About SSSP : Operations Manual : IV. The Committees of the Society

IV. The Committees of the Society

IV. A. Award Committees

IV. A. 1. C. Wright Mills Award Committee

IV. A. 2. Lee Founders Award Committee

IV. A. 3. Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee

IV. A. 4. Lee Student Support Fund Committee

IV. A. 5. Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee

IV. A. 6. Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee

IV. A. 7. Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee

IV. A. 8. Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee

IV. A. 9. Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee

IV. A. 10. Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee

IV. A. 11. Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee

IV. B. Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee

IV. C. Committee on Committees

IV. D. Editorial and Publications Committee

IV. E. Elections Committee and Election Procedures

IV. F. Membership and Outreach Committee

IV. G. Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee

IV. H. Program Committee

IV. H. 1. Policy Statement: Author Meets Critics Session

IV. H. 2. Policy Statement: Video Conferencing at the Annual Meeting

IV. H. 3. Policy Statement: Submitting Previously Published Papers

IV. H. 4. Policy Statement: Multiple Submissions of the Same Paper

IV. H. 5. Policy Statement: Excursions and Tours

IV. I. Accessibility Committee

IV. J. Site Selection Committee

IV. K. Nominations Committee

IV. L. Committee on Social Action

IV. M. Transnational Initiatives Committee

IV. N. Anti-Harassment Committee

IV. A. Award Committees

IV. A. 1. C. Wright Mills Award Committee

The C. Wright Mills Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and at least five other members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee must select among books submitted by individuals and/or publishers, the book(s) which critically addresses an issue of contemporary public importance; brings to the topic a fresh, imaginative perspective; advances social scientific understanding of the topic; displays a theoretically informed view and empirical orientation; evinces quality in style of writing and explicitly or implicitly contains implications for courses of action. Self-nominations are accepted. Edited volumes, textbooks, fiction, and self-published works are not eligible. The book(s) considered for the award must have been copyrighted in the calendar year before the award is made. Exceptions may be made for a book bearing a copyright in the calendar year before the award is made, but that was not released until the year the award is made for the first time.  The committee must verify that the version of the book submitted is a first edition (not a reprint or later edition). A member of the committee who has a book nominated for the award may not continue service on the committee.

The Administrative Office sends the Call for Nominations to a list of publishing companies. The Call for Nominations is published on the Society’s website. The deadline for nominations is December 15. After the nominations have been received, publishers are contacted by the Administrative Office to obtain missing books for the committee. All committee members must read the books and provide an initial evaluation of the nominees. The way in which this process is conducted is determined by the Chair in consultation with the committee members.

After the initial screening of the books, a cut may be made depending upon the consensus of the committee. For example, if all are agreed that a book does not meet the criteria listed in the call for nominations, a given book may be dropped from the list after the initial reading. All books that survive the initial screening may be assigned to a subset of committee members for a more thorough reading. From the scores based on the more intensive reading, several (usually five or six) books become finalists for the award. The list of finalists is prepared by the Chair and sent to the Administrative Officer no later than May 1. This assures that the full list of finalists is listed in the preliminary program and on the Society’s website.

All committee members evaluate each of the finalists. The ratings of each of the finalists are sent to the Chair who tabulates them. If the committee determines that there are two equally deserving books, co-winners are selected. After a winner(s) is determined, the Chair will send the winner’s name to the Administrative Officer no later than July 1. The Chair will also send out notification letters of the results to all finalists. The non-winner finalists will be recognized with a certificate of recognition for being a finalist and a letter will be written by the Executive Officer to relevant officials at the author’s institution.

The Administrative Office will invite the finalists and their publishers to advertise in the Annual Meeting final program. All finalists’ books will be displayed at the Annual Meeting Book Exhibit. The winner and guest as well as the editor and guest are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. A $1,000 check and plaque are awarded to the winning author. The cash award will be divided equally among co-winners. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Ceremony. 

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IV. A. 2. Lee Founders Award Committee

The Lee Founders Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and at least five other members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the award is made in recognition of the significant achievements that, over a distinguished career, have demonstrated continuing devotion to the ideals of the founders of the Society and especially to the humanistic tradition of Alfred McClung Lee and Elizabeth Briant Lee.

The Call for Nominations is published on the Society’s website. It is not uncommon for the committee to only receive one nomination. The deadline for nominations is April 15. If no person is deemed worthy of the award, the award is not given. The committee must reach a consensus on the winner before the Annual Meeting. The Administrative Office will send out notification letters of the results to all nominators. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. A $500 check and plaque are awarded to the winner. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Ceremony.

