Bylaws
LACS-SHA
Bylaws of the Latin American Section of the Southern Historical Association.
ARTICLE I
The purpose of this organization will be to encourage the study of the history of Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in the U.S. South. This is a non-profit organization. Said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
ARTICLE II
Membership in the Section is open to any individual. Non-members may participate in program sessions but may not participate in the official business meeting, hold office, or be members of standing committees of the Section.
ARTICLE III
The Section will hold one regular annual meeting in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern Historical Association. The business meeting of the Section will be held during the annual luncheon held at this annual meeting, and during that business meeting the Executive Committee will report its actions.
ARTICLE IV
Section 1.
The officers of the Section will be a President, a Vice President, who will be President-designate, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and such additional officers as the Executive Committee will from time to time determine. The President and Vice President will hold office for terms of one year, beginning immediately following the annual meeting. The Vice President will be elected annually, as provided in Article VI of these bylaws, and at the expiration of his/her term of office he/she will succeed to the office of President. The President will be empowered to appoint one member to each standing committee at the beginning of his/her year of office. In case of vacancies in the membership of the standing committees, the serving President will be empowered to fill them.
Section 2.
Should the office of President for any reason become vacant, the Vice President will succeed forthwith to the office of President. He/she will serve the remaining term of the former President, and then his/her term as President.
Section 3.
The Treasurer and Secretary will each be elected to five-year terms at the appropriate annual meetings. The Treasurer will be responsible for maintaining records of membership and keeping accurate books on the financial status of this association. The Secretary will keep the official record of the Section, including minutes of all executive and annual meetings, and oversee any publicity of this association.
Section 4.
The Executive Committee will be empowered to fill vacancies in all Section offices under circumstances not covered by the provisions of these bylaws.
ARTICLE V
Section 1.
There will be an Executive Committee consisting of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Latin American History Representative of the SHA council, plus the two past Presidents immediately preceding.
Section 2.
The Executive Committee will have general charge of the affairs of the Section except as otherwise provided in this constitution.
Section 3.
The Executive Committee will make recommendations concerning dues structure for this organization to the membership at the annual business meeting, and that body will be the final voice in determining the dues structure.
Section 4.
The Executive Committee will appoint a Nominating Committee.
Section 5.
The Nominating Committee will consist of three members, with one member rotating off each year and that vacancy being filled by the serving President. The most senior member will serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Chair of the Nominating Committee will present a slate of no more than two persons for each elective office to the annual business meeting.Article VIElections to all elected offices will take place in open meeting at the annual business meeting. Following the report of the Nominating Committee as required above in Article V, there will be an opportunity for nominations from members present at that meeting. Only members may participate in the nomination and election process.
ARTICLE VI
Elections to all elected offices will take place in open meeting at the annual business meeting. Following the report of the Nominating Committee as required above in Article V, there will be an opportunity for nominations from members present at that meeting. Only members may participate in the nomination and election process.
ARTICLE VII
The annual business meeting will be open to all members of the Section.
ARTICLE VIII
Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Committee, by the annual business meeting, or by petition to the Executive Committee by twenty members. Amendments will be presented at the annual business meeting and may be voted on at that meeting. A majority of members present and voting will be sufficient to endorse an amendment.
ARTICLE IX
Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the officers will, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the organization, dispose of all of the assets of the organization exclusively for the purposes of the organization in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as will at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as the Board of Trustees will determine. Any such assets not so disposed of will be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization and organizations as said Court will determine, which are organized and operate exclusively for such purposes.