Constitution of the Southeast Journalism Conference (Revised February 1998)

Article I. Name. The association shall be called the Southeast Journalism Conference.

Article II. Purpose. This organization is formed for the advancement of journalism education in the Southeast. The purposes for which the association is organized are exclusively charitable, scientific, literary and educational within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law. The chief means for accomplishment of these purposes shall be an annual convention and a competition. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, this organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law.

Article III. Membership. Membership shall be by invitation to any university or four-year college in the Southeast with courses in journalism or mass communication. Admission to membership shall be by two-thirds vote of faculty representatives to the conference. Action on applications for membership ordinarily should be taken at the annual convention business session. However, if the applicant desires earlier action, the faculty secretary-treasurer may, at his/her discretion, submit the application to a mail vote, and if two-thirds of the member schools favor admission, that institution shall be declared elected to membership. A two-thirds vote of faculty representatives will be required to deny membership renewal upon the recommendation of the secretary-treasurer. Each year the secretary-treasurer will submit a report to the membership on the participation of each member.

Article IV. Dues. The annual dues for membership in this Conference shall be $100. The dues shall be payable by members by October 31 of each year.

Article V. Officers. All officers will serve a one-year term which begins immediately following election at the annual convention, unless otherwise noted. All officers, except President, Past President, and Student President, shall be elected by a simple majority vote of all delegates present at the business meeting of the annual convention.

A. President. A faculty member at the convention host school who will serve as president and will preside over the annual convention, coordinate convention on-site contests, serve as editor of the SEJC Convention Dispatch and appoint all committee chairs. In the event that the President is unable to complete the term of office, the President’s immediate supervisor or dean shall be empowered to appoint an interim president.

B. President-Elect. A faculty member who assumes the office of President at the conclusion of the annual convention. The President-elect must be a faculty member at the host school of the next year’s convention.

C. Past President. A faculty member who audits the organization’s financial records and presides over the annual business meeting. The Past President shall be the faculty delegate who served as President during the most recently completed convention.

D. Vice President. A faculty member who will coordinate the annual regular contest and serve as editor of the SEJC Contest Bulletin.

E. Secretary-treasurer. A faculty member responsible for paying all bills, has custody of all funds, records all of the organization’s actions and maintains an up-to-date correspondence list.

F. Student President. A student enrolled at the convention host school who serves as convention program coordinator and assists the President.

G. Student Vice President. A student enrolled at the convention host school who assists the student president and assumes the office of Student President if the current Student President is unable to complete the term of office. The President may appoint an interim Student Vice President if the current Student Vice President is unable to complete the term of office.

H. Student President-Elect. A student enrolled at the next year’s convention host school who assumes the office of Student President at the conclusion of the annual convention.

Article VI. Business. Business matters, including the election of officers and the selection of places of future meetings, shall be transacted at the business session at annual conventions. Officers are authorized to transact any special business that may arise during the year which, in the president’s opinion, may demand immediate consideration, such action to be reported to the entire Conference at the next annual business session.

Each member institution of the Conference shall select two voting delegates, one faculty and one student. Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article VII. Committees. Chairs of all committees are appointed and removed by the President. Special committees may be created by the President as needed. The Conference shall have the following five permanent standing committees:

A. Newsletter. Edits and publishes the SEJC News.

B. Public Relations. Produces articles on contest winners, officers, committees and other pertinent organization activities and disseminates this information to the news media and relevant trade publications.

C. Recruitment. Identifies prospective new member schools, produces recruitment literature, and recommends schools to be invited to become members.

D. Research & Development. Studies members’ attitudes and recommends new programming.

E. Steering. Seeks and recommends schools to serve as convention hosts, formulates standards for the conduct of conventions and contests, devises contingency plans in the event the host school fails to hold the convention, proposes changes to the annual contests and recruits individuals to run for officer positions.

Article VIII. Place of Convention. The Conference shall rotate its annual sessions among the member institutions upon invitation a year or more in advance. In the absence of an invitation, the place of meeting shall be chosen by the Officers.

Article IX. Contests. The Vice President shall coordinate an annual regular contest for journalistic work, and the President shall coordinate an annual on-site contest. Contests shall use the rules and categories of the previous year’s contests. Additions and revisions to the contests can be approved at the business meeting of the previous year’s convention.

Article X. Amendments. Amendments to this Constitution may be made at the business session at any annual convention of the Conference by a majority of the voting delegates present, provided the proposed amendments have been filed with the Secretary-treasurer at least 60 days in advance of the convention and a copy of them mailed to the member schools by the Secretary-treasurer.

Article XI. Quorums. A quorum shall be all delegates present at a business meeting.

Article XII. Dissolution. In the event of dissolution of the organization, all money, after outstanding obligations are discharged, shall be distributed evenly among member institutions to be used for journalism scholarships or for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the Federal, state or local government for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas, of the county in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes.