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Bylaws of the Society for Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology, a Section of the American Anthropological Association

AS AMENDED JANUARY 31, 2006

ARTICLE I. Name

1. The Section shall be known as the Society for Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology, a Section of the American Anthropological Association, hereinafter referred to as "Society."

ARTICLE II. Purposes

1. The Society shall advance the science and profession of Latin American and Caribbean anthropology.
2. The Society shall promote the advancement of research and the professional interests of anthropologists working with Latin Americans and Caribbean people anywhere south of the Rio Bravo and elsewhere in the world, including those who now live elsewhere but maintain strong ties to their societies of origin.
3. The Society shall facilitate the distribution of knowledge and understanding of the anthropology of Latin American and Caribbean peoples.
4. The Society shall encourage the application of knowledge acquired in the anthropological study of Latin America, the Caribbean and those people who see themselves as part of those regions for the benefit of society in general.
5. The Society shall encourage international cooperation in Latin American and Caribbean anthropology.
6. The Society is organized exclusively for educational and scientific purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE III. Powers

1. The Society shall be autonomous in all matters within its field that are not reserved by the Bylaws of the American Anthropological Association, inimical to the American Anthropological Association's interests, or prohibited by law.
2. The Society shall have an Executive Committee comprised of the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor, six Councillors, two Student Councillors, and other elected or appointed officers as set forth in these Bylaws.
3. The Society is empowered to determine membership dues.
4. The Society shall determine voting requirements on all Society matters.
5. The Society may engage in publishing and program activities, appoint editors, committees and other agents, and set publication and program policies appropriate to its purposes.
6. The Society may affiliate with other organizations in the pursuit of common aims for the purposes herein stated and appoint delegates or representatives to such organizations.
7. The Society may establish interest groups on a regional or functional basis in accordance with the Bylaws of the American Anthropological Association.
8. The Society may sponsor projects of research, demonstration, and experimentation and engage in such other activities as are necessary for the advancement of the purposes stated in Article II and for the furtherance of professional interests.
9. No part of the net receipts or earnings of the Society shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its members, officers, trustees, committee members, or other private persons, except that the Society shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes of the Society as set forth in these Bylaws. The Society does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit, incidental or otherwise.
10. The Society shall adopt and maintain Bylaws or Rules of Procedure consistent with American Anthropological Association Bylaws. The Society shall file with the American Anthropological Association Secretary a copy of its current Bylaws, Rules of Procedure, and Table of Organization.

ARTICLE IV. Membership

1. Membership in the Society shall be open to any member in good standing of the American Anthropological Association who supports the purposes stated in Article II, subject to the payment of dues and compliance with other requirements stipulated by the Executive Committee of the Society. Members apply for membership in writing. Residents of any country are eligible for membership.
2. A Member in good standing shall be eligible to hold elective or appointive office, participate in the scientific program, receive all the Society's regular publications (as defined by the Executive Committee) and have one vote in nominating and electing officers and the transaction of other business of the Society not otherwise conducted by the Executive Committee during the year covered by the Member's dues.
3. A Member may resign upon written notification to the president.
4. Any Member whose acts are contrary to the ideals, objects and accepted standards of the Society, or who makes improper use of membership in the Society, or for other just cause may be deprived of membership by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee, subject to appeal to the Members at the Annual Meeting at which time this action may be overruled by the majority of the membership of the Society present. Written notice with the reasons therefore and provision of a right to a hearing before the Executive Committee, or membership committee established by the Executive Committee will be provided to any Member for whom membership deprivation is being considered under the provisions of the Section.
5. Institutional members consist of all organizations who pay annual dues, as determined by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE V. Dues

1. The Executive Committee shall set the annual dues of Members and Institutional Members and may establish rates for special categories, such as Sustaining or Life Members that provide long term membership privileges resulting from special dues or the conferment of special status, as with retired persons or those in the position of Emeritus.
2. Any Member in arrears in the payment of dues shall lose all membership privileges. The Executive Committee shall provide 30-day written notice prior to termination of membership for nonpayment of dues. Members so dropped from the rolls may be reinstated by payment of their arrearages.
3. The annual dues of husband and wife, who shall receive publications and communications of the Society as if they were a single Member, but who otherwise shall have all other privileges as if they were individual Members will have their dues reduced to an amount determined by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VI. Officers

