The Society for the Study of Social Problems

II. The Volunteer Officers

II. A. President

The President has many responsibilities and opportunities to advance the organization. The person elected serves on the Board of Directors for three one-year terms as President-Elect, President, and Past-President. Each year, the President has a different role within the Board of Directors. The first year is one of observing, planning, and recruiting persons to serve on various committees. These duties are described in Section II B. of this manual. The second year begins with the announcement of the program theme in the final program for the year preceding the meeting over which he, she, or they will preside. The following section outlines presidential roles during the second year. In the third year, the past-president serves in an advisory capacity.

The President’s term officially begins when the current President passes the gavel to the President-Elect at the end of the Annual Business Meeting. This is the first opportunity to address the Society as its President. The address often includes an encouraging word about program participation and recruitment. This is an opportunity to say a brief word about special projects the President will encourage members to support during his, her, or their term.

The next formal duty as President is to preside at the meeting of the new Board of Directors. This meeting takes place on the last day of the annual meeting. The Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer will work with the President to prepare an agenda. The agenda usually contains the following items: (the order listed varies depending on the schedules of various persons making their reports and the preferences of the President and the Board of Directors.)

a. A report from the Nominations Committee giving the names of those listed for the offices of: President-Elect, Vice-President-Elect, members of the Board of Directors, and members of the elected committees (Anti-Harassment Committee; Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee; Committee on Committees; Editorial and Publications Committee; and the Membership and Outreach Committee)

b. Action by the Board of Directors to nominate a Secretary and Treasurer to run in the next election

c. Action by the Board of Directors to appoint up to four members to the Nominations Committee for the next term

d. Action by the Board of Directors to appoint four members to the Committee on Mentorship (two 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.

e. Announcement of proposed appointments to the committees listed below, followed by approval of the Board of Directors: Accessibility Committee, Anti-Harassment Committee, Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee, By-Laws Committee, C. Wright Mills Award Committee, Committee on Social Action, Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee, Elections Committee, Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee, Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee, Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee, Lee Founders Award Committee, Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee, Lee Student Support Fund Committee, Local Arrangements Committee, Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee, Program Committee, Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee, Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee, and the Transnational Initiatives Committee

f. Presentation of the budget for the next calendar year by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Chair, discussion of the budget, amendment (if desired) and approval

g. Action on any matters referred to the Board of Directors at the Annual Business Meeting

h. If prior action approving a site for the conference has not been taken by the Board of Directors, then action is taken at this meeting

i. If committees who have been meeting at the site of the annual meeting have recommendations to bring to the Board of Directors, they must be placed on the agenda

j. Items of business from the divisions must be brought to the attention of the Board of Directors by the Chairperson of the Council of Divisions

k. Any items of business that Board members would like to bring to the attention of the Society.

Presidential Fundraising
The President-Elect/President is encouraged to raise additional funds in support of the annual meeting over which he, she, or they preside and to consult with the Administrative Officer regarding their use. The President-Elect/President makes the final decision on the use of these funds in support of the annual meeting.

The Call for Papers
After the first meeting of the new Board of Directors, the work of the President as mobilizer begins. The President may charge the committees to perform certain tasks in fulfilling his, her, or their purpose as described in the By-Laws.

The President often chooses to work closely with the Program Chair as he, she, or they begin to organize the program sessions. The divisions have a strong role in shaping the program; therefore, the President, Administrative Officer, and the Program Chair meet with representatives from the various divisions on the last afternoon of the annual meeting. This provides an opportunity for discussion on how the program theme will be translated into sessions sponsored by the Program Committee and the divisions. Significant effort from the session organizers, Division Chairs, and the Program Committee must be accomplished soon after the annual meeting. The Call for Papers poster is formulated by the Administrative Office during September and distributed electronically in mid-October.

The Final Site Visit
In October or November, the President and Meeting Manager visit the hotel site of the upcoming annual meeting. The Local Arrangements Chair will be invited to join us for dinner one night. The purpose of this visit is to discuss placement of events in the hotel, catering arrangements, sociological tours of interest,etc. The visit provides an opportunity for the President and Meeting Manager to become acquainted with key hotel personnel who will work with them during the conference. In addition, room set-ups can be proposed for various conference events. The Administrative Officer will set up this visit at a time convenient for all involved. The Society will bear the costs associated with the visit. It is not necessary for the Executive Officer to attend this meeting. The visit can usually be accomplished in 48 hours.

