Constitution
Article I. Name
Article II. Purpose
Article III. Membership
Article IV. Organization
Article V. Duties of the Officers
Article VI. Publications
Article VII. Associate Organizations
Article VIII. Amendments
Article IX. Dissolution of the Society
The Renaissance Society of America
Revised as of March 24th, 2006
San Francisco Annual Meeting
ARTICLE IV. Organization.
Section 1.
The governing body of the Society shall be an Executive Board assisted by a Council. The Executive Board shall be the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
Section 2.The Executive Board shall consist of the President, the Vice President, the Executive Director, the Treasurer, the following ex officio members: the trustees, the ACLS delegate, the ex-President in the two years succeeding his/her term of office, the editors of Renaissance Quarterly", Counselors, and the Chairs of the seven standing committees, as follows: 1. Committee on Constitution; 2. Committee on Membership; 3. Committee on Associate Organizations and International Cooperation; 4. Committee on Development; 5. Committee on Publications; 6. Committee on Electronic Media; 7. Investment Committee.
A quorum shall consist of five voting members of the Board, at least one to be the President or the Executive Director.
The Executive Board normally meets twice a year, once at the annual spring conference and once in the autumn. Other meetings may be called by the President or by a majority of the Board as needed. When a decision cannot wait for the next scheduled meeting, the Board may vote electronically on a proposal.
Proxy voting is not permitted, but a board member may cast an absentee ballot on a proposal that has been put to the board prior to a meeting. If