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IV. A. 3. Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee

The Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and at least five other members. The committee must be comprised of members at all levels of seniority, although there will be no student members on the committee. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of selecting the most deserving minority student(s) to receive a fellowship 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. The deadline for online applications is February 1 (receipt date).

The committee receives approximately 20 applications. The committee must work diligently to read and evaluate the applications, keeping in mind the July 15 deadline. This is not an easy task, given the high degree of quality among the pool of applicants. Each member must submit their top choices and the committee must reach a consensus on the winner. Application materials are sent to the Administrative Office for verification and distribution to the committee.

The Administrative Office sends the Call for Nominations to a variety of regional and national social science associations and to departments with graduate programs in Sociology. The Call for Nominations is published in ASA Footnotes and on the Society’s website. The Administrative Office will supply information to potential candidates, if requested.

Two winners must be selected by July 15. The Administrative Office will send out notification letters of the results to all applicants. The committee will award at least two $15,000 stipends with an additional $500 awarded to each winner for attendance at the Annual Meeting. Payments will be made in equal installments in September and January. An additional $500 stipend will be available for each winner to attend the following year’s Annual Meeting. Honorable Mentions will receive a complimentary one-year membership in the Society. The winners and guests are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. Either the President or the Chair presents the awards at the Awards Ceremony.

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IV. A. 4. Lee Student Support Fund Committee

The Lee Student Support Fund Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and one other member. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of allocating funds to facilitate conference attendance by undergraduate and graduate students.

The announcement and application are available on the Society’s website. The deadline for applying is March 15. An automated e-mail is sent to each applicant confirming the receipt of their application. The Administrative Office will confirm that each applicant is a current member and is participating in the Annual Meeting.

The committee has a specific amount, currently $15,000, to distribute among the qualified applicants. Only complete applications submitted online will be reviewed. A maximum of $500 is to be granted for travel support (transportation costs only) to any one recipient. Applicants may only apply for one travel fund. If an applicant is a foreign student, he, she or they must apply to the Lee Student Support Fund. Travel support does not include luggage fees, hotel, per diem, or other costs not associated with airfare, railway, or driving expenses between the applicant’s university and the conference location. All applicants who include unqualified costs will be eliminated from consideration. Applicants must upload a pdf or .rtf of their price quote from a travel website or from the website of a travel company to be considered.

The committee is charged with determining the amount and allocation of the awards. As there is very little guidance on what to consider for the distribution model, previous committees have used a point system based on the following criteria:

  • Location: 0 for Pacific, 1 for Mountain, 2 for Central, 3 for Eastern, 4: International (Canada is International)
  • Conference role: 3 for multiple roles, 2 for discussant (or being a Division Chair), 1 for organizing/ presiding
  • Presenting a paper: 3 for 3 papers, 2 for 2 papers, 1 for 1 paper, 0=no paper but playing another role (which should be counted above)
  • Received an award last year: 0 for yes, 1 for no

Each applicant is assigned a total point score based on the criteria above. There are three categories from the point totals:

  • 7-9 points
  • 4-6 points
  • 1-3 points

From this, the $15,000 travel funds can be distributed as follows: 

  • Those who total 7-9 points receive $250
  • Those who total 4-6 points receive $150
  • Those who total 1-3 points receive $75

The Chair provides a list containing the applicant’s name, contact information, and award amount to the Administrative Officer. All applicants will be notified no later than May 15 by the Administrative Office whether their application was accepted or rejected.

If a qualified applicant notifies the Administrative Officer that he, she or they are unable to attend the Annual Meeting before award checks are processed, their award money will be redistributed to the remaining qualified applicants. Following the Annual Meeting, if a qualified applicant returns his, her or their award money, the unspent funds will be returned to the Society’s general fund, unless the applicant is denied a travel visa. In this case, the award money is carried over to the following year and will be redistributed to the applicant, as long as he, she or they meet the travel fund guidelines.

The committee is also responsible for coordinating the Meeting Mentor Program with the assistance of the Administrative Officer. The meeting mentor announcement and application is available on the Society’s website. The deadline for applying is June 30. In an effort to recruit more meeting mentors, an e-mail blast will be sent to SSSP members one month prior to the Meeting Mentor Program deadline requesting participation. In addition, it is recommended that the Chair be in regular contact with Division Chairs and encourage them to recruit mentors from their division members. All participants will be notified no later than July 31 by the Administrative Office, so they can communicate prior to or early in the meeting, so mentees can get the most out of this program. Following the Annual Meeting, the Administrative Officer will work with the Chair and send a thank you email to those who served as mentors.