The Submission of Program Sessions to the Administrative Office
Session titles, paper titles, and names, affiliations, and e-mail addresses of participants are due to the Administrative Officer no later than March 1. The Administrative Officer prepares the draft of the annual meeting program. The Administrative Officer ensures that an automated e-mail is sent to all program participants urging them to verify the correctness of their program listing/s via the online Session Management System, to secure the registration of program participants, and to secure their membership in the Society (if they are not already members). The President must make sure that session organizing tasks assigned to the Program Committee are completed and sent in on time. The title of the Presidential Address must be ready at this time. Any time preferences for various sessions and events within the program must be conveyed to the Administrative Officer by March 1. This will help in arranging the meeting schedule.

The Mid-Year Meeting of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee
Any specific budgetary requests that the President wants considered by the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee must be sent to the Administrative Officer by May 1. The Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee will discuss the requests at their mid-year meeting when they draft the budget for the following year. The main responsibility of the President with reference to this meeting is to make sure that any information impacting the budget is in the hands of the committee before the meeting.

It should be noted that funds allocated to activist organizations for their value added to our meetings/sessions will be given serious consideration. SSSP will not allocate funds for individual members nor academic individuals/organizations.

Final Preparation for the Annual Meeting
All correspondence on scheduled times of various events, program for the Awards Ceremony and any remaining details concerning the annual meeting must be finalized no later than May 1. The Administrative Officer will prepare the preliminary and final program. The President will review both programs for accuracy.

Duties at the Annual Meeting
The President will preside at two Board of Directors Meetings and the Annual Business Meeting; attend the Board of Directors Reception, Arrival Meet and Greet Reception, Welcoming Reception, New Member Breakfast, Division-Sponsored Reception, Local Arrangements Committee Meeting, Program Chair(s) Meeting, Program Chair(s) Meeting with the Administrative Officer and IT Specialist, give the Presidential Address and have handouts available in minimum 16-point font on double-sided paper; preside at the Awards Ceremony; and attend a Board of Directors Meeting on the last day. The major Board of Directors Meeting occurs on the day before the scheduled paper sessions begin unless the Board decides to hold a virtual meeting before the annual meeting. The Board of Directors’ reception follows unless the Board meets virtually. The first day includes a follow-up Board of Directors Meeting unless the Board decides to hold a virtual meeting before the annual meeting. The second day includes the Annual Business Meeting, the Presidential Address, and the Awards Ceremony. The third day includes the meeting of the new Board of Directors.

The President must read through the By-laws and know the fundamentals of Roberts Rules of Order, Revised. If the President does not feel comfortable with this, he, she, or they must appoint a parliamentarian (per section II.G below). The President must preside at the Board meetings in a firm but relaxed fashion. The President must make sure that Board members take turns speaking for or against an issue. This is a good way to eliminate redundant speeches and bring a debate to a close when there is a consensus. As compensation for these duties, the President receives a complimentary hotel room during the annual meeting for the number of nights designated in the hotel contract.

Return to Top

II. A. 1. Committee Appointment Sheet

The rising President presides at the meeting of the new Board of Directors on the last day of the annual meeting. Committee appointment activity must be completed by the conclusion of the annual meeting. Having the list ready for review at the annual meeting is required. There should be a commitment to nominating a diverse slate of nominees. This includes diversity based on racial-ethnic background, gender and sexual identities, geographic locations, and institutional settings (e.g., academia, practitioners, organizations, etc.). From time to time, committees are chaired by co-chairs. This typically means extra work on the Administrative Office. The Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer encourage one of the co-chairs to be the lead person, i.e., that one of the co-chairs be the person with whom they would communicate principally.

