ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION

ARTICLE I: TITLE

The title of this organization shall be The Society of Tennessee Archivists.

ARTICLE II: ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

The Society of Tennessee Archivists shall be a not-for-profit organization.

ARTICLE III: OBJECTIVES

(1) To Promote the preservation, description, use, administration and accessibility of archives and manuscripts according to accepted archival principles.

(2) To Promote, according to professional standards, the education and training of archivists, manuscript curators and other interested persons.

(3) To Encourage government agencies, other institutions of all types, and individuals to assume and assure modern collection, preservation and administration of archives and manuscripts.

(4) To Promote the exchange of information among archival institutions both within and outside Tennessee.

(5) To Maintain and strengthen relations with others in allied disciplines.

(6) To Cooperate with the Society of American Archivists, the Southeastern Archivists Association, and other professional archival organizations in promoting the archival profession.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

There shall be three categories of membership: regular, associate, and institutional.

(1) Regular members are those persons who are full-time or part-time employees in the field of archives, manuscripts, or records management.

(2) Associate members are those interested persons in allied disciplines, students, and others who do not qualify for regular membership. Associate members enjoy all the privileges and benefits of membership except they shall not hold office.

(3) Institutional members may include includes archives, libraries, businesses, government agencies, and other institutions and organizations. Institutional members do not hold offices. They may designate someone to cast their vote on matters brought before the society’s membership.

ARTICLE V: DUES

Dues for each membership category shall be proposed by the executive committee and approved by a majority of members present and voting at the annual business meeting of the Society. Notice of any proposal dues change shall be given the membership at least four weeks prior to the business meeting. Dues for each calendar year shall be paid by April 30th.

The current dues (adopted October 2014) are:

(1) For Regular Membership: $30.00

(2) For Institutional Membership: $30.00

(3) For Associate Membership: $10.00

ARTICLE VI: PUBLICATIONS

The Society shall issue an occasional newsletter, which shall contain reports of the Society’s status, reports of meetings, informational notes, and any other information of interest to the membership. A newsletter editor, appointed by the executive committee, shall produce the newsletter and have responsibility for its distribution. A copy of the newsletter will be provided to all dues-paying members and to other persons and institutions or organizations as deemed necessary. The Society may produce other publications as found desirable.

ARTICLE VII : OFFICERS AND GOVERNANCE

Officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President (President-Elect), Secretary, Treasurer, Archivist, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster and Southeastern Archivists Association (SEAA) Representative. The term of office for President and Vice-President/President-elect shall be for one year only.

The Secretary, Treasurer, Archivist, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, and Southeastern Archivists Association Representative may serve unlimited successive terms. All officers must be regular members in good standing of this organization

Election of officers (from a slate presented by the Nominating Committee) shall be held at the annual business meeting and shall be conducted by written ballot. Election decisions will be determined by simple majority of those members present and voting.

The President shall preside at meetings, conduct the routine business of the Society between meetings, appoint committees as needed, and represent the Society.

The Vice-President/President-Elect shall conduct the Society’s business in the absence of the President, succeed the President if necessary, during that term, and assist the President in the operation of the Society.

The Secretary shall record the minutes of each Society business meeting and have custody of the minutes. At the completion of the term of office, said minutes will be deposited by the Society’s archivist.

The Treasurer shall collect dues, maintain the financial records, disburse funds as necessary, and prepare an annual report to be published in the newsletter prior to the annual business meeting.

The Newsletter Editor, appointed by the Executive Committee, will be responsible for the publication and distribution of the Society’s newsletter.

The Archivist, appointed by the Executive Committee, shall have custody of and responsibility for the maintenance of the permanent records of the Society and will make such records available to officers and members as necessary. All officers at the end of their tenure in office shall deposit Society records in their possession with the Archivist unless such records are necessary to their successor in office.

The Webmaster, appointed by the Executive Committee, shall be responsible for the design and maintenance of the Society of Tennessee Archivists’ website.

The Southeastern Archivists Association Representative, appointed by the Executive Committee, shall correspond with other members of the Southeastern Archivists Association and communicate information on biennial meetings to members of the Society of Tennessee Archivists. The Southeastern Archivists Association (SEAA) is a regional group for archivists in the southeastern United States. Its mission is to provide an avenue of conversation and collaboration, to serve as an additional outlet for regional communication, and to support the archival community of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi.

