The Beat Studies Association

Constitution

THE BEAT STUDIES ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

Article 1. Name.

The name of this organization shall be The Beat Studies Association.

Article 2. Purpose.

The purpose of The Beat Studies Association shall be to encourage scholarship on the writers and other artists affiliated with the Beat Generation movement. The Association provides a medium of communication among scholars interested in the Beat Generation through an annual meeting, through the promotion of presentations at scholarly conferences, through organizing conferences devoted to the Beat Generation, and through offering other opportunities for the critical exchange of its members.
The Beat Studies Association seeks to affiliate with ALA and MLA according to the stated policies and procedures of those organizations.

The Beat Studies Association is organized exclusively for such charitable, scholarly, literary, scientific, or educational purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Article 3. Membership.

A. Membership shall be open to scholars, teachers, and students actively involved in researching, writing, and teaching about the Beat Generation movement and its participants.

B. Membership in this Association shall be through payment of annual dues. Annual membership dues shall be set by the Executive Board.

C. A member who has not paid dues for two years shall be dropped from the membership rolls.

Article 4. Privileges of Membership.

All members in good standing shall have the right to stand for office, vote for officers of the Association, attend general meetings of the membership, participate in scholarly panels or conferences organized by the Association, and receive all publications of the Association.

Article 5. Officers.

The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Past President, a Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, and an Editor. The President shall preside at meetings of the Executive Board and at general meetings of the Association. The President serves as ex-officio member of all committees of the Association. The President, upon recommendation of the Executive Board, shall have the power to create new officers and new committees to carry out the business and goals of the Association. The Past President (the immediate predecessor of the President) shall advise the President and other members of the Executive Board. The Vice-President shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President and shall serve as Chair of the Program Committee. If the President becomes incapacitated or otherwise unable to serve, the Vice-President shall serve out the President? term until the next election of officers. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep minutes of Association meetings (of the general membership and of the Executive Board), shall maintain the membership mailing list, shall collect dues, shall provide annual reports on the finances of the Association, and shall maintain the records of the meetings and functions of the Association. The Editor shall prepare and edit informational mailings to the membership.

The Founding Officers shall serve three-year terms, beginning in 2005. Subsequently, officers shall be elected by the membership and serve two-year terms. To ensure continuity, the Vice-President shall succeed the President. When the Founding Vice-President succeeds the Founding President, that Presidential term shall be two years.
The Officers shall implement the Association? policies in the intervals between the meetings of the Executive Board and the general membership.

Article 6. Executive Board.

The Executive Board shall consist of the Officers and at least two additional members.

The Executive Board shall be elected by the membership and serve two-year terms. Terms shall be staggered. The Founding Board will serve for four years to assure continuity and to enable staggered terms, beginning with additional new members in the fourth year.

The Executive Board shall serve as the policy-making body of the Association, advising the Officers and the general membership concerning the long-term objectives of the Association.

Article 7. Elections

Officers and members of the Executive Board shall be elected by mail-in ballot.

The Nominations Committee shall solicit nominations and submit a slate of nominations to the Executive Board, who shall announce the slate to the membership by mail.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall conduct the elections by mail, tabulate results, and report results to the Executive Board, who shall announce results to the membership by mail.

The schedule of dates for nominations, elections, and assuming office will be determined by the Executive Board and announced to the membership by mail and at the annual meeting.

Article 8. Qualifications for Office.

Officers and members of the Executive Board must be members of the Association for two years prior to nomination.

Article 9. Standing Committees.

There shall be two standing committees formed from the Association membership.

The Program Committee, chaired by the Vice-President, shall plan, publicize, and organize Association activities that do not fall within the responsibilities of the Officers or the Executive Board, such as conferences, panels at conferences, and other events. The members of the Program Committee shall be appointed by the Vice-President with the approval of the Executive Board.

The Nominations Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for elections as provided for in Article 7. The members of the Nominations Committee shall be appointed by the Secretary/Treasurer with the approval of the Executive Board.

The President, upon recommendation of the Executive Board, may create or dissolve new standing committees or ad hoc committees in order to perform specific tasks or forward specific goals as provided for in Article 5.

Article 10. Meetings.

The Association shall hold an annual general meeting once a year at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Board. The Board will hold this meeting in conjunction with a relevant organizational meeting such as ALA or MLA until such time as the Association begins holding its own annual conference which will then host annual business meeting of the membership. The purpose of the annual general meeting shall be to present reports from the Officers and Committees, to plan scholarly presentations, and to have open discussion of the policies, procedures, and plans of the Association by its members. Recommendations or proposals from members at the meeting shall be forwarded to the Executive Board by the President. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws shall be submitted and voted on according to Article 11. The Executive Board may also call additional meetings of the general membership if deemed necessary or desirable.

The President shall set the agenda and establish rules of order at the annual general meeting.
The Executive Board shall hold at least one annual meeting. A majority of members shall be considered a quorum sufficient for conducting business. The Executive Board shall make decisions by majority vote.

Article 11. Dues.

Dues shall be determined by the Executive Board.

Article 12. Amendments.

Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws may be proposed by the Officers of the Association or by a petition signed by ten or more Association members in good standing.
Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing and by mail to the President, and receipt shall be acknowledged in writing by mail.

Amendments shall be voted on by the membership by mail ballot. The vote shall be conducted by the Secretary/Treasurer, who will tabulate and report results to the President, who will then announce results to the membership by mail.

Amendments must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the membership responding to a mail ballot.

Article 13. Dissolution Statement.

Should the Association be dissolved, assets shall be distributed to one or more tax-exempt non-profit organizations with similar educational and scholarly goals within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state and local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Please of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.