In consultation with the Committee on Committees, the President nominates and the Board of Directors approves the following committee appointments:

Accessibility Committee (one or more committee members, one-year term)
Anti-Harassment Committee (varies one or two committee members, three-year term)
Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee (not more than four committee members, one-year term)
By-Laws Committee (one or more committee members, one-year term; tradition has been for the President to ask the previous committee members to serve another term)
C. Wright Mills Award Committee (at least five committee members: per the Board of Directors, consider including winners and finalists from the past five years, one-year term) 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.).
Committee on Social Action (varies one or two committee members, three-year term)
Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee (not more than two committee members, one-year term)
Elections Committee (Chair and three or more members, one-year term)
Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee (one committee member, one-year term)
Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee (two members of the Teaching Social Problems Division, one year term)
Lee Founders Award Committee (at least five committee members, one-year term)
Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee (one committee member, one-year term)
Lee Student Support Fund Committee (one committee member, one-year term)
Local Arrangements Committee (Chair and at least three members residing in the local area where the annual meeting is to be held, one member must be a graduate student, one-year term)
Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee (varies two or three committee members, three-year term)
Program Committee (Chair and three or more committee members, one-year term)
Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee (at least five committee members: committee must be comprised of members at all levels of seniority, although there will be no student members, one-year term)
Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee (a maximum of six committee members should reside in the area where the annual meeting is to be held, if possible, one-year term)
Transnational Initiatives Committee (varies one or two committee members, three-year term)

The following Elected Committees select their own chair:

Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee; Committee on Committees; Editorial and Publications Committee; Justice 21 Committee; and the Membership and Outreach Committee

Return to Top

II. A. 2. The Calendar from Election to the Presidential Address

FIRST YEAR

APRIL: The President-Elect is notified of the election results. His, her, or their term will begin at the end of the Annual Business Meeting. The President-Elect must appoint a Chair-Elect for several committees. These persons will serve as Chair-Elect on the designated committee during the first year and as Chair during the second year.

MAY: The President-Elect has no specific responsibilities except as a member of the Board of Directors.

JUNE: The President-Elect has no specific responsibilities except as a member of the Board of Directors.

JULY: The President-Elect has no specific responsibilities except as a member of the Board of Directors.

AUGUST: The President-Elect must attend the annual meeting. He, she, or they will become a voting member of the Board of Directors at the meeting of that body which comes after the Annual Business Meeting. This meeting usually takes place on the morning of the last day of the annual meeting.

SEPTEMBER: The President-Elect must begin thinking about his, her, or their program theme and any special features that he, she, or they want to incorporate in the next annual meeting. This is a good time to get reflections of the previous year’s Program Committee about organization and planning of the program

OCTOBER: The President-Elect has no specific responsibilities except as a member of the Board of Directors.

NOVEMBER: The President-Elect has no specific responsibilities except as a member of the Board of Directors.

DECEMBER: The President-Elect has no specific responsibilities except as a member of the Board of Directors.

JANUARY: The President-Elect should make plans to participate in the annual meeting. He, she, or they should consider submitting a paper or organizing a session as a show of support for the current President.

FEBRUARY: The President-Elect should check with the Program Chair to discuss their opinion on the program ideas he, she, or they are considering. The program theme statement must be submitted to the Administrative Officer by June 30. This statement will appear in the final program.

MARCH: The President-Elect must forward any budget requests that he, she, or they may have for activities during the Presidential year to the Administrative Officer no later than May 1. All requests will be considered at the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee’s mid-year meeting. He, she, or they should have a meeting with the Administrative Officer regarding committee appointments. He, she, or they must check with the Committee on Committees Chair to see who they are suggesting to fill out the committee appointments for which the President-Elect is responsible.

APRIL: The President-Elect must finalize his, her, or their work on committee appointments. The President-Elect must check with his, her, or their Program Chair to determine if he, she, or they will be able to attend the annual meeting so that they may exchange ideas with the Division Chairs and the current Program Committee.

MAY: The President-Elect can make last-minute requests for budget items during the year that he, she, or they serve as President. The President-Elect must continue to work with the Committee on Committees, if needed.

SECOND YEAR

JUNE: The President-Elect must complete the final draft of his, her, or their program theme statement, including Program Committee composition, provide a testimonial, electronic signature, and photo for the Society’s website and submit it to the Administrative Officer by June 30. If the President wants to include their artwork in the online program, it must be sent along with the website image to the Administrative Officer by June 30; otherwise, it is due by mid-September. The President-Elect must continue to work with the Committee on Committees, if needed.

