By Laws
Article I. Election of Officers and Delegates and Appointment of Institute Committee Chairperson and Archivist.
Section 1. Officers
Para A. At least ten weeks before the Spring Membership Meeting of the association, the president shall appoint a nominating committee of four members, no two of whom shall be selected from the same college, to nominate candidates for the offices in the association.
Para. B. The nominating committee, within three weeks of its appointment, shall nominate for the positions of president-elect who shall serve as vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and editor(s) of Urban Library Journal. The committee is charged to make every effort to obtain at least two candidates for each of these positions.
Para. C. The delegates, upon being notified of the proposed candidates by the secretary, shall be responsible for informing the members at least six weeks before the annual Spring Membership Meeting.
Para. D. Up to five weeks before the annual Spring Membership Meeting, any member of the association may file with the secretary a petition signed by not fewer than five members proposing additional nominations. The names of these nominees shall be added to the ballot.
Para. E. The secretary shall be responsible for informing the membership of the final list of candidates, in the form of an email no later than four weeks before the Annual Spring Membership Meeting.
Para. F. Members are eligible to vote provided their dues are paid at least two weeks before the scheduled release of the ballots.
Para. G.
(1) Ballot mechanism:
The form of the ballot shall be anonymous. In order to achieve this purpose, the secretary shall prepare electronic ballots using a reliable, reputable service.
The ballots shall be distributed to members via their CUNY email addresses. Adjuncts without access to CUNY email accounts may use email accounts verified by their campus delegate. The secretary will verify all email addresses against a master list of eligible members of the association.
(2) The secretary, in the presence of her or his staff delegates, shall view the completed ballots, verify only members voted, and shall inform the membership, either in writing, by email, or at the meeting following the election, of the total number of votes received by each candidate on the ballot.
(3) Ballots shall be subsequently exported out of the election system, if possible, and sent to the archivist for retention for two years.
Para. H. The officers shall serve one year, except for the president-elect, as specified in Article IV, Section I, Paragraph D, Sentence 2, of the constitution. The secretary may not be elected for more than two consecutive times. The institute chairperson may not be appointed for more than two successive terms. The treasurer and editor(s) shall serve for two years and may not be elected for more than two consecutive terms. Their terms of office shall begin on July first.
Para. I. The president shall appoint a secretary and a treasurer, and an editor(s) of the Urban Library Journal, should a vacancy occur in any of these offices. Should a vacancy occur in the office of president-elect, another election for the vacant office shall be held following the relevant procedures of Paragraph A through G of this article and section of these bylaws.
Para J. The office and functions of President and President-Elect may each be filled by up to two LACUNY members who agree to serve together as Co-Presidents and Co-Presidents-Elect for the duration of their elected term. These individuals commit to delegating the responsibilities of the office amongst themselves. If any one of the individuals leaves office before the end of his or her term, all responsibilities of the position shall be taken on by the remaining officer.
Section 2. Delegates
Para. A. Elected delegate positions are open to the membership that meet the criteria as stated in Article III, Section 1 of the constitution. There shall be one delegate and one alternate from each college, the Queens College Graduate School of Library and Information Science, and the CUNY Office of Library Services.
Para. B. Delegates and alternates shall be elected before June first, and their names shall be submitted to the secretary of the association by the outgoing delegates.
Para. C. The delegates to the executive council shall serve for two years and may not be re-elected more than one successive term, except in cases where the membership is too small to make this practical. Their term of office shall begin July first. For colleges with two delegates, terms shall overlap so that one delegate is elected each year for a two- year term.
Para. D. In case of a vacancy in the office of delegate, the first alternate shall assume the office of delegate for the remainder of that term.
Para. E. If a delegate or delegates cannot attend a given meeting of the executive council, the college represented by such delegates may be represented by an alternate or alternates. Such alternates shall have full voting rights at executive council meetings.
Section 3. Institute Chairperson
The president shall appoint an institute chairperson who shall be in charge of the institute.
Section 4. Archivist
The president shall appoint as archivist a member familiar with archival principles from the staff of the library housing the LACUNY archives. The archivist shall collect, put in order, and maintain the LACUNY records, performing all customary duties of archivists, including the submission of any budget requests.
Article II. Committees and Roundtables
Section 1. Elected Committees
Para A. Membership on elected committees is open to the membership that meet the criteria as stated in Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution.
Para. B. The committee on committees
(1) Membership shall consist of the following:
(A) The president-elect (vice president).
(B) The immediate past president.
(C) Four members elected by the executive council, though not necessarily members of that body.
(2) Terms of office for the elected members:
(A ) Each elected member shall serve for a term of two years. Terms shall overlap so that two members are elected each year for a two-year term.