1. The officers shall be President, President-elect, Treasurer, Secretary, six Councillors elected at-large from the membership of the Society and two Student Councillors elected at the Society's Annual Business Meeting; Editor, appointed by the Executive Board and the immediate past-President as an ex-officio member.
2. The President shall be the presiding officer of the Society and shall represent the Society in all of its functions. The President shall be the presiding officer of the Executive Committee of the Society. The President shall exercise all the duties and responsibilities commonly associated with this office as provided by law, except as provided in these Bylaws. The President may appoint representatives of the Society to other societies, agencies, or councils or select such representatives from slates submitted by other societies, agencies or councils. Acting on the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, the President shall appoint all necessary committees and define their duties. The actions of the President in exercising the duties and responsibilities of the office shall be subject to review and approval of the Executive Committee. At the conclusion of the President's term of office, this officer shall continue to serve on the Executive Committee for two years in ex-officio capacity.
3. The President-elect shall assume the duties of the President in the event of absence, death, resignation or incapacity of the President, and shall succeed to the office of President at the expiration of the term as President-elect. In the event said President-elect is unable to assume the duties of President, the Executive Committee shall appoint one of its members to assume the office of President until the next regularly scheduled election.
4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the administration of the finances of the Society, subject to budgetary and other regulations approved by the Executive Committee and the Association. The Treasurer shall be the Society's fiscal agent. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the maintenance of proper and adequate records which at all times shall be open to inspection of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall submit a draft budget for the approval of the Executive Committee not less than sixty (60) days before the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer shall render an annual report which when approved by the Executive Committee shall be presented at the Annual Business Meeting for approval by the majority of the membership present. The Treasurer shall see that the membership and mailing list for publications of the Society are maintained and shall arrange for care and sale of surplus copies of publications owned by the Society.
5. The Secretary shall be responsible for recording minutes as the meetings of the Executive Committee and the Annual Business Meeting of the Society. The Secretary shall also be responsible for maintainting mailing lists, both postal and email, of current members.
6. The Editor shall have full charge of the Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology and other publications of the Society, under the direction of the Executive Committee and subject to the provisions of these Bylaws. All bills relating to publications shall be certified to the Treasurer by the Editor. The Editor shall render an annual report to the Executive Committee which upon approval shall be presented at the Annual Business Meeting.
The Editor may, subject to review by the Executive Committee, appoint Associate and Assistant Editors. The Associate and Assistant Editors shall serve concurrently with and under the direction of the Editor, to whom they shall be responsible. The Editor may, subject to authorization and budgetary provisions by the Executive Committee and the Association, employ clerical and editorial assistance.
7. Councillors shall attend the meetings and participate in the business of the Executive Committee, serve on such subcommittees as may be established, and take on special assignments for the Executive Committee.
8. The term of office for each officer of the Society shall be as follows: the President, Treasurer, and Councillors shall be elected for three years, with two councillors being elected each year. Student Councillors shall serve three years or until termination of student status, whichever comes first. The President-elect shall serve a one-year term concurrent with the last year of the President's term. The Editor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee of the Society for a term of four years.
9. No person shall be eligible for reelection to the office of President-elect or Councillor until the Annual Business Meeting two years after the term of their office has expired. The Treasurer may not serve in the same position for more than two terms without a lapse of two years. The Editor's term of office is renewable. Individuals appointed or elected to interim terms for periods of one half or less of the normal elective term may be elected to that office for an immediate subsequent term.
10. The terms of office of all officers shall commence at the conclusion of the Annual Business Meeting of the Society.

ARTICLE VII. Executive Committee

1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the Officers, any additional representatives elected by this Society to the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association, and the immediate past President of the Society, who will serve in an ex-officio capacity.
2. Subject to directives and limitations imposed by the Members of the Society, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to execute on behalf of the Society all powers and functions defined in these Bylaws.
3. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once annually, before the time of the Annual Meeting of the Society and may meet additionally on the call of the President or a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Such additional meetings may be held after giving sixty days notice to each officer. This notice, given personally by mail, email, telephone or telegraph, shall state the time, place and purpose of the meeting.
4. The Executive Committee shall make all non-elective appointments and may make interim appointments to fill vacancies in any elective office until the next regularly scheduled election. The Executive Committee shall appoint the Editor. The Executive Committee shall invite candidates to apply for this office by means of advertisements appearing in appropriate publications.
5. The Executive Committee shall act upon the budget provided by the Treasurer and submit the final budget to both the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association and the Annual Business Meeting of the Society. Because of the problem of the timing of the two meetings, an amended budget may be submitted to the Board of Directors incorporating decisions arrived at in the Annual Business Meeting of the Society.
6. The Executive Committee may delegate certain duties of the Treasurer to the extent that the Executive Committee deems necessary when, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, these duties become too burdensome for the Treasurer to handle. Then the Treasurer will no longer be responsible for the performance of the duties so delegated by the Executive Committee.
7. The Executive Committee may establish interest groups within the Society, provided that the presiding officer and one half or more of the membership of such an organization shall be and remain members of the Society.
8. Any member of the Executive Committee who misses two consecutive meetings of the Committee is subject to removal for non-attendance. Written notification of this possibility will be provided after the first missed meeting with dismissal action possible by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee during or subsequent to the second missed meeting. Such vacated office shall be filled immediately in accordance with Article VII, Section 4.

ARTICLE VIII. Annual Report

1. At the time of each Annual Meeting, the Executive Committee shall report its activities to the Members and to the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association. The report shall include the reports of the Treasurer, Editor, committees and other agents representing the Society.
2. Reports of officers, representatives, delegates, committees, and other agents representing the Society shall be approved by the Executive Committee. At the direction of the Executive Committee, these reports may be presented in full or in brief form at the Annual Business Meeting of the Society.