JULY: The President-Elect must make plans for attending the annual meeting. The President-Elect must inform the Administrative Officer about any special agenda items that he, she, or they wish to cover at the first meeting of the Board of Directors when he, she, or they will serve as President.

AUGUST: The current President will pass the gavel to the President-Elect at the end of the Annual Business Meeting. This will be the first opportunity for the incoming President to address the Society as its President. The address often includes an encouraging word about program participation and recruitment. This is an opportunity to say a brief word about special projects the President encourages members to support during his, her, or their term as President. The President must attend all meetings of the Board of Directors. He, she, or they will preside at the Board of Directors Meeting on the last day. The President must make sure that the Board of Directors reviews the slate of nominees provided by the Nominations Committee, nominates at least one candidate each for the offices of Secretary and Treasurer, and appoints two members to the Nominations Committee for the following term. He, she, or they must attend the joint Program Chairs meeting and the Local Arrangements Committee meeting on the first day (if applicable) and the Council of the Divisions and Program Chair joint meeting and the Program Chair Meeting with the Administrative Officer and IT Specialist on the last day (if applicable).

SEPTEMBER: The President must create the annual meeting artwork [Call for Papers/Student Paper Competition Poster; Program Cover (.pdf and .jpeg); and Website Image (.pdf and .jpeg)] with the help of a SSSP member or graphic artist by mid-September, unless it was provided in June. Request layered Photoshop file for the Website Image, so that the artwork can be modified (change colors, remove writing, and create required sizes) for use in the mobile app. He, she, or they must follow through on any action taken at the Annual Business Meeting or the Board of Directors Meetings that requires Presidential involvement.

OCTOBER: The President must write a cover letter for the first Membership Renewal Campaign. He, she, or they should write letters to all committee chairs encouraging them to carry out a plan of action for the year. The President should set goals for committees, if needed. Often during this month, the President and the Meeting Manager conduct the final site visit to the conference hotel that is hosting the annual meeting. During the visit, they assess any special needs and/or make adjustments in order to have a successful meeting. Depending on schedules, the site visit can be scheduled in November, if needed.

NOVEMBER: The President should start recruiting special speakers for the annual meeting, if needed. He, she, or they should nominate at least one book for the C. Wright Mills Award. The President should follow through on any special initiatives that he, she, or they are emphasizing during the Presidential year.

DECEMBER: The President must write a cover letter for the second Membership Renewal Campaign. He, she, or they must begin planning and/or writing the Presidential Address.

JANUARY: The President should check on the progress of the Program Committee particularly with work on invited sessions. The President should check with the Administrative Officer on the end of the year financial picture. He, she, or they must check for progress on crucial committee activities. For example, if a search for a new Editor of Social Problems is in progress, check with the Chair of Editorial and Publications Committee for an update.

FEBRUARY: During this month, all sessions organized by Divisions and the Program Committee are being finalized and forwarded to the Administrative Office.

MARCH: The President must write a cover letter for the third Membership Renewal Campaign. He, she, or they should make any requests for budget modifications for the current year. These requests will be considered at the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee’s mid-year meeting. The Administrative Officer is preparing the end of the year financial statements

APRIL: The first draft of the Presidential Address should be complete. The President should check on the progress of any Presidential initiatives.

MAY: The President must review the preliminary program for accuracy. All comments must be sent to the Administrative Officer. He, she, or they must finalize plans for the Presidential Address and the Awards Ceremony if not already completed. The President should make sure that any special arrangement needs are in the hands of the Meeting Manager.

THIRD YEAR

JUNE: The President should make any travel plans not yet completed for the annual meeting. He, she, or they must review the agendas for the Board of Directors Meetings and the Annual Business Meeting with the Administrative Officer. The President should write a letter to all committee chairs urging them to complete their reports, if needed.

JULY: The President should finalize the Presidential Address, if needed. He, she, or they must review the final program for accuracy. All comments must be sent to the Administrative Officer.

