(updated 2 December 2022 | Bylaws 2003-2022)
Article I: Name
This corporation shall be called the American Portuguese Studies Association (APSA), a Nonprofit Corporation.
Article II: Objectives and Functions
The primary purposes of APSA are to promote scholarly research on cultural texts from communities where Portuguese, among other languages, is spoken; to further contact among persons of diverse fields; to increase awareness of Portuguese among academic programs; and to support the development of Portuguese language, literature, and culture programs. APSA sponsors the Journal of Lusophone Studies.
Article III: Membership
1. Qualifications
Membership is open to those persons who support the primary purposes of this Nonprofit Corporation as stated in Article II above. Termination of membership shall occur only if the member no longer supports the objectives of the Nonprofit Corporation, as determined by the Executive Committee, and/or the member fails to pay the designated dues.
2. Classes of membership
a. Voting: Those individuals who are currently registered through payment of dues are considered voting members.
b. Non-voting: Institutions are considered non-voting members. Those individuals who wish to be affiliates and do not pay dues are also considered non-voting members.
3. Dues
Dues will be assessed by the Executive Committee every two years and are payable in full upon application for membership. Membership renewals are payable every two years. Individual dues entitle the member to vote on the affairs of the Association and to receive all communications.
Article IV: Officers and Executive Committee
1. The Officers of the Association shall be:
a. President
b. Vice-President
c. Secretary
d. Treasurer
e. Executive Editor of the Journal of the Association (ex officio)
f. At least six additional members representing any academic institutions from elementary schools through graduate programs in Portuguese who will serve four-year terms and half of whom will rotate out every two years
g. Immediate Past President
h. Additional members may be added, as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee, and the Executive Committee may include a total maximum of fifteen members.
2. Duties of the Executive Committee and the Officers of the Association
a. Duties of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall manage the affairs of the Association; select the sites of the conference based on proposals from the potential hosting institution(s); appoint the Nominating Committee; appoint the Executive Editor and the Managing Editor of the Journal of the Association; act on the Executive Editor’s nominations for the Associate Editors and the Advisory Board of the Journal; and may meet at its own discretion between national meetings of the Association.
b.Duties of the President
The President shall preside over all meetings; serve as chair of the Executive Committee; make appointments as directed by the membership and/or Executive Committee; remove Officers or committee members for dereliction of duty with the approval of the Executive Committee; shall fill vacancies in office or on committees caused by death, resignation, or removal; and countersign all bills in excess of $1,000.00 before they may be paid by the Treasurer.
c. Duties of the Vice-President
The Vice-President shall chair the sub-committee for organizing the biennial international conference; and shall assume the duties of the President in case of need.
d. Duties of the Secretary
The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings; keep the current membership register; prepare the communications, including the APSA Digest and maintenance of the APSA listserv, to members; and perform other secretarial functions as determined by the Executive Committee.
e. Duties of the Treasurer
The Treasurer shall pay all bills of the Association; keep complete and accurate records of its financial affairs; maintain the financial accounts of the association in good standing; guarantee that APSA is registered in an appropriate state to claim tax-exempt status; and file all tax reports to preserve its non-profit status.
f. Duties of the Executive Editor of the Journal of Lusophone Studies, the Journal of the Association
The Executive Editor shall supervise the smooth running and regular publication of the Journal; make recommendations to the Executive Committee regarding Editorial Board positions; and submit yearly budget reports for approval by the Executive Committee.
3.Terms of office of the Officers and the Executive Committee
a. The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall serve a two-year term of office to commence on January 1.
b. All remaining members of the Executive Committee shall serve a four-year term of office to commence on January 1.
c. The Executive Editor of the Journal of the Association shall serve one six-year term, with the possibility of an additional two- to six-year renewal as Editor, and be a voting Executive Committee member ex officio.
d. No officer may serve on the Executive Committee for more than eight consecutive years, except for those serving ex officio.
Article V: Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members of the association elected by the Executive Committee and shall be chaired by the Past President.
The Nominating Committee shall carry out nominations and elections for Officers and Executive Committee members and shall present to the membership a slate of nominees for each vacant position every two years.
Article VI: Meetings
APSA conference and business meeting shall take place every two years at a site designated by the Executive Committee.
Article VII: Voting by the membership
Voting for Officers and Executive Committee members shall take place before January 1. A simple majority of those members voting shall determine the winner of each office. Ballots must be received from at least thirty percent of the members for the election to be valid.
A quorum for purposes of voting on a motion to be submitted to members at the business meeting shall be a majority of all members attending the meeting.
Article VIII: Journal of the Association
The Journal of the American Portuguese Studies Association shall be called the Journal of Lusophone Studies, and it shall be published on a semi-annual basis under the auspices of an Executive Editor as appointed by the Executive Committee.
Article IX: Procedure for amending by-laws
Motions to amend these by-laws may be made at any meeting of the general membership. The power to alter, amend, or repeal these by-laws or to adopt new by-laws is vested in the voting membership at the business meeting; the approval of two thirds of those present is needed for altering, amending, or repealing. These by-laws may also be altered, amended or repealed virtually by two thirds of those voting, provided the total number of votes cast is no less than thirty percent of eligible voters.