article i. title
The title of this organization shall be the “American Translation and Interpreting Studies Association.” hereinafter referred to as the “Association.”
article ii. purpose
The purpose of the Association shall be to encourage, support, and further the study of translation studies, especially by organizing meetings, publishing a journal, disseminating information to the public at large, by fostering ties with allied organizations, and by such other means as the Association may deem appropriate.
article iii. membership
section 1. Anyone who endorses the purposes of the organization may become a member of the Association upon application to the Secretary-Treasurer and payment of annual dues.
section 2. Annual dues shall be paid to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association each year by January 31. The amount of the dues is determined by the Executive Committee.
section 3. There shall be the following categories of membership: regular and student. All members shall receive publications of the Association, including its journal (article VIII).
section 4. The Executive Committee may designate scholars of distinction in the field as honorary members of the Association. Honorary members pay no dues.
section 5. Members may vote and hold office in the Association and nominate candidates. Each such member shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the members.
article
iv. officers
section 1. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President, and a Secretary-Treasurer, who shall be elected from and by the membership to terms of office of two years. Officers shall be elected by written e-mail ballot distributed to the members of the Association. The terms of office of officers shall begin at the close of the Annual Business Meetings at which their election is announced. No two offices may be held by the same person.
section 2. The duties of the President shall include the following: to serve as the official representative of the organization; to preside at the Annual Business Meeting; to convene and to preside at, meetings of the Executive Committee, and to propose the agenda therefor; to report to the membership at the Annual Business Meeting on the state of the organization during the past year; to seek and maintain contacts with other professional organizations concerned with the field of translation and translation studies; and to perform such other functions as the Executive Committee (see article V) or the membership at an Annual Business Meeting may authorize.
section 3. The duties of Vice President shall include the following: to assist and advise the President in carrying out his/her duties; to chair the Election Committee; to preside, in the absence of the President, at the Annual Meeting, and at the meetings of the Executive Committee; to perform such duties of the President as the latter may delegate to him/her; to assume the office of President if that office should become vacant, and to serve the unexpired portion of the term; and to perform such other functions as the Executive Committee or membership at an Annual Business Meeting may authorize.
section 4. The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall include the following: to keep the official minutes of the Annual Business Meeting, and of the meetings of the Executive Committee; to maintain an official list of the members of the organization, its officers, Executive Committee members, and their terms of appointment; to serve as the chief fiscal officer of the Association; to maintain such records as may be required to show the origin, use, and disposition of the Association’s funds; to present a report to the financial state of the Association at the Annual Business Meeting; and to perform such other functions as the Executive Committee or the membership at an Annual Business Meeting may authorize.
section 5. Any action by any of the officers in the name of the organization is subject to review by the Executive Committee or by the membership at an Annual Business Meeting.
section 6. A vacancy in offices of Vice President and/or Secretary-Treasurer shall be filled by the Executive Committee for the unexpired portion of the term.
article
v. executive committee
section 1. The administration of the Association shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee, which shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and four (4) members elected from and by the membership for two-year terms, staggered so that two members are elected each year. Subject to the provisions herein, the Executive Committee may also appoint up to three (3) ex officio members. All members of the Executive Committee must be members in good standing of the Association.
section 2. The at-large members of the Executive Committee shall be elected from and by the membership for terms of two years each, so arranged that no more than two terms begin in the same year. They shall be elected by written ballot distributed by e-mail to all members of the Association. Their terms of office begin at the end of the Annual Business Meeting at which their election is announced.
section 3. The Executive Committee may appoint the chair of the Editorial Committee as an ex officio member (cf. article viii).
section 4. The President may invite appropriate individuals to attend and participate at the Executive Committee without vote.
section 5. The duties of the Executive Committee shall include the following: to take such action as it may deem necessary to advance the purpose of the organization; to determine the amount of annual dues; to oversee the editorial affairs of the Association’s journal and to appoint its editorship; to organize the Annual Business Meeting and to propose its agenda; to appoint standing and ad hoc committees, subject to the provisions herein; to appoint a member to serve the unexpired portions of the term of a vacant office (except for the office of President) or a vacant seat on the Executive Committee itself; to oversee the financial affairs of the Association, or to designate a person or agency therefor; and to perform such additional functions as the membership at an Annual Business Meeting may authorize.
