Conference :: SFRA 2008

Teaching, Reading and Creating Science Fiction
  39th Annual Conference
    University of Kansas
    Lawrence, Kansas
      July 10-13, 2008       ...more information

Bylaws

(As amended June 2004)

ARTICLE I - Name and Purpose

Section 1

The organization shall be named, known, and styled as the Science Fiction Research Association. It is incorporated in the state of Ohio as a non-profit organization.

Section 2

SFRA is irrevocably dedicated to educational and beneficial purposes, fostering the common interests of its members in the field of science fiction and fantasy by encouraging new scholarship, furthering excellence in teaching at all levels of instruction, exchanging information among students and scholars throughout the world, improving access to published and unpublished materials, aiding in building library research collections, and promoting the publication of scholarly books and works pertinent to the fields of science fiction and fantasy. SFRA also promotes the advancement of this field of study by providing financial assistance or by conferring appropriate honors upon worthy writers, students, or scholars.

ARTICLE II - Membership

Section 1

There shall be five classes of membership: active, honorary, institutional, student, and emeritus.

Section 2

(a) Active members: Individuals paying annual dues to the association thereby become active members of SFRA. They shall receive publications as designated in ARTICLE VIII, have the right to vote on all issues presented to the membership, and be eligible to hold office and serve on committees.

(b) Honorary Members: Recipients of the Pilgrim Award and past presidents upon expiration of their term on the Executive Committee shall be honorary members. They shall pay no dues but shall receive the official publications of the SFRA designated in ARTICLE VIII, sections 2 and 3 if they so choose.

(c) Institutional Members: Certain appropriate academic or educational organizations may hold membership in SFRA. Such organizations may designate appropriate individuals to represent them in the association.

(d) Student Members: Persons enrolled in accredited institutions. They shall pay annual dues at a reduced rate. They shall receive publications as designated in ARTICLE VIII. Ordinarily, student memberships may be used no more than five times. A student may petition the Executive Committee for an extension of this period if special circumstances apply whereby he/she is a full-time student for a longer time.

(e) Emeritus Members: Retired persons and/or persons over age 65 who have been active members for a period of at least five years shall qualify for emeritus status. They shall pay annual dues at a reduced rate. They shall receive publications as designated in ARTICLE VIII.

Section 3

The membership of any person or institution will be terminated if delinquent in payment of dues. Delinquent members will be notified by the Treasurer.

ARTICLE III - Meetings of Members

Section 1

An annual conference open to all members of the association and such guests as may be determined by the Executive Committee shall be held at least once during each calendar year in accordance with SFRA conference guidelines. The president and members of the committee of the host institution shall decide upon the time of the meeting subject to ratification by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Section 2

A business meeting shall be held at some time during the annual conference. The time and place of the business meeting shall be clearly indicated on the SFRA website at least 21 days prior to the convening of the annual conference.

(a) An agenda shall be circulated to those members present at the conference no less than 24 hours before the meeting. The business of the meeting shall not be limited to the agenda. Any member may propose additional business from the floor.

(b) The voting membership present at the meeting shall constitute the quorum needed to carry on business matters. A simple majority of those present shall decide an issue. Within a period of sixty days either any five members or the president in consultation with the Executive Committee may ask that a given action be confirmed/ratified by a vote of the entire SFRA membership. General membership participation shall be obtained through a mail ballot in the same manner as described in section "e" below.

(c) The business meeting shall be conducted under the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.

(d) Proceedings of business meetings and Executive Committee meetings shall be reported promptly to the general membership through the SFRAReview.

(e) Such items of business as cannot be delayed until the next annual meeting shall be conducted by the Executive Committee which may, where it deems appropriate, request the membership deal with the issue by means of a mail ballot. In such a case, a fair time limit shall be set, and such issues shall be decided by a simply majority vote of those responding to the mail ballot. The results of such ballots will be reported to the membership at the earliest possible time through the SFRAReview, and time shall be made available for discussion of these matters at the next annual meeting.

Section 3

Other meetings and conferences of members may use the name SFRA only upon prior approval of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV - Executive Committee

Section 1

The function of the Executive Committee shall be to serve as the corporation and to conduct the business of the association in such a manner as to promote the aims of SFRA as outlined in the Articles of Incorporation.