AUGUST: The President must preside at the Board of Directors Meetings, except for the meeting on the last day. He, she, or they will also preside at the Annual Business Meeting. The President will turn over the gavel to the incoming President before adjournment. The President will give the Presidential Address. He, she, or they will arrange for publication of the address in the upcoming February issue with the Editor(s) of Social Problems. The President will attend all receptions and the New Member Breakfast. At the last Board of Directors Meeting, he, she, or they will serve as Past-President.

During the remainder of the third year, the Past-President will serve as a member of the Board of Directors. As compensation for these duties, the Society provides a complimentary hotel room at the SSSP conference hotel during the annual meeting for three nights.

Return to Top

II. B. President-Elect

The President-Elect must attend the meeting of the new Board of Directors on the last day of the annual meeting. This will be his, her, or their first meeting as a voting member. He, she, or they may attend earlier Board meetings as a non-voting member. All committee appointment activity must be completed by the conclusion of the annual meeting. Having the list ready for review prior to the annual meeting is helpful.

In consultation with the Committee on Committees, the President-Elect nominates and the Board of Directors approves the following committee appointments:

Chair-Elect, Accessibility Committee
Chair-Elect, Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee
Chair-Elect, C. Wright Mills Award Committee
Chair-Elect, Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee
Chair-Elect, Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee
Chair-Elect, Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee
Chair-Elect, Lee Founders Award Committee
Chair-Elect, Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee
Chair-Elect, Lee Student Support Fund Committee
Chair-Elect, Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee (must be a member who has served on the committee at least one year)
Chair-Elect, Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee
Chair-Elect, Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee (should reside in the city where your annual meeting will take place)
Chair-Elect, Transnational Initiatives Committee (must be a member who has served on the committee at least one year)

These must be appointed because they serve on the current year’s committees. The President-Elect can secure advice on persons who have been screened for willingness to serve in these appointments from the Chair of the Committee on Committees and the Administrative Officer. There should be a commitment to nominating a diverse slate of nominees. This includes diversity based on racial-ethnic background, gender and sexual identities, geographic locations, and institutional settings (e.g., academia, practitioners, organizations, etc.). From time to time, committees are chaired by co-chairs. This typically means extra work on the Administrative Office. The Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer encourage one of the co-chairs to be the lead person, i.e., that one of the co-chairs be the person with whom they would communicate principally.

By as early as possible in the President-Elect year, the President-Elect should select his, her, or their Program Chair. The rationale for an early appointment is that the President-Elect may work with the Chair as he, she, or they develop the annual meeting theme and selects the remaining members of the Program Committee. In addition, the Program Chair can be in touch with the current Program Committee to learn from them.

The President-Elect’s program theme statement, testimonial, electronic signature, and photo for the Society’s website are due by June 30 of the year following the election and should be sent to the Administrative Officer. The President-Elect’s Program Committee must be appointed by and encouraged to attend the annual meeting. There will be a time and place scheduled for the Program Chair to meet with Division Chairs and other interested parties who want to help in organizing sessions for the President-Elect’s program. The President-Elect and Program Chair will also have an opportunity to meet with the current President, Program Chair, and Administrative Officer and learn from their experiences. As compensation for these duties, the Society provides a complimentary hotel room at the SSSP conference hotel during the annual meeting for three nights.

Return to Top

II. C. Vice-President Elect and the Vice-President

The Vice-President-Elect and the Vice-President serve a one-year term and are nominated by the Nominations Committee. The membership elects the Vice-President-Elect and the Vice-President in the General Election. Both serve as voting members of the Board of Directors.

The Vice-President will present all resolutions that the Board of Directors posts to the Society's website at the Annual Business Meeting. The resolution process is detailed in the next section entitled Call for Resolutions from the Membership. The Vice-President may be asked to introduce the President at the Presidential Address. He, she, or they become the Vice-President at the end of the Annual Business Meeting. The Vice-President is responsible for selecting the Chair and members of the Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee. The Vice-President serves as Chair of the Committee on Social Action. The Committee on Social Action meets at the annual meeting. The Vice-President chairs the Annual Review Committee of the Executive Officer. This committee is comprised of the Vice-President (Chair), Secretary, and Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions and conducts an annual review of the Executive Officer between June 1-July 15. As compensation for these duties, the Society provides a complimentary hotel room at the SSSP conference hotel for the Vice-President-Elect and Vice-President during the annual meeting for three nights.