section 6. The Executive Committee shall meet as often as necessary to conduct the business of the Association, at least once a year. Such meetings may be face-to-face, as at a conference, or via other means such as conference calls or electronic mail. The quorum for any meeting of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of those officers and members attending a conference during which the meeting is held, or a majority of the officers and members, if the meeting is held at any other place.
section 7. Any action of the Executive Committee in the name of the organization is subject to review by the membership at an Annual Business Meeting.
article vi. annual
business meeting
section 1. Once a year an Annual Business Meeting shall be held at a time and place as convenient as possible to the membership. Normally, the Business Meeting shall take place during the biennial Conference of the Association (article ix), during the annual conference of the American Translators Association (in years when there is no conference of the Association), or at a similar conference, symposium, or workshop that is convenient to the members of the Association.
section 2. Notice of the agenda shall be given in writing (on paper or electronically) at least thirty calendar days prior to the date of the Annual Business Meeting. By a vote of one-third of the members present, any action on any item of which advance notice was not given may be deferred to the next Annual Business Meeting.
section 3. A quorum at the Annual Business Meeting shall consist of those present at the Annual Meeting.
article vii. committees
section 1. The Executive Committee, by resolution adopted by a majority of its members, may designate one or more committees as are deemed necessary to facilitate the business of the Association. Normally, an Election Committee, an Editorial Committee (article viii), and a Conference Program Committee (article ix) will be appointed as regular committees.
section 2.1. The Election Committee shall consist of three members appointed by the Executive Committee. The terms of office of the members of the Election Committee shall be two years. The Election Committee shall be responsible for the solicitation of nominations and the conduct of elections for officers and members of the Executive Committee in such manner as the Executive Committee shall by resolution determine.
section 2.2. The Chair of the Election Committee shall announce the results of each year’s election at the Annual Meeting, and in any other manner which the Executive Committee deems suitable.
section 2.3. In the event of a disputed election, the Chair of the Election Committee shall present the relevant information to the Executive Committee, which shall be the sole judge of its membership.
article viii. journal
section 1. These bylaws authorize the Association to publish an official journal.The title of the Journal shall be determined by the Executive Committee in consultation with the Editorial Committee. The Association shall publish the journal in such manner (including title, scope, and frequency of publication) as in the judgment of the Executive Committee best meets the requirements of the Association and profession.
section 2. The Executive Committee shall appoint an editorial committee, whose charge shall be to run the day-to-day affairs of the journal. The Editorial Committee shall be constituted in such manner (including number of members, their titles, and assignment of duties) as in the judgment of the Executive Committee best meets the requirements of the journal.
section 3. The Executive Committee shall appoint one member of the Editorial Committee as chair, who shall act as editor-in-chief of the journal and assume responsibility for general coordination of publishing activities. The chair of the Editorial Committee is an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
section 4. The
Editorial Committee and its chair serve at the pleasure of the
Executive Committee.
article ix. annual
conference
section 1. These bylaws authorize the Association to hold a biennial conference, circumstances permitting, the name of which at the date hereof is the “Conference of the American Translation Studies Association,” (abbreviated “CATISA”).
section 2. For each such conference, the Executive Committee shall appoint a Conference Program Committee, which shall be responsible for advising the local conference organizers in planning the Association’s biennial conference.
section 3. The
Conference Program Committee shall consist of a representative from,
respectively, the immediately previous conference host organization,
the current host, and the immediately future host organization, in
addition to the Secretary-Treasurer of the organization.
article x. fiscal year
The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on 1 January and end of 31 December.
article xii. amendments
Any amendment to these bylaws must be approved by the Executive Committee and presented to the membership in the form of a written ballot. The amendment takes effect upon ratification by a majority of those voting.
article xiii. dissolution
The Association may be dissolved by an amendment to rescind these bylaws.