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IV. A. 5. Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee

The Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and one other member. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of allocating funds to facilitate conference attendance by foreign scholars from economically disadvantaged countries who without these funds could not attend the Annual Meeting. The specific purpose is to facilitate scholarly participation by persons engaged in research related to labor, gender, race-ethnicity, less advantaged countries, and other struggles. More generally, the purpose of this fund is to foster cooperative relations among persons and organizations engaged in applying sociological findings to confront social problems and create social change. Preference will be given to applicants who have not received support from the Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee before.

The announcement and application are available on the Society’s website. The deadline for applying is March 15. An automated e-mail is sent to each applicant confirming the receipt of their application. The Administrative Office will confirm that each applicant is a current member and is participating in the Annual Meeting.

The committee has a specific amount, currently $6,000, to distribute among the qualified applicants. Only complete applications submitted online will be reviewed. You may only apply for one travel fund. If an applicant is a foreign student, he, she or they must apply to the Lee Student Support Fund.

The committee is charged with determining the amount and allocation of the awards. The Chair provides a list containing the applicant’s name, contact information, and award amount to the Administrative Officer. All applicants will be notified no later than May 15 by the Administrative Office whether their application was accepted or rejected.

If a qualified applicant notifies the Administrative Officer that he, she or they are unable to attend the Annual Meeting before award checks are processed, their award money will be redistributed to the remaining qualified applicants. Following the Annual Meeting, if a qualified applicant returns his, her or their award money, the unspent funds will be returned to the Society’s general fund, unless the applicant is denied a travel visa. In this case, the award money is carried over to the following year and will be redistributed to the applicant, as long as he, she or they meet the travel fund guidelines.

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IV. A. 6. Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee

The Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and one other member. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of allocating funds to facilitate conference attendance by unemployed and underemployed sociologists.

The announcement and application are available on the Society’s website. The deadline for applying is March 15. In an effort to increase applications, the Chair will send an outreach letter with the assistance of the Administrative Office on January 15 and February 15 to current members who fit the dues categories for un(der)employed members. An automated e-mail is sent to each applicant confirming the receipt of their application. The Administrative Office will confirm that each applicant is a current member and is participating in the Annual Meeting.

The committee has a specific amount, currently $1,500, to distribute among the qualified applicants. Only complete applications submitted online will be reviewed. A maximum of $500 is to be granted to any one recipient. An applicant must be presenting a paper at the Annual Meeting or participating as an officer or committee member. The Chair provides a list containing the applicant’s name, contact information, and award amount to the Administrative Officer. All applicants will be notified no later than April 1 by the Administrative Office whether their application was accepted or rejected.

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IV. A. 7. Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee

The Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and no more than six members. If possible, committee members should reside in the area where the Annual Meeting is to be held. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of selecting the most deserving non-profit social action organization in the city/local area hosting the Annual Meeting. Preference is given to small, local agencies rather than large organizations or chapters of nationally-based organizations. The main criterion is the extent to which the organization reaches out to the disadvantaged in the community and uses innovative means for dealing with local social conditions in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of the SSSP, as stated in the By-laws and the Society’s website and resolutions approved by the membership.

The Call for Nominations and nomination form are available on the Society’s website. The deadline for nominations is April 1. The committee receives between 4-6 nominations. The committee must work diligently to read and rank the nominations. Each member must submit their top choices to the Chair. The committee must reach a consensus on the winner before the Annual Meeting.

The Administrative Office will send out notification letters of the results to all nominators. The winning organization is invited to present at a special session of the Annual Meeting devoted to the Social Action Award winner. The committee chair serves as organizer and presider of the session.  The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. A $5,000 check is awarded to the winning organization. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Ceremony. All revenue from the raffle ticket sales will be used for the award and the Society will make up the difference to equal $5,000.

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IV. A. 8. Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee

The Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee consists of a Chair 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).

The Call for Nominations and nomination form are available on the Society’s website. In addition, the award should be advertised via division newsletters. Active solicitation of nominees will be part of the committee’s duties. The deadline for nominations is April 15. If no person is deemed worthy of the award, then the award is not given. The committee must reach a consensus on the winner before the Annual Meeting. The Administrative Office will send out notification letters of the results to all nominators. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. A $500 check and plaque are awarded to the winner. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Ceremony.

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IV. A. 9. Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee

The Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and no more than four members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of identifying the best paper published within two calendar years prior to the award 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 and empirical orientation.

The Call for Nominations and nomination form are available on the Society’s website. The deadline for nominations is April 15. If no person is deemed worthy of the award, then the award is not given. The committee must reach a consensus on the winner before the Annual Meeting. The Administrative Office will send out notification letters of the results to all nominators. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. A $500 check and plaque are awarded to the winner. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Ceremony.

