CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF

THE MIDWEST CONFERENCE FOR IRISH STUDIES

 

Constitution and By-Laws adopted on October 16, 1982.

 

CONSTITUTION

 

Article 1

 

The official name of this organization shall be the Midwest Committee for Irish Studies, with recognized status as a regional unit of the American Committee for Irish Studies (ACIS).

 

Article 2

 

All members in good standing of the American Conference for Irish Studies, who reside within the Midwest region, as defined by the Executive Committee of ACIS, shall also be members of the Midwest Conference for Irish Studies.

 

Article 3

 

The official business of the Midwest Conference for Irish Studies shall be conducted at the annual regional meeting. It shall be necessary for two-thirds of the members present and voting to approve changes in or additions to the constitution before these may take effect. For all other matters of official business, action may be taken by a simple majority of those present and voting. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of business meetings of the organization.

Article 4

 

The officers of this organization shall be a president and a secretary-treasurer. Each shall be elected at the annual regional meeting and shall serve a concurrent two-year term.

 

Article 5

 

The duties of the president shall include: (1) supervision of arrangements for the holding of the annual regional meeting; (2) general responsibility for the periodic distribution of a regional newsletter; (3) representation of the regional organization at ACIS Executive Committee meetings and national ACIS meetings; and (4) promotion of the general welfare of the organization, including implementation of decisions taken by the membership at the annual regional meeting. 

 

Article 6

 

The duties of the secretary-treasurer shall include: (1) collaboration with the president in connection with the annual regional meeting and the regional newsletter; (2) maintenance of a current roll of the regional membership and of other necessary records, including the official minutes of regional meetings; (3) immediate responsibility for the financial affairs of the organization; (4) representation of the regional organization at ACIS Executive Committee meetings and national ACIS meetings in the event of inability on the part of the president to attend.

 

Article 7

 

Should a vacancy occur in the office of president, the secretary-treasurer shall succeed to the office of president, and shall appoint a new secretary-treasurer, with fresh elections to be held for both offices at the next annual regional meeting after the occurrence of the vacancy.  Should a vacancy take place in the office of secretary-treasurer, the president shall appoint a substitute to serve until a new election is held at the next annual regional meeting after the occurrence of the vacancy.

 

Article 8

 

The president and secretary-treasurer shall appoint a committee to prepare the program and make all other necessary arrangements for each regional meeting of the organization.

 

 

 

 

BY-LAWS

 

Article 1

 

Nominations for the office of president and secretary-treasurer shall be made in writing to the current officers prior to the annual meeting or from the floor at that meeting. When any candidate is nominated in advance of the meeting, notice of the nomination shall be included in the official announcement of the program of the meeting. In the event that more than two candidates are nominated for either office, a run-off election shall be held; the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the run-off election shall then be presented to the membership in a final election.

 

Article 2

 

The election of officers shall be by ballot whenever two or more candidates are nominated for either office.

 

 

 

Article 3

 

Neither of the officers of the organization shall be eligible for immediate re-election after the expiration of a two-year term. But if either of the officers has filled a vacancy, he or she may be elected to a regular two-year term at the next annual regional meeting after the occurrence of the vacancy.

 

 

 

 

AMENDMENTS

 

 

Amendment 1

 

The first sentence of Article 3 of the By-Laws is deleted and replaced with: Neither of the officers of the organization shall be eligible for immediate re-election after the expiration of a second consecutive two-year term. (Adapted by vote of the membership at the annual meeting of October 27, 2001.)

 

Amendment 2

 

The membership affirms that the Constitution and By-laws dated October 16, 1982 and amended October 27, 2001 are its documents of governance, with the following change:  that the two instances of the word "Committee" in Article 1 of the constitution be deleted and replaced with the word "Conference." (Adapted by vote of the membership at the annual meeting of October 16, 2004.)