperson-elect shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  The Committee members shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Chair-elect and appointed by the Board of Directors.  Whenever possible the members shall be personally acquainted with the social action agencies in the local area.  The Chairperson-elect shall participate as much as feasible, as a member of the Committee during the year prior to becoming Chairperson of the Committee.

Following criteria established by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have as its responsibility the selection of the most deserving non-profit social action organization in the city/local area hosting the SSSP Annual Meeting from among those organizations nominated by the membership.  An annual stipend for this award shall be designated by the Board of Directors from a fund set aside for this purpose. 

At the initiative of the Committee, the members of the Committee may organize a session at the Annual Meeting on social action issues or policies.  The Committee also may recommend social action policies to the Board of Directors.

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SECTION 23. Accessibility Committee

The Accessibility Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and one or more additional members. The President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees shall nominate and the Board of Directors shall appoint the Chairperson-elect and the Committee member(s) to serve during the year in which the President-Elect shall serve as President.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the Committee during the year prior to becoming Committee Chairperson.

The duties of the Committee are to assure that all facilities at the Annual Meeting of the Society are accessible to disabled participants.  Moreover, the committee shall have the responsibility of developing and recommending to the Board of Directors and to the membership of the Society policies that will encourage and assure the full participation of disabled persons in the Society for the Study of Social Problems and in the larger community.

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SECTION 24. Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee

The Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and no more than seven members.  The current Vice-President is responsible for selecting the Chair and members of the committee.  Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the award should be given to the SSSP member whose scholarship over the preceding three or more years has most significantly promoted ethical solutions to social problems.  By ethical solutions, we mean scholarship that promotes awareness and/or activism to increase public recognition that social problems and social injustices are ethical issues; or scholarship that identifies and promotes societal level responses to social problems and injustices.  By scholarship, we mean academic work including both applied research (qualitative or quantitative research) and normative work (e.g., argumentative, historical, philosophical, textual or theoretical analyses).

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SECTION 25. Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee

The Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and not more than four members.  The Chairperson-elect and other members shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  They shall serve during the President-Elect’s term as President.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming the Chairperson.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of identifying the best paper on Women and Social Justice which addresses contemporary issues of women’s justice locally, nationally, and globally; brings a fresh perspective to women’s inclusion in global society and advances new theoretical directions discussing women and social justice; is theoretically informed and possesses an empirical orientation.  Monies for this fund shall come from contributions from members, allocations by the Board of Directors and other sources.

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SECTION 26. Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee

The Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and not more than two members.  The Chairperson-elect and other members shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  They shall serve during the President-Elect’s term as President.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming the Chairperson.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of identifying an outstanding faculty member who has exercised an extensive leadership role within the SSSP and other professional societies and within the larger community.  The nominees must address social issues of contemporary public importance; bring a deepened public understanding to these issues; advance social understanding of leadership for change within the larger society; and propose courses of action to effect that change.  Monies for this fund shall come from contributions from members, allocations by the Board of Directors and other sources.

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SECTION 27. Committee on Social Action

The Committee on Social Action shall consist of the Vice-President as Chairperson, Vice-President-Elect, Past Vice-President, two Division Chairs selected by the Council of Division Chairpersons at the previous year’s meeting, and two members in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors, each serving three-year staggered terms. Everyone serving on this committee will serve for three years, but initially two of the remaining four members will serve three years, one will serve two years, and the fourth will serve one year.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of proposing social actions to the Board such as writing letters and opinion pieces; clarifying and refining resolutions; and exploring ways in which the Society can be more action oriented by connecting with organizations locally, nationally, and globally.