(B) Members may be re-elected for a second, but not a third consecutive term.
(C) Elections shall be held by the executive council at a meeting in April of each year.
(D) If a vacancy occurs, a replacement shall be elected by the executive council at its next meeting.
(3) Committee internal functions:
(A) The committee shall elect a chairperson at the first meeting following July first of each year.
(B) The committee shall prepare its written budget request together with a statement justifying each proposed expense for submission to the budget committee in accordance with Article V, Section 1.
(C) The committee shall keep minutes of all meetings and submit a copy of those minutes to the president.
(D) The committee shall prepare an annual report by June first of each year and submit copies to the president and the next elected chairperson of the committee.
(4) Committee external functions:
(A) The committee shall oversee the function of all other standing committees.
(B) The committee shall solicit members for all standing committees, shall be responsible for the distribution of members to non-elected committees, shall name a convener for the first meeting, and shall fill vacancies if necessary.
(C) The committee shall review periodically the need for all committees and shall make recommendations to the executive council for the discontinuance of those no longer necessary and for the establishment of desirable new ones.
(D) The committee shall gather minutes and annual reports form all standing committees for review purposes and for deposit into the LACUNY archives.
(E) The committee shall report to the executive council. It shall report to that body at its first meeting in the Fall of each year on highlights from all committee annual reports of the previous year.
Para. C. The budget committee
(1) Membership shall consist of the following:
(A) The president.
(B) The treasurer.
(C) One member elected by the committee on committees from that body.
(D) Two members elected by the executive council, though not necessarily members of that body.
(2) Terms of office for the elected members:
(A) The member elected from the committee on committees shall serve for a term of one year.
(B) The members elected by the executive council shall serve for terms of two-years. Terms shall overlap so that one member is elected each year for a two-year term.
(C) Members may be reelected for a second, but not a third, consecutive term.
(D) Elections shall be held by the committee on committees and by the executive council at their meetings in April of each year.
(E) If a vacancy occurs, a replacement shall be elected by the committee on committees for its member and by the executive council for its member(s) at their next meetings.
(3) Committee internal functions:
(A) The committee shall elect a chairperson at the first meeting following July first of each year.
(B) The committee shall keep minutes of all meetings and submit copies of those minutes to the president and to the chairperson of the committee on committees.
(C)The committee shall prepare an annual report by June first of each year and shall submit copies of that report to the chairperson of the committee on committees and to the next elected chairperson of the budget committee.
(4) Committee external functions:
(A) The committee shall be advisory to the executive council in matters relating to the fiscal affairs of the association.
(B) The committee shall obtain from each chairperson and officer, a written budget request in accordance with Article V, Section 1.
(C) The committee shall review each request and make recommendations on appropriations to the executive council.
Para. D. The constitution and bylaws committee
(1) Membership shall consist of the following:
(A) The president-elect (vice president).
(B) The secretary.
(C) Three members elected by the executive council, though not necessarily members of that body.
(2) Terms of office for the elected members:
(A) Each elected member shall serve for a term of three years. Terms shall overlap so that one member is elected each year for a three year term.
(B) Members may be elected for a second, but not a third, consecutive term.
(C) Elections shall be held by the executive council at a meeting in April of each year.
(D) If a vacancy occurs, a replacement shall be elected by the executive council at its next meeting.
(3) Committee internal functions:
(A) The committee shall elect a chairperson at the first meeting following July first of each year.
(B) The committee shall prepare a written budget request together with a statement justifying each proposed expense for submission to the budget committee in accordance with Article V, Section 1.
(C) The committee shall keep minutes of all meetings and submit copies of those minutes to the president and to the chairperson of the committee on committees.
(D) The committee shall prepare an annual report by June first of each year and shall submit copies of that report to the chairperson of the committee on committees and to the next elected chairperson of the constitution and bylaws committee.
(4) Committee external functions:
(A) To receive and/or initiate proposed amendments of the constitution and bylaws.
(B) To act on those proposals according to the procedures specified in the constitution.
Section 2. Non-elected committees
Para. A. Membership on all non-elected committees is open to any member. Elected chairs of committees is open to the membership that meet the criteria as stated in Article III, Section 1 of the constitution.
Para. B. The committee on committees shall solicit volunteers for all non-elected committees.
Para. C. Terms of office for members of non-elected committees shall be one year beginning July first. Members may continue to volunteer and serve on the same committee indefinitely.
Para. D. Committee functions
(1) With the exception of the institute committee, committees shall elect a chairperson at the first meeting following July first of each year.
(2) Committees shall prepare a written budget request in accordance with Article V, Section 1.
