Article VI. Standing Committees

Sec. 1

The Executive Council shall appoint such committees, standing and ad-hoc, as necessary to the advancement of the activities of the Association and as recommended by the Executive Officers. All committees shall operate at the discretion of the Executive Council, which shall define their jurisdiction, approve their basic procedures and policies, and determine and dispose of any relevant budgetary allocations.

Sec. 2

The Executive Officers shall maintain committee membership so as to assure representation of the diversity of the AssociationÍs membership, with "diversity" meaning both international and disciplinary diversity.

Sec. 3

Standing Committees shall be chaired or co-chaired by active members of the Association, with chairs or co-chairs originating in different national areas so as to assure global participation in the leadership of the organization. Each Standing Committee shall consist of no fewer than five members, nominated by the Nominations and Elections Committee and ratified by the Executive Council, from the active membership of the organization. The chairs or co-chairs shall be appointed by the General Assembly from among the members of each committee, upon proposals by the nominating committee.

Sec. 4

Membership on Standing Committees, including Chairs, shall be for three-year staggered terms, once renewable. The nature of the activities of the Standing Committees requires that the chairs maintain regular contact with the Executive Officers of the organization.

Sec. 5

The chairs shall be expected to obtain the approval of the Treasurer before incurring any significant expenditures on behalf of the organization. The Executive Director shall sign any financial commitments on behalf of the Association in any case.

Sec. 6

Committee chairs are responsible for reporting annually, through the AssociationÍs Executive director, on committee activities to the Executive Council one month prior to the annual meeting of the Council.

Sec.7

The Association shall have as one of its standing committees the Program Committee. The Program Committee shall oversee the development of programs for the Association, including planning for future conferences and the development of conference topics and a roster of future conference sites. The Committee shall always work with the designated local arrangements committee members to develop conference programs for individual sites. The Program Committee shall coordinate with analogous joint regional and/or multi-national associations, or federation of associations for joint conferences as well as for the general congress of the Association itself. The CommitteeÍs work shall be coordinated by its chair or co-chairs.

Sec. 8

The Association shall have as one of its standing committees the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall oversee, promote, and coordinate membership in the Association by working with joint regional and/or multi-national associations, or federation of associations and with scholars and students in the field of American Studies and related fields and disciplines. The Membership Committee shall define dues structures and membership categories. It will work in conjunction with the Executive Director and Treasurer with the aim of encouraging the broadest possible international participation.

Sec. 9

The Association shall have as one of its standing committees the Finance and Development Committee. The Finance and Development Committee shall review the annual budget of the organization and coordinate the efforts for the support and development central to the future solvency, fiscal maintenance, and programmatic underwriting of the Association and its initiatives. The CommitteeÍs work shall be coordinated by its two Co-Chairs, one of whom is always the Treasurer of the Association. The Executive Director is an ex-officio member of the committee.

Sec. 10

The Association shall have as one of its standing committees the Publications and Communications Committee. The Publications and Communications Committee shall be responsible for serving as the informational link among the members of the organization and between the membership and the Executive Officers, and it shall develop and sponsor the initial materials that shall serve as the primary vehicles for disseminating information about the organization and publicizing its programs. The Publications and Communications Committee shall have oversight for electronic and for all other media used to disseminate and coordinate the AssociationÍs work. As the Association shall endeavor to develop and maintain its own international publications, such as a printed or electronic journal and a scholarly series of books, the Publications and Communications Committee shall work to cultivate both ideas, authors, and editors for the publishing goals of the organization. The CommitteeÍs work shall be coordinated by its chair or co-chairs.

Sec. 11

The Association shall have as one of its standing committees the Nominating and Elections Committee. The Nominating and Elections Committee shall be responsible for presenting to the General Assembly a slate of nominees for positions and committee chairs in the organization. The Nominating and Elections Committee shall be responsible for preparing the ballot for conducting the necessary elections for Executive Officers from a slate of nominees it generates and any who may self-nominate or who may be nominated by write-in ballot by the membership of the organization. The CommitteeÍs work shall be coordinated by its chair or co-chairs.