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SECTION 28. Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee

The Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and two current members of the Teaching Social Problems Division.  The Chairperson-elect and other members shall be nominated by the President-Elect in consultation with the Committee on Committees and appointed by the Board of Directors.  They shall serve during the President-Elect’s term as President.  The Chairperson-elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming the Chairperson.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of identifying an outstanding faculty member or community activist who recognizes the value of quality mentoring relationships between mentor and mentee and/or mentoring programs especially those for undergraduate or graduate students and/or for social activists, particularly for younger scholars and activists.  The goals of effective mentoring should include: fostering sensitivity and understanding of significant problems of social life; encouraging understandings of institutional inequalities and strategies for overcoming them; promoting problem centered social research and/or social activism.  The award will be given to a scholar, activist, or a program that demonstrates these goals by: creating and implementing innovative mentoring approaches; and/or creating and implementing innovative mentoring programs; and/or involving peers and mentees in publications, grants, and conferences, as well as readily sharing knowledge of such opportunities.  Monies for this fund shall come from contributions from members, allocations by the Board of Directors and other sources.

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SECTION 29. Transnational Initiatives Committee

The Transnational Initiatives Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect and four members, of whom at least two must be international members, each serving three-year staggered terms, and a graduate student member.  In addition to the appointed members, the Executive Officer shall serve as an ex officio member.

Initially, the Chairperson and one committee member will serve a one-year term; the Chairperson-elect and one committee member will serve a two-year term; two committee members will serve a three-year term; and the graduate student member will serve a one-year term.  Thereafter replacements will be appointed as terms expire.  Unexpired terms may be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors.  The committee members shall serve three-year staggered terms so that at least two members are appointed each year.  The President-Elect shall nominate and the Board of Directors shall appoint a Chairperson-elect from among the committee members who have served on the committee at least one-year prior to his, her or their appointment and who shall serve as Chairperson of the committee during the year that the President-Elect serves as President. 

Consistent with criteria stipulated in the By-Laws governing all standing committees, the Transnational Initiatives Committee shall be reconstituted each year with a turnover membership of at least one-third, and no member may serve on the same committee of the Society, whether by election or appointment, for more than three consecutive years.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of identifying issues, promoting collaboration, proposing courses of action, and/or organizing events and activities that enhance the SSSP membership’s understanding of transnational dimensions of social problems, and increase the active participation within the SSSP of scholars, activists, and the association’s members and advocates who work and reside beyond the United States and Canada — and especially those who do so in countries outside the global North.  Monies for this fund shall be allocated at the discretion of the Board of Directors in consultation with the Budget, Finance, and Audit Co

SECTION 30. Anti-Harassment Committee

The Anti-Harassment Committee shall consist of six members of the Society. Three members will be elected by the voting membership and three members will be appointed by the President, one of whom will be appointed to chair the committee. The Chairperson should have expertise in the area of gender violence or related areas and preferably be a member of the Board of Directors. Each member will serve a three-year term with the terms staggered so that at least two members are elected each year. In addition to the elected and appointed members, the Executive Officer shall serve as an ex officio member.

Initially, two committee members will serve a one-year term; two committee members will serve a two-year term; and the Chairperson and a committee member will serve a three-year term. Thereafter replacements will be appointed as terms expire.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of recommending to the Board mechanisms for reporting violations of the anti-harassment policy; investigating and resolving reported violations of the anti-harassment policy; providing support and assistance to those reporting the violations and making every effort to be fair to all involved parties; the committee may seek external expertise and guidance for these processes. The Board approved that, prior to the establishment of formal policy and procedure for reporting, investigating, and resolving reported violations of the anti-harassment policy, that in response to said accusations, the committee may request that the Board approve actions such as preventing an accused party from participating in or attending the Annual Meeting, serving in elected or appointed Society positions, or revoking membership, until adjudication of reported violations has been resolved. Monies for this committee’s work shall be allocated at the discretion of the Board of Directors in consultation with the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.

