PCAS/ACAS By-Laws

THE POPULAR CULTURE ASSOCIATION IN THE SOUTH/

AMERICAN CULTURE ASSOCIATION IN THE SOUTH

BYLAWS

          ARTICLE 1. The name of the association shall be the Popular Culture Association in the South/American Culture Association in the South, also known as PCAS/ACAS.  

            ARTICLE II. The purpose of the Popular Culture Association in the South/American Culture Association in the South shall be to encourage and to assist in the study of popular culture and American culture by bringing together the various intellectual disciplines, academic and non-academic areas included, which may deal with the subjects; fostering interdisciplinary research endeavors; and encouraging interested persons to study popular and American culture and to belong to the Association.

            ARTICLE III. The activities of the Association shall be directed by the Executive Council at and between the annual conference meetings. The Executive Council shall be composed of the following officers: 

Elected Positions – Elected by majority vote of the membership

  • Immediate Past President (automatic rotation)
  • President (automatic rotation)
  • Vice-President/President-Elect
  • American Culture Association in the South Representatives, 2 positions
  • Popular Culture Association in the South Representatives, 2 positions

Appointed Positions– Appointed by majority vote of the Executive Council

  • Executive Secretary/Treasurer
  • Conference Chairperson(s)
  • Editor of Studies in Popular Culture
  • Editor of Studies in American Culture
  • Website Manager
  • Social Media Representative

            ARTICLE IV. The selection of council members and their responsibilities shall be as follows: 

Nominations and Elections

The three most recent eligible Past Presidents shall comprise the Nominating Committee; the immediate Past President shall chair the Nominating Committee. The Executive Secretary of the Association shall be an ex officio member of the Committee, without vote, who receives the nominee names. The Nominating Committee will solicit potential nominees by issuing a general call to the membership and by seeking recommendations of the Executive Council members. The Nominating Committee is responsible for vetting the candidates and preparing the ballot of nominees. Any member in good standing, defined as someone current on all fees and involved in the organization, can be considered for positions. Elected positions are voted on by the membership, while appointed positions are voted on by the Executive Council.

For elected positions, the Committee’s final slate shall be presented to the Executive Secretary and the ballot shall be sent to all members in good standing. All elections shall be by a simple majority or, in the case of more than two candidates, by a simple plurality. The ballots shall be tabulated by the Executive Secretary and the results reported promptly to the Executive Council. The Executive Secretary shall inform all candidates within one month and, after them, the membership.

For appointed positions, the Committee’s final slate shall be presented to the Executive Secretary and the ballot shall be sent to all Executive Council members. All elections shall be by a simple majority or, in the case of more than two candidates, by a simple plurality. The ballots shall be tabulated by the Executive Secretary and the results reported promptly to the Executive Council. The Executive Secretary shall inform all candidates within one month and, after them, the membership. Members of the Executive Council may serve in two positions simultaneously with approval.

The selection of officers shall be made in the last year of service, except when an office is vacated for some reason. If an office is vacated before the term is up, the Executive Council shall move with dispatch to fill the position and shall inform the membership of such action at the annual meeting.

All Executive Council members have a responsibility to support the organization, uphold the duties of their office as described below, complete additional relevant tasks as assigned by the President, and train their replacements.

Elected Positions

  • Immediate Past President — Two-year term. Duties include: offering advice and counsel to the President; accepting general duties as requested by the President; serving as Chair of the Nominating Committee; and ensuring that the PCAS/ACAS is operated in accordance with the law and according to the bylaws of the organization.
  • President — Two -year term. Duties include: ensuring the health, well-being, and growth of the Association; ensuring the economic health of the organization; ensuring that the bylaws of the Association are followed; ensuring that funds are used and dispersed prudently; ensuring that the process for nominating and voting for the various positions is carried out in the prescribed manner; ensuring that the Executive Council members complete assigned tasks and report on their activities in a timely manner; setting the agenda for and chairing all Executive Council meetings; working closely with the Executive Council members between meetings; and ensuring that the PCAS/ACAS is operated in accordance with the law and according to the bylaws of the organization.
  • Vice-President/President-Elect — Two -year term. The Vice President/President-Elect holds a subordinate position to the President of the organization and reports to the President. Duties include: serving the remainder of the President’s term if the President cannot or is no longer willing to serve or is removed; becoming the President at the end of the extant President’s term; supporting the continued development of the organization as well as fostering greater cooperation and programming between the national PCA/ACA and among other regional and international PCA/ACA associations; accepting other general duties as requested by the President; offering advice and counsel to the President; and training to be President.
  • American Culture Association in the South Representatives — Two positions in staggered two-year terms beginning in alternate years from one another. Duties include: upholding the organization’s interest in American culture and Southern American culture; representing organization members with an interest in these areas; and evaluating conference papers for the PCAS/ACAS student awards.
  • Popular Culture Association in the South Representatives — Two positions in staggered two-year terms in alternate years from one another. Duties include: upholding the organization’s interest in popular culture and Southern American popular culture; representing organization members with an interest in these areas; and evaluating conference papers for the PCAS/ACAS student awards.

