Constitution of the Southeast World History Association (SEWHA)

ARTICLE I [NAME]

The name of this society shall be the Southeast World History Association (SEWHA)

ARTICLE II [MISSION]

The object of the association shall be the promotion of studies of world history through the encouragement of research, teaching, and publication. The association shall promote activities which will increase historical awareness, understanding among and between peoples, and global consciousness. The association shall also promote the future of the discipline through support of undergraduate and graduate scholarship. The association shall provide opportunities for teachers of world history and venues for the discussion of both theories of history and methods of study and teaching.

ARTICLE II [MEMBERSHIP]

SECTION 1. Membership in the association shall be for three calendar years beginning at the payment of either (i) dues or (ii) a conference registration fee. Only members in good standing shall have the right to vote or to hold office in the association.

SECTION 2. Payment of dues shall confer membership from the date of payment.

SECTION 3. Payment of a conference registration fee shall confer membership from the beginning date of the annual conference in that year.

SECTION 4. Any member whose dues are in arrears shall be dropped from the roll. Any person so dropped will be reinstated upon payment of dues or a conference registration fee.

SECTION 5. Life membership is granted to all persons who served as officers or on the board for a minimum of 4 years. Honorary members of the association may be elected by the Council, and such honorary members shall also receive life membership. The association may also establish life membership for a fee. Life membership shall confer permanent rights of a voting member in good standing.

ARTICLE IV [ELECTIONS]

SECTION 1: The elected and appointed officers of the association shall form the SEWHA Council. The Council shall be constituted as follows:

(a) The president, vice president / president-elect, executive secretary, and treasurer;

(b) Auxiliary officers as appointed by the president;

(c) Three board members-art-large.

SECTION 2. Elected officers shall include the president, vice president/president-elect, executive secretary, treasurer, and three board members-at-large. Officers shall attend business meetings, consult in matters of interest to the association, and participate in conference events as directed by the president. The following terms shall apply:

(a) The president shall serve a two-year term.

(b) The vice president / president-elect shall be elected every two years to serve a two-year term, after which that person shall assume the duties of president.

(c) The executive secretary shall be elected every five years to serve a five-year term.

(d) The treasurer shall be elected every two years to serve a two-year term.

(e) Board members shall each be elected to serve a two-year term, in which elections shall be staggered to that no more than two board members shall be chosen in a single election.

SECTION 3. Terms of elected office begin on January 1 and end on December 31.

SECTION 4. The president shall announce the expiration of terms, consequent vacancies, and a call for nominations no later than 60 days prior to the end of the calendar year. The president shall make this announcement to the general members of the association.

SECTION 5. All members in good standing, who hold full-time employment or emeritus status at an institution with an educational mission, shall be eligible for election.

SECTION 6. The president shall conduct elections once per calendar year. The president shall announce candidates and open the election no later than 45 days prior to the end of the calendar year. The president shall close the election and announce its results no later than 30 days prior to the end of the calendar year, except in cases of contingent election. Ballots must provide for write-in candidates.

SECTION 7. In cases where no candidate for election receives a majority of votes cast, the rules and procedures of a contingent election shall be established by the Council. Should a contingent election occur less than 30 days prior to the end of the calendar year, the president shall conduct it and announce its results with all due speed. If a contingent election ends in a tie, the executive secretary shall cast a tie breaking vote. The Council may also establish rules and procedures for an automatic runoff in advance of an election.

ARTICLE V [OFFICERS]

SECTION 1: The president shall preside at meetings of the SEWHA Council, at the annual conference, and the business meeting. The president shall formulate policies and projects for presentation to the Council, and fulfill the chartered obligations and purposes of the association. The president shall, under the direction of the Council, oversee the affairs of the association, supervise the work of the association’s committees, assist in the formulation of policies and projects for submission to the Council, execute instructions of the Council, and perform such other duties as the Council may direct. The president will be responsible for all assets of the association and approve all contracts approved by the Council. The president or executive secretary will sign all contracts approved by the Council. Presidential powers may be delegated to other members of the Council in the routine administration of the association.

SECTION 2: The vice president shall also be the president-elect. The vice president shall assist in matters of interest to the association as directed by the president.

SECTION 3: The executive secretary, by virtue of the Secretariat, shall be the administrative officer of the association. It shall be his or her responsibility, under the direction of the Council, for the continuing operations of the association. The executive secretary or president will sign all contracts approved by the Council. The executive secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Council and all general meetings. The executive secretary shall be responsible for all publications of the association and the association archive.

SECTION 4: The treasurer shall be responsible for the collection and disbursement of funds at the direction of the Council, and the rendering of accounts at the annual meeting.

SECTION 5. The president may appoint, at their discretion, auxiliary officers who shall assist in the routine administration of the association (e.g., webmaster, special advisor, conference coordinator, program officer, editor, etc.). The president shall delegate administrative tasks and duties to auxiliary officers in consultation with, and with consent of, the Council. Auxiliary officers shall serve until dismissed by the president, the accession of a new president, or the completion of a designated term of service, whichever occurs first.

SECTION 6. Board members-at-large shall consult in the routine administration of the association.

SECTION 7. CONTINUITY AND SUCCESSION

(a) In the event that the office of the present becomes vacant or the current occupant is unable to serve, the vice-president shall become president.