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SECTION 31. Committee on Mentorship

The Committee on Mentorship shall consist of four members: two SSSP Board of Directors members (who will serve two-year terms) and two Student Board members who will serve during the entirety of their respective Board terms. The Committee will choose one of the two Board of Directors members to be Chairperson of the Committee.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility of developing and operating the SSSP Mentoring Program. The Committee shall provide an annual call for mentors and mentees to the Administrative Office, match mentors and mentees, and provide mentors and mentees with information annually to create a common understanding of the program and the scope of the one-year virtual relationship between mentors and mentees.

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SECTION 32. Justice 21 Committee

The Justice 21 Committee shall consist of six members of the Society selected by the Editorial and Publications Committee. The committee members shall serve four-year terms, with the terms staggered so that at least two members are selected each year, depending on the number of vacancies. The Editorial and Publications Committee can recommend reappointment for a second and final term not to exceed four years. The Justice 21 Committee will choose its chair by vote biennially, from among its membership. The Justice 21 Committee Chair will serve one two-year term, with up to a second and final term not to exceed two years. In addition to those six Committee members, the Committee will also recruit one member who will focus on Publicity and Outreach, and this position will serve one two-year term that can be renewed for a second term. The Justice 21 Committee will take responsibility for recruiting for this position. 

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the Committee shall have the responsibility to edit all Agenda for Social Justice publications.

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ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS

SECTION 1.  Regular Meetings

The Society shall hold at least one business and one election meeting each year, the exact time and place to be set by the Board of Directors. This election meeting shall normally be conducted by electronic means through the Society’s website.

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SECTION 2.  Special Meetings

Special meetings of the members of the Society shall be held at any time upon the call of the Board of Directors or upon the call of ten percent of the voting members of the Society.

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SECTION 3.  Notice for Meetings

Notice, in writing, for every annual or special meeting of the members of the Society, shall be prepared and e-mailed or mailed to the last known e-mail or postal address of each member, not less than thirty days before such meeting. The Secretary shall give notice of the Annual Meetings and the person or persons calling a special meeting, or the Secretary, at their direction, shall give notice of a special meeting. All meetings of the members (whether annual or special) shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Tennessee, as shall be set forth in the notice of meeting duly given to the members. The notice of meeting shall specify the time and place thereof, and, in the case of a special meeting, by whom it was called and the business to be transacted thereat. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the procedure for the election meeting shall be as set forth in Article VIII.

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SECTION 4.  Quorum

A quorum at any meeting of the Society shall consist of not less than five percent of the members in good standing.

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SECTION 5.  Voting at Regular and Special Meetings

New members accepted after the record date of such meeting fixed by the Board of Directors or, if no such record time is fixed, with ten (10) days next preceding the date of the meeting, shall not be entitled to vote at such meeting. Any member entitled to vote at any meeting of members may vote either in person or by proxy executed in writing, or by mail. All proxies shall be delivered to the Secretary at or before the time of such meeting. No proxy shall be valid after eleven (11) months from the date of its execution.

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SECTION 6.  Setting Mail Ballots for Membership

With respect to the annual business meeting of the membership, sufficient time and a sufficiently large meeting hall will be provided so that the membership may review any and all appropriate aspects of the business of the Society. Upon a vote of twenty-five percent of the members at a meeting, any issue may be submitted to a web-ballot of the membership of the Society for final approval. The Board of Directors may also vote to submit any matter to a web-ballot.

In all matters on which, according to these By-Laws, either the Board or the membership by web-ballot may act, and on which the vote of the membership and the Board disagree, the vote of the membership shall be final.

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ARTICLE VIII - ELECTIONS

SECTION 1. Annual Elections

An annual election shall be held to fill any vacancies occurring in the following positions: President-Elect; Vice-President-Elect; Secretary; Treasurer; Executive and Student Members of the Board of Directors; members of Elected Committees (Budget, Finance, and Audit; Committee on Committees; Editorial and Publications; Membership and Outreach).  These elections may present issues to the membership for resolution or ratification.  Terms of office shall be as specified in the appropriate section above.  In general office terms are one year except in the case of the following three-year terms: Members of Standing Committees; Executive Members of Board Directors.  The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions shall be elected as set forth in Article VI. Section 2.  Student Board Members shall be elected to two-year terms. 

