Constitution
By-Laws

Constitution

ARTICLE I - NAME

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Media Ecology Association.

ARTICLE II - DEFINITION AND PURPOSES

Section 1. Media ecology is defined as the study of the complex set of relationships or interrelationships among symbols, media and culture.

Section 2. The Media Ecology Association is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the study, research, criticism, and application of media ecology in educational, industry, political, civic, social, cultural, and artistic contexts, and the open exchange of ideas, information and research among the Association's members and the larger community.

ARTICLE III - GOALS

Section 1. To promote, sustain and recognize excellence in media ecology scholarship, research, criticism, application, and artistic practice.

Section 2. To provide a network for fellowship, contacts and professional opportunities.

Section 3. To serve as a clearinghouse for information related to academic programs around the world in areas pertinent to the study of media ecology.

Section 4. To promote community and cooperation among academic, private and public entities mutually concerned with the understanding of media ecology.

Section 5. To provide opportunities for professional growth and development.

Section 6. To encourage interdisciplinary research and interaction.

Section 7. To encourage reciprocal cooperation and research among institutions and organizations.

Section 8. To provide a forum for student participation in an academic and professional environment.

Section 9. To advocate for the development and implementation of media ecology education at all levels of curricula.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership in the Association shall be open to individuals or institutions interested in promoting the Association's purposes and goals.

ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall serve in a stewardship capacity as the principal policy-making and fund-raising body of the Association.

Section 2. The Board of Directors shall be composed of twelve people, all of whom must be members in good standing with the Association.

Section 3. Directors shall be elected by the general membership on a rotating or “staggered term” basis, with four elected each year. Each Director shall therefore serve a three-year term, and may serve consecutive terms.

Section 4. Elections for the Board of Directors shall be carried out as specified in the By-Laws.

Section 5. In the event of the resignation, incapacity, or dereliction of duty of a member of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors shall, at its discretion, select a replacement or establish a nomination and election procedure for so doing.

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall manage the Association's affairs and resources.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, Vice-President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian.

Section 3. The officers of the Executive Committee shall be elected by the Board of Directors, from among the Board's membership.

Section 4. Each officer of the Executive Committee shall serve for a term of one year, and may serve consecutive terms.

Section 5. Elections for the Executive Committee shall be carried out as specified in the By-Laws.

Section 6. The duties of officers shall be as specified in the By-Laws.

Section 7. In the event of the incapacity of an officer, or his/her dereliction of duty, the Board of Directors shall, at its discretion, select a replacement or establish a nomination and election procedure for so doing.

ARTICLE VII - APPOINTED OFFICERS

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President, at the request of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee, to appoint officers to fulfill certain duties as the Association requires. All appointed officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and shall report to them.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President, at the request of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee, to appoint committees and task forces as necessary. All committees and task forces shall report to the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Section 1. The Board of Directors may initiate Amendments to this Constitution.

Section 2. The Executive Committee, in consultation with the Board of Directors, may initiate Amendments to this Constitution.

Section 3. Any ten members of the Association may present a petition to the Executive Committee proposing an amendment to this Constitution, which shall mandate the Board of Directors to put the proposed Amendment to vote.

Section 4. Amendments initiated as per Section 1, 2 or 3 shall be distributed to all members of the Association for vote by mail, or its equivalent, in the Fall.

Section 5. This Constitution may be altered or amended, or its Articles repealed by a two-thirds majority of votes cast by the Association's membership by mail or its equivalent.

By-Laws

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. There shall be four types of membership in the Association: Regular, Student, Institutional, and Honorary.

Section 2. Regular Members shall be those individuals actively engaged or interested in media ecology education, research, criticism, application, or artistic practice.

Section 3. Student Members shall be those individuals currently enrolled on a full-time basis as graduate or undergraduate students.

Section 4. Institutional Members shall be educational, professional, business, or civic organizations.

Section 5. Honorary Members shall be individuals awarded a one-year membership in the Association by the Executive Committee for distinguished contribution to the Association.

ARTICLE II - DUES AND FEES

Section 1. Annual dues in the four membership categories shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Registration fees for the Annual Convention shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

Section 3. Subscription fees for the Association's publications shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE III - MEETINGS

Section 1. An Annual Convention shall be held once a year. A General Meeting of the membership, open to all members, shall be held at this Convention.

Section 2. The Board of Directors shall meet at least once a year, at a place and time designated by the President. The President may also convene a special meeting at any time, upon reasonable notice.

Section 3. A quorum at the Board of Directors meeting shall be at least eight of the twelve members.

ARTICLE IV - ELECTIONS

Section 1. Each year, the Board of Directors shall serve as a Nominating Committee for four new members of the Board.

Section 2. Any member of the Association in good standing may also nominate any other member in good standing, or self-nominate, for membership on the Board of Directors. The membership shall be informed of a cut-off date for acceptance of nominations at the General Meeting of the Annual Convention, through the Association's newsletter, In Medias Res, and by mail or its equivalent.

Section 3. The Board of Directors shall prepare a written slate of nominees, insuring that each member will serve if elected.

Section 4. The slate of nominees shall be distributed to all members of the Association for vote by mail, or its equivalent, in the Fall.

Section 5. New Directors shall be elected in accordance with a plurality of votes cast by the Association's membership, by mail or its equivalent.

Section 6. New Directors shall assume their positions at the beginning of the calendar year.

Section 7. The Board of Directors shall, every year, at the beginning of the calendar year, elect an Executive Committee from among the twelve members of the Board.

Section 8. The Officers of the Executive Committee shall assume their positions immediately.

ARTICLE V - DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The President shall act as the presiding officer for all Executive Committee business and affairs, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee and at the Annual Convention of the Association, and shall serve as liaison to the Board of Directors.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall serve as liaison to other professional organizations and constituencies.

Section 3. The Executive Secretary shall coordinate all official Association correspondence and documentation, shall maintain an accurate record of the Association's membership, and shall coordinate registration at the Annual Convention.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall administer accounts payable and accounts receivable in a timely and effective manner as designated by the Executive Committee, and shall provide an annual financial report for publication in the Association's newsletter.

Section 5. The Historian shall serve as recording secretary, recording minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Meeting at the Association's Convention, and shall serve as the Association's archivist, maintaining and making available the ongoing record of all Association documents and proceedings.

ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

Section 1. The Board of Directors may initiate Amendments to these By-Laws.

Section 2. The Executive Committee, in consultation with the Board of Directors, may initiate Amendments to these By-Laws.

Section 3. Any ten members of the Association may present a petition to the Executive Committee proposing an amendment to these By-Laws, which shall mandate the Board of Directors to put the proposed Amendment to vote.

Section 4. Amendments initiated as per Section 1, 2 or 3 shall be distributed to all members of the Association for vote by mail, or its equivalent, in the Fall.

Section 5. These By-Laws may be altered or amended, or their Articles repealed by a two-thirds majority of votes cast by the Association's membership, by mail or its equivalent.

ARTICLE VII - DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

In the event that the Association shall be hereinafter dissolved, the assets of the Association shall be distributed in equal shares to the National Communication Association, the Eastern Communication Association and the New York State Communication Association, for educational purposes as described in Section 116(a)(4) of the Tax Law of the State of New York, or to the Federal Government, or to the New York State Government for a public purpose.

[as amended by vote of members in Fall 2006; published in In Medias Res, Winter 2007]

Updated to the web 02/03/2009.