Section Bylaws
Race Ethnicity and Politics Section of The American Political Science Association
I. Name of the Section
The name of the
section is Race, Ethnicity and Politics Section of the American
Political Science Association (APSA).
II. Purpose of the Section
The purpose of the section is to promote interest in teaching and
disciplinary and interdisciplinary research in race
ethnicity and politics. The section seeks to encourage communication
among persons interested in race, ethnicity and politics within the
Association and with related disciplines.
III. Governance of the Section
A. The section will be governed by an Executive Council consisting of
the co- Presidents, co-Program Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, and a 10
member Executive Committee. The section will also consist of the
following standing committees: Awards Committee; Graduate Student
Issues Committee; Publishers and Research Markets Committee; Electronic
Communications Committee and Newsletter Committee.
B. The duties of these officers and standing committees are as follows:
Co-Presidents: Chair the section meetings at the Annual Meeting of the
APSA; nominate section program co-chairs for the annual APSA
meeting; chair or select a chair for a nominating committee for section
officers and standing committees; and take other actions requested by
the Executive Council or that are in the interests of the Section.
Co-Program Chairs: Organize section panels at the annual meetings as
requested by the APSA executive council and APSA program chairs;
schedule all appropriate section meetings and receptions at the annual
APSA meetings.
Secretary: Record the minutes at meetings of the Executive
Council and annual business meeting; Maintain a record of the minutes
from previous meetings of the Executive Council and annual business
meeting; and communicate relevant information to the section
membership.
Treasurer: Maintain the financial records of the Section; communicate
relevant information to the Section membership; and prepare an annual
report for presentation to the American Political Science Association.
Executive Council: Fill all vacancies in any office including its own
membership when vacancies occur before the end of the term until
the next election; audit the annual report of the
Treasurer; propose amendments to these by-laws or receive
petitions for changes in the by-laws; make decisions and
recommendations for any other business of the Section; and interpret
these by-laws.
Awards Committee: Designates annual awards for the following:
Best Dissertation on Race, Ethnicity and Politics; Best Paper on Race
Ethnicity and Politics; Best Book Awards on Race, Ethnicity and
Politics.
Graduate Student Issues Committee: Sponsors activities that will assist
graduate student members in their efforts to develop promising
research, complete graduate school requirements, and obtain
academic, public, or private employment. This committee is
responsible for organizing one panel at the annual meetings of the APSA
which will focus on graduate student issues.
Electronic Communications Committee: Develop and maintain the Section's database, mailing list, e-mail listserver, and web site.
Committee on Publishers and Research Markets: Facilitates relationships
between publishers and section members, and to identify alternative
sources of research support.
Newsletter Committee: Produces a yearly newsletter which informs
the membership on news and topics of importance to the section.
C. The election of officers should proceed as follows:
1. In February, the Section Co-Presidents should organize a
nominating committee consisting of at least five members of the Section
representing the diverse interests of the Section.
2. Following its appointment, the nominating committee should
solicit the members of the Section for nominations for Section offices
and standing committees. The nominating committee shall nominate a
slate of officers that (a) is taken from the names received,
particularly those persons receiving several mentions, and (b)
represents the diverse interests of the section. The final slate
of nominations for co-presidents and co-program chairs must consist of
equal gender representation (one male, one female member). The slate
shall be listed in the summer issue of the Section Newsletter and/or PS
or otherwise distributed to the Section members via RACE-POL so that
the nominees are known prior to the Annual Section Meeting.
3. Five members of the Section may nominate candidates for any
office or standing committee (except Co-Presidents) at the Annual
Section Meeting, or by petition sent to the president prior to the
meeting.
4. For offices for which no nominations are received or made at the
Annual Section meeting, the nominating committee's slate shall be
considered elected and the officers shall assume office at the
conclusion of the meeting. Offices which are contested shall be filled
by mail ballot sent to all members of the section by the end of
September. The winner shall be determined by a majority vote of all
members participating in the election. In cases where no individual
receives a majority of votes, a
runoff election between candidates receiving the two greatest number of
votes should be held at a date no later than November 1. The winners
shall assume office upon election.
5. The membership of the section should be informed of the election
outcomes in the next Section Newsletter or via RACE-POL.
6. Questions or conflicts regarding any election should be settled by the Executive council.
D. The terms of section officers are as follows:
Co-Presidents: staggered two year terms
Co-Section chairs: one year
Secretary: two years
Treasurer: two years
Executive Committee members: Staggered two year terms shall
expire at the conclusion of the Annual Section meeting, except that
when an office is contested, the incumbent shall continue in office
until his/her successor is elected.
Standing Committees: two years
IV. Membership in the Section
A. All regular, student, family, retired, and life members of the American Political
Science Association are eligible for membership in this Section.
B. Associate membership in the Section is available to all
non-political scientists who share an interest in Race, Ethnicity and
Politics. Associate members may receive all benefits and services of
regular members except that they may not participate in the election of
officers or serve as officers.
C. Membership in the Section is established by payment of annual
Section dues to the APSA, or for associate members, to the Treasurer.
D. The dues for members and associate members will be set by the
Executive Council at the level necessary to cover expenses for
elections and other services provided
by the Section.
V. Amendments to the By-Laws
Amendments to these by-laws may be proposed by the Executive Council,
by a majority vote of the participants at the Annual Section Meeting,
or by a petition containing the names of 25 percent of the members of
the section submitted 30 days prior to the Annual Section
Meeting. Amendments should be voted upon by mail ballot.
Amendments to the by-laws become effective immediately after approval
by two-thirds of the members returning their mail ballots.
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