Section 2

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the president, the vice president, the immediate past president, the secretary, and the treasurer. The editor of the SFRAReview will be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.

Section 3

The president shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee unless he/she is unable to do so, in which case the succession shall be the same as the succession of the officers.

Section 4

The Executive Committee shall meet upon call of the president or upon call of one-third of the membership of the Executive Committee to consider such matters as may be pertinent to the association. In the event of inability to convene the meeting of the Executive Committee, the president is authorized to conduct the business of the committee by mail or telephone. All actions of the Executive Committee shall be reported to the membership at the earliest possible time following such actions by means of the SFRAReview.

ARTICLE V - Officers

Section 1

The officers of the association shall be chosen by the membership. There shall be a president, a vice president, secretary, treasurer. They shall take office on January 1 of the year succeeding their election.

Section 2

The president shall be chief executive of the association; he/she shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the Executive Committee, have general and active management of the business of the association, and see that all orders and resolutions of the Executive Committee are carried out; the president shall have general superintendence and direction of all other officers of the association and shall see that their duties are properly performed; the president shall submit a report of the operations of the association for the fiscal year to the Executive Committee and to the membership at the annual meeting, and from time to time shall report to the Executive Committee on matters within the president's knowledge that may affect the association; the president shall be ex officio member of all standing committees and shall have the powers and duties in management usually vested in the office of president of a corporation; the president shall appoint all committees herein unless otherwise provided.

Section 3

The vice president shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the president during the absence of the latter and shall have such other duties as may, from time to time, be determined by the Executive Committee. At any meeting at which the president is to preside, but is unable, the vice president shall preside, and if neither is present or able to preside, then the secretary shall preside, and if the secretary is not present or able to preside, then the treasurer shall preside. The vice president shall have special responsibility for membership recruitment for SFRA (working along with the secretary who sends out annual renewal notices and reminder notice).

Section 4

The secretary shall attend all sessions of the Executive Committee and all meetings of the membership and record all the votes of the association and minutes of the meetings and shall perform like duties for the Executive Committee and other committees when required. The secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the membership and special meetings of the Executive Committee and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee or the president. In the event the secretary is unable to attend such meetings as may be expected, the Executive Committee may designate some other member of the association to serve as secretary pro tem.

Section 5

The treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the association and have charge of all receipts and disbursements of the association and shall be the custodian of the association's funds. The treasurer shall have full authority to receive and give receipts for all monies due and payable to the association and to sign and endorse checks and drafts in its name and on its behalf. The treasurer shall deposit funds of the association in its name and such depositories as may be designated by the Executive Committee. The treasurer shall furnish the Executive Committee an annual financial report within 60 days of the fiscal year; the fiscal year shall end on December 31.

Section 6

The term of office for the president and vice president shall be two years. The president and vice president shall not succeed themselves in office.

Section 7

The term of office for the secretary and treasurer shall be two years. Secretaries may succeed themselves in office for a second successive term but shall serve for no more than two successive terms. Treasurers may succeed themselves in office for up to three successive terms but shall serve for no more than three successive terms.

Section 8

The order of succession in the event of death or resignation of the president shall be first the vice president, then the secretary, and then the treasurer.

Section 9

When the position of an officer other than the president shall become vacant due to death or resignation or for any other reason, the Executive Committee shall choose from the membership to fill the unexpired term of the position.

Section 10

Officers, members of the Executive Committee, and members of the association shall not be entitled to any compensation for their service but shall be entitled to reimbursement for their expenses in carrying out such duties as may be designated to them.

ARTICLE VI - Elections

Section 1

Elections shall be held biannually.

Section 2

The general membership shall elect the officers set forth in ARTICLE V.

Section 3

Prior to February 1 of the year of the elections the Executive Committee shall establish a time and date by which ballots for the election of officers must be received, which date shall be known as the election date.

Section 4

At least ninety days prior to the election date the president shall, with the approval of the Executive Committee, appoint a nominations and elections committee. The immediate past president shall serve as chairperson of that committee.

