Computing Services Special Interest Section Bylaws

Current bylaws
Previous amendments:
2002-2003 | 1999-2000 | Comments (2000) | 1997-1998 | Comments (1997)

Current Bylaws

(As revised June 1989, June 1997, March 2000, and July 2003)

Article I: NAME
The name of this special interest section of the American Association of Law Libraries (hereinafter referred to as the "Association") shall be the Computing Services Special Interest Section (hereinafter referred to as the "Section"), abbreviated CS SIS.
Article II: OBJECT
The objects of the Section shall be:
  1. To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on computing services in law libraries, and to represent its members' interests and concerns within AALL;
  2. To serve the professional development needs of law librarians interested in the provision of computing services, whatever their job title or type of library;
  3. To provide leadership in the adoption, evaluation, and use of technology in law libraries;
  4. To provide technical advice and assistance to the Association in its educational programs and other activities; and
  5. To promote relations with non-library computing professionals serving our parent organizations.
Article III: MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to any member of the Association requesting affiliation with the Section, as provided in the Association's bylaws. Membership shall be renewable each year.
Article IV: GENERAL BUSINESS MEETINGS
Section 1. There will be a general business meeting held annually at the annual convention of the Association. It shall be held at a time and place so that all business which needs to be conducted can be.
Section 2. At each annual meeting the budget will be submitted to the membership for approval.
Section 3. For purposes of tabulating votes, only members in full standing of the Section may vote; a quorum shall consist of the members present at the meeting; and majority shall be based on the number of voting members who vote (i.e. do not abstain).
Article V: OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. Officers and Term.
The elected officers of the Section will include a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a Secretary/Treasurer, and two (2) Members-at-Large. The Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson shall each serve for a term of one year; however, the Vice-Chairperson shall assume the office of Chairperson at the end of their terms of office. The Secretary/Treasurer and Members-at-Large shall serve for two-year terms, with the terms of the Members-at-Large being staggered so that one new Member-at-Large assumes office each year. During the even-numbered years there will be an election for Vice-Chairperson and one Member-at-Large. During the odd-numbered years there will be an election for Vice-Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, and one Member-at-Large.
Section 2. Election Procedures.
(a.) The election of officers will be conducted every year by mail or electronic ballot, to be completed not later than two months prior to the annual meeting.
(b.) Nominations for office may be submitted in advance to a Nominating Committee appointed by the Chairperson as provided in Article VII. The nominating committee shall submit a slate of at least two candidates for each office and the slates shall appear on the ballot. Write-in votes will be permitted on the official ballot.
(c.) In the event paper ballots are used, the Secretary/Treasurer shall mail a copy of the ballot to each member of the Section. Marked ballots shall be returned to the Secretary/Treasurer by a specified deadline. The candidates for each office receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected.
(d.) In the event electronic ballots are used, the details of conducting the election shall first be approved by the Executive Committee. The Committee shall ensure that an election conducted by electronic balloting is fundamentally fair and preserves the right of secret ballot. The candidate for each office receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected.
Section 3. If a Chairperson leaves his office, the Vice-Chairperson will assume his duties.
Section 4. If a Vice-Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, or a Member-at-Large leaves his office, the Chairperson will appoint a member of the Section to assume that office until the next annual convention of the Association, whereupon an election will be held to fill the office for the remainder of the term.
Section 5. If a majority of the members present at the Annual Business Meeting determine that the current Vice-Chairperson has demonstrated either an inability or an unwillingness to assume the duties of the Chairperson, the newly-elected Vice-Chairperson automatically becomes the Chairperson, and a new Vice-Chairperson is to be elected by a majority of those present at the Business Meeting.
Article VI: DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE OFFICERS
The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary/Treasurer, and Members-at-Large shall perform the duties usually pertaining to their respective offices, and such other duties as may be assigned by the membership, or temporarily by the Chairperson.
Article VII: COMMITTEES
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers named above and the immediate past chair.
Section 2. There shall be such standing or special committees as the Executive Committee, or the membership of the Section, shall create.
Section 3. The Chairperson may appoint a Nominating Committee in anticipation of coming elections. The Nominating Committee shall be a special committee, whose term will end with the election. No action of such Committee shall be presumed to preclude write-in votes on the official ballot.
Article VIII: AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended at the annual meeting of the Section by a majority of the members present and voting, or by a majority of the votes cast by a mail or electronic ballot conducted by the Secretary/Treasurer. Any amendment must be presented to the AALL Committee on Constitution and Bylaws for review.
Section 2. Notice of proposed amendments shall be mailed to the Section's members, or be published in the Section's newsletter, or be sent by electronic mail to the members' electronic mail addresses of record with the association, 30 days in advance of the meeting, or of the mailing of ballots, or of the conducting of an election by electronic ballot.
Article IX: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, in the latest edition, shall govern all deliberations of the Section, except as otherwise specified in these bylaws.