The North Carolina Sociological Association

(Adopted April 6, 1974; Amended February 24, 1979, February 28, 1986, March 20, 1992, February 21, 1997, February 21, 2003, and February 18, 2005)
 

ARTICLE I. NAME

The Association shall be known as the North Carolina Sociological Association.
 

ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Association shall be to stimulate and improve research, instruction and discussion, to encourage cooperative relations among persons engaged in the scientific study of society, and to encourage cooperative relations between academic sociology and other agencies with related interests.
 

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1. Regular membership is open to any person engaged in teaching and/or research in sociology, or in a field of applied sociology.

Section 2. Student membership is open to any actively enrolled student whose major interest is sociology. Student members may be appointed to committees.

Section 3. Annual dues in the amount decided by the membership will be payable at or before the first general meeting of each calendar year.

Section 4. Regular members whose dues are paid at the time of the first general meeting of the calendar year shall be eligible to vote and stand for election to office.
 

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. The officers of the association shall be the President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor(s).

Section 2. There shall be an Executive Council of nine members broadly representing the membership, elected for three years, staggered terms, three being elected each year. The Executive Council acts for the Association, subject to the will of the membership. Officers of the Association sit as members 
ex-officio on the Council, and the President acts as Chair of the Council.
 
Section 3. The term of office of the President shall be one year. Following this term, the incumbent serves for one year as Past President. The President will be the senior executive officer of the Association.

Section 4. The Vice Presidential duties shall be performed by the President-Elect who will succeed the President.

Section 5. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be chosen by the Executive Council for an indefinite term.

Section 6. The President with the consent of the Executive Council shall appoint the Editor(s) for an indeterminate term. The Editor(s) will be responsible to the Publications Committee and publish a newsletter, an electronic journal and such other periodicals as the Association may wish to authorize.

Section 7. Candidates for President-Elect and for the Executive Council shall be nominated by a Nominating Committee of three appointed by the President.

Section 8. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a ballot containing one or more nominees for President-Elect and for each vacancy on the Executive Council.

Section 9. The election, conducted annually by the Secretary under the direction of the Nominating Committee, will be by printed mail ballot. Ballots will be distributed at least one month prior to the annual meeting and the results of the balloting will be announced at the annual meeting. Election will be by majority of votes cast.

Section 10. Newly elected officers of the Association will assume their responsibilities at the close of the business session at the Annual Meeting.

Section 11. Any vacancy of an officer or Executive Council member because of death, resignation, or other crises will be filled at any regular or special meeting of the Executive Council by a vote of the majority (at least five) of the Executive Council and will be for the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 12. If a majority (at least five) of the Executive Council deem it necessary to replace an officer or Executive Council member because of nonperformance due to incapacitation or dereliction, the replacement will be determined at any regular or special meeting of the Executive Council by a vote of the majority (at least five) of the Executive Council and will be for the unexpired portion of the term.
 
ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Association. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to act on behalf of the Association as directed by the Executive Council. The President shall serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Program Committee: The Program Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall consist of the President-E1ect as Chairman and such other members as deemed advisable. The Program Committee shall be responsible for planning programs consistent with the objectives of the Association.

Section 3. Publications Committee: The President with the consent of the Council shall appoint a chairman of the Publications Committee and such other members as appropriate to the general supervision of the publication activities of the association. Terms of office on the Committee shall be set by the Council. A budget for expenses of publication must be approved by the Committee and the Council, and expenditures under this budget must be approved by the Treasurer. The President may elect to ask the Council to serve as the Publications Committee.

Section 4. Other Committees shall be appointed by the President as deemed necessary.

Section 5. The President shall be considered an ex-officio member of all standing committees.
 

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS

Section 1. There shall be an annual meeting each year at a time and place to be decided by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Other meetings may be scheduled by the Executive Committee.

Section 3. The business of the Association shall be conducted at the scheduled meetings.

Section 4. Each meeting shall consist of a planned program and a business session.

 
ARTICLE VII. RULES OF PROCEDURE

Section 1. One-fourth of the regular membership, present and acting at any scheduled meeting, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Unless challenged, those members attending the business session of a scheduled meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2. Business of the Association shall be conducted according to provisions of Roberts' Rules of Order, latest edition.

Section 3. This constitution may be amended at any regularly scheduled meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the members present, provided the proposed amendments have first been circulated by the Executive Council at least two weeks prior to the meeting where the vote is taken.
 

ARTICLE VIII. DISSOLUTION

Section 1. A recommendation of the dissolution of NCSA would be proposed by the Executive Council and submitted to a mail ballot of the membership.

Section 2. Upon dissolution of the North Carolina Sociological Association, all assets will be given to the general scholarship fund of the American Sociological Association in accordance with U.S. Treasury regulation Section 1.50(c)-1(b)(4).