Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins Society By-Laws

 By-Laws of the Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins Society

As Amended May, 27, 2011, Boston, MA

Article I:  Name

This organization shall be known as The Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins Society, hereinafter referred to as the “Society.”

Article II:  Purpose

The Society has been established to initiate, sponsor, and encourage publications, conferences, programs and projects celebrating the life, career, works, communities and legacy of Pauline Hopkins.

Article III:  Membership

Membership in the Society is open to anyone who has a genuine interest in increasing public awareness and perpetuating the study and appreciation of the life, career, works, communities and legacy of Pauline Hopkins.  An individual may become a member of the Society upon payment of membership dues as set by the Executive Committee and may remain so by keeping her/his dues current.

The Society shall maintain the following membership categories:

1. Founding Member – Any member who joins the Society on or before 31 August 2010. Founding Members shall have the privileges to vote, to hold elected and appointed offices, to deliver conference papers and to serve as committee chairs or committee members.
2. Regular Member – Any member who joins the Society after 31 August 2010.  Regular Members shall have the privileges to vote, to hold elected and appointed offices, to deliver conference papers and to serve as committee chairs or committee members.
3. Lifetime Member – Any member who has paid the Lifetime Membership fee.  Lifetime Members shall have the privileges to vote, to hold elected and appointed offices, to deliver conference papers and serve as committee chairs or committee members.
4. Graduate Student Member – Any member who is a graduate student.  Graduate Student Members shall have the privileges to vote, to hold appointed offices, to deliver conference papers and to serve on ad hoc committees.  Graduate Student Members may not serve as committee chairs or hold elected office.
5. Student Member – Any member who is a undergraduate or high school student.  Student Members may serve on ad hoc      committees, but they do not have any voting rights nor can they hold elected or appointed offices or serve as committee chairs.
6. Institutional Member – A member who represents an academic, historical, archival, cultural and other similar organization.       Institutional Members may serve as ex officio delegates for their      institutions on ad hoc committees.  Institutional Members may not vote, hold elected or appointed offices or serve as committee chairs.
7. Honorary Members – A member who has been selected by the Executive Committee.  Honorary Members do not pay membership   dues.  Honorary Members may serve on ad hoc committees, but they do not have any voting rights nor can they hold elected offices or serve as committee chairs.

Article IV:  Officers

The elected officers of the Society shall be a President, Vice-President, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Membership Officer and Treasurer.

All of the officers shall serve a three-year term.  Officers may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

1. The President shall be the presiding officer and shall have general supervision over all affairs of the organization.  She/he shall preside at all executive board and general body meetings of the Society and appoint committees with the advice of the Executive Committee.  In the President’s absence, the Vice-President shall preside.  If neither of these two senior officers is present, the Executive Committee shall designate a presiding officer.
2. The Vice-President shall assist the President in the execution of her or his duties and shall perform all the duties of the President in the absence of the latter.  In the event of the President’s  resignation or disability, the Vice-President shall become President and serve the remainder of the term.  The Vice-President shall assist with the development and implementation of programs and perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.
3. The Immediate Past President shall assist the President in the transition of office and advise the Executive Committee in any and all ways appropriate for the operation of the Society.
4. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the general body meetings of the Society and the Executive Committee and prepare minutes of these meetings for appropriate distribution.  She/he shall also maintain meeting attendance records.  If the Secretary is not present at a general body or Executive Committee meeting, then a Secretary pro tem shall be appointed by the presiding officer.  The Secretary shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.
5. The Membership Officer shall recruit and register members in the Society, collect membership dues and forward such to the Treasurer of the Society, and maintain an accurate record of all memberships and the Society’s official mailing list.  She/he shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.
6. The Treasurer shall maintain full and accurate financial accounts for the Society, oversee and manage funds and pay all bills properly incurred by the Society.  She/he shall present annual financial      reports to the Executive Committee and at the annual meeting of the Society.  She/he shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.

Article V:  Appointed Positions

1. The Parliamentarian shall keep the order at Executive and annual meetings and advise the presiding officer on the proper implementation of Robert’s Rules  of Order.  She/he shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.
2. The Editor of the Pauline Hopkins Society Newsletter shall be responsible for the publication and distribution of the Newsletter      and work closely with the Society Web Master.  She/he shall also keep an accurate record of all matters pertaining to the management and distribution of the Newsletter and shall maintain the Society listserv.  She/he shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.
3. The Historian shall preserve the archives of the Society and shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.
4. The Program Committee Chair shall direct the routine business of the Program Committee and shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.
5. The Society Web Master shall be responsible for maintaining the content of the official  Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins website.  She/he shall perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee.