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SECTION 2. Nominations of Student Board Members 

A call for nominations for a Student Board Member shall be published on the Society’s website.  The names of potential nominees, who have agreed to serve, and their qualifications shall be forwarded to the Chair of the Nominations Committee and shall be processed as described in Article VI, Section 11, c and d.  In the first year that Student Board Members are to be elected, four candidates shall be nominated for two positions.  The person who receives the largest number of votes shall be elected to a two-year term and the candidate receiving the second largest number of votes shall be elected to a one-year term.  Subsequently, one Student Board Member shall be elected each year to serve a two-year term on a staggered basis.

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SECTION 3. Nominations Report 

No later than two (2) weeks after the close of the Annual Meeting, the Secretary, on behalf of the Board of Directors shall report to the Chairperson of the Elections Committee and to the Administrative Office an ordered list of names of nominees for each office or elected position for which there will be a vacancy during the coming year and for which offices or positions the Board and the Nominations Committee, respectively, have the responsibility of designating nominees.

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SECTION 4. Nomination by Petition

Any person recommended for nomination for any elective office or position (except for the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, the Student Members of the Board of Directors and Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions) by a petition signed by at least twenty members of the Society in good standing and received by the Chairperson of the Elections Committee at any time until January 15 shall be added to the list of nominees for that office or position.  Petitions must be accompanied by a statement from the proposed candidate that they are willing to stand for election, as well as appropriate biographical information.

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SECTION 5. Nomination for More Than One Position

Any member nominated for more than one position in the Society’s general election shall be asked by the Elections Committee Chairperson to select the position in which s/he or they prefer to serve.  If the nominee otherwise qualifies but fails to indicate his, her or their preference, the Elections Committee Chairperson is required to submit the person’s name to be a candidate for only one of the positions.  A member may hold no more than two elected positions, and no more than one position that is subject to a general election by the entire membership of the Society (e.g., Board of Directors, Committee on Committees, etc.).  Members may serve in one position at the division-level (e.g., Division Chair or Division Co-Chair) and one generally elected position in the Society simultaneously.

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SECTION 6. Elections Committee Activity

Each person nominated by the Board of Directors or the Nominations Committee or by petition shall be requested by the Elections Committee Chairperson with the assistance of the Administrative Office to indicate his, her or their willingness to serve if elected.  Each person nominated to an elected standing committee shall be requested to indicate his, her or their willingness to serve as Chairperson of that Committee, if elected by the members of the Committee.

By October 1 of the year following the Annual Meeting, candidates shall be contacted by the Elections Committee, in order of priority in which nominated, and asked to serve.  Candidates may accept or refuse in writing, or orally; the date of response shall be noted in writing.

After being contacted, candidates shall have a two-week grace period to accept or decline candidacy.  Candidates who make no decision by the close of this period, and/or who decline to pay dues for the year in which they were nominated, shall be ineligible to run for office.

If there are insufficient candidates for any given position after the priority list is exhausted, the President or the Executive Committee; or Board members, as polled by either the Nominations Committee or Committee on Committee Chairs according to which candidates fall into their jurisdiction shall recommend further candidates.  The same procedure shall hold in the event of an unexpected vacancy in any Committee, or the Board of Directors.

Once the slate of candidates has been identified, the Administrative Office will ask candidates to complete an online candidate form which includes biographical information that appears on the ballot under his/her or their name.  Candidates will be given two-weeks to complete this task.  If a candidate fails to submit this information in a timely manner, his, her or their name will appear on the ballot with the following notation: Candidate did not provide biographical information.

Candidate lists shall be completed by December 15 of the year following nominations, even if there are fewer nominations for given office than otherwise prescribed by the By-Laws.  The slate of nominees will be posted on the Society’s website by December 15 each year.