(b) In the event of other vacancies or incapacities in office, the Council shall designate an interim officer to execute that office. The Council may hold a special election to fill that office in accordance with the regular elections procedure.

(c) The Council shall hold the duties and responsibilities of any or all vacant officers until those offices can be filled.

ARTICLE VI [COUNCIL]

SECTION 1: The Council shall conduct the business, manage the property and care for the general interests of the association. The Council shall fix the amount of dues and the date upon which any change of dues becomes effective. It may appoint such committees as it deems necessary. The Council shall call an annual meeting of the association at a place and time it deems appropriate. It shall, if it chooses, call additional meetings for the dissemination and discussion of academic matters other than at the time of and in addition to the annual meeting. It shall report to the membership on its deliberations and actions through the publications of the association and at the business meeting. Further staffing of the executive offices may be undertaken by the Council at its discretion and with the concurrence of the Executive Committee.

SECTION 2: To transact necessary business in the interim between meetings of the Council, there shall be an Executive Committee composed of the president, the vice-president, the executive secretary, and the treasurer. The Executive Committee in the conduct of its business shall be subject always to the general direction of the Council. The executive Council shall have the administrative responsibility for elections as provided in Article IV and staffing as provided in Article V.

ARTICLE VII [BUSINESS]

SECTION 1: The Council shall call a business meeting, open to all members of the association in good standing, to convene at the time of the annual conference.

SECTION 2: The business meeting, by a majority vote, may consider resolutions and deal with proposals concerning the affairs of the association, receive reports of officers and committees, instruct officers and the Council, and exercise any powers not reserved to the Council and elected or appointed officers of the association.

SECTION 3: All measures adopted by the business meeting shall come before the Council for acceptance, non-concurrence, or veto. If accepted by the Council, they shall be binding on the association.

SECTION 4: The Council may veto, by an absolute majority of its membership, any measure adopted by the business meeting that it believes to be in violation of the association’s constitution or which, upon advice of counsel, it judges to be in violation of law. The Council shall publish an explanation for each such veto.

SECTION 5: The Council may vote not to concur in any measure adopted by the business meeting. Within 30 days of the Council meeting following the business meeting, the Council shall publish its opinion of each measure with which it does not concur and submit the measure to a mail ballot of the entire membership. If approved by a majority of the members in the mail ballot, the measure shall be binding on the association.

SECTION 6: The Council may postpone implementation of any measure adopted by the business meeting or approved by ballot that in its judgment is financially or administratively unfeasible. The Council shall publish an explanation of each such decision and justify it at the subsequent business meeting.

ARTICLE VIII [FINANCIAL REGULATION]

SECTION 1: Annual earnings from dues, registration fees, or other sources shall be allocated to accounts on a percentage basis as follows:

(a) Conference Fund: 10 percent

(b) Administrative Fund: 15 percent

(c) Awards Fund: 25 percent

(d) General Fund: 50 percent

SECTION 2: The Conference Fund shall be used to meet the cost of materials, fees, rentals, catering, publications, and other goods and services necessary to the annual conference.

SECTION 3: The Administrative Fund shall be used to meet the cost of bank fees, internet hosting, legal documents, taxes, and other expenses in the routine administration of the association. It may also be used to support the travel expenses of the Council to the annual conference.

SECTION 4. The Awards Fund shall be used to grant monetary awards for lectures, papers, posters, or other presentations at the annual conference. The criteria for awards shall be established by the Council.

SECTION 5. The General Fund shall be used to meet all other discretionary expenses. It shall also augment line items described in Sections 2-4 above in accordance with their purposes. It shall not be construed to be limited to expenses detailed above.

SECTION 6. Should the combined monies in the Conference Fund and General Fund be insufficient to meet the expenses of a conference, the association may host the annual conference in an alternative venue or format.

SECTION 7. The association may, upon the recommendation of the president, and with the consent of the Council, waive dues or conference fees for elected and appointed officers, affiliates of conference host-institutions, guest speakers, or other persons or institutions who make substantive contributions to the association. The Council may confer membership on these persons.

ARTICLE IX [AMENDMENTS]

Amendments to this constitution may be proposed (1) by the Council, (2) by petition to the Council of five percent of the members in good standing or one hundred members in good standing, whichever is less, or (3) by resolution at at the annual business meeting on a majority affirmative vote of 25 members in good standing. The president shall report any amendment so proposed to the membership of the association, and call a consultative meeting of the members, within 60 days. Thereafter, the president shall submit the proposed amendment to the membership, accompanied by summary statements of the pro and con arguments thereon, for approval or rejection by ballot, within 30 days. A simple majority of votes cast is required for approval.

ARTICLE X [BY-LAWS]

The Council may adopt by-laws consistent with the provisions of the constitution, upon any matter of concern to the association.

ARTICLE XI [FORMER PRESIDENTS]

Former presidents of the association become members of the Past Presidents Advisory Council, an honorary council to maintain institutional memory, but without vote.

ARTICLE XII [EXTERNAL AFFAIRS]

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170 (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

SECTION 2. Upon the dissolution of the association, the Council shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the association, dispose of all of the assets of the association exclusively for the purposes of the association in such manner, or to such organization or organizations dedicated to and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) as the the Council shall determine.

ARTICLE XIII [RATIFICATION]

This constitution shall enter force with an affirmative majority of votes cast by persons regarded as members of the association anytime between 1 January 2022 and 1 September 2024.