MIPSA

Charter

MIPSA Charter

Michigan Political Science Association

(As Ratified in 1970 and Revised in 1979 and 2014)

Article I
Name, Acronym, Logo

The professional association created by this charter shall be known as the Michigan Political Science Association (formerly, the Michigan Conference of Political Scientists). The association’s acronym shall be MIPSA. The association’s logo shall be

 

Article II
Purposes of the Association

It shall be the function of the Michigan Political Science Association to:

  1. encourage research, studies, and investigations in the field of political science;
  2. facilitate the exchange of information relating to matters of professional interest to the members of the association;
  3. foster academic cooperation among the political science faculties of Michigan colleges and universities in the advancement of the discipline of political science;
  4. promote the professional interests of the members of the association;
  5. sponsor such programs and activities relating to the political science discipline as are provided by this charter or may be determined by the membership of the association;
  6. encourage, promote, and assist participation and cooperation by the members of the association both individually and as a group in the activities of the
    • American Political Science Association;
    • Midwest Political Science Association; and
    • other professional associations relevant to political science.

Article III
Membership and Dues

Section 1
Membership in MIPSA shall be open to any person interested in promoting the activities and purposes of the association, in accordance with such procedures as may be adopted by the membership of the association at its General Membership Meeting.

Section 2
There shall be two categories of membership:

  1. Individual Membership: Those choosing membership in this category will receive all publications of the association and will have the rights to vote and to hold office within the association;
  2. Institutional Group Membership: This category shall include political science faculty in institutions granting doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees. Faculty in this category will receive all publications of the association and will have the rights to vote and to hold office within the association.

Section 3
Dues

  1. The dues schedule shall be set by the Executive Council.
  2. A separate dues rate shall be charged institutional members according to the level of degree granted.
  3. Dues shall be collected commencing September 1 through December 1 of each year. The membership period lasts from September 1 through August 31 of each year.

Article IV
General Membership Meeting

Section 1
A general meeting of the membership shall be held during the fall of each year for the purpose of conducting the business of the association.

Section 2
The General Membership Meeting shall be held in conjunction with the academic program provided for by Article IX.

Section 3
Decisions at the General Membership Meeting shall be made by a majority vote of those members present and voting.

Article V
Officers of the Association

Section 1
The officers of the association shall consist of a president, a president-elect, a secretary, and a treasurer.

Section 2
The president of the association shall be the presiding officer of the Executive Council and the General Meeting of the Membership. The president shall appoint the chairman and members of all committees constituted and offices created by the Executive Council or the membership of the association at its General Membership Meeting. Except as otherwise provided by this charter, the president shall see that the decisions made by the Executive Council and the General Membership Meeting are executed.

Section 3
The president-elect

  1. shall preside over the meetings of the Executive Council and the General Membership Meeting in the absence of the president. The president-elect shall serve as the acting president of the association in case of a vacancy in the office of the president. However, such service shall not preclude the president-elect from assuming the office of president during the ensuring year;
  2. shall, under the direction of the Executive Council, make the arrangements for the fall academic program held in conjunction with the General Membership Meeting and all other academic programs sponsored by the association. This shall include the recruitment of participants, the arrangements of the format, and presiding over the sessions. The president-elect may designate others member of the association to assist in the performance of these functions.

Section 4
The secretary, who shall have a three-year term, shall serve as recorder at the sessions of the Executive Council and the General Membership Meeting, keep a record of the proceedings of the two bodies, and retain a permanent file of the records and publications of the association. The secretary shall, at least once every five years, oversee an audit of the association’s accounts.

Section 5
The treasurer, who shall have a three-year term, shall be custodian of all the funds of the association, send dues notices, and pay its accounts and obligations as directed by the Executive Council. The treasurer shall keep a record of all monies received and disbursed. The Treasurer shall receive applications for membership in the association and maintain a roll of its membership.

Section 6
In addition to the above specified duties, the officers shall perform such additional duties and functions as directed by the Executive Council.

