BY-LAWS
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA
PHOTOJOURNALISM DIVISION
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Photojournalism Division (PJD) of the Photographic Society of America.
ARTICLE II
Purpose
The purpose of the Photojournalism Division is the stimulation of interest in photojournalism and related arts and sciences; the dissemination, assimilation and discourse of photojournalistic information, and the promotion of social and professional fellowship among members.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Any member of the Photographic Society of America in good standing can be a member of the Division by current enrollment in a divisional activity, by current service as a divisional officer or director, or by achievement of a divisional star rating.
ARTICLE IV
Officers and their Duties
SECTION 1. The divisional officers shall serve for a term of two years, but no officer shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office, with the exception of the Secretary and/or the Treasurer, dependent upon their nomination and election every two years. The officers shall be as follows:
(a) Chairman
(b) First Vice Chairman
(c) Second Vice Chairman
(d) Secretary
(e) Treasurer
SECTION 2. The officers' duties are as follows:
(a) The Chairman shall preside over all meetings of the divisional membership, Executive Committee (EC) and Board of Directors (BOD), shall maintain order at such meetings, and shall call special meetings of any of these groups when needed or advisable. He shall, with the advice and approval of the EC, administer the affairs of the Division, appoint the Directors of the Services and Activities and members of standing and special committees, have power to revoke for cause any such appointment at any time, and, in the absence or inability of any officer or director to serve, appoint another member to assume those duties. He shall submit reports on the Division to the PSA board as requested by the Divisions Vice President. In advance of assuming office, the Chairman-elect shall make appointments to run concurrent with his term of office, having provided job descriptions and ascertained that each appointee understands and accepts the responsibility. All appointments are subject to EC approval.
(b) The First Vice-Chairman shall assume the duties of Chairman in the event of his absence or inability to serve. As directed by the Chairman, he shall by virtue of the office, serve as conference program chairman, unless that task is otherwise assigned, and shall assume such other duties as may be assigned by the Chairman or that may appear in the divisional Master Operating Manual (MOM).
(c) The Second Vice-Chairman shall assume the duties of the Chairman in the event of the absence or inability to serve of both the Chairman and the First Vice-Chairman. As directed by the Chairman, he shall by virtue of the office, manage the divisional information center at conference, unless that task is otherwise assigned, and shall assume such other duties as may be assigned by the Chairman or that may appear in the divisional MOM.
(d) The Secretary shall keep, maintain and publish minutes of all meetings of the EC, the BOD, and the membership, and shall request, assemble and compile reports from all Directors of Division Services and Activities for divisional reference. He shall answer general correspondence for the Division and shall be responsible for the dissemination of divisional information. He shall assume such other duties as may be assigned by the Chairman or that may appear in the divisional MOM.
(e) The Treasurer shall establish, keep and maintain all financial records of the Division. He shall approve disbursement vouchers for the payment of the Division expenses and forward them to PSA headquarters. He shall record funds collected through Division activities and expenditures for each activity. He shall compile an annual financial report for the Division at the end of each fiscal year and shall submit this report to the Chairman and to the PSA officers involved. This report shall reflect the cost of operating all services and activities conducted by the Division. He shall develop a budget for the Division with the cooperation of activity directors and the Chairman. He shall assume such other duties as may be assigned by the Chairman.
SECTION 3. Scope of authority--No individual officer shall commit the Division to any policy, agreement, responsibility, project, undertaking, or unbudgeted expense without approval of the divisional BOD.
ARTICLE V
Executive Committee
SECTION 1. The Executive Committee (EC), charged with conducting the general operations of the Division and executing the policies established by the PSA board, shall be composed of the Division Chairman, the First Vice-Chairman, the Second Vice-Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer. The Division Chairman shall be Chairman of the EC.
SECTION 2. There shall be a meeting of the EC annually during the PSA International Conference, optionally with the BOD. Other meetings may be called by the Chairman at any time. Votes for meetings other than the annual meeting of the EC may be taken by mail, telephone or other means of communication.
SECTION 3. On all matters and questions coming before the EC, three (3) votes shall be required to carry any action.
SECTION 4. Unless otherwise specified in these by-laws, meetings shall be conducted according to "Robert's Rules of Order".
SECTION 5. The EC has the responsibility to supervise divisional operations and the power to establish policies, procedures and practices for the Division consistent with the PSA by-laws, subject to the approval of the divisional BOD.
ARTICLE VI
Board of Directors
SECTION 1. The Board of Directors (BOD) shall be composed of the following:
a) The Officers
b) The Immediate Past Chairman
c) All Activity Directors indicated on the official divisional roster, a minimum of five (5) additional members
SECTION 2. There shall be a meeting of the BOD annually during the PSA International Conference, optionally in conjunction with the annual scheduled division membership meeting. Meetings may also be called and conducted by correspondence at any time during the year by the Chairman.
