CONSTITUTION

Article 1: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Mormon Scholars in the Humanities (hereafter “MSH” or “the Association”).

Article 2: Purpose

Mormon Scholars in the Humanities is an association dedicated to:

Promoting intellectual and collegial exchange among LDS humanities scholars in the United States and abroad;
Fostering support and mentoring for the production of superior scholarship in all humanistic disciplines;
Providing a forum for exchange that explores and strengthens LDS values, especially as they relate to humanistic inquiry; and
Assisting members in the successful integration of the intellectual and spiritual aspects of their lives.

Mormon Scholars in the Humanities encourages scholarly inquiry in all areas of the humanities, not only those directly related to Mormon culture and history.

Article 3: Officers

The Executive Committee shall consist of five officers: the President, two Vice Presidents (with staggered terms), the Secretary, and the Treasurer. Additional members may be added as needed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

The President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer each shall be appointed by popular vote during the annual Business Meeting.

The term of service of President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer each shall normally be three years, but may be adjusted to fit the conditions of their availability.

The Executive Committee shall meet as often as necessary to conduct their business. The President shall have the primary responsibility to call and arrange such meetings. Note that electronic meetings are acceptable.

As vacancies may occur in the Executive Committee, the President may appoint temporary replacements, in consultation with the other officers. Temporary replacements shall serve until the Association Membership elects a replacement. In case the office of President becomes vacant, the longest-serving Vice President shall serve as President until the President is replaced at the next Annual Meeting. For purposes of measuring officers’ terms of service, a year shall be measured from one Annual Meeting until the next.

Article 4: Membership

All who affirm the stated purpose of the Association are eligible for membership. Membership is granted to those giving papers who register for the Annual Meeting. Membership is also granted to those who request it in writing. Membership may be withdrawn by the member at any time by submitting a request in writing.

Article 5: Nominations

Nominations for eligible positions are made during the Business Meeting at the Annual Conference or virtually as needed (with virtual meetings consisting, as appropriate, of email communication, social media forum discussion, and secure online polling for decision-making within a fixed time period agreed upon by the Executive). Any in attendance or who participate electronically within the prescribed period(s) may make a nomination; voting is by simple majority. The President conducts the Business Meeting and determines the best method for nominations and voting during the Business Meeting.

Article 6: Meetings

The Association shall meet annually at a time and place to be selected by the Executive Committee. Along with papers presented and any other activities, there shall be a Business Meeting involving the general membership of the Association unless this meeting has already taken place virtually prior to or is scheduled to take place virtually following the conference. Officers whose terms of service expire in a given year shall hold office until the close of the annual meeting for that year, at which time their successors shall take office.

Article 8: Amendments

This constitution may be amended, after appropriate circulation of the proposed amendment, either (i) by a two-thirds majority of either the general membership or the Executive Committee, ratified by a majority of the other body during the Business Meeting, or (ii) by a three-fourths majority of the Executive Committee at any point.

Article 9: Advisory Board

The Advisory Board (or “Board”) shall be consulted as needed on extraordinary matters, either virtually or in-person when quorum is possible. Its sole function is to advise the Executive and help steer the direction and shape the character of the Association. Board members will not be asked to help with organizational or practical matters, though they may volunteer to assist in their capacity as general members of the Association.

The Board will consist of five persons, as follows:

the previous president, who serves for the duration of his/her successor’s service;
two “permanent” members, nominated and appointed by the current executive;
two members duly nominated by the Association Membership and confirmed by popular vote to serve for a period of three years.

BY-LAWS

Article 1: Dues

The dues required of members of the Association shall be set by the Executive Committee, subject to the approval of the general membership. Currently membership in MSH requires no annual dues.

Article 2: Duties of the President and Vice Presidents

The duties of the President shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

to conduct the meetings of the Executive Committee;
to oversee the preparation of the program for the Annual Meeting, including the selection of presenters and papers to be presented;
to oversee the practical arrangements of the Annual Meeting, including recommending to the President a Committee on Local Arrangements;
to oversee the Association’s digital presence, including but not limited to the website, Facebook group, and Twitter account.

The duties of the Vice Presidents shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

to assist the President in performing their duties;
to act in place of the President when the President is not available.

Article 3: Duties of the Secretary and Treasurer

The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected by the membership during the Business Meeting. Their term of service shall normally be three years, but may be adjusted to fit the conditions of their availability. Should the service of either of these officers prove unsatisfactory, the Executive Committee may remove either of them by a two-thirds majority vote.

The duties of the Secretary shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

to conduct primary mailings to members of the Association;
to print and distribute the program of the Annual Meeting;
to record and circulate the minutes of the Business Meeting session at the Annual Meeting;
to admit new members;
to maintain the membership roster of the Association;
to supervise elections;
to conduct such other business of the Association as the President or the Executive Committee shall assign to him/her.

The duties of the Treasurer shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

to collect all moneys due to the Association;
to open and maintain bank accounts in the name of the Association;
to pay the debts of the Association;
to maintain accurate records of the disposition of the Association’s funds;
to report on the state of the Association’s finances at meetings of the Executive Committee and at the Business Meeting of the Annual Meeting;
to conduct such other business of the Association as the President or the Executive Committee shall assign to him/her.

Article 4: Nominations and Elections

Nominations and elections will occur during the Business Meeting as necessary. In making their nominations, the membership shall strive to achieve a broad representation from among the more active members of the Association. Candidates for office must be members of the Association.

Ballots shall be collected, and votes counted, in a reasonable manner as determined by the President in consultation with the Executive per Article 5 and overseen by the Secretary or other member of the Executive.

Any ties shall be resolved by the current Executive Committee.

Nominations and appointments to the Advisory Board will follow the regulations outlined in Article 9 of the Constitution and will otherwise reflect the regulations outlined here with the following provisos:

the out-going president may decline to serve and instead nominate a replacement or, with a four-fifths majority decision by the existing Advisory Board, be substituted with a replacement member, so long as the replacement has served on the Executive;
permanent members may voluntarily resign their membership on the Board or be replaced by a four-fifths majority of the current executive;
elected members may similarly resign their positions prior to the end of their term and be replaced by election during the annual Business Meeting;
previous presidents may serve on the Board as permanent or elected members after the completion of their initial term;
elected members may stand or be nominated for re-election at the end of a term, without limitation on the number of terms.

All positions, whether decided by election or Executive appointment, shall be communicated in writing by the Secretary and under-signed by the President, and include title, anticipated term of service, and the associated regulations, by-laws, and responsibilities relative to the position.

Article 5: The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall exercise the decision-making and oversight authority between meetings of the Association and shall act by majority vote.

The Executive will consult the Advisory Board and may consult the general Association Membership on extraordinary matters that may impact the Association in terms of its function or reputation, or that may impact the disposition of the Membership.

The Secretary shall report decisions made by the Executive Committee to the general membership as necessary.

Article 7: Amendments

These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee, or by a majority vote of both the Executive Committee and the membership during the Business Meeting, after appropriate circulation of the proposed amendment.

CONSTITUTION

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BY-LAWS