Constitution

Constitution

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the Canadian Association for American Studies (CAAS).

Section 2. The purpose of the CAAS shall be (a) to encourage study and research concerning the United States and (b) to examine the implications of such studies for Canada and other societies outside the United States.

Section 3. The CAAS seeks to serve all those interested in the general area of its concern and takes no specific position with respect to either a single discipline or Interdisciplinary approaches.

Section 4. The GAAS seeks to further its alms by holding an annual conference, publishing the CAAS Newsletter, contributing to the publication of The Canadian Review of American Studies, and in other ways determined by its Executive Committee.

Article II: Membership

Section 1. The following are the classes of membership in the CAAS: Regular, Student, Sustaining, Life, Institutional. The specific qualifications of each class of membership shall be established by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Regular membership in the CAAS shall be open to faculty members in Canadian universities and colleges and other persons qualified by reason of their interest in the aims and activities of the Association. Undergraduate and graduate students shall be eligible for student membership. Institutional membership shall be open to all interested organizations.

Section 3. Any person or institution interested in furthering the objectives of the CAAS shall become a member upon submitting application and paying the dues specified.

Section 4. The dues for each class of membership shall be set by the Executive Committee and approved by a majority of the membership at the General Meeting. New membership shall be considered effective at the beginning of the calendar year in which dues are paid or, at the applicant's discretion, at the beginning of the following year.

Section 5. All members except institutional members shall have the right to attend, participate in, and vote at the General Meeting and in all elections. All such members shall without additional payment receive the CAAS Newsletter and a subscription to The Canadian Review of American Studies.

Article Ill: Officers, Elections, and Terms of Office

Section 1. To direct the Association, there shall be an Executive Committee consisting of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Student Representative, United States Representative, Member-at-Large, and four Regional Representatives (Western Canada, Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes). The Executive is committed to sustaining diversity in its membership, in terms of gender. race, linguistic groups, and disciplinary interests. The editor(s) of the Canadian Review of American Studies shall be ex officio members of the Executive Committee. The immediate Past President shall be an ex officio member for two years.

Section 2. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected for two-year terms. The Executive Committee will normally recommend the Vice-President to succeed the outgoing President. The Student Representative shall be elected for a term of one year, and the United States Representative, the Member-at-Large, and the Regional Representatives for three years. Elections shall be staggered as determined by the Executive Committee. Alt officers are eligible for re-election.

Section 3. Elected members of the Executive Committee shall be chosen by a majority vote of the membership at the General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall recommend a person to fill each position in the year the incumbent's term ends. Nominations for any position may also be made by the membership from the floor at the General Meeting.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of three persons, one from within and two from outside the Executive, to recommend to it individuals for positions on the Executive. The chairperson chosen by the Executive will be one of the outside members. Members of the Nominating Committee will serve for two years. Terms will be staggered as determined by the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The Vice-President will become the President for any vacancy occasioned by death, resignation, or disability. In the event of the vacancy of any other position on the Executive resulting from death, resignation, or disability, the President in consultation with other members of the Executive shall name a temporary replacement to hold the position until the next election.

Article IV: General Meeting

Section 1. The General Meeting of the membership shall be held at the annual conference of the CAAS to discuss Association business and conduct elections. All votes will be decided by a majority of those present and voting. The President will chair the Meeting and report as necessary on the affairs of the Association.

Section 2. Should the Executive Committee decide that an extraordinary meeting of the Association is necessary on any issue, the Committee will arrange for it to be conducted by the Secretary by means of a mail ballot of the membership. Such votes will be decided by a majority of the members voting. The Secretary shall allow six weeks from the date the ballots are mailed before tallying the final vote. The Secretary shall first report the results of the vote to the President and other members of the Executive and then to the membership.

Article V: The Canadian Review of American Studies

Section 1. The CAAS shall act as the sponsoring organization and publisher of The Canadian Review of American Studies.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall serve as the liaison with the editor(s) of The Canadian Review of American Studies. The editor(s) shall be responsible for the operation and direction of the journal. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to act on behalf of the Association to ensure the proper management of the journal and to oversee overall content and quality.

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall determine the location of the journal, choose the editor(s), and fix the term of appointment of the editor(s). The term of appointment shall be five years, unless otherwise determined by the Executive Committee. The appointment shall be renewable by mutual consent of the Executive Committee and the editor(s). The Executive Committee shall review the performance of the editor(s) prior to a final decision on an additional term and make recommendations to the General Meeting on these matters.

Section 4. In .the case of a co-editorship where one editor resigns during his or her term, the Executive Committee shall appoint a replacement. The Executive Committee shall consult the remaining editor before appointing a replacement.

Section 5. The editor(s) shall report on the operation and direction of the journal to the Executive Committee and the General Meeting.

Article VI: Amendment

Section 1. Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee at least one month before its meeting. An amendment requires for approval a two-thirds majority of those voting at the meeting. An amendment so approved shall be submitted by the Secretary to a vote of the membership by means of a mail ballot. An amendment requires the approval of two-thirds of those members voting. The Secretary shall allow at least six weeks from the date the ballots are mailed before tallying the final vote. The Secretary shall first report the results of the vote to the President and other members of the Executive Committee and then to the membership.

Article VII: By-laws

Section 1. The CAAS shall be governed by by-laws for the routine administration of the organization. The Executive Committee may recommend new (or changes in existing) bylaws to the General Meeting. Members may propose new (or changes in existing) by-laws at the General Meeting. Final approval will be by majority vote of the General Meeting.

(As amended by the CAAS membership, 1994)