Section 7
The membership of the association at its General Membership Meeting shall have the authority to create such additional offices and constitute such committees as it may deem necessary to carry out the functions of the association.

Article VI
The Executive Council

Section 1
The Executive Council shall be composed of the officers of the association, the immediate past president of the association, and other members of the association chosen in the manner provided by Article VIII of this charter.

Section 2
Meetings of the Executive Council shall be called by the president of the association, in writing, with a minimum of 10 days notice, at such time and place and in accordance with such procedures as may be directed by the Executive Council.

Section 3
The Executive Council shall have the responsibility for the administration and execution of all the programs and activities of the association provided by this charter.

Section 4
Decisions of the Executive Council shall be made by a majority vote of those members present and voting.

Section 5
The Executive Council shall have the authority to establish and to discontinue such additional offices and constitute such committees as it may deem necessary to carry out the functions which have been delegated to it.

Section 6
Vacancies on the Executive Council—other than that of immediate past president—shall be filled by the Executive Council. Such appointments shall be made from the group in which the vacancy occurs and for the remainder of the term for which the person replaced was chosen.

Article VII
Nominations

Section 1
A nominating committee composed of the president, president-elect, and immediate past president shall nominate a person(s) to serve as president-elect.

Section 2
Nominations for the office of president-elect may be made from the floor at the General Membership Meeting.

Article VIII
Elections

Section 1
At the General Membership Meeting each year there shall be elected by the membership a president-elect of the association who shall succeed to the office of president on the year following the election as president-elect.

Section 2
No person shall be elected to the office of president-elect who does not receive a majority vote of the membership present and voting.

Section 3
For purposes of representation on the Executive Council, the membership shall be divided into three groups.

The first group shall be composed of those members holding positions at Michigan universities in departments of Political Science granting graduate degrees in Political Science.

The second group shall be composed of those members holding positions in departments/divisions of Political Science in Michigan universities and colleges granting a baccalaureate degree.

The third group shall be composed of those members holding positions in community colleges in Michigan granting an associate degree.

Section 4
Each of the three groups provided by the provisions of Section 3 of this article shall elect three (3) members of the Executive Council.

Article IX
Fall Academic Program

Section 1
During the fall of each year, the association shall hold an academic program. The program shall consist of the presentation or discussion of matters related to the discipline of political science. The program shall provide an opportunity for the presentation of papers prepared by members of the association or other invited participants and related to the discipline of political science.

Section 2
In conformity with the provisions of this article, the nature and subject matter of the academic program herein provided shall be determined by the Executive Council of the association.

Section 3
Within the time limit established by this article, the Executive Council shall determine the time and place at which the academic program shall be held.

Article X
Amendment

Section 1
Amendments to this charter may be proposed and signed by five or more members of the association. However, such amendments must be presented to the secretary of the association and circulated among the membership by the member preparing the proposal at least ten days prior to the General Membership Meeting at which it will be presented.

Section 2
Proposals for the amendment of the charter submitted in conformity with the above section shall be presented to the General Membership Meeting by the president, and if approved by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, shall become part of this charter for all intents and purposes.

Article XI
Schedule

 

The revision of this charter shall be effective when approved by two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at the General Membership Meeting.

Submitted by

Britt Cartrite, President (Alma College)
Gary R. Johnson, Past President (Lake Superior State University)
David Dulio, President-Elect (Oakland University)
Roger Durham, Secretary (Aquinas College)
John Parham, Treasurer (South University)

Executive Board Members:

John Clark (Western Michigan University)
Judith Kullberg (Eastern Michigan University)
J. Cherie Strachan (Central Michigan University)
Richard Conboy (Lake Superior State University)
John L. Kaczynski (Saginaw Valley State University)
Edward Lorenz (Alma College)
Kevin Dockerty (Kalamazoo Valley Community College)
John W. Smith (Henry Ford Community College, ret.)
Ken Winter (North Central Michigan College)

[Approved October 24, 2014]