NCPSA BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I. NAME
The Association shall be known as the North Carolina Political Science Association.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purposes of this Association are: to encourage the understanding of and improve instruction and research in political science; to develop collegial relations and cooperation among political scientists in North Carolina and reach out to political scientists in the region; to establish and improve relations between political scientists and public officials; to encourage a greater understanding of government and politics at all educational levels; and to uphold ethical standards and foster competence. This association shall not take official stands on public policy issues.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1
Any individual or institution who accepts the purposes set forth in Article II of these By-Laws shall be eligible for membership in this Association.
SECTION 2
Any political scientist-faculty, graduate student or undergraduate student- participating in a round table or panel must be a member of NCPSA. The Executive Committee may make exceptions to this policy.
SECTION 3 Membership in the Association will be on a calendar year basis. There are three categories of membership in the Association: faculty, student, and institutional. Student membership consists of any person studying at the graduate or undergraduate levels in a college or university.
SECTION 4
Student members have all of the benefits and privileges of full time members (faculty) except those of voting and holding office.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
SECTION 1
The officers of the Association shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and three at-large members. The President-Elect will serve as host site meeting coordinator, and the three at-large members will each head an awards committee. These officers shall constitute the Executive Council of this Association.
SECTION 2
The President shall preside over all business meetings of the Association and the Executive Council. The President shall represent the Association in all functions and activities. In the event of the President's absence or resignation, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President.
SECTION 3
The term of office of the President, the President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be one year. The three at-large members will serve staggered three-year terms, and will chair the same awards committee for all three years of their term. The President, President-Elect, the Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer are eligible for reelection. The President shall serve no more than two terms in office.
SECTION 4
A majority of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum. A majority of those present at a Council meeting, provided a quorum is present, shall transact the business of the Association as directed by the members. A quorum for the purpose of transacting business at any meeting, annual or special, shall be a majority of those registered for the meeting.
ARTICLE V. FINANCES
SECTION 1
Dues shall be determined by the Executive Council and be approved by a majority of the members present and voting at an annual conference or special meeting.
SECTION 2
Dues for the current calendar year shall be payable annually.
SECTION 3
In lieu of two separate registration and membership fees, one single conference fee will be assessed. This fee will cover member participation in the conference, attendance at the awards banquet and an annual subscription to Politics and Policy. The single conference fee will be set by the Executive Committee well before the conference and will be communicated to the NCPSA membership by E-mail. The conference fee for student participants may be set lower at the discretion of the Executive Committee. For those not attending the conference but wishing to join or maintain their membership in NCPSA, a separate membership fee only will be established by the Executive Committee and communicated to members and political scientists in North Carolina.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS AND VOTING
SECTION 1
The Executive Council of the Association shall hold at least two meetings each year at a time and place determined by the Executive Council.
SECTION 2
At the annual meeting, the Executive Council shall hold a business session and the officers of the Association shall submit reports to the membership.
SECTION 3
The call for any meeting of the Association, annual or special, must be issued by mail, regular or electronic, at least thirty days before it is to take place.
SECTION 4
Special meetings may be called by the President with the approval of a majority of the Executive Council. The President shall call a special meeting within thirty days if such a meeting is requested by a majority of the Executive Council or by written request of one-fourth of the voting membership of the Association.
SECTION 5
Voting at an annual or special meeting may be by voice vote or division unless one-fourth of those present and voting request a secret ballot.
SECTION 6
Roberts Rules of Order will apply insofar as they are applicable and are not inconsistent with the provisions of these By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES
SECTION 1
The President shall appoint the following committees: Finance, Membership, Program, and Nominations. Additional committees may be added upon the recommendation of the majority of the members of the Executive Council and the approval of a majority of the members present and voting at any annual or special meeting.
SECTION 2
Best Faculty, Graduate and Undergraduate paper awards. Authors of papers presented at the annual NCPSA conference will be asked to email their papers to the award committee chairs, who are the three at-large members of the Executive Council.
Each committee chair is charged with finding 2-3 committee members willing to review and evaluate submitted papers. Each committee could divide the papers to be reviewed and evaluated with each committee member asked to pick the best paper of their lot. The best paper of each committee member would then be evaluated to pick the best of the best. A blind review of the papers would be preferred with the name of the author/s and institution removed. The best paper author/s of each paper would be notified with an appropriate award. The author/s will also be recognized at the next NCPSA conference.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1
Amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed by a majority of the Executive Council. These amendments shall be submitted to the membership in writing 30 days prior to any meeting.
SECTION 2
Amendments may be proposed by written petition of ten percent of the members.
SECTION 3
Amendments to the By-Laws may be proposed at the annual meeting by a majority of the Executive Council.
SECTION 4
Proposed amendments may be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any meeting; annual or special, provided a quorum is present. Notice of any special meeting shall state the business to be considered.