Constitution
By-Laws

Constitution

ARTICLE I - NAME

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Media Ecology Association.

ARTICLE II - DEFINITION AND PURPOSES

Section 1. Media ecology is defined as the study of the complex set of relationships or interrelationships among symbols, media and culture.

Section 2. The Media Ecology Association is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the study, research, criticism, and application of media ecology in educational, industry, political, civic, social, cultural, and artistic contexts, and the open exchange of ideas, information and research among the Association's members and the larger community.

ARTICLE III - GOALS

Section 1. To promote, sustain and recognize excellence in media ecology scholarship, research, criticism, application, and artistic practice.

Section 2. To provide a network for fellowship, contacts and professional opportunities.

Section 3. To serve as a clearinghouse for information related to academic programs around the world in areas pertinent to the study of media ecology.

Section 4. To promote community and cooperation among academic, private and public entities mutually concerned with the understanding of media ecology.

Section 5. To provide opportunities for professional growth and development.

Section 6. To encourage interdisciplinary research and interaction.

Section 7. To encourage reciprocal cooperation and research among institutions and organizations.

Section 8. To provide a forum for student participation in an academic and professional environment.

Section 9. To advocate for the development and implementation of media ecology education at all levels of curricula.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership in the Association shall be open to individuals or institutions interested in promoting the Association's purposes and goals.

ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The Executive Board shall serve in a stewardship capacity as the principal policy-making and fund-raising body of the Association.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall be composed of the President, Vice-President, Vice-President Elect, Immediate Past President, Executive Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Editor-in-Chief, Internet Officer, Historian, Awards Coordinator, Newsletter Editor, and three Officers At-Large.

Section 3. The Vice-President Elect shall be elected by the general membership annually, and shall serve for a four-year period of service.  In the second year, the Vice-President Elect will succeed to the office of Vice-President, in the third year to the office of President, and in the fourth year to the office of Immediate Past President.

Section 4. The Recording Secretary and Newsletter Editor shall be elected by the general membership to serve a one-year term.

Section 5. The three At-Large Officers shall be elected by the general membership on a rotating or “staggered term” basis, with one elected each year.  Each Director shall therefore serve a three-year term, and may serve consecutive terms.

Section 6. The Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Editor-in-Chief, Internet Officer, Historian, and Awards Coordinator shall be appointed by the Executive Board to serve three-year terms.  Appointments should be made on a rotating or “staggered term” basis, such that two officers are appointed each year.

Section 7. Elections for the Executive Board shall be carried out as specified in the By-Laws.

Section 8. The duties of officers shall be as specified in the By-Laws.

Section 9. In the event of the resignation, incapacity, or dereliction of duty of a member of the Executive Board, the Executive Board shall, at its discretion, select a replacement or establish a nomination and election procedure for so doing.

ARTICLE VI - APPOINTED OFFICERS

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President, at the request of the Executive Board, to appoint additional officers to fulfill certain duties as the Association requires.  All such officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and shall report to them, and shall not serve as voting members of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President, at the request of the Executive Board, to appoint committees and task forces as necessary.  All committees and task forces shall report to the Executive Board, and shall not serve as voting members of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VIII - ADVISORY COUNCIL

Section 1.  The Advisory Council shall monitor the ongoing work of the Association and its leadership, consult with the Board at the request of the Board or at the Council's own discretion, in order to ensure the efficacy of all policies and procedures and all significant proposed changes with respect to the Association's Constitution and By-laws, operations, and structure, and to ensure that the Board remain faithful to the Association's stated mission and purpose, and that all initiatives are pursued with the best interest of the Association and its future in mind.

Section 2.  The Advisory Council shall consist of all past presidents who are not currently serving as members of the Executive Board.

Section 3.  The Advisory Council may, at its discretion, invite other former officers and directors, and senior members of the Media Ecology Association, to join the Council.

ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Section 1. The Executive Board may initiate Amendments to this Constitution.

Section 2. The Advisory Council, in consultation with the Executive Board, may initiate Amendments to this Constitution.

Section 3. Any ten members of the Association may present a petition to the Executive Board proposing an amendment to this Constitution, which shall mandate the Executive Board to put the proposed Amendment to vote.

Section 4. Amendments initiated as per Section 1, 2 or 3 shall be distributed to all members of the Association for vote by mail, or its equivalent, in the Fall.

Section 5. This Constitution may be altered or amended, or its Articles repealed by a two-thirds majority of votes cast by the Association's membership by mail or its equivalent.

By-Laws

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. There shall be four types of membership in the Association: Regular, Student, Institutional, and Honorary.

