Section Standing Rules

Society of American Archivists
Accessibility & Disability Section

STANDING RULES

I. Name.

The name of the section shall be the Accessibility & Disability Section.

II. Mission.

The Accessibility & Disability Section (ADS) of the Society of American Archivists is dedicated to engaging the archival profession on topics of accessibility and disability, visible and invisible, including archives workers with disabilities, users with disabilities, disability in the historical record, and the accessibility of collections, physical and digital spaces, and events.

III. Statement of Goals and Objectives

• To be a supportive community for archives workers with disabilities and allies to share their perspectives and fellowship.
• To encourage the participation of archives workers with disabilities within SAA and the broader archival profession.
• To educate the profession about accessibility best practices, disability awareness and etiquette, inclusiveness, and related topics.
• To compile and promote the development of tools, resources, and literature to improve accessibility and disability representation within the historical record and archival profession.
• To promote awareness of collections and people with disabilities within the historical record and archival profession.
• To support the Diversity Committee and advocate for disability awareness and inclusion within SAA and the broader profession for events, communication platforms, publications, and other avenues.
• To update the Guidelines for Accessible Archives for People with Disabilities as needed and requested by the SAA Council.

IV. Governance: Bylaws and Standing Rules

1. These standing rules of the Accessibility and Disability Section shall serve as a supplement to the SAA Section Bylaws, which govern all SAA sections. Please refer to Section IX. Sections of the SAA Governance Manual for information on membership, section election procedures, reporting requirements, and more.
2. Officers. The officers of the section shall be a Senior Co-chair and a Junior Co-chair. The Junior Co-chair shall be elected annually for a three-year term, serving in year one as Junior Co-chair, year two as Senior Co-chair, and year three as Immediate Past Chair.
3. Nominations. The Immediate Past Chair shall issue a call for nominations for the Junior Co-chair and available steering committee positions every May to all section members via the section's official email discussion list and website. A slate of candidates shall be announced to section members no later than June 15. All nominees must be current SAA members in good standing.
4. Elections. Elections shall be conducted online with the assistance of the SAA staff and in accordance with the guidelines for Section elections as specified in Section IX.of the SAA Governance Manual. Availability of the online ballot and the deadline for voting shall be announced to all section members via the section's official email discussion list and website.
5. Should an officer be unable to complete their term, a special election will be held to elect a replacement.
6. Officers
   
   1. The ADS will have two co-chairs sharing the leadership of the section. They will be elected for staggered two-year terms. These individuals must be SAA members in good standing.
   2. The outgoing senior co-chair will serve a third year as Immediate Past Chair, providing sustainability and institutional memory and participating as a member of the Steering Committee in all its activities. The Immediate Past Chair will coordinate the nomination and election process.
7. Steering Committee
   
   1. The Steering Committee consists of no fewer than four and no greater than eight elected members.
8. Additional positions
   
   1. Additional recommended positions including web editor, blog/communications coordinator, secretary, or subcommittees are appointed from among the Steering Committee or by volunteer section members.
9. Liaisons
   
   1. The Senior co-chair, or designee, serves as an ex-officio member of the Diversity Committee to advocate for accessibility and disability awareness in the committee and to provide bi-directional communication between the Diversity Committee and the section.
   2. Additional liaison positions may be created as needed.

V. Meetings.

1. ADS will meet at least once during the Society of American Archivists' Annual Meeting or virtually and at other times as deemed appropriate by the Steering Committee.
2. The Steering Committee will convene remotely on a regular basis and as needed.

VI. Enactment and Amendments.

These standing rules were first approved and enacted by a majority vote of the membership in November 2019. These standing rules shall be reviewed at least every four years by the Steering Committee.

To ensure alignment with SAA’s governance documents, any amendments to the section’s standing rules should be reviewed by the Executive Director (or designee) and the section’s Council liaison by May 1, before they are put forward in a referendum for a vote by the section membership. Proposed amendments to the section’s standing rules will appear on the section’s annual election ballot for final approval by a simple majority of voters. Any adopted amendments should be posted promptly to the section’s official microsite and be noted in the section’s next annual report to the Council. Any revisions to the section’s name or mission/description must be submitted to the Council for final approval. For more information on amendment procedures, see Section IX. Sections of the SAA Governance Manual.

Approved by section membership, November 2019; approved by the SAA Council, December 2019.