Constitution and Bylaws of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OFTHE ROCKY MOUNTAIN MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE Section A. Name This nonprofit organization shall be known as the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association. Section B. Purpose The purpose of the Association shall be to stimulate consideration, evaluation, and cultivation of languages and literatures by holding annual meetings for the presentation ofpapers about language and literature, by holding sessions for the discussion of problems in teaching as a profession, by cooperation with other academic and cultural societies in order to enrich and strengthen the cultural life in the Rocky Mountain states, by regular publication of a review, and by other similar activities as convenient and desirable. ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP AND GOVERNMENT Section A. Membership All persons affiliated with the departments of languages and literatures in educational institutions of the Rocky Mountain region and others with similar interests may become members of this Association. Section B. Officers 1.The officers of the Association shall be a president, an honorary president, a vice-president, and an executive secretary who shall also serve as treasurer. 2.The president and vice-president shall be elected by mail ballot after the annual meeting in the fall for terms ofone calendar year. The vice-president shall succeed to the presidency upon the completion of the term of the president. In addition the vice-president shall assume the presidency in the event ofthe resignation, leave ofabsence, serious illness, or death ofthe president. The outgoing president shall become honorary president for one year. The executive secretary shall be appointed by the executive board for a term of three years. Section C. Executive Board 1.There shall be an executive board consisting of the president, the honorary president, the vice-president, and three members at large elected by members of the Association by mail ballot after the annual meeting. The executive secretary who also acts as treasurer shall be an ex officio, nonvoting member of the board. 2.The three elected members at large shall serve for three years, one member to be elected each year. 252 3.Any member of RMMLA who is willing to commit to the responsibilities of office may run for the executive board, regardless of his/her local affiliations. 4.Ifa member ofthe executiveboard except the president has a leave ofabsence, the board shall appoint a replacement for the duration of his/her leave. 5.There shall be an annual audit ofthe books ofthe Association to be made by the executive board and by two members of the Association not on the board, to be appointed annually by the executive board. 6.Officers shall be chosen with a view to representing a wide distribution of cultural interests, residential locations, andtypes ofeducational institutions. The president shall be chosen in alternate years from the fields of foreign languages and English. The same principle will apply to the election of members at large. 7.The executive board shall be responsible for all activities of the Association. It shall serve as a nominating committee to present the annual slate ofnew officers at the time ofthe annual meeting. It shall report at the regular annual meetings and make recommendations for the approval of the Association at the annual meetings and shall be responsible for the transaction ofbusiness between annual meetings. To its wisdom shall be left immediate decisions dealing with the welfare of the Association such as routine expenditures of funds, the appointment of ad hoc committees as necessary, the setting up of the annual program including the division of existing sections, the cancellation of sections, and the creation of new sections. Major changes in general policy, including extraordinary expenditures offunds, levying of additional assessments, changes in dues or convention policy, must be approved by a simple majority ofthose members responding to a mail ballot. Any member who wishes to initiate similar major changes may petition the executive board for a mail ballot. The petition must be signed by a minimum of ten percent of the Association members. Section D. Dissolution In the event ofthe dissolution ofthe organization at any time on recommendation ofthe executive board and approval ofthe general membership, all funds remaining after payment of accounts due shall be given to...