Bylaws of the Society for Linguistic Anthropology,
a Section of the American Anthropological Association.
(Adopted November 1984; amended by referendum October 2009.)

ARTICLE I. Name

1. The Society shall be known as the Society for Linguistic Anthropology (SLA), a Section of the American Anthropological Association, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

ARTICLE II. Purposes

1. The purpose of the Society shall be to advance the study of language in its social and cultural context and to encourage communication of the results of such study.

ARTICLE III. Powers

1. The Society shall be autonomous in all matters within its field that are not reserved by the Bylaws of the American Anthropological Association, inimical to the American Anthropological Association’s interests, or prohibited by law.

2. The Society shall have an elected President and Secretary-Treasurer and other elected or appointed officers as set forth in these Bylaws.

3. The Society is empowered to determine membership dues.

4. The Society shall determine voting requirements on all Society matters.

5. The Society may engage in publishing and program activities, appoint editors, committees and other agents, and set publication program policies appropriate to its purposes.

6. The Society shall adopt and maintain Bylaws or Rules of Procedure consistent with American Anthropological Association Bylaws. The Society shall file with the American Anthropological Association Secretary a copy of its current Bylaws, Rules of Procedure, and Table of Organization.

ARTICLE IV. Membership

1. Membership in the Society shall be open to any member in good standing of the American Anthropological Association who supports the above purposes subject to the payment of dues stipulated by the Executive Committee of the Society.

2. A Member in good standing shall be eligible to hold elective or appointive office, participate in the scientific program, receive publications and have one vote in nominating and electing officers and the transaction of other business of the Society.

3. For just cause, a Member may be deprived of membership by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee of the Society, subject to appeal to the Members at the Annual Meeting.

4. The Executive Committee of the Society shall have the authority to establish special categories of membership.

ARTICLE V. Dues

1. The Executive Committee of the Society shall set the annual dues of Members and may establish rates for special categories.

2. Any Member in arrears in the payment of dues shall lose all membership privileges.

ARTICLE VI. Officers

1. The officers shall be a President, President-elect and Secretary-Treasurer.

2. The President shall be the presiding officer of the Society and, should the Society be entitled to such representation, its first representative on the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association and its representative on the Executive Committee of the American Anthropological Association.

3. The President-elect shall assume the duties of the President in the event of absence, death, resignation or incapacity of the President, and shall succeed to the office of President at the expiration of the term as President-elect.

4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall have charge of the records of the Society and shall submit a draft budget not less than sixty (60) days before the Annual Meeting for the approval of the Executive Committee.

5. The terms of office of President and President-elect shall be two years, and of Secretary-Treasurer shall be three years, commencing at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.

ARTICLE VII. Executive Committee

1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers, three members elected at-large from the membership of the Society, and any additional representatives elected by this Society to the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association.

2. Subject to directives and limitations imposed by the Members of the Society, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to execute on behalf of the Society all powers and functions defined in these Bylaws.

3. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once annually, at the time of the Annual Meeting and may meet additionally on the call of the President or a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

4. The Executive Committee shall make all non-elective appointments and may make interim appointments to fill vacancies in any elective office until the next regularly scheduled election.

5. The terms of office for members-at-large shall be three years, commencing at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.

ARTICLE VIII. Annual Report

1. At the time of each Annual Meeting, the Executive Committee of the Society shall report its activities to the Members and to the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association. The report shall include the reports of the Secretary-Treasurer, editors of publications, committees, and other agents representing the Society.

ARTICLE IX. Meetings

1. The Society shall hold an Annual Business Meeting at the time of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.

2. The Executive Committee of the Society shall appoint a Program Chair who shall organize the scientific program of the Society.

3. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee of the Society or upon written request of five (5) percent of the Members.

ARTICLE X. Quorum

1. Five (5) percent of the Members in good standing shall constitute a quorum at the Annual Business Meeting.

2. A majority of the members of the Executive Committee of the Society shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.

3. The business of the Society shall be transacted by majority vote unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XI. Nominations and Elections

1. Candidates for any elective office may be nominated by the Executive Committee of the Society, by a Nominations Committee, or by Members. All candidates shall be Members in good standing of the Society.

2. A Nominations Committee of three (3) Members shall be appointed annually by the Executive Committee of the Society.

3. The Nominations Committee shall nominate at least one person for Secretary-Treasurer and at least two (2) persons for each other vacant office. The Nominations Committee shall submit information about all nominees to the American Anthropological Association, in accordance with the Association’s guidelines and deadlines, for inclusion in the Association’s official balloting materials for section elections.

4. Five (5) percent of the Members in good standing may nominate an additional candidate for any office, provided that all requisite nomination materials are submitted to the Nominations Committee in accordance with the American Anthropological Association’s guidelines and deadlines.

5. The Nominations Committee shall inform the prospective nominee of the probable extent of the burden of office. A nomination becomes effective only upon filing with the Nominations Committee a statement of willingness and ability to devote such time to the affairs of the Society as necessary to the effective execution of office.

ARTICLE XII. Balloting

1. A Member in good standing shall be entitled to cast one ballot in any election or referendum.

2. Ballots shall be secret and shall be distributed, collected, and counted by the methods deemed most suitable by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to examine the eligibility of any voter.

3. Thirty (30) days shall be allowed for the return of ballots. Ballots must be received not later than the stated return date to be counted.

4. A service agency may be engaged to tally the votes and certify the results to the Executive Committee of the Society.

5. The candidate receiving the most votes for a contested office shall be elected; the Executive Committee of the Society shall hold a run-off election within ninety (90) days to resolve all ties.

6. In any election or referendum administered by the American Anthropological Association, the Association’s established rules and procedures shall prevail.

ARTICLE XIII. Referenda

1. A referendum may be conducted at any time upon initiation of the Executive Committee of the Society, or upon receipt by the Secretary-Treasurer of a petition signed by five (5) percent of the Members in good standing. A referendum may be conducted by mail ballot, electronic mail ballot, or any other means of electronic transmission of ballots approved by the Executive Committee. A majority of votes received shall constitute a favorable vote.

ARTICLE XIV. Finances

1. The fiscal year of the Society shall be that of the American Anthropological Association.

2. The Society shall submit an annual operating budget to the American Anthropological Association Board of Directors, which, when approved, shall govern Society activities.

3. The income from annual dues and from investments and other sources shall constitute a working fund, available for operating, publication, and current expenses consistent with the purposes of the Society.

4. No financial obligation in excess of funds available in the treasury shall be assumed by the Executive Committee of the Society or any officer on behalf of the Society except that for the purpose of this section, estimated receipts from annual dues and other accounts receivable for the current year may be considered as available funds.

5. The Society may establish special funds to be administered by the American Anthropological Association for purposes the Society may designate.

ARTICLE XV. Amendment

1. These Bylaws may be amended by the Members by mail ballot, electronic mail ballot, or any other means of electronic transmission of ballots approved by the Executive Committee, provided that a proposed amendment is approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast.

2. Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee of the Society or by five (5) percent of the Members in good standing. The Executive Committee shall have the proposed amendment circulated to the Members and it shall allow thirty (30) days for the return of ballots.

3. The amendments and provisions of these Bylaws shall be effective immediately upon adoption and shall supersede and nullify all previous amendments and provisions.

Bylaws of the Society for Linguistic Anthropology, a Section of the American Anthropological Association. (Adopted November 1984; amended by referendum October 2009.)