Section 2. Regular Members shall be those individuals actively engaged or interested in media ecology education, research, criticism, application, or artistic practice.

Section 3. Student Members shall be those individuals currently enrolled on a full-time basis as graduate or undergraduate students.

Section 4. Institutional Members shall be educational, professional, business, or civic organizations.

Section 5. Honorary Members shall be individuals awarded a one-year membership in the Association by the Executive Board for distinguished contribution to the Association.

ARTICLE II - DUES AND FEES

Section 1. Annual dues in the four membership categories shall be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Registration fees for the Annual Convention shall be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 3. Subscription fees for the Association's publications shall be determined by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE III - MEETINGS

Section 1. An Annual Convention shall be held once a year.  A General Meeting of the membership, open to all members, shall be held at this Convention.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall meet at least once a year, at a place and time designated by the President.  The President may also convene a special meeting at any time, upon reasonable notice.

Section 3. A quorum at the Executive Board meeting shall be at least two thirds of its members.

ARTICLE IV - ELECTIONS

Section 1. Each year, the Immediate Past President shall serve as Chair of a Nominating Committee comprised of representatives from the Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and general membership, for candidates for offices with open terms.

Section 2. Any member of the Association in good standing may also nominate any other member in good standing, or self-nominate, for offices with open terms.  The membership shall be informed of a cut-off date for acceptance of nominations at the General Meeting of the Annual Convention, through the Association's newsletter, In Medias Res, and by mail or its equivalent.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall prepare a written slate of nominees, insuring that each member will serve if elected.

Section 4. The slate of nominees shall be distributed to all members of the Association for vote by mail, or its equivalent, in the Fall.

Section 5. New Officers shall be elected in accordance with a plurality of votes cast by the Association's membership, by mail or its equivalent.

Section 6. New Officers shall assume their positions at the beginning of the calendar year.

ARTICLE V - DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The President shall act as the presiding officer for all Executive Board business and affairs, shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Board and at the Annual Convention of the Association, and shall serve as liaison to the Advisory Council.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall serve as the officer in charge of the annual convention.  Should the Office of the President become vacant after the conclusion of the annual convention, the Vice-President shall succeed to the presidency immediately.

Section 3. The Vice-President Elect shall serve as the officer in charge of the next year's annual convention, and assist the Vice-President as deemed necessary.

Section 4. The Immediate Past President shall serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee.  Should the Office of the President become vacant before the conclusion of the annual convention, the Immediate Past President shall return to the presidency immediately.

Section 5. The Executive Secretary shall coordinate all official Association correspondence and documentation, shall maintain an accurate record of the Association's membership, and shall coordinate registration at the Annual Convention.

Section 6.  The Treasurer shall administer accounts payable and accounts receivable in a timely and effective manner as designated by the Executive Board, and shall provide an annual financial report to be made available to the membership.

Section 7.  The Recording Secretary shall record minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and the General Meeting at the Association's Convention.

Section 8.  The Editor-in-Chief shall serve as editor of the Association's journal, and otherwise supervise the Association's publications.

Section 9.  The Internet Officer shall be the officer in charge of the Association's website, email discussion list, social media, and other forms of online communications.

Section 10.  The Historian shall serve as the Association's archivist, maintaining and making available the ongoing record of all Association documents and proceedings.

Section 11.  The Awards Coordinator shall supervise the Association's awards program, including the call for nominations, appointment of judges, and presentation of awards.

Section 12.  The Newsletter Editor shall edit, publish, and distribute the Association's newsletter, In Medias Res.

Section 13.  The At-Large Officers shall attend Executive Board meetings and otherwise perform duties on an ad hoc basis.

ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

Section 1. The Executive Board may initiate Amendments to these By-Laws.

Section 2. The Advisory Council, in consultation with the Executive Board, may initiate Amendments to these By-Laws.

Section 3. Any ten members of the Association may present a petition to the Executive Board proposing an amendment to these By-Laws, which shall mandate the Executive Board to put the proposed Amendment to vote.

Section 4. Amendments initiated as per Section 1, 2 or 3 shall be distributed to all members of the Association for vote by mail, or its equivalent, in the Fall.

Section 5. These By-Laws may be altered or amended, or their Articles repealed by a two-thirds majority of votes cast by the Association's membership, by mail or its equivalent.

ARTICLE VII - DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

In the event that the Association shall be hereinafter dissolved, the assets of the Association shall be distributed in equal shares to the National Communication Association, the Eastern Communication Association and the New York State Communication Association, for educational purposes as described in Section 116(a)(4) of the Tax Law of the State of New York, or to the Federal Government, or to the New York State Government for a public purpose.

Updated to the web 21/03/2013.