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SECTION 7. Posting the Ballot

By February 1 of each year an e-mail to all members will announce the opening of the general election on February 15.  In the event the e-mail does not reach the member, a first-class letter announcing the election and explaining how to vote on the Society’s website will be sent to the last known postal address of the member.

By February 15 of each year the Elections Committee shall report the final results of the nominations procedures to the membership.  This report shall take the form of the Administrative Office posting the ballot on the Society’s website and declaring the election open.  The election site shall remain open for four (4) weeks, closing on March 15.

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SECTION 8. Election to Positions

A clear majority of votes cast shall be necessary for election to the offices of the President-Elect, Vice-President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer.  In each case, where there are more than two nominees and none of the nominees receives a majority vote for that office, the Elections Committee by April 15 of that year shall submit through the Administrative Office, to the membership in good standing, in the form of a second election ballot, for each undetermined office the names of the two nominees who received the largest vote in the earlier election.  The nominee for each office receiving the majority vote in this second election shall be declared elected.

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SECTION 9. Election to Committees

The persons from among the nominees to the Executive Members of the Board of Directors and to elected committees receiving the largest number of votes cast shall be declared elected, the number depending on the number of vacancies on each committee for the next year.

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SECTION 10. Final Results

The Elections Committee shall report the results of the final elections to all nominees and members of the Board of Directors by no later than April 1.  In case of ties, the Board of Directors shall be requested to cast the deciding vote. After all candidates have been notified of the election results, the Executive Officer will communicate with each person elected and advise them of the office’s responsibilities.

(a) The Elections Committee shall review the computer record of votes cast, note and resolve any irregularities and file a report with the President and the Administrative Office.

(b) If any candidate disputes the election results, they shall be granted access to the report discussed in “a” and may appeal the report of the Elections Committee to the Board of Directors.  The decision of the Board of Directors on the appeal shall be final.

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SECTION 11. Report to Membership

The final results of the election shall be reported at the Annual Meeting of the Society as part of the report of the Chairperson of the Elections Committee and shall be published as early as possible on the Society’s website.  The newly elected persons shall take office at or immediately after the Annual Meeting of the Society.

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SECTION 12. Election of Other Board of Directors Members and Division Officers

(a) Procedures for the election [appointment] of Student Members of the Board of Directors are governed by Article V, Section 1.

(b) Procedures for the election [appointment] of Divisions officers are governed by Article VI, Section 1. Procedures for the election of the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions are governed by Article VI, Section 2.

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ARTICLE IX - FINANCES

SECTION 1. Non-Profit Status

The Society shall be operated as a non-profit corporation and no part of its income shall inure to the private benefit of any individual.

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SECTION 2. Non-Payment of Dues

Non-payment of dues for six months past their due date shall be considered as equivalent to resignation from the Society.

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SECTION 3. Preparation and Presentation of Annual Budget

A proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year covering all anticipated income and expenditures for the Society, including the cost of publications, shall be prepared and submitted by the Executive Officer or the Administrative Officer of the Society each year to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee for review.  It will then be presented by the Committee, with proposals for changes, to the Board of Directors for approval.  After the budget has been approved, interim changes by the Administrative Office shall conform to rules established by the Board of Directors, and shall be reported within three months to the Treasurer.

After the budget is adopted by the Board of Directors, the budget shall be binding upon all officers and other members of the Society.

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SECTION 4. Bond of Officers and Staff

A bond in the appropriate amount, the cost of which is borne by the Society shall be required of the officers and the Administrative Office staff handling the funds of the Society.

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SECTION 5. Annual Audit

The accounts of the Society shall be audited at the conclusion of each fiscal year by the Administrative Office with the assistance of a certified public accounting firm approved by the Board of Directors.  The report of this audit as well as the budget for the ensuing fiscal year shall be reviewed by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and by the Board, and shall be made public to the members on the Society’s website.