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IV. A. 10. Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee

The Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and no more than two members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has 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.

The Call for Nominations and nomination form are available on the Society’s website. The deadline for nominations is April 15. If no person is deemed worthy of the award, then the award is not given. The committee must reach a consensus on the winner before the Annual Meeting. The Administrative Office will send out notification letters of the results to all nominators. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. A $500 check and plaque are awarded to the winner. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Ceremony.

IV. A. 11. Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee

The Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and two current members of the Teaching Social Problems Division. The Chair-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 Chair-Elect shall serve as a member of the committee during the year prior to becoming the Chair. Ideally, one of these members would be the previous year’s award recipient.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of identifying an outstanding faculty member or community activist. The award is established to recognize 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.

The Call for Nominations and nomination form are available on the Society’s website. The deadline for nominations is April 15. If no person is deemed worthy of the award, then the award is not given. The committee must reach a consensus on the winner before the Annual Meeting. The Administrative Office will send out notification letters of the results to all nominators. The winner and mentees are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony. The winner will receive a plaque and up to three of the winner’s mentees will receive a one-year SSSP membership as well as annual meeting registration fees for the year the award is presented. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Ceremony.

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IV. B. Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee

The Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee consists of the Treasurer and three members elected by the membership to staggered three-year terms. The Investment Advisor is appointed by the Board and serves as a non-voting member. The committee selects its own chair from the three elected members each year. The tradition has been to select the third-year member. At both the mid-year and the Annual Meeting, a member of the committee will act as secretary/minute taker. In order to maximize efficient transitions, the minute taker shall be the individual who will assume chair responsibilities in the following calendar year. This committee develops the most detailed knowledge of the financial situation of the Society. The Administrative Officer provides the committee with quarterly financial statements.

Duties of the Committee

  • to examine, acknowledge, and approve the Society’s budget as proposed by the Administrative Officer in consultation with the Executive Officer
  • to acknowledge and approve the audit of the Society’s financial records each year by the Administrative Officer with the assistance of a certified public accountant
  • to supervise the Society’s investments

Meetings of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee

The mid-year meeting is scheduled in late May or early June at which point a detailed examination of the Society’s finances takes place. A budget item for committee expenses is included in the Society’s budget. The committee will:

  • review the Society’s investments and recommend any changes
  • review the financial relationship between the Editorial Office of the Journal, the Administrative Office and the Executive Officer
  • review the relationship between the Society and the host institution of the Administrative Office
  • review the performance of Social Problems and the publisher of the journal
  • discuss investments and socially responsible mutual funds
  • review the audit performed by an independent accounting firm and recommend its acceptance or revision
  • review the current year’s budget and make any revisions, if needed
  • project the following year’s budget
  • elect the next Chair

The Committee meets twice during the Annual Meeting to revise the current and following year’s budget and to review the Society’s investments. The Chair presents the current year’s budget to the Board of Directors for approval. The Treasurer presents the auditor’s report to the Board of Directors for approval. The newly appointed Chair presents the following year’s budget to the Board of Directors for approval.l.

Investment Advisor

The Investment Advisor is appointed by the Board and serves as a non-voting member of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee for a three-year term. The duties of this person are to investigate sound opportunities to invest the Society’s reserves which are consistent with the purposes of the organization and to review our investment policy.

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IV. C. Committee on Committees

The Committee on Committees consists of six members elected by the membership to staggered three-year terms. The committee selects its own Chair each year.

Duties of the Committee

The committee must secure members to serve on the following committees prior to the Annual Meeting. A member may not serve on more than two committees within the Committee on Committees’ authority. 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.).

The President-Elect can appoint members to serve as well. The Committee on Committees Chair contacts the President-Elect to see if the committee can offer assistance with additional nomination

  • Secure one or more persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Accessibility Committee for a one-year term.
  • Secure one person for each committee to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee, Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee, and the Lee Student Support Fund Committee for a one-year term.
  • Secure two persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee for a three-year term.  The President-Elect will appoint a Chair from among the members who have served on the committee for at least one year.
  • Secure two persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Committee on Social Action and the Doris Wilkinson Faculty Leadership Award Committee for a one-year term.
  • Secure one or two persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Transnational Initiatives Committee for a three-year term.
  • Secure two current members of the Teaching Social Problems Division to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Kathleen S. Lowney Mentoring Award Committee for a one-year term.  Ideally, one of these members would be the previous year’s award recipient. 
  • Secure three persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Elections Committee for a one-year term. 
  • Secure three persons from the area hosting the next Annual Meeting to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors who are willing to serve on the Local Arrangements Committee for a one-year term.  The President-Elect nominates the Chair.  The Chair often recruits his, her or their own committee.
  • Secure at least four persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Arlene Kaplan Daniels Paper Award Committee for a one-year term.
  • Secure at least five persons for each committee to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the C. Wright Mills Award Committee, Lee Founders Award Committee, and the Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee for a one-year term.
  • Secure no more than six persons from the area hosting the next Annual Meeting to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee for a one-year term
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IV. D. Editorial and Publications Committee

