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
