Constitution of the
Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study

Article 1: Name

The name of this society shall be the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study.

 Article 2: Objectives

This Society shall have for its object:

1. the promotion of Scandinavian study and instruction in the United States of America;
2. the encouragement of original research in those fields of Scandinavian study which fall within the purview of the humanities and fine arts, social sciences and history, and libraries and archives, and the providing of a medium for the publication of the results of such research; and
3. the fostering of closer relations between persons interested in Scandinavian studies in America and elsewhere.

Article 3: Officers

The officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-President, an Executive Director, a Financial Officer, a Managing Editor of publications (herein-after called managing editor), and a Reviews Editor. The Executive Council may appoint co-managing editors. Basic duties of the officers are laid forth in the By-Laws. 

Article 4: Advisory Committee and Executive Council

There shall be an Advisory Committee of twelve members of the Society and the most recent past president, who shall take on the role of Financial Officer upon leaving office. The officers and Advisory Committee members shall constitute the Executive Council of the Society. The President of the Society shall serve as Chair of the Executive Council. The Executive Council is empowered to make all decisions for the Society except those which in the following articles are designated as being incumbent on individual officers or on groups of officers or on the membership. Propositions of measures to be voted on by the Executive Council may be submitted to it by any member of the Executive Council at any time or by the membership as prescribed in Article 9. A simple majority shall be sufficient in all decisions made by the Executive Council except where in the following articles a two-thirds or three-fourths majority vote is specifically indicated.

Article 5: Elections

Two candidates for each post shall be nominated by a majority vote of the Executive Council. The Vice-President (president-elect) shall be elected for a two-year term, and by the majority of votes from the membership of the Society, which reach the Executive Director within sixty days of the distribution of the electronic ballots. The Vice-President shall succeed automatically to the Presidency for a two-year term. The President of the Society may not be nominated for the position of Vice-President. The President shall succeed automatically to the Financial Officer for a two-year term. Those elected to the Advisory Committee shall hold office for four years. Graduate student representatives shall hold office for two years. Their terms of office shall be staggered so that two new members are elected each year, replacing the two who shall have served their full terms. The Executive Council shall nominate candidates for Vice-President. For the Advisory Committee, the Executive Council shall nominate two members whose professional background and interests are in history and the social sciences to run for one position, and two members whose professional background and interests are in language and literature to run for the other position. For the Advisory Committee, the Executive Council shall nominate two members who represent independent scholars/institutions every other year.. For the Advisory Committee, the Executive Council shall nominate two members who represent graduate students annually. The candidates for the Advisory Committee shall be elected by the majority of votes from the membership of the Society which reach the Executive Director within sixty days of the distribution of the electronic ballots. Those thus elected shall take office at the close of the annual meeting of the year in which they are elected.

Article 6: Vacancies

In the event of the death, resignation, or removal from office of the President, the Vice-President shall assume the office of President. In the event of the succession of the Vice-President to the presidency or of the death, resignation, or removal from office of the Vice-President, the Executive council shall appoint as soon as possible a member of the Society to complete the vacated term. A majority vote of the membership present at the business meeting of the next annual meeting is required to confirm the appointment. If an Advisory Committee member takes two consecutive and unexcused absences from the Annual Meeting of the Executive Council, the member will forfeit his or her position on the Committee. In this case, or in the event of the death, resignation, or removal from office of an Advisory Committee member, the Executive Council shall appoint a member of the Society to complete the vacated term at the next annual meeting. A majority vote of the membership present at the business meeting of the annual meeting is required to confirm the appointment. 

The Executive Council is empowered to recommend to the membership the removal of an elected officer of the Society for malfeasance or neglect of duties. 

A three-fourths vote of the Executive Council is required to bring the issue before the membership at the business meeting of the annual meeting. The recommendation of the Executive Council must be endorsed by a two-thirds vote of the membership present at the business meeting of the annual meeting. The individual shall be removed from office by a majority of votes of the membership of the Society, which reach the Executive Director within sixty days of the distribution of electronic ballots.

Article 7: Editors of Scandinavian Studies

The Executive Council shall appoint a Managing Editor and a Reviews Editor of Scandinavian Studies. Such appointments will ordinarily be made for a five-year period. The appointments are subject to periodic review by the Council. The Managing Editor and the ReviewsAssociate Managing Editor shall jointly be responsible for Scandinavian Studies and any other publications of the Society if such additional publications are approved by the Executive Council. They shall together plan the organization of the remainder of the editorial staff as to rank and duties and shall together appoint any and all other staff members.