The Editorial and Publications Committee consists of six members elected by the membership to staggered three-year terms. Members who are nominated for election must have editorial experience.  The Chair of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee serves as a voting, ex-officio committee member. The Editor of Social Problems serves as a non-voting, ex-officio committee member. The outgoing editor of Social Problems serves a three-year term as a voting, ex-officio committee member. The committee selects its own Chair each year.

Duties of the Committee

  • Provide oversight responsibilities with respect to the publication of Social Problems. The committee must ensure the quality and timeliness of this publication.
  • Conduct a yearly evaluation of the editor of Social Problems. The committee can recommend reappointment for an additional term not to exceed three years.
  • Review periodically and publish its criteria for the oversight of the Editorial Office and for the selection of an editor. Final decisions regarding the editorial policies of Social Problems is made by the Board of Directors or by the membership by 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.
  • Supervise the preparation and the arrangements of publications of the Society other than Social Problems.

Evaluating the Editor of Social Problems
The evaluation process will focus on finding out what sorts of challenges are being faced by the Editor, how the committee can help deal with these challenges, and what improvements or changes are needed to continue to move the journal forward.

Each year, the Editor will include how the journal has fared over the past year and where it is going looking ahead in the annual report. The Editor will include a section that specifically addresses the tasks of the Editor and provides answers to some combination of the following questions

  1. How does the Editor feel the Editorial Office is functioning?
  2. Does the Editor have the needed resources to carry out the journal’s activities?
  3. Has the Editor implemented additional strategies to improve the visibility of the journal?
    3a. If so, elaborate and indicate if that is going well or not?
  4. What barriers exist to fulfilling the Editor’s goals with the journal?
  5. Looking forward for the coming year, are there any problems on the horizon that could be addressed before they become a problem?
  6. Are the working relationships (with other editors, the host institution, the SSSP Administrative Office, etc.) positive, negative?
  7. What additional ideas does the Editor have for improving the journal and what resources would be needed to implement them?

The answers provided will facilitate an informed discussion year after year, with the ability to chart changes and improvements, opportunities and challenges over time.

Contracting with a Publisher/Printer

Social Problems
The Society contracts with a press to handle various business aspects of publishing Social Problems. The search for a new publisher will be led by an Ad Hoc Publisher Search Committee comprised of the Executive Officer, Chair of the Editorial and Publications Committee, the current Editor of Social Problems, the Chair of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee, the Treasurer, and one at-large member of the Editorial and Publications Committee. The Executive Officer will serve as Chair and will be a non-voting member.  This ad hoc committee will review all bids, provide frequent updates to the Editorial and Publications Committee, select finalists, and make a recommendation to the Editorial and Publications Committee as a whole. The Editorial and Publications Committee will vote on the recommendation of a new publisher and then forward their recommendation to the Board of Directors. (The Editorial and Publications Committee should also be included in any interviews with publisher finalists conducted at the Annual Meeting).

The University of California Press published Social Problems from April 1986 (Volume 33, No. 4) to December 2014 (Volume 61, No. 4). On December 12, 2013, the Society signed a contract with Oxford University Press. This contract will be in effect from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. The appointment shall continue thereafter for another five-year period unless terminated by either party in writing by December 31, 2018. The Ad Hoc Publisher Search Committee must recommend to the Board whether to renew the contract or seek bids from alternative publishers before the contract expires.  The final decision remains with the Board.

The Membership Directory
The membership directory is available on the Society’s website and can only be accessed by current members. The electronic membership directory provides several search options, including name, e-mail, affiliation, city, and country. Members can make changes directly to their own listing and choose to remain unlisted in the directory. The Administrative Office has responsibilities for the quality of this service

Other Publications
The Editorial and Publications Committee may recommend other publications to the Board of Directors. Given the wide use of Social Problems articles and their high quality, anthologies utilizing the articles have been well received. Proposals must be prepared by current members. The Editorial and Publications Committee reviews the proposals and makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether or not the book is endorsed by the Society as a sponsored publication. Approved proposals are submitted to the publisher for consideration. The agreement on sponsored publications stipulates that any royalties earned by these edited volumes will be paid to the Society.

