Standing Rules

Society of American Archivists
Manuscript Repositories Section

STANDING RULES

1. Membership
2. Governance
3. Officers
4. Steering Committee
5. Election of Officers and Steering Committee
6. Meetings
7. Amendments
8. Enactment

Steering Committee Assignments

I. Membership

Membership in the Manuscript Repositories Section of the Society of American Archivists is open to any member of SAA who has an interest in repositories that collect and administer holdings not generated by the organization or the institution of which the repository is a part.

II. Governance

These standing rules of the Manuscript Repositories 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. 

III. Officers

1.  Officers of the Manuscript Repositories Section consist of a chair and a vice chair.

2.  A new vice chair is elected each year and serves for one year as vice chair, succeeding automatically to the office of chair for the subsequent year. If the vice chair is unable to succeed the chair, a new chair is elected following the same procedures as for the election of the vice chair.

3.   The chair presides at meetings of the Section and the steering committee; represents the Section in its relations with SAA in general and with the Council and other groups within the Society; appoints Section committees as needed; submits an annual report of Section activities to the SAA executive office; and issues three newsletters annually to the Section membership.

4.  The vice chair serves as acting chair in the absence of the chair.

IV. Steering Committee

1.  The steering committee consists of the officers and six members.

2.  The members serve two-year terms, three members being elected on the annual ballot, with additional members elected if unexpired terms need to be filled.

3.  The steering committee serves in an advisory capacity to the chair, and its members may be assigned specific responsibilities by the chair. The steering committee plans each annual meeting of the Section.

V. Election of Officers and Steering Committee

1.  Only members of SAA and the Manuscript Repositories Section may be nominated to serve as officers or steering committee members. Only members of the Manuscript Repositories Section may vote. 

2.  The nominating and elections committee consists of the immediate past chair of the Section (serving as chair of the committee) and the three steering committee members whose terms are not expiring at the conclusion of the next annual meeting. 

3. The committee ensures that there is at least one nominee for vice chair and that the number of nominees for the steering committee is not less than the number of positions to be filled.

4. Elections shall be conducted online with the assistance of the SAA staff and in accordance with guidelines for section elections as specified in Section IX. Sections of the SAA Governance Manual. Availability of the online ballot and deadline for voting shall be announced by the Chair to all section members via the section’s official email discussion list and website.

5.  The committee publishes an electronic ballot at least four weeks before SAA’s annual conference. The ballot will include a provision for write-in candidates.  Members may request a mail-in ballot from the committee in place of an electronic ballot.  The committee will announce a deadline for receipt of electronic or mail-in ballots.

7.  Winners are determined by the majority of votes cast by the deadline. The committee determines results and announces the results at the annual Section meeting.  If an election results in a tie, the committee conducts a runoff election at the annual Section meeting. 

8.  Elected officers and steering committee members assume office at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Section. 

VI. Meetings

1. The Manuscript Repositories Section meets once a year at the annual SAA meeting at the time and place scheduled by the SAA executive office. A steering committee meeting is usually held immediately after the Section meeting.

2.  Additional meetings of the entire membership or the steering committee may be scheduled by the chair if needed to carry out the business of the Section.

3. For the section meeting, the vice-chair takes minutes; for the steering committee meeting, the past chair takes minutes. Minutes are made available to the Section within six weeks of the annual meeting.

VII. Amendments

1.  Any member of the Manuscript Repositories Section may propose amendments to these standing rules. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the chair.

2.  The chair will distribute proposed amendments to the membership through one of the Section newsletters. Amendments will appear on the electronic ballot that the committee publishes at least four weeks before SAA's annual conference. As with the election of officers, members may request a mail-in ballot from the committee in place of an electronic ballot. The deadline for receipt of electronic or mail-in ballots will be one week before the first day of SAA's annual conference. Only members of the Manuscript Repositories Section may vote. 

3.  To ensure alignment with SAA’s governance documents, any amendments to the section’s standing rules should be reviewed by the executive director (or her/his designee) and the section’s Council liaison by May 1, before they are put forward in a referendum for vote by the section membership. Proposed amendments to the section’s standing rules will appear on the section’s annual election ballot for a final approval by a simple majority of the section’s membership. 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.

VIII. Enactment

1.  These bylaws were revised in 2009, 2016.

Updated per the member affinity group transition approved by the Council, August 2016. 

SAA MANUSCRIPT REPOSITORIES SECTION
STEERING COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

Note: This list is by no means exhaustive; it merely highlights certain assignments that are normally given to officers in the Section.

1. Steering Committee (1st year): service on Nominating Committee; participates in Steering Committee meetings at SAA; helps set the agenda for the year; contributes to the newsletter or other activities. Is encouraged to attend SAA annual meeting. If not able to attend SAA annual meeting in person, is encouraged to attend the Steering Committee meeting during SAA virtually.

2. Steering Committee (2nd year): assists Chair and Vice Chair/Chair-elect in getting sessions of interest to Section members on the SAA program for the following year; assists in planning for the annual meeting; is in a position to contribute in other ways such as liaison work with other organizations, contributions to the newsletter, etc. Is encouraged to attend SAA annual meeting. If not able to attend SAA annual meeting in person, is encouraged to attend the Steering Committee meeting during SAA virtually.

3. Vice-Chair/Chair Elect (1-year position): normally acts as newsletter editor; works with the Chair and Steering Committee in establishing an agenda for the year; works to ensure that sessions of interest to Section members appear on the SAA program for the following year; prepares for term of service as Chair in the following year; takes minutes during the annual Section meeting. Is encouraged to attend SAA annual meeting. If not able to attend SAA annual meeting in person, is encouraged to attend the Steering Committee meeting during SAA virtually. (Candidates for this position are often drawn from the membership of the Steering Committee.)

4. Chair (1-year position): with other officers sets the Section's agenda for the year; organizes and runs the annual meeting of the Section at SAA; is the key contact person between the Section and other bodies such as the SAA Council; attends special committee meetings at SAA annual meeting; exercises overall supervision and responsibility for Section activities such as special projects, the newsletter, etc.; handles administrative matters such as writing an annual report and budget request to SAA Council, etc. Is encouraged to attend SAA annual meeting. If not able to attend SAA annual meeting in person, is encouraged to attend the Steering Committee meeting during SAA virtually.

5. Immediate Past Chair (1-year position): responsible for forwarding files and other information to current officers or to the SAA Archives as appropriate; acts as chair of the Section's Nominating Committee; is responsible for publishing electronic ballots and announcing the results of the balloting at the Section's annual meeting; assists as needed with ongoing work of the Section; takes minutes during the annual steering committee meeting. Is encouraged to attend SAA annual meeting. If not able to attend SAA annual meeting in person, is encouraged to attend the Steering Committee meeting during SAA virtually.

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Society of American Archivists

Manuscript Repositories Section

Section Leadership

Created | 29 June 2004

Last updated | 28 September 2018