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ARTICLE X - PUBLICATIONS

SECTION 1. Name and Distribution of Social Problems

The official scholarly journal of the Society shall be called Social Problems, subscriptions to which shall be provided to all paid-up members of the Society.

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SECTION 2. Editor of Social Problems

The Editor shall be recommended by the Editorial and Publications Committee and appointed by the Board of Directors.  S/he or they shall normally serve for a term of three years.  With the recommendation of the Editorial and Publications Committee and the approval of the Board of Directors, s/he or they may be reappointed for an additional term not to exceed three years.  The outgoing Editorial and Publications Committee shall make recommendations to the outgoing Board of Directors and the Board of Directors shall appoint the Editor who will assume office at the next Annual Meeting.  The Editor shall be designated at least six months prior to the expiration of the term of his, her or their predecessor, and shall serve as Editor-Elect until such time as s/he or they assume office as Editor.

The Editor shall be a non-voting ex officio member of the Board of Directors and of the Editorial and Publications Committee and shall be ineligible for election to either.  The Editor shall submit an annual report to the Board of Directors, to the Editorial and Publications Committee, and to the membership at the annual business meeting of the Society.  Terms of office shall end at the adjournment of the annual business meeting.  At the conclusion of an editor’s term, he/she or they will continue to serve on the Editorial and Publications Committee as a voting ex officio member for a three-year term.

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SECTION 3. Associate and Advisory Editors of Social Problems

The Associate Editors, the Advisory Editors, and any other necessary Editorial Officers shall be appointed by the Board of Directors on recommendation of the Editor.  All shall be members of the Society.  They shall be appointed for an indefinite term not to exceed the term of the Editor.

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SECTION 4. Supplements to Social Problems or Sponsored Books

Proposals for Special Supplements to the journal Social Problems or books sponsored by the Society shall be reviewed by the Editorial and Publications Committee and shall require the approval of that Committee and of the Board of Directors.

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SECTION 5. Financial Policies

General responsibility for financial policies relative to Social Problems or other publications sponsored by the Society shall rest with the Board of Directors.  Final decisions regarding the editorial policies and procedures of Social Problems shall be made by the Board of Directors or by the membership of the Society in vote of referendum.

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ARTICLE XI - MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATES

SECTION 1. Right to Certificate of Membership

Each member of the corporation whose dues have been paid in full shall be entitled to a certificate or certificates showing his, her or their membership upon request to the Administrative Office.  Each certificate shall bear the manual or facsimile signatures of the President and the Secretary.

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SECTION 2. Recognition of New Member

The form of a membership certificate shall be prescribed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors.

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ARTICLE XII - MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 1. Books and Records

All books and records of the corporation shall be kept at the principle office of the Corporation (the Administrative Office), except as may be in these By-Laws otherwise expressly provided.

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SECTION 2. Notices

Mailing of notices to members or directors shall be by depositing in the same post office or letter box in a postpaid sealed wrapper, addressed to such member or director at his, her, or its address, as the same appears on the books of the corporation or by sending an electronic notice via computer to the last known e-mail address supplied by the member to the corporation.  If such e-mail is not returned to the sender, the member shall be deemed notified.  Such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be thus mailed or e-mailed.

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SECTION 3. Parliamentary Authority

Unless the By-Laws conflict, the business of the Society shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.  In cases of conflict the By-Laws take precedence.

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 ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1. Voting

The Society, by electronic ballot cast by the members, may adopt such changes in the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws as it seems necessary. The approval of two-thirds of the members voting shall be required for amendments. Four weeks after date of announcing the opening of the electronic ballot, balloting shall be closed and the Administrative Officer shall access a voting summary from the online Poll Manager, share it with the Elections Committee Chair and inform the Board of Directors of the election results. The Board shall then have the report of the Elections Committee made public to the membership, whereupon the amendment shall become effective, subject to any further action required by the Tennessee Not-for-Profit Corporation Act.