(3) Committees shall post brief minutes of all significant meeting events on CULIBS-L, the CUNY Librarians electronic discussion list.
(4) Committees shall prepare an annual report by June first of each year and shall submit copies of that report to the chairperson of the committee on committees and to their next elected chairperson.
(5) Committees shall report to the executive council.
Section 3. Roundtables
Para A. A group of at least eight (8) members may submit to the Executive Council a proposal to establish a roundtable along with a request that such proposal be approved.
Para B. The Executive Council shall consider any proposal to form a roundtable submitted in accordance with Para A. above and shall vote whether to approve it.
Para C. The Executive Council may dissolve inactive roundtables as it sees fit.
(1) Roundtable internal functions
(A) Roundtables shall elect a chairperson (and co-chair, should business warrant) at the first meeting following July first of each year.
(B) Roundtables shall prepare a written budget request together with a statement justifying each proposed expense for submission to the budget committee in accordance with Article V, Section 1.
(C) Roundtables shall keep minutes of all meetings and distribute them to the membership at large and to the LACUNY Archivist.
(D) Roundtables shall prepare an annual report by June first of each year and shall submit copies of that report to the Executive Council and the LACUNY Archivist.
(E) Roundtables shall hold at least one business and/or planning meeting each academic semester in order to remain active.
(2) Roundtable external functions
(A) Roundtables shall organize at least one event per academic year that focuses on an area of the profession related to the work of the roundtable. This event may be organized jointly with another group.
Article III. Meetings
Section 1. The year on which the association and the elective standing committees operate shall begin July first. The year on which the non-elective standing committees operate shall begin July first.
Section 2. There shall be at least two meetings of the association during each year beginning July first. Attendance shall be recorded in the minutes for any meeting at which substantive business is transacted.
Section 3. The president, after consultation with the other officers, shall decide the time and place of all meetings. Notice of a meeting shall be sent to each member of the association at least two weeks in advance of the meeting. The president shall have the option of shorter notice in case of an emergency.
Section 4. Special meetings of the association may be called by the executive council, and shall be called by the president, at the request of a number of members equal to one-fifteenth of the total membership of the association. At least one week’s notice of a special meeting shall be sent to each member of the association. Only the business stated in the notice as that for which the meeting is called shall be transacted, unless three-fourths of those present consent to the discussion of additional matters.
Section 5. The executive council shall meet as soon as possible after July first to consider plans for the year.
Section 6. Special meetings of the executive council may be called by the president at the request of a number of the members of the executive council equal to one-fifth of the total membership.
Section 7. One-half of the total membership of the executive council shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the executive council.
Article IV. Dues and other income
Section 1. The dues of the association shall be set by the executive council. The change shall be voted on at the next regular meeting of the association, or at a special meeting called for that purpose, but before the dues for the forthcoming year are collected.
Section 2. Dues for membership listed in Article III, Section 2, Associate Membership of the constitution shall be set at 50% of those for active members.
Section 3. Section 3. The dues are to be collected by the delegates in their respective colleges as soon as possible after August 1st of each year. Dues should be received by the treasurer by December 31st of each year.
Section 4. Proceeds of any event sponsored by the association and/or its committees are the property of the association and shall be added to the general treasury.
Article V. Disbursements from the treasury
Section 1. Each year the various committee and roundtable chairpersons shall submit their budget requests together with a statement justifying each proposed request to the budget committee at least two months prior to the date for which the request is made, with no requests to be made after April first. The budget committee shall then review the requests and submit them to the executive council for approval.
Section 2. Routine disbursal for such items as film rentals, flowers, refreshments, small honoraria for guest speakers, stationery, etc. shall be authorized in advance by the president, who shall inform the treasurer of the authorization. The president or treasurer shall give an accounting of such expenditures to the executive council at each meeting of that body.
Section 3. Any unusually large or non-routine disbursal must be authorized by a two-thirds vote of those present at the executive council meeting, provided there is a quorum.
Article VI. Emergency Regulation
Section 1. Should an emergency arise, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, in which the membership meetings, events, and elections are halted for an extended period of time the following will be enacted:
Para 1. Leadership of the LACUNY Executive Council (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) will maintain their roles for an additional academic year.
Para 2. As per the same procedure as the leadership of the LACUNY Executive Council, the Editors of the Urban Library Journal will maintain their roles for an additional academic year.
Article VII. Permanent LACUNY Awards
Section 1. Hereby stating that the Jay Bernstein Award will be an annual award in recognition of excellent publication and scholarship. The prize will be as stated:
Para 1- Membership dues will be waived for the following year after receiving this award. LACUNY Institute fees will be waived for the awardee the following year.
Last Updated: June 20, 2017