Return to Top

II. C. 1. Call for Resolutions from the Membership

SSSP resolutions constitute an important opportunity for SSSP to take positions on a wide range of social issues, thereby creating a channel for greater visibility and more direct influence upon a variety of “publics,” i.e., fellow activists, scholars, students, decision-makers, social action groups, voters, and others. Current SSSP members may submit a resolution to the Board of Directors (BOD) for consideration. All resolutions must be submitted to the Vice-President of the Society, who also serves as the Chair of the Committee on Social Action (CSA). The Vice-President oversees the resolution process on behalf of the BOD. Resolutions must be consistent with and advance the mission of SSSP. In order to be eligible for consideration proposed resolutions must be submitted by April 30.

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 involves a letter from the BOD 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 wish to propose a resolution should consult the Society’s website for examples, suggestions, and the required resolution format.

The Vice-President serves as the facilitator for proposed resolutions, making them available to the membership prior to and at the Annual Business Meeting. The resolutions process will be organized in a manner that promotes wider discussion prior to formal consideration. The process is as follows:

The CSA reviews all submitted resolutions between May 1 and May 31. During their review, the CSA 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 CSA forwards a list of proposed resolutions to the BOD, with recommendations to advance or table each resolution. The BOD has the option of discussing a resolution with the CSA and/or the member(s) who submitted the resolution. At this juncture, the resolution “belongs” to the BOD. The resolution can be modified by the BOD, 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 BOD to do so (e.g., legal concern). Members of the CSA or BOD 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 BOD reviews the CSA’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 BOD forwards 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 BOD 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 BOD will post online the final version of the resolution for members to either approve or not approve.
Between July 15 and August 1, the BOD will finalize the list of resolutions and post the resolutions that have not been tabled on the SSSP website. The BOD may itself also choose to propose and post any resolutions by July 15, in response to current issues.
All resolutions that the BOD 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. The purpose of the discussion will be to seek clarification or to try to convince others to vote for or against the resolution. 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.
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. Abstentions will be counted as no votes. The final results of the vote shall be reported to the CSA and the BOD, 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. 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.

Members who wish to propose resolutions for consideration of the SSSP, should submit them to the SSSP Vice-President by April 30.

Return to Top

II. D. Secretary

The Secretary serves a one-year term and is nominated by the Board of Directors. The Board nominates one or more candidates for the office. The membership elects the Secretary in the General Election. Traditionally, the Secretary serves for a number of years. The primary duties are recording the minutes of the Annual Business Meeting and the meetings of the Board of Directors. These minutes must appear on the Society’s website. The Administrative Officer will review the unapproved minutes before they are posted. The Secretary must give due notice of all meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors. Additional duties may be assigned by the Board, such as formal correspondence for the Society. The Administrative Office assists the Secretary in the performance of the duties of the office. The Secretary serves on the Annual Review Committee of the Executive Officer. This committee is comprised of the Vice-President (Chair), Secretary, and Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions and conducts an annual review of the Executive Officer between June 1-July 15. As compensation for these duties, the Society provides a complimentary hotel room at the SSSP conference hotel during the annual meeting for three nights.

Return to Top

II. E. Treasurer

The Treasurer serves a one-year term and is nominated by the Board of Directors. The Board nominates one or more candidates for the office. The membership elects the Treasurer in the General Election. Traditionally, the Treasurer serves for a number of years. The Treasurer is assigned oversight responsibilities for the funds of the Society and their management and expenditure. The Treasurer works closely with the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer in this task. The Treasurer reviews the purchases journal and approves the expenditures before the Administrative Officer prints the checks. This review serves as an appropriate segregation of duties for cash disbursements, considering the Society’s limited personnel available. The Treasurer’s signature appears on all checks. As the ex-officio, voting member of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee, the Treasurer helps to project and revise the budgets and to determine the allocation of reserve funds in various investments. The Treasurer reports on the financial condition of the Society to the Board of Directors and to the membership. As compensation for these duties, the Society provides a complimentary hotel room at the SSSP conference hotel during the annual meeting for four nights.