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IV. E. Elections Committee and Election Procedures

The Elections Committee is composed of a Chair and three or more members. The committee makes no nominations. The Administrative Officer sends the ordered list developed by the Nominations Committee and approved by the Board of Directors to the Chair to secure the verbal consent of nominees by no later than two weeks following the Annual Meeting.

If names appear on more than one list, candidates are contacted in the order they appear on each list. If an individual declines to run, that person may be eligible to serve in another office. If this occurs, the person is offered the higher-ranking office first. A member may hold no more than two elected positions, and no more than one position that is subject to a general election by the entire membership of the Society (e.g., Board of Directors, Committee on Committees, etc.). Members may serve in one position at the division-level (e.g., Division Chair or Division Co-Chair) and one generally elected position in the Society simultaneously. Determination of the candidate’s willingness to run is made by the Elections Committee. A minimum of two candidates must be proposed for any vacant position except Secretary and Treasurer. The candidates for these two positions are nominated by the Board of Directors.

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

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

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

Once the slate of candidates has been identified, the Graduate Research Associate will ask candidates to complete an online candidate form within a two-week period.

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

Posting the Ballot
By February 1 of each year an e-mail to all members will announce the opening of the general election on February 15. Electronic mail will be used for the notification of elections, notification of meetings, and any other official announcements. It is considered the member’s responsibility to notify the Administrative Office of any changes in e-mail or postal address in a timely fashion.

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

Final Results
The Administrative Officer will work with the Elections Committee Chair and distribute a personalized e-mail notification letter to all candidates. A week later, the Administrative Officer will inform the Board of Directors of the election results. Five days later, the election results will be posted on the Society’s website. These tasks must be completed by no later than April 1. In case of ties, the Board of Directors shall be requested to cast the deciding vote. After all candidates have been notified of the election results, the Administrative Office will communicate with each person elected and advise them of the office’s responsibilities.

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

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

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IV. F. Membership and Outreach Committee

The Membership and Outreach Committee consists of nine members elected by the membership to staggered three-year 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. At the Annual Meeting a member of the committee will act as secretary/minute taker. In order to maximize efficient transitions, the minute taker shall be the individual who will assume chair responsibilities in the following calendar year. The duties of the committee are to recruit new members, to raise awareness of SSSP, to post on the Society’s social media accounts, and to recommend retention strategies to the Administrative Office, to the Executive Officer, and to the Board of Directors.

Timetable for Various Committee Activities:

Set Promotional Strategy Schedule: October 15*
Updates to promotional web sites to Administrative Office: October 31
Updates to printed promotional items to Administrative Office: November 15
Selections of target e-mail lists (if applicable): November 30

*This schedule is to be modified on an annual basis in consultation with the Membership and Outreach Committee Chair at the beginning of the term according to the promotional strategy in place for the year.

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IV. G. Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee

The Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and six members appointed to staggered three-year terms. The President-Elect will appoint a Chair from among the members who have served on the committee for at least one year. The Chair will serve during the term in which the President-Elect is President. At the Annual Meeting a member of the committee will act as secretary/minute taker. In order to maximize efficient transitions, the minute taker shall be the individual who will assume chair responsibilities in the following calendar year.

Duties of the Committee

    • performs a critical survey of the functioning of the Society
    • develops proposals for the improvement of the organization and operation of the Society
    • examines the distribution of functions between volunteer members and paid staff for more effective achievement of organizational objectives
    • initiates the process of planning new goals and future development of the Society
    • reviews the maintenance of a system of permanent records and operating procedures
    • reviews the Society’s web site
    • conducts personnel evaluations of the Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Meeting Manager, Administrative Assistant, Information Technology Specialist, and the Graduate Research Associate at each Annual Meeting

IV. H. Program Committee

The Program Committee consists of a Chair and three or more members.  The duties of the committee are to develop and implement plans for the Annual Meeting program based upon the theme for the meeting.  The theme is developed by the President-Elect and announced with a description in the final program for the Annual Meeting that occurs one year before the program will be held.  In recent years, Presidents have kept the committee near the lower limit of three persons, but some Presidents have chosen to have a larger committee.  The Administrative Officer works closely with the Program Chair providing information on past successes and failures, provides support needed in completing the duties of the committee, and lays out the Annual Meeting program.

The following paragraph appears in the By-laws and is meant to convey the wide latitude granted to the committee in planning a stimulating 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 in their pursuit of research, theory and policy analysis.”