Article VI:  Executive Committee

The Executive Committee of the Society shall be chaired by the President and composed of the following officers:  the President, Vice-President, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Membership Officer, Treasurer, Program Committee Chair, Editor of the Newsletter, Historian and Web Master.

The President, in consultation with appointed and elected officers, shall be responsible for the agenda of Executive Committee meetings.  Parliamentary procedures at Executive Committee meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.  This committee shall normally meet physically if possible at least once per year at the American Literature Association’s Annual Meeting.  It may be formally convened at other times, when needed, provided that each member of the Committee receives a notice of such a meeting at least four weeks prior to said meeting and that a simple majority of Executive Committee members can attend.

The Executive Committee may also communicate, consult, and make decisions via phone or internet to address either daily business matters (e.g., approving communications to members and other parties, approving committee member appointments, approving calls for papers and recommendations from the Program Committee, etc.) or emergencies (e.g., approving temporary/replacement appointments to the Executive Committee or other committees). When working by phone, the normal mode for such work will be via a conference call scheduled at least one week in advance, and a simple majority of the Executive Committee members will be present. When working via Internet, the normal mode for such work will be via email using the email addresses submitted by Executive Committee members with their membership applications or in such updates as they provide to the Membership Officer and the Secretary. Decisions via email likewise require a simple majority and are ideally scheduled one week in advance.

The major responsibility of the Executive Committee shall be to run the Society.  It shall plan, evaluate and initiate policy for the Society, and, through the Treasurer, review all expenditures and disbursements relating to business that may be conducted by the Society.  The Executive Committee shall also approve and evaluate all programs and projects of the Society.

Article VII:  Meetings

The Society shall hold an annual meeting at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Committee.  Said time and place will be announced to the membership at least 30 days prior to the meeting.  The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the agenda of that meeting.  Parliamentary procedures at the annual meeting shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article VIII:  Dues

Membership dues will be determined by the Executive Committee and payable as described in Article III.  Payment of dues entitles a member to participate in all transactions of the Society, as outlined in the by-laws, and receive invitations to Society activities.

Article IX:  Nomination and Election of Officers

Whenever an election is necessary, a Nomination Committee appointed by the President of the Society will bring a slate of nominees to the Society membership at the annual meeting.  The Nominations Committee will distribute information about the candidates 30 days before an election.

In order to run for office, candidates must be members in good standing (current in their membership dues).  60 days prior to an election, candidates for the offices of President and Vice-President must submit a statement of intent to run for office to the Nomination Committee, along with endorsements from ten members in good standing and a statement designed to be distributed to Society members that outlines the candidate’s record of Service to the Society.

Officers will be elected by a majority vote of all members present and voting.  Members must be present to vote; however, candidates do not have to be present to be elected to office.  The Executive Committee shall have the authority to fill temporarily any vacancy occurring among the officers of the Society until a successor can be regularly elected.

Article X:  Committees

All standing committees shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. Ad Hoc Committees shall be formed at the discretion of the Executive Committee and shall not be considered standing committees.

Committee Chairs must be members in good standing and shall be elected by members of said committee, with the exception of the Program Committee Chair, who is appointed by the President.  Committee Chairs shall submit committee reports to the Executive Committee annually or upon request by the Executive Committee.

1. The Program Committee shall serve as a liaison to various societies and associations; draft, generate, and circulate calls for papers for conference panels; help establish a Pauline Hopkins presence in like-minded organizations; select conference panel participants; propose projects and programs; and present slates of proposed panels to the Executive Committee for approval.
2. The Research and Publications Committee shall compile an annual list of scholarly publications, creative projects and research efforts concerning the life and writings of Pauline Hopkins and information pertinent to the purpose of the Society.  It shall also work to help keep the writings of Pauline Hopkins in print and available to students, teachers and readers.

1. The Awards and Monuments Committee shall make recommendations for citations for outstanding scholarly work published on Pauline Hopkins in book and article form as well as other noteworthy projects that advance the purpose of the Society.  It shall make recommendations for sponsorship of monuments and memorials to be erected in honor of Pauline Hopkins at sites and on occasions appropriate to the purpose of the Society.  It shall also make Society Honorary Membership recommendations to the Executive Committee.

Article XI:  Amendments

Amendments to these by-laws may be proposed by any member of the Executive Committee or any member of the Society in good standing.  However they originate, written amendment proposals shall be received by the Secretary and forwarded to the membership at least ninety (90) days before the meeting at which they are to be voted on.  To be adopted, proposed amendments must receive the approval of two thirds majority of the members present and voting at the meeting.