Appointed Positions

  • Executive Secretary/Treasurer – Term of appointment at the discretion of the President. Duties include: implementing the general policies as developed by the President and Executive Council, particularly as they relate to finances and organizational records; assuming responsibility for all fiscal matters, as directed; rendering a financial report for the previous year at the annual meeting and on the organizational website; presenting at the annual meeting a general budget plan for the following year, including publications and conference; receiving lists of awards and award recipients and signing award checks; executing contracts on behalf of the association; maintaining an association member database; presenting at the annual meeting the recommendation on conference location and hotel for the following year’s conference; working with Conference Chairperson(s) on conference presenter database and registration system, conference hotel arrangements and vendors, conference materials (programs, badges, receipts, and other items as needed), online and on-site registration, including refunds; working with journal editors on archives and journal inventory, subscription communications, subscription agency claims, and mailing of all journals not distributed at the conference; keeping the record of all Executive Council offices, members serving in those positions, and term limits to prepare for elections or appointments; and serving on a Nominating Committee.
  • Conference Chairperson(s) – Term of appointment at the discretion of the President. Duties include: conference planning with the Executive Secretary/Treasurer; preparing submission website; announcing call for papers; creating program template; reviewing abstracts to accept/reject; notifying submitters of their status; chairing program with members; preparing all aspects of the printed program;  and assisting the Executive Secretary/Treasurer with the conference presenter database and registration system, conference hotel arrangements and vendors, conference materials (programs, badges, receipts, and other items as needed), online and on-site registration including refunds.
  • Editor of Studies in Popular Culture – Three-year term, renewable indefinitely by two-thirds majority vote of the PCAS/ACAS Executive Committee. Duties include: supervising production of two issues of a blind peer-reviewed journal annually, including securing reviewers, editorial board members, associate and/or assistant editors, printer, and fulfillment house; and assisting Executive Secretary/Treasurer with archives and journal inventory, subscription communications, subscription agency claims, and mailing of journals.
  • Editor of Studies in American Culture – Three-year term, renewable indefinitely by two-thirds majority vote of the PCAS/ACAS Executive Committee. Duties include: supervising production of two issues of a blind peer-reviewed journal annually, including securing reviewers, editorial board members, associate and/or assistant editors, printer, and fulfillment house; and assisting Executive Secretary/Treasurer with archives and journal inventory, subscription communications, subscription agency claims, and mailing of journals.
  • Website Manager – Term of appointment at the discretion of the President. Duties include: maintenance of the organizational website; posting annual financial data received from the Secretary/Treasurer; posting the organization’s bylaws; posting drafts and final version of the conference program from the Conference Chairperson(s); posting the conference call for papers; linking to the organizational journals; linking to the PCA/ACA and affiliate websites; posting names and positions of elected and appointed officers within a month of their accession to office; and providing public relations support for the organization.
  • Social Media Representative — Term of appointment at the discretion of the President. Duties include: maintaining presence of PCAS/ACAS on social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter; having up-to-date knowledge of available social media; and communicating with general public about events occurring within the society, not excluding announcements of meetings, opportunities, CFPs.

           ARTICLE V. The voting members of the Association shall consist of all members in good standing, persons who have paid their annual dues. The amount of the dues and the registration fee for the annual meeting shall be determined by the Executive Council.

            ARTICLE VI. Various committees shall be elected or appointed for specific assignments as the Executive Council deems appropriate.

            ARTICLE VII. The Association shall hold an annual regional conference that includes an Executive Council business meeting. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall present at this annual meeting the recommendation on conference location and hotel for the following year’s conference. The Executive Council members will vote on this recommendation. The decision will be presented to the members.

            ARTICLE VIII. The official form of Association communication shall be email from the Executive Secretary/Treasurer and/or the President or via the organization websites:  https://pcasacas.org/pcasdir/ or www.pcasacasconference.org. The Association shall also publish two journals: Studies in Popular Culture and Studies in American Culture.

            ARTICLE IX. A financial statement shall be issued annually by the Association on the organization website: https://pcasacas.org/pcasdir/ or www.pcasacasconference.org. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Secretary/Treasurer to provide this report to the Website Manager.

            ARTICLE X. The Bylaws of the Association may be amended as follows:  Amendments must be submitted to the Executive Council at least one month prior to the annual meeting, at which they will be discussed. Immediately after the annual meeting, the Executive Secretary shall inform the membership of the wishes of the Executive Council and of members attending the annual business meeting. The President may also call for Bylaw revision between annual meetings. The membership at large may amend by a two-thirds majority of those voting.

            ARTICLE XI. The Executive Council shall create, and on an annual basis review and revise as appropriate, the job descriptions of each of the association’s offices. The Executive Secretary shall provide each officer with the respective job description when the officers assume their duties.

(October 6, 1982; revised October 5, 1984; revised June 1, 1993; revised July 3, 1996; revised October 3, 1998; revised October 1, 2000; revised October 1, 2001; revised October 27, 2014; revised February 7, 2020; revised October 23, 2021; revised December 5, 2022)