Article 8: Membership and Rights of Membership

Any person may become a member of the Society upon payment of dues. Categories and rates of membership shall be determined by the Executive Council. All members shall receive all publications of the Society. Each member shall have one vote at the annual business meeting and in general elections. Institutional subscribers to Scandinavian Studies shall not be considered as voting members. Only members may run for office and serve as officers of the Society.

Article 9: Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting shall normally be held the first Friday and Saturday in May or on two consecutive Friday and Saturday dates in April and (or) May and at such place as the Executive Council shall designate. The meetings shall be held primarily for the purpose of reading and discussing learned papers presented by the members, the discussion of methods and materials for the teaching of Scandinavian studies, and, in general, for the discussion of means for the furthering of the aims and purposes of the Society. The Annual Meeting and its program shall be organized by a Program Committee appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Council. A member of the Program Committee shall be appointed by the President to serve as Chair of the Committee.

During the Annual Meeting, a business meeting shall be held at which reports by officers of the Society shall be presented. The Executive Director shall make a complete report of the financial situation of the Society for the fiscal year, which is April 1 through March 31. The Managing Editor shall report on the activities and plans of the editorial staff. The President shall report on the state of the Society and on the activities of the Executive Council; measures adopted by the Executive Council shall be briefly summarized by the President. A separate financial report and the minutes of the annual business meeting shall be published in the next following August number of Scandinavian Studies. The business meeting shall be open to all registrants of the annual meeting. Only members of the Society are entitled to vote (see Article 8). 

Recommendations to the Executive Council may be made by a simple majority of the membership present at the annual business meeting. A two-thirds majority of the membership present at the annual business meeting may vote to submit decisions made by the Executive Council to the membership of the Society in the form of a referendum, which will be decided by a simple majority of the votes which reach the Executive Director within sixty days of the distribution of the electronic ballots. A decision made in this manner can be altered only by another referendum. By-laws and changes to the current By-laws to this Constitution proposed by the Executive Council must be approved by a simple majority of members present at the business meeting.

Article 10: Endowment Fund

The Society is empowered to have an Endowment Fund. Monies may be deposited in secured accounts or low risk and stable securities. The decision to make such deposits or investments shall have the approval of the officers of the Society. The Endowment fund shall remain intact or be increased; only the interest received may be spent (as income, in accordance with the provisions of Article 11). Normally, all gifts and bequests which were not given for specifically designated purposes shall be added to the Endowment Fund.

Article 11: Expenditures

The Society shall not expend funds to engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of this Society. No officers except the Executive Director shall receive a salary. Expenditures in support of the Executive Director, the Managing Editors, and Scandinavian Studies shall be subject to guidelines established by the Executive Council. The Society shall pay no traveling expenses from Endowment Fund income. No part of the dues and Endowment Fund income of the Society shall incur to the benefit of, or be distributed to, its members, officers, or other private persons, except that the Society may pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth above. The Society may establish separate funds or seek extramural support for activities that benefit the Society. The Executive Council may expend funds to bond the Executive Director to an amount determined by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Council and to conduct an annual audit of the Society’s accounts.

Article 12: Amendment of the Constitution

This constitution may be amended by the following process: an amendment may be proposed by any member of the Executive Council or by joint action of at least ten members of the Society. Ratification of the amendment requires, in the following order: a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Council;, a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at the Annual Meeting’s business meeting at which point a ballot must be sent to the general membership within ten business days of the conclusion of the Annual Meeting; and a two-thirds majority of the votes of the membership, which reach the Executive Director within sixty days of the next following regular distribution of electronic ballots.

Article 13: Dissolution of the Society

Dissolution of the Society requires, in the following order, a three-quarters majority vote of the Executive Council; a three-quarters majority vote of the members present at the Annual Meeting’s business meeting at which point a ballot must be sent to the general membership within ten business days of the conclusion of the Annual Meeting; and a three-quarters majority of the votes of the membership, which reach the Executive Director within sixty days of the next following regular distribution of electronic ballots.

Upon the dissolution of the Society, the principal officers of the Society shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the Society, dispose of all of the assets of the Society exclusively for the purposes of the Society in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the principal officers shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas or other appropriate court of the county in which the principal office of the Society is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Article 14: Implementation of the Constitution

This Constitution and any subsequent approved amendments shall become effective as of the day and hour of its adoption.