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CONSTITUTION OF THE NEW ENGLAND POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION

(as amended, May 2016)

 

 

 

ARTICLE I: NAME

 

The name of this Association shall be the New England Political Science Association, hereinafter referred to as “the Association.”

 

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ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Association shall be to advance, within the New England region, the objective of the Association, which shall be to convene annually each spring for a conference in order that we may:

 

  • facilitate the exchange of knowledge among persons interested in political science;

  • encourage research on political matters;

  • improve the teaching of political science; and

  • advance generally the practice and art of politics and governance.

 

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ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

 

§1. Because the New England Political Science Association exists to convene an annual conference, there are not formal members of the Association.

 

§2. Registering for the annual Spring meeting establishes “membership” in the Association. Members may vote for all officers and council members and participate in all conference activities. Membership is not restricted to New England; annual meeting participants typically come from across the country and abroad as well.

 

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ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS AND GOVERNING BODY

 

§1. Officers of the Association shall be a President, and two President-designates The President shall serve as presiding officer of the Council. The immediate President- designate shall preside in the absence of the President.

 

§2. The governing body of the Association shall be the Executive Council, which shall consist of the President, the two President-designates, the three most recent Past Presidents, and eight at-large Council members. In addition, any member of the governing bodies of the American Political Science Association, Northeastern Political Science Association, Northeast International Studies Association, and other appropriate associations may sit on the Council without the right to vote and without affecting the quorum. The Council shall supervise and control the affairs of the Association.

 

§3. Officers and Council members shall serve until their successors are selected. The President, with approval of the Council, shall make interim appointments to fill any vacancy on the Council. The immediate President-designate shall succeed the President in the event of a vacancy in the office of President. Any vacancy in the office of President-designate shall be filled by the Council.

 

§4. An Executive Director shall be appointed for a term of three years and subject to renewal at the discretion of the Council.  The Executive Director oversees conference planning, the call for papers, distribution of awards, and conference registrations. The Executive Director shall attend Council meetings, may participate in Council discussions, but shall not vote.

 

§5. A Secretary-Treasurer shall be appointed for a term of three years, and subject to renewal at the discretion of the Council. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be generally responsible for assisting the officers of the Association subject to policies established by the Council and for maintaining the finances of the Association, including tax filings. The Secretary-Treasurer shall attend Council meetings, may participate in Council discussions, but shall not vote.

 

§6. A quorum of the Council shall consist of a majority of its members and must include an officer.

 

§7. All persons composing the governing body shall be semi-regular attendees of the New England Political Science Association conference.

 

§8. Absence from more than one scheduled meeting of the Council shall be grounds for removal.

 

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ARTICLE V: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

 

§1. The President, two President-designates, and two Council members shall be elected at the Association’s annual meeting. The term of office for the President and President-designate shall be one year, and incumbents may serve only one consecutive term in each office.  The term of office for Council members shall be two years and they may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

 

§2. Nominations for the offices of President, President-designate, and Council members shall be made by existing Officers or Council members at the annual Council meeting preceding the conference.  Insofar as possible, nominations shall be made to represent equitably all six states of the New England region and all major fields of the discipline of political science.

 

§3. A majority of the Council members present and voting shall decide to submit nominations to the conference attendees.

 

§4. A majority of attendee “members” at the annual conference present and voting shall decide elections of officers and Council members.  If attendee “members” do not approve nominations from the Council, nominations from the floor will be solicited, discussed, and subject to a vote.

 

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ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

 

§1.  The Council shall hold at least one scheduled meeting per year.

 

§2. The annual meeting of the Association shall be held at a time specified by the Council.

 

§3. Attendee “members” shall be given at least thirty days notice in writing of the time, place and program of the annual meeting.

 

§4. Council members shall be given at least seven days notice of the time, place, and agenda of all scheduled Council meetings.

 

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ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES

 

The Council may establish committees for various purposes. The president shall appoint chairpersons and members of all committees except for the Nominating Committee. Committees shall terminate at the close of the annual meeting.

 

 

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ARTICLE VIII: FINANCES

 

§1. Attendees to the annual conference will pay a fee to cover the costs associated with the conference. The Council shall determine such fees.

 

§2. Other fees as deemed necessary for continuing and special projects may be assessed by the Council

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§3. NEPSA is a §501(c)(3) not-for profit corporation.

 

 

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ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS

 

Amendments to this Constitution may be made in the following manner:

 

 

  1. Amendments may be proposed by the Council. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the members of the association in accordance with the written notice requirements of Article VI, §3, of this Constitution, and such proposed amendments may be adopted by a majority vote of the Association members present and voting at an annual meeting or other regularly scheduled and duly warned meeting of the Association.
     

  2. Amendments may be proposed by a majority vote of Association members present and voting at an annual meeting or other meeting of the Association duly warned for that purpose and submitted to the membership in accordance with the written notice requirements Article VI, §3, of this Constitution. Such proposed amendments may be adopted by a majority vote of the members of the Association present and voting at the next succeeding annual meeting of the Association.
     

  3. This Constitution and all amendments to it shall take effect upon approval of the membership of the New England Political Science Association as provided herein.

 

 

 

 

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