In the event an officer is unable to complete her/his term of office, the Executive Committee shall appoint an interim officer to fill out the remainder of said position for that term. If an officer cannot complete her/his term within 60 days or less prior to the annual meeting, the Executive Committee will accept responsibility for the duties of that office.

The Society shall have an Executive Committee consisting of the officers and immediate past President of the Society. The Executive Committee will appoint the Archivist, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, and Southeastern Archivists Association Representative. Upon appointment, the Archivist, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, and Southeastern Archivists Association Representative become members of the Executive Committee.

A Nominating Committee of at least three members appointed by the President shall propose a slate of officers (Vice-President/President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer). Nominating Committee members should represent each of the state’s three grand divisions whenever possible. Nominees for officers should be selected from each of the state’s three grand divisions whenever possible. The membership shall be notified of the nominees for office at least four weeks prior to the election. Members of the committee will be responsible for the election process and vote tabulation.

A Membership Committee shall be appointed by the President to promote and coordinate the society’s membership activities. The committee shall consist of a chairperson and at least three members, each representing one of the state’s three grand divisions of the state: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee.

An Awards Committee, consisting of the Society’s three immediate past Presidents, shall, when deemed appropriate by the committee, select an archives, manuscript or records repository in Tennessee (either an institutional member or a repository with employees who are Society members) deserving of honor and recognition by the Society for its efforts to support and advance the objectives of The Society of Tennessee Archivists.

Two members shall be chosen by the President to represent the Southeastern Archivists Association coordinating committee. For continuity, the representatives will be appointed to staggered two-year terms. To accomplish this, the first appointments made after the adoption of these articles of organization will be for a four-year term and a two-year term, respectively. Thereafter all appointments would be for two-year terms.

An Education Committee consisting of two or more members may be appointed by the President, to create a calendar projecting themes for future STA meetings two years in advance. When possible, the Education Committee shall coordinate annual meetings themes and program topics with Tennessee State Library and Archives, Archives Development Program’s Archives Institute. The Education Committee shall also administer the Society’s Student Scholarship Program.

An Arrangements Committee, consisting of the Vice-President of the Society serving as chairperson; the immediate Past President of the Society, the Treasurer, the Newsletter Editor, the Webmaster, and at least one representative of the Society from each Grand Division of the State of Tennessee, and any additional individuals as the chairperson deems necessary to conduct the business of the committee. The Arrangements Committee is responsible for the organization of the Society of Tennessee Archivists annual meeting, including meeting site transactions, itineraries, speaker contacts, member notification, workshop arrangements, fee schedules, and any other business involved with the Annual Meeting of the Society. The Arrangements Committee shall conform to the stipulations of Article VIII of the By-Laws and Laws of Governance of the Society of Tennessee Archivists.

ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS

There shall be an annual meeting held in the autumn, at which officers will be elected and other necessary business transacted. Meeting sites shall rotate among locations in the three grand divisions of the State (East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee) whenever possible.

All members shall be notified of upcoming meetings at least four weeks prior to the meetings.

Twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership, exclusive of institutional members, shall constitute a quorum at the business meeting.

Decisions at meetings shall be made by a simple majority of those members present and voting.

The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the order of business at meetings.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances that make in-person meetings of the Membership, including the Executive Committee or special appointed committees unsafe or substantially difficult, meetings may be conducted virtually. The Executive Committee will determine when this should occur. During such times, changes to the bylaws and procedures may be voted on virtually by simple majority of the Society’s membership.

ARTICLE IX:  DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution of this Society, the assets and all other property of the Society shall be disposed of according to the decision and simple majority of those present and voting at the last meeting and according to proper procedures for a not-for-profit organization. The “archives” or permanent records of the Society shall be given by the last Society Archivist to the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS

These articles of organization may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those members present and voting at an annual business meeting. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the full membership either in writing or published in the Society’s newsletter at least four weeks prior to the meeting at which the amendments will be considered.

These Bylaws approved
by the Membership
of the Society of Tennessee Archivists
at its annual meeting
November 14, 1997
Amended, November 5, 1999
Amended, November 10, 2005
Amended, October 27, 2006
Amended, November 9, 2007
Amended, October 16, 2014
Amended, November 17, 2022