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SECTION 2. Proposal of Amendments

Amendments may be proposed by any member or committee of the Society.  The Board of Directors may propose amendments by a majority of those voting.  They shall be submitted to the membership if they have the approval of any Standing Committee or of twenty-five (25) members of the Society.

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SECTION 3. Explanation of Amendments on Ballot

When proposed amendments are not self-explanatory in nature, interpretations of them from different viewpoints shall be obtained by the Elections Committee and transmitted with the proposed amendment in the e-mail to Society members announcing the opening of electronic balloting on the matter that appears before the ballot is opened.

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ARTICLE XIV - RESOLUTIONS

SECTION 1. Proposing Resolutions

Any current SSSP member may submit a resolution to the Board of Directors for consideration. All resolutions must be submitted directly to the Vice-President of the Society, who also serves as the Chair of the Committee on Social Action. The Vice-President oversees the resolution process on behalf of the Board of Directors. Resolutions must be consistent with and advance the SSSP mission, and must be submitted by April 30th in order to be eligible for consideration by the Society during that calendar year.

All proposed resolutions with the exception of those expressing thanks should contain a concise position statement concerning a social problem of urgent concern and the appropriate evidence and citations to support the position taken in the resolution. In most cases, the proposed resolution should include some sort of call for viable action by the SSSP. This typically has involved a letter from the Board of Directors directed to some public or private entity expressing concern, support, or opposition on an issue or matter. Other forms of appropriate action may be proposed, but should be discussed with the Vice-President prior to submitting the proposed resolution. If the proposed resolution is in support of or in opposition to a piece of legislation, a copy of the legislation or a place where members can access it must be provided. Likewise, if the proposal is in support of or in opposition to an existing statement by another organization, a copy of that statement or a place where members can access it must be provided. Members who want to propose a resolution should consult the Society’s website for examples, suggestions, and the required resolution format.

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SECTION 2. Review of Proposed Resolutions

The Committee on Social Action reviews all submitted resolutions between May 1 and May 31. As a part of their review, the Committee on Social Action can raise concerns, including format, citations, recommended actions and addresses, organization and flow of resolution, wordsmithing, and other technical requirements and edits; communicate with the proposer(s); and make recommendations to the resolution proposer(s), if needed.

By June 1, the Committee on Social Action forwards a list of proposed resolutions to the Board of Directors, with recommendations to advance or table each resolution. The Board of Directors has the option of discussing a resolution with the Committee on Social Action and/or the member(s) who submitted the resolution. At this juncture, the resolution “belongs” to the Board of Directors. The resolution can be modified by the Board of Directors, without the approval of the proposer(s) of the resolution before it is presented to the membership for discussion and vote, but only if there is a compelling reason for the Board of Directors to do so (e.g., legal concern). Members of the Committee on Social Action or the Board of Directors who have a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest with a resolution, must recuse themselves immediately and refrain from commenting or voting on said resolution at this point in the process.

By June 15, the Board of Directors reviews the Committee on Social Action’s list of resolutions and the text of the resolutions, and decides which resolutions to table and which to post to the Society’s website for membership comment.

Resolutions that the Board of Directors is forwarding to the membership for consideration will be posted on the Society’s website by June 15. Between June 15 and July 15, the resolutions will be available for review and comment by the Society’s membership. During this review period, current members can express, online, their support or opposition to a resolution, with a rationale, and propose changes to and make recommendations regarding the resolution. The Board of Directors will review these comments and recommendations to determine whether changes are needed or the resolution should be tabled if there is a compelling reason to do so. If the resolution is not tabled, the Board of Directors will post online the final version of the resolution for members to either approve or not approve.

Between July 15 and August 1, the Board of Directors will finalize the list of resolutions and post the resolutions that have not been tabled to the SSSP website. The Board of Directors may itself also choose to propose and post any resolutions by July 15, in response to current issues.