Often papers are invited for special sessions.  In addition to the sessions organized by the committee, each Division is entitled to organize at least three sessions and up to seven co-sponsored sessions.  One of these sessions must pertain to the announced theme of the meeting.  This encouragement comes in a joint meeting with the Program Chair, President, Administrative Officer, and the Division Chairpersons held during the Annual Meeting preceding the year during which the committee functions.

Also, a joint meeting of the Program Chair, which has completed its work, and the Program Chair that is just beginning its intensive planning phase takes place at the Annual Meeting.  This meeting provides an opportunity to discuss what went well and what could be improved.  The President, President-Elect, and the Administrative Officer also attend this meeting to provide additional information from their perspective.

The Administrative Officer and the IT Specialist will meet with the incoming Program Chair and President to review the Program Committee Timetable and the Online Session Management System.  This meeting will occur following the joint meeting with the Program Chair, President, Administrative Officer, and the Division Chairpersons.

Timetable for Various Program Committee Activities:

Appointment of Program Committee Chairperson(s) two years before Annual Meeting
Appointment of Program Committee one year before Annual Meeting
Deadline for Names of Session Organizers mid-September in year before Annual Meeting
Distribution of Call for Papers to all members via e-mail mid-October in year before Annual Meeting
Deadline for electronic submission of papers/abstracts to Session Organizers or the Program Chair January 31 the year of the Annual Meeting 
Session organizers must accept or refer all papers/abstracts by no later than mid-February the year of the Annual Meeting
Session/paper titles and contact information for each author must be in the Administrative Office by no later than March 1 the year of the Annual Meeting
Program Committee make final placement of referred papers by March 15 the year of the Annual Meeting
Administrative Officer lays out the program schedule

by April 1 the year of the Annual Meeting
Program Participants are notified of their program participation

by April 15 the year of the Annual Meeting
Preliminary Program will be distributed to all current members and program participants via e-mail

mid-May the year of the Annual Meeting
Program Participants must register for the Annual Meeting

by June 1 the year of the Annual Meeting
Final Program goes to the printer 

late July the year of the Annual Meeting


A budget item for committee expenses and money for invited speakers’ dues and annual conference registration is allocated to the Program Chair and included in the Society’s budget.  If the committee needs additional money, the Chair must inform the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.

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IV. H. 1. Policy Statement: Author Meets Critics Session

Author Meets Critic Sessions are designed to bring authors of recent books considered to be important contributions to the study of social problems and the advancement of social justice together with discussants chosen to provide different viewpoints. Only books published during the previous two years from the conference meeting are eligible for nomination. Only SSSP members may submit nominations; self-nominations are not accepted.  No more than two (2) Author Meets Critics sessions will be offered by the Program Committee each year.  At the discretion of the Program Chair, the Committee may invite authors whose work is particularly relevant to the year’s theme.

Author Meets Critics Session proposals must be submitted to the Program Committee by the deadline date for the annual meeting. Proposals must include:

  • Title of Book (include publisher and publication date)
  • Brief statement (about 200 words) about the book’s importance to the study of social problems and the advancement of social justice in general, as well as the relevance of the book for the annual meeting’s theme
  • Session Organizer(s)—authors cannot serve as session organizers
  • A list of potential critics, including their e-mail addresses

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IV. H. 2.  Policy Statement: Video Conferencing at the Annual Meeting

As a rule, virtual presentations are not permitted at the annual meeting, but the Program Committee, in consultation with the President of the Board of Directors, will consider rare exceptions in instances where the circumstances preventing the participation of a presenter/panelist and the importance of their contribution are such as to warrant an exception.

If an exception is made, it will cost the Society approximately $200-$250 per room, per day.

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IV. H. 3. Policy Statement: Submitting Previously Published Papers

Papers are not eligible for presentation or division competitions or awards/scholarships/fellowships if they have been published or accepted for publication before being submitted for consideration.

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IV. H. 4. Policy Statement: Multiple Submissions of the Same Paper

Papers are not eligible if they have been presented previously at SSSP or presented or accepted for presentation at other professional meetings, unless they have been revised substantially with new data, findings, or theoretical contributions. 

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IV. H. 5. Policy Statement: Excursions and Tours

Only tours organized by the Local Arrangements Committee in relative proximity to the meeting site will be permitted.  Individual attendees can make their own tour arrangements, if desired.

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IV. I. Accessibility Committee

The Accessibility Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect, and one or more additional members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee strives to assure that all facilities at the Annual Meeting are accessible to disabled participants. The committee has the responsibility of developing and recommending to the Board of Directors and to the membership policies that will encourage and assure the full participation of disabled persons in the Society and in the larger community.