Return to Top

II. F. Board of Directors

Each elected member of the Board of Directors serves a three-year term and is nominated by the Nominations Committee. The membership elects the Board members in the General Election. The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions is nominated and elected by the Division Chairs to serve as a voting member on the Board. The Editor(s) of Social Problems is nominated by the Editorial and Publications Committee and appointed by the Board of Directors as a Board member. This position and the Chairperson-elect of the Council of the Divisions holds ex-officio, non-voting membership on the Board. Two Student Board members are elected for a two-year term 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.The Student Board Representatives conduct a meeting with the graduate students at the annual meeting. Throughout the year, the Student Board Representatives communicate with student members via the Graduate Student Listserv. As compensation for these duties, the Society provides up to $500 to stay at the conference hotel to each Student Board Representative to help subsidize their meeting expenses.

The Board of Directors meets at the annual meeting and manages the Society’s affairs. The Board employs the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer to assist them in managing the Society’s business. The primary responsibility of a Board member is attendance at the Board of Directors meetings. The Board must be informed of any issues that come before the Society so they can vote to support courses of action that they believe are in the best interest of the organization and will advance the purpose of the organization as stated in the By-laws. Attendance at board meetings is very important. If a board member is unable to attend, he, she, or they can assign their proxy to another board member. Regularly, the Board is polled via e-mail on important issues. Prompt response is requested. Quarterly financial reports are sent to Board members via e-mail for their review. Board members must carefully review the documents for the purpose of making informed decisions. If clarification is needed, the Administrative Officer will help. (For more information on the Board of Directors, see Section I. C. above).

Return to Top

II. G. Parliamentarian

A Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President with the consent of the Board of Directors to advise the Society on matters of interpretation of the By-laws and of Roberts Rules of Order, Revised. The term of office is specified at the time of appointment, but may not exceed three years. Properly executed, this office can facilitate the flow of business and can provide good advice to the President on the proper and expeditious conduct of meetings.

Return to Top

II. H. Council of the Divisions

The Council of the Divisions is comprised of the chairpersons of the Divisions, the Chairperson of the Council, and the Chairperson-elect of the Council. The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions is nominated and elected by the Division Chairs to serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors for a three-year term. Only Division Chairs who have served for at least one year as Division Chair are eligible for consideration. The Council Chair is responsible for ensuring that the Division Chairpersons organize sessions for the annual meeting and provide names to the Nominations Committee for elected offices. The Council will meet three times during the annual meeting. Meeting 1 will be held the morning of the first day and will include: required attendance by outgoing and incoming Division Chairs and will focus on the Roles and Responsibilities of Division Chairs. Meeting 2 will also be held on the first day and will focus on remaining business from Meeting 1. Meeting 3 will be held on the last day with the Program Chair and will focus on planning the following year’s meeting. If a Division Chair cannot attend these meetings, it is their responsibility to appoint someone else to represent their division.

Duties of the Council Chair

The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions should stay in regular contact with the Division Chairpersons. This should be done at least 2-3 times per year.

In September, a letter should be sent to Division Chairpersons reminding them:

that the program is in development and must be formalized by March 1
that they consider joint sessions when possible
that they have funds available for Division activities
that some divisions need to elect new chairs and must begin the process
that up to three newsletters need to be sent to division members each year in order to keep the members informed and involved in the division

The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions will send out two e-mail requests to Division Chairs during the year asking them to nominate members for elected positions. The first e-mail should be sent by October 1 and the second e-mail by May 1. In addition, the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions must provide an annual report on the state of the divisions to the Board of Directors. This report will be considered as the first substantive item of business at the last Board meeting.

The Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions serves on the Annual Review Committee of the Executive Officer. This committee is comprised of the Vice-President (Chair), Secretary, and Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions and conducts an annual review of the Executive Officer between June 1-July 15. As compensation for these duties, the Society provides a complimentary hotel room at the SSSP conference hotel during the annual meeting for three nights.

Return to Top