Midwest Archives Conference Constitution
Last Revised: 1994
Name
/ Objectives / Membership
/ Officers and Government / Bylaws
/ Meetings / Quorum and Vote
Required for Legal Action / Dissolution
/ Amendments
I. NAME
The name of this organization
shall be the Midwest Archives Conference (hereinafter referred to as Conference).
II. OBJECTIVES
The goals of the Conference
are to promote cooperation and exchanges of information among individuals
and institutions interested in the preservation and use of archival and
manuscript materials in the Midwest and adjoining areas; to disseminate
information on research materials and archival methodology; to provide a
forum for the discussion of matters of common concern; and to cooperate
with local, state, regional, national, and international archival operations
in their objectives, and with other cultural and educational organizations.
III. MEMBERSHIP
1. Eligibility for
Membership. Membership shall be open to any person interested in Midwestern
archival activity. Membership is activated by payment of current dues assessed
by the Conference or by designation as an individual emeritus member without
dues assessment. Membership shall terminate for non-payment of dues at the
end of a grace period as established by council.
2. Membership Year.
The membership year shall be from January to December.
3. Membership and
Voting Privileges. Voting privileges shall be held only by individual
members who have paid all current dues and are therefore "voting members."
Each voting member shall be entitled to one vote at all meetings of the
membership and shall be entitled to such benefits and privileges of membership
as shall be set forth in the regulations and proceedings of the Conference.
4. Categories of
Membership. Categories of membership and the schedule of membership
dues shall be determined by the council and submitted for approval by
a majority vote of the voting members present and voting at the next annual
business meeting of the Conference.
IV. OFFICERS
AND GOVERNMENT
1. Officers. The
officers of the Conference shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary,
and a treasurer. No more than one (1) individual member of a single repository
may be elected to serve at any one time as an officer of the Conference.
2. Council.
The council shall consist of the president, and the following voting members:
vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and five (5) additional voting members.
The president shall break all ties in the voting of the council. The council
shall establish its own operational procedures except that the officers
of the Conference shall serve in the same capacities on the council.
3. No more than one
(1) individual member of a single repository may be elected to serve at
any one time as one of the five (5) council members of the Conference.
In the event of a vacancy on the council, other than the officers, the
council shall appoint a replacement to serve until the next election.
V. BYLAWS
The Conference is authorized
and directed to prepare, adopt, or amend such bylaws as may be desirable
to carry out the administrative practices of the Conference. An up-to-date
copy of these bylaws shall be available to any member upon request to the
secretary. Any part of the bylaws shall be subject to amendment by the Conference.
Bylaw amendments may be made by a majority vote of the voting members present
and voting at the annual business meeting.
VI. MEETINGS
The Conference shall
hold an annual business meeting in the spring of each year and such special
meetings as may be called by the president with the approval of council.
Written notice of the place, day, and hour of the annual business meeting
and special meetings shall be mailed to the general membership at least
forty-five (45) days in advance.
VII. QUORUM
AND VOTE REQUIRED FOR LEGAL ACTION
At least five (5) council
members, one of whom shall be the Conference president or vice-president;
and one-fourth (1/4) of the voting membership, or fifty (50) voting members,
duly present, whichever is the smaller number, shall constitute a quorum
at any regular or special meeting noted in this constitution and/or bylaws.
A majority of the legal votes cast shall be required to take action unless
otherwise specified.
VIII. DISSOLUTION
In the event of the dissolution
of the Conference, its property, funds, and other assets, shall pass to
whatever agency or agencies may be designated by the council in office at
the time of dissolution. Council's designation of an agency or agencies
to receive the Conference's assets shall be subject to ratification by the
membership by mail ballot with a plurality of votes required. The records
of the Conference shall pass to the repository specified by written agreement,
if any, or if none is in existence at dissolution, to such repository as
may be designated by the council in office at the time of dissolution.
IX. AMENDMENTS
Amendments to this constitution
must be proposed in writing by one or more council members or by at least
five (5) members and filed with the secretary sixty (60) days in advance
of the annual business meeting. Copies of the proposed amendments shall
be mailed by the secretary to all members at least forty-five (45) days
in advance of the annual business meeting. Mailing will be complete when
the copies of the proposed amendments have been deposited in the post office
or official mail collection container with appropriate postage affixed.
Two-thirds of the voting members present and voting at the annual business
meeting are required for passage of an amendment.
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