ARTICLE IX. Annual Meeting

1. The Society shall hold an Annual Business Meeting at the time of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.
2. The place and date of the Annual Meeting and list of nominees for vacant offices shall be disclosed to the Members not less than one hundred twenty (120) days in advance of the meeting.
3. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Program Chair who shall organize and design the form and content of the scientific program of the Society. Notice of the scientific program shall be mailed to the members as far in advance of the date of this meeting as possible and the preliminary program shall be mailed to members at least sixty (60) days in advance of the meeting.
4. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or upon written request of five (5) percent of the members. Any matter of business may be decided at a special meeting provided notice of such business is specified in the call. Meetings for the purpose of discussing scientific problems, symposia and matters of mutual interest among scientists may be called by the President at any time, and shall be called upon direction by the Executive Committee. Notices of special meetings shall be mailed to members at least sixty (60)days in advance of the meeting.

ARTICLE X. Quorum

1. Five (5) percent of the Members in good standing shall constitute a quorum at the Annual Business Meeting.
2. A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.
3. The business of the Society and its Executive Committee shall be transacted by majority of the votes cast at any meeting or by referendum vote by mail ballot, unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws. In case of a tie vote, the decision of the President is final.
4. The President may, or shall at the written request of any member of the Executive Committee, ask the Executive Committee to vote on specific questions by mail ballot. Ballots shall specify the date on or before which they are to be placed in the mail. This date shall not be less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixty (60) days from the date they were originally mailed.
5. The Executive Committee may submit resolutions or motions passed at the Annual Business Meeting for ratification by the Society membership in a mail ballot. If a resolution or motion passed at the Annual Business Meeting is not supported by a majority of the members of the Executive Committee, ratification by the Society membership in a mail ballot shall be mandatory. The ballots shall be sent out within thirty (30) days of the Annual Business Meeting and returned within sixty (60) days of the mailing.

ARTICLE XI. Nominations and Elections

1. Candidates for any elective office may be nominated by the Executive Committee, by a Nominating Committee, or by Members. All candidates shall be Members in good standing of the Society.
2. A Nominations Committee of three (3) Members shall be appointed annually by the Executive Committee. No more than one member of the Nominations Committee shall be a current member of the Executive Committee.
3. The Nominations Committee shall nominate two (2) persons for each vacant office. These nominations shall be made known to Members at least one hundred twenty (120) days before the Annual Meeting.
4. Five (5) percent of the Members in good standing may nominate an additional candidate for any office, provided the nomination is received in writing by the President at least ninety days before the Annual Meeting.
5. A member of Executive Committee shall inform the prospective nominee of the probable extent of the burden of the office. A nomination becomes effective only upon the receipt from the nominee a statement of willingness and ability to devote such time to the affairs of the Society as necessary to the effective execution of the office.

ARTICLE XII. Balloting

1. A Member in good standing shall be entitled to cast one ballot in any election or referendum.
2. Ballots shall be secret and enclosed in a signed envelope. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to examine the eligibility of any voter.
3. Ballots shall be counted in the American Anthropological Association office.
4. The candidate receiving the most votes for a contested office shall be elected; the Executive Committee shall hold a run-off election within ninety (90) days to resolve all ties.

ARTICLE XIII. Referenda

1. A referendum may be conducted by mail ballot at any time upon initiation of the Executive Committee or upon the receipt by the President of a petition signed by five (5) percent of the Members in good standing. Ballots shall be mailed to Members and returned according to Article XII, Section 3.

ARTICLE XIV. Finances

1. The fiscal year of the Society shall be that of the American Anthropological Association.
2. The Society shall submit an annual operating budget to the American Anthropological Association Board of Directors, which, when approved shall govern Society activities.
3. The income from annual dues and from investments and other sources shall constitute a working fund, available for operating, publication, and current expenses consistent with the purposes of the Society as the Executive Committee may direct.
4. No financial obligation in excess of funds available in the treasury shall be assumed by the Executive Committee or by any officer on behalf of the Society except that for the purpose of this section, estimated receipts from annual dues and other accounts receivable for the current year may be considered as available funds.
5. The Society may establish special funds to be administered by the American Anthropological Association for the purposes the Society may designate.
6. The Executive Committee may direct the transfer of sums of money from the working fund to a permanent fund which shall be invested in the name of the Society.

ARTICLE XV. Amendment

1. These Bylaws may be amended by the Members by mail ballot, provided that a proposed amendment is approved by two-thirds of the votes cast.
2. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by five (5) percent of the Members in good standing. The Executive Committee shall have the proposed amendment circulated to the Members and it shall allow thirty (30) days for the return of ballots.
3. The amendments and provisions of these Bylaws shall be effective immediately upon adoption and shall supersede and nullify all previous amendments and provisions.