Bylaws

Bylaws of the Association for the Anthropology of Policy (ASAP)

 A section of the American Anthropological Association (AAA)

(revised 2021)

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ARTICLE I. Name

The Society shall be known as the Association for the Anthropology of Policy (ASAP), a Section of the American Anthropological Association (AAA).

ARTICLE II. Purposes

The purpose of the ASAP shall be to advance the study of the anthropology of policy, to encourage publication of the results of such study in mainstream publications in anthropology and those of other disciplines, and to organize venues for presenting such work.  The ASAP may encourage its members to engage in policy debates to which specific members’ research findings contribute.

ARTICLE III. Powers

  1. The ASAP 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 ASAP is empowered to determine membership dues.
  3. The ASAP shall determine voting requirements on all ASAP matters.
  4. The ASAP may engage in program and publishing activities, appoint editors, committees, and other agents, and set program policies appropriate to its purposes.
  5. The ASAP shall adopt and maintain Bylaws or Rules of Procedure consistent with American Anthropological Association Bylaws. The ASAP shall file with the American Anthropological Association Secretary a copy of its Bylaws.

ARTICLE IV. Membership

  1. Membership in the ASAP shall be open to any member in good standing of the American Anthropological Association who supports the above purposes subject to the payment of dues stipulated by the Executive Committee of the ASAP.
  2. A Member in good standing shall be eligible to hold elective or appointive office, participate in the scientific program and have one vote in nominating and electing officers and the transaction of other business of the ASAP.
  3. For just cause, a Member may be deprived of membership by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee of the ASAP, subject to appeal to the Members at the Annual Meeting.
  4. The Executive Committee of the ASAP shall have the authority to establish special categories of membership consistent with already existing AAA categories of membership.

ARTICLE V. Dues

  1. The Executive Committee of the ASAP shall set the annual dues of Members.
  2. Any Member in arrears in the payment of dues shall lose all membership privileges.

ARTICLE VI. Executive Committee

  1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of six (6) officers.
  2. Subject to directives and limitations imposed by the Members of ASAP, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to execute on behalf of ASAP all powers and functions defined in these Bylaws.
  3. The Executive Committee, together with the three Board Members who shall not have voting authority, shall meet face-to-face at least once annually, at the time of the Annual Meeting, and may meet additionally (face-to-face or electronically as Members are able) on the call of the President or a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
  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.  Any ties in voting will be resolved by the President.

ARTICLE VII. Officers

  1. The elected officers shall be a President, President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer, Past President, Graduate Student Representative, and Officer-at-Large.  In agreeing to nomination for such office, prospective officers must commit to attending the Annual Meetings during their terms of office.
  2. These officers may be “co-officers”— two individuals who would work together in a single officer position—under the terms of ARTICLE XI.  Important reasons guide the decision to allow co-officers.  We are fortunate to have a broad international membership, with members representing diverse networks, expertise, skill sets, and intellectual orientations. It is highly unlikely that such diversity will be found in a single person. Yet is crucial that ASAP draw on it to achieve our intellectual and practical goals and to grow the organization.  Enabling the possibility of co-officers will help foster such diversity.  The ability to elect co-officers also will allow us to split the functions of certain positions.  For instance, one co-officer could take primary responsibility for serving as secretary; the other could do the same for treasurer.
  3. The President shall be the presiding officer of the ASAP and, should the ASAP be entitled to such representation, its representative on the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association.  The President shall also be responsible for overall coordination and membership outreach to fellow professional anthropologists.
  4. 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.  The President-elect shall also serve as program chair and assemble a three-person program committee (including him/herself) for the Annual Meeting.
  5. The Secretary-Treasurer shall submit a draft budget to the Executive Committee with time enough to submit it by the AAA section budget deadline.  The Secretary-Treasurer shall also draft minutes from the Annual Meeting Board and Business meetings and distribute them within thirty (30) days of the meeting.
  6. The Past President shall also serve as chair of and assemble a three-person Nominations Committee (including him/herself) to solicit candidates for elective office.
  7. The Graduate Student Representative, a full-time student enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the time of running for office, shall assume responsibility for membership outreach to fellow students.
  8. The Officer-at-Large will provide feedback from the membership and help the President and the Executive Committee think through strategy for the organization.
  9. The terms of office of the President, President-elect, Past President, and Graduate Student Representative shall be two years, commencing at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.  The terms of office of the Secretary-Treasurer and the Officer-at-Large shall be three years, commencing at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.  No officer shall hold office for more than two consecutive terms.
  10. A Board will be established and will consist of
  • Three ASAP Board Members appointed by the Executive Committee, with input from other members.  These shall be: Newsletter Editor, responsible for the ASAP column in Anthropology News; Communications Director, responsible for maintaining the ASAP website and other communications activities; and Education Director, responsible for syllabi and bibliography for the website, workshops, and other educational activities.
  • Additional appointments to the Board shall be made as the need arises, either as permanent positions or as temporary posts filling a limited time need.
  • Appointments to the Board are for two years, with the possibility of reappointment.

ARTICLE VIII. Annual Report

At the time of each Annual Meeting, the Executive Committee of the ASAP shall report its activities to the Members and to the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association.

ARTICLE IX. Meetings

  1. The ASAP shall hold an Annual Business Meeting at the time of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.
  2. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee of the ASAP or upon written request of three (3) percent of the Members.

ARTICLE X. Quorum

  1. Three (3) 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 of the ASAP shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.
  3. The business of the ASAP shall be transacted by majority vote unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XI. Nominations and Elections

  1. Candidates for any elective office may be nominated by the Executive Committee of the ASAP, by the Nominations Committee, or by other Members. All candidates shall be Members in good standing of the ASAP.
  2. The Past President shall serve as chair of the Nominations Committee for elective office consisting of three (3) Members (including him/herself).
  3. The Nominations Committee shall nominate at least one person for Secretary-Treasurer and at least two (2) persons for the majority of other vacant offices. The Nominations Committee shall submit information about all nominees to the American Anthropological Association, in accordance with the AAA’s guidelines and deadlines, for inclusion in the AAA’s official balloting materials for section elections.
  4. Any (or no) officer position can be co-occupied by two individuals.
    1. Co-officers can be selected through any of the following means: (1) two individuals may propose to run as co-officers and present themselves on the ballot as such; (2) the nominations committee may propose two specific individuals to run as co-officers who, if they agree, present themselves on the ballot as such; and (3) the Board may propose two specific individuals to run as co-officers who, if they agree, present themselves on the ballot as such.
    2. The ballot will specify that the two individuals are running as potential co-officers and may not be elected separately.
    3. If/when co-officers are elected, the pair will be responsible for determining a division of labor and designating which one will serve as a liaison to the AAA.  The two can switch which one serves as liaison after one year.
    4. Co-officers in any one position have a single vote on the Executive Committee;
    5. Any deadlocks that arise due to a disagreement between two individual co-officers will be settled by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
  5. Three (3) percent of the Members in good standing may nominate an additional candidate for any office, provided that all requisite nomination materials are submitted to the Nominations Committee in accordance with the American Anthropological Association’s guidelines and deadlines.
  6. The Nominations Committee shall inform the prospective nominee of the probable extent of the burden of office. A nomination becomes effective only upon filing with the Nominations Committee a statement of willingness and ability to devote such time to the affairs of the ASAP as necessary to the effective execution of 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 shall be distributed, collected, and counted by the methods deemed most suitable by the American Anthropological Association.
  3. Thirty (30) days shall be allowed for the return of ballots. Ballots must be received not later than the stated return date to be counted.
  4. The candidate receiving the most votes for a contested office shall be elected; the American Anthropological Association shall hold a run-off election within thirty (30) days to resolve all ties.
  5. The American Anthropological Association administers all elections.

ARTICLE XIII. Referenda

A referendum may be conducted at any time upon initiation of the Executive Committee of the ASAP, or upon receipt by the Secretary-Treasurer of a petition signed by three (3) percent of the Members in good standing. A referendum may be conducted by mail ballot, electronic mail ballot, or any other means of electronic transmission of ballots approved by the Executive Committee. A majority of votes received shall constitute a favorable vote.

ARTICLE XIV. Finances

  1. The fiscal year of the ASAP shall be that of the American Anthropological Association.
  2. The ASAP shall submit an annual operating budget to the American Anthropological Association which, when approved, shall govern ASAP activities.
  3. The income from annual dues and other sources shall constitute the Working Fund, available for operations, publication, and current expenses consistent with the purposes of the ASAP as the Executive Committee may determine.
  4. No financial obligation in excess of funds available in the treasury shall be assumed by the Board or by any officer on behalf of the ASAP 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 ASAP may establish special funds to be administered by the American Anthropological Association that follow the AAA guidelines for the establishment of such funds.

ARTICLE XV. Amendment

  1. These Bylaws may be amended by the Members by mail ballot, electronic mail ballot, or any other means of electronic transmission of ballots approved by the ASAP Executive Committee, provided that a proposed amendment is approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast.
  2. Amendments may be proposed by the ASAP Executive Committee or by three (3) 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.