Section 5

The nominations and elections committee shall submit a slate of candidates of no fewer than two persons from the membership for each position to be filled to the secretary at least 60 days prior to the election day. The secretary shall notify the membership in the SFRA Review of this slate of candidates. Within 30 days of the mailing of this SFRA Review, additional candidates may be nominated by submission of a petition signed by at least five persons of the membership in good standing entitled to vote in the election to the secretary of the association. At the end of this 30-day period nominations shall be closed and the secretary shall prepare a ballot.

Section 6

A ballot containing the names of the nominees shall be mailed in sufficient time to allow for delivery in foreign countries and via bulk mail in the US to arrive at least two weeks prior to the election date to each person holding membership in the association eligible to vote. Only those ballots returned and received by the nominations and elections committee by the end of business on the election date shall be valid.

Section 7

Except as provided in these Bylaws, the Executive Committee shall provide for administrative workings of the elections and the method of return and receipt of ballots cast by the membership. Except as otherwise specified herein, the nominations and elections committee shall be responsible for conducting the election including the mailing and counting of ballots.

Section 8

Those candidates receiving a plurality of the votes cast shall be elected.

Section 9

The Executive Committee may fix a time not more than 60 days prior to the date of any meeting of the membership or date of election as a record date for the determination of the persons holding membership entitled to notice and to vote at such meetings or election.

ARTICLE VII - Dues

Section 1

The annual dues shall be set annually by the Executive Committee.

Section 2

Annual dues shall be payable by December 31 of the calendar year prior to the year for which dues are payable. Notice of dues payable shall be sent to each member no later than November 15 of the year prior to the year for which dues are payable.

ARTICLE VIII - Publications

Section 1

All members of the SFRA will automatically receive the publications which are recognized as official publications of the SFRA.

Section 2

(a) The SFRA Review: The SFRA Review shall be published four times per year or as directed by the Executive Committee. The expenses of the SFRA Review shall be paid from the association's general fund. The SFRA Review editor shall be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Executive Committee; he/she shall serve for a three-year period with the first year to be probationary.

(b) The SFRA Directory: A directory of members shall be published annually. The expense of the directory shall be paid from the association's general fund.

Section 3

SFRA will continue to explore ways in which to sponsor and promote future publication of material valuable to the study of science fiction in the various media.

Section 4

Arrangements involving publications will be made by the president of the association with advice and consent of the Executive Committee, and such arrangements shall be reported to the general membership at the earliest time after completion through the medium of the SFRA Review.

ARTICLE IX - Affiliate Organizations

Section 1

Appropriate regional, subject matter, and other special interest groups may seek affiliation with the Science Fiction Research Association. Such affiliation must be approved by the general membership upon recommendation of the Executive Committee. Such recommendation shall be made only following approval by the committee of the group's constitution, Bylaws, and fiscal procedures.

ARTICLE X - Assignment of Assets

Section 1

Should SFRA cease to be a viable organization, dissolution shall be effected in the same manner as amending the Bylaws described in Article XI.

Section 2

In the case of a dissolution, the Executive Committee shall determine at that time to which qualified tax exempt fund, foundation, and/or corporation organized or operating for charitable or educational purposes any SFRA assets remaining after payment of debts or provisions shall be distributed and paid.

ARTICLE XI - Amendments

Section 1

Amendments to these Bylaws shall be proposed by the Executive Committee or by petition to the committee by no fewer than five percent of the persons holding membership in the association at the time or presentation of the petition to the Executive Committee.

Section 2

The proposed amendments shall be published in the SFRAReview at least 60 days prior to the date upon which the meeting occurs or the mail ballot in the matter becomes due.

Section 3

The membership may by a majority vote of the membership present and voting at a meeting or by a majority of votes in a mail ballot pass such an amendment.

The following sections were changed as a result of a vote of the membership of the SFRA in October 1992: Article I:1, 2; II:b; III:2, 2.d, 2.e; IV:2, 4; VI:5; VIII:2,a,4. A new Article X: Assignment of Assets was created; old Article X became Article XI: Amendments.

The following sections were changed as a result of a vote of the membership of the SFRA in June 2004: Article III:2a; V:3, 7; VIII:2a.