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SECTION 3. Discussion of Proposed Resolutions at the Annual Meeting

All resolutions that the Board of Directors posts to the Society’s website will be discussed during the Society’s Business Meeting during the Annual Meeting. Thirty minutes will be allocated to a discussion in favor of or in opposition to all proposed resolutions. At this juncture, resolutions cannot be modified. That discussion will be moderated by the Vice President, with the assistance of the Executive Officer. Every effort will be made to allow time for the discussion of each resolution being considered, with equal time to those in support of and those in opposition to each resolution.

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SECTION 4. Voting on Proposed Resolutions

Immediately after the Society’s annual business meeting, current members will vote online for or against each resolution, or abstain. The voting period will be two weeks. A resolution will pass if two-thirds of the members voting online by the deadline vote in favor of the resolution. The final results of the vote shall be reported to the Committee on Social Action and the Board of Directors, and published as early as possible on the Society’s website.

If the resolution requires letters or e-mails to be sent, the sponsor of the resolution must draft the letters and/or statements and create a list of addresses/e-mail addresses for distribution and, if necessary, be prepared to assist the Administrative Office in getting the resolution to the appropriate individuals or agencies. Furthermore, sponsors are responsible for keeping the Society informed of developments pertaining to the resolution they sponsored.

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ARTICLE XV - TIMELY STATEMENTS

SECTION 1.  Proposing Timely Statements to the Membership

From time to time, the Society for the Study of Social Problems (Society) takes positions on a wide range of social issues and problems by a vote of the Board of Directors (Board) when the issue cannot wait until the next annual meeting. 

At times other than the Annual Meeting, twenty-five or more members of the Society may submit a petition, bearing their signatures and sent by mail to the Executive Officer of the Society, that a statement be submitted to a web-ballot of the membership of the Society for final approval. The Board of Directors shall first consider this issue within ten business days of the Executive Officer receiving it. Approval of the motion or resolution by the Board will be considered final. If, however, the Board does not approve the motion or resolution, it shall submit it to web-ballot of the membership for final approval, together with its own recommendations and additional or alternative proposals it may wish to offer, and establish an expedited timetable of no less than two weeks for the vote if time is of the essence for the Society to address an issue in a timely and effective manner. The ballot may be accompanied by statements on behalf of the contending positions.

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SECTION 2.  Membership Voting on Proposed Timely Statements

Current members will vote online for or against each timely statement, or abstain. The voting period will be two weeks. A timely statement will pass if two-thirds of the members voting online by the deadline vote in favor of the timely statement. The final results of the vote shall be reported to the Board of Directors, and published as early as possible on the Society’s website.

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SECTION 3.  Statement for Handling Matters Needing an Immediate Response

On rare occasion, a matter may require an even faster response than the process for Proposing Timely Statements to the Membership (Section 1 above) can accommodate. In those instances, the current President, Vice-President, and Executive Officer (EO), are authorized by the Board to act on behalf of the Society, as long as the position taken is consistent with the mission of the Society; only after verifiable, credible, and sufficient information has been obtained to support the position; and only on positions for which a substantial consensus in the Society is assumed to exist in support of the position adopted and the manner in which the issue is addressed. This assumption will rest principally on previous positions, including resolutions approved by the Board and membership. Furthermore, the decision to act, and the manner in which to act, must have the full support of all three parties, otherwise the matter must be taken to the Board, even if the delay results in the Society not taking a timely position. The Board will review the use of this authority on an ongoing basis and rescind it if it believes that this authority has not been used in the manner in which it was intended.

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SECTION 4.  Actions Resulting from Approved Proposed Timely Statements and Immediate Responses

If a timely statement or immediate response requires letters or e-mails to be sent, the sponsor of the timely statement or immediate response must draft the letters and/or statements and create a list of addresses/e-mail addresses for distribution and, if necessary, be prepared to assist the Administrative Office in getting the timely statement or immediate response to the appropriate individuals or agencies. Furthermore, sponsors are responsible for keeping the Society informed of developments pertaining to the timely statement or immediate response they sponsored.

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