In mid-March, the Chair reviews and modifies the Guidelines for Meeting Participants flyer. The Administrative Officer will assist the Chair with this task. The Administrative Office will distribute the guidelines to all program participants. In June, the Administrative Office works with a graphic artist to design a web banner advertising the availability of the Comfort Zone at the Annual Meeting. In July, the Administrative Office sends the Accessibility Guidelines to all program participants one month prior to the Annual Meeting.

The Chair may be asked to assist the Administrative Officer in identifying accessibility services such as sign language interpreters, sighted guides, etc. to facilitate registrant’s full participation in the Annual Meeting.

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IV. J. Site Selection Committee

The By-laws designate the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer as the Site Selection Committee. Since 2004, the Society has utilized the meeting management services of HelmsBriscoe (placement fee paid directly by the hotel) when soliciting hotel bids. In addition to consulting with persons who live in the area proposed as the Annual Meeting site, the committee may consult with others in selecting a site according to criteria established by the Board of Directors. At the 2019 Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors reaffirmed the current Society practice to prefer (not require) union properties for sites for annual meetings.

Provisions are made in the annual budget for the Site Selection Committee to visit the Annual Meeting site up to three years in advance of the meeting date. The committee visits the proposed city in October or November and screens potential host properties.

The top three properties meeting the Society’s requirements, as specified under the “Hotel Contracts” section, are asked to prepare a written contract. The Administrative Officer prepares a comparison report of the property characteristics for the Board of Directors’ consideration. These options are forwarded to the Board of Directors in December, and a vote is taken via e-mail. The Executive Officer or Administrative Officer signs a contract for the Annual Meeting site approximately two and a half years in advance. This amount of lead time is necessary to secure a property compatible with the wishes of the Society’s members. This process has been found to be most effective in insuring that site requirements are met.

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IV. K. Nominations Committee

The Nomination Committee for the year following the Annual Meeting is established at the 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 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.

The duties of the committee are to nominate 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 Secretary and Treasurer, which shall be nominated by the Board of Directors.

Every year, candidates are needed for:

President-Elect (1): At least 2 nominees, 4-6 names
Vice-President-Elect (1): At least 2 nominees, 4-6 names
Board of Directors (2): At least 4 nominees, 8-10 names (NOTE: Some years there may be more than 2 vacancies.)
Board of Directors, Student Representative (1): At least 2 nominees, 4-6 names
Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee (1): At least 2 nominees, 4-6 names
Committee on Committees (2): At least 4 nominees, 8-10 names
Editorial and Publications Committee (1 or 2): At least 2-4 nominees, 6-8 names
Membership and Outreach Committee (2): At least 4 nominees, 8-10 names
Membership and Outreach Committee, Student Representative (1): At least 2 nominees, 4-6 names

Each year the Nominations Committee led by the Chairperson of the Council of the Divisions begins soliciting names for consideration at the following year’s meetings immediately following the Annual Meeting. All nominations should be submitted by June 15. 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 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 Division Chairs and the Board of Directors, from members of Standing Committees, and whatever other sources it deems appropriate.

The Chair has the responsibility of presenting as its report an ordered list of nominees for each vacant position to the Board of Directors on the last day of the Annual Meeting for approval. The Nominations Chair will supply an oral review of a nominee's credentials, if requested by a Board member during the meeting when the slate of nominees is discussed. The Administrative Officer sends the approved list to the Elections Committee Chair by no later than two weeks following the Annual Meeting.

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IV. L. Committee on Social Action

The Committee on Social Action consists of the current Vice President as Chair, Vice-President-Elect, Past Vice-President, two Division Chairs, and two general members, where the two general members are selected by the Committee on Committees, and the two Division Chairs are selected by the Council of Divisions at the previous year’s meeting, each serving three-year staggered terms.

Duties of the Committee

  • Propose social actions to the Board of Directors such as writing letters and opinion pieces.
  • Work on clarifying and refining resolutions before resolutions are discussed by the Council of Division Chairs.
  • Explore ways that the Society can be more action oriented by connecting with organizations locally, nationally, and globally

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IV. M. Transnational Initiatives Committee

The Transnational Initiatives Committee consists of a Chair, a Chair-Elect, and four members, of whom at least two must be international members, appointed to staggered three-year terms, and a graduate student member.  In addition to the appointed members the Executive Officer serves as an ex-officio member. 

Initially, the Chair and one committee member will serve a one-year term; the Chair-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 Chair-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 Chair 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 will 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 for more than three consecutive years.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has 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 South.  Monies for this fund shall be allocated at the discretion of the Board of Directors in consultation with the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee.

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IV. N. Anti-Harassment Committee

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

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

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

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