SECTION 3. One more that half of the total membership of the BOD shall constitute a quorum at meetings.
SECTION 4. On all matters and questions coming before the BOD, a majority of votes cast shall be required to carry any action.
SECTION 5. The order of business for the meetings of the BOD shall be conducted and prescribed by the Chairman. Unless otherwise specified in these by-laws, meetings shall be conducted according to "Robert's Rules of Order".
SECTION 6. Scope of authority--Decisions of the BOD are subject to approval by the membership at the annual scheduled meeting. A majority of votes cast by the members in attendance shall be required to carry any action.
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ARTICLE VII
Elections
SECTION 1. Division officers shall be elected each even-numbered year.
SECTION 2. A nominating Committee, consisting of three (3) to five (5) members, shall be appointed by the Chairman each odd-numbered year to serve concurrently with the appointing administration. Elected officers shall not serve on this committee, nor may it nominate any of its own members for office.
SECTION 3. Procedure. Not later than the date set by the PSA Elections Committee, the Nominating Committee shall have prepared an official slate of one or more candidates, for the following Divisional Offices, after having obtained their acceptance of candidacy: Chairman, First Vice-Chairman, Second Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The committee chairman shall report the slate to the PSA board via the Divisions Vice President.
SECTION 4. Petition Nomination. Any twenty-five (25) members in good standing of the Division may submit to the PSA Elections Committee, in accordance with the PSA by-laws, a written petition nominating any eligible member of the Division for any elective office in the Division, with the consent of the nominee.
SECTION 5. Elections shall be conducted by the PSA Elections Committee in accordance with the PSA by-laws and policies established by the PSA board. In the event of a contested position, all members, as defined in Article III, are eligible to vote.
SECTION 6. Officers of the Division shall be installed at the PSA International Conference and assume office at the close of the conference. In the event that no conference is held that year, they shall take office at the time of the annual PSA board meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
Recall, Suspension and Expulsion
SECTION 1. Final authority for the suspension and/or expulsion of members from Division membership, and for the recall or removal of Division officers, shall rest with the Division BOD.
SECTION 2. Petition. Any twenty-five (25) or more members in good standing of the division may petition the BOD for recall of any officer of the Division, or for the suspension or expulsion of any Division member. Such petition shall be filed in writing, shall clearly state the grounds upon which action is sought, and shall be subscribed with the signatures of all petitioners.
SECTION 3. Investigation. Upon receipt of a proper petition for recall, suspension or expulsion, the BOD shall appoint a special committee to investigate the charges, and to report within thirty (30) days.
SECTION 4. Decision. Upon receiving the report of the investigating committee, and after giving the accused officer or member not less than thirty (30) days in which to make defense, the BOD shall reach a decision, with a three-fourths majority of the members required for recall, suspension, or expulsion. Their decision shall be final, and the petitioners and the accused shall be promptly notified of the decision.
SECTION 5. Reinstatement. The BOD shall have the right, upon reconsidering the evidence, or upon receipt of additional information, to reinstate any member suspended or expelled, or any officer removed from office. A three-fourths majority of the members of the BOD shall be necessary to such reinstatement.
ARTICLE IX
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Division shall be the same as that established by the PSA board, currently July 1 to the next June 30.
ARTICLE X
Dues and Suspensions
The divisional dues, if any, and time and notice of payment shall be that established by the PSA board. Suspension practices for the Division for delinquent members shall be the same as those established for delinquent PSA members by the PSA board.
ARTICLE XI
Amendments
SECTION 1. Amendments, additions, or deletions to these by-laws may be proposed by any twenty-five (25) or more members of the Division in good standing, by the Chairman with the approval of the EC; or by the Chairman of the PSA By-laws Committee, who, to insure against conflict, shall study such proposals and shall make such recommendations as seem proper.
SECTION 2. Such amendments, additions, or deletions, together with the recommendations of the BOD, will be subject to approval of the membership in attendance at the annual Division meeting. An affirmative majority of votes cast shall be necessary for the adoption of any amendments, additions or deletions to these by-laws.
SECTION 3. No provisions in these by-laws shall be construed as prohibiting the re-introduction of any proposed amendments by the stated procedure.
SECTION 4. Amended policies shall be summarized in the next Division newsletter and in the PSA Journal along with a notice that current by-laws are available to members upon request.
Approved by PJD September 5, 2003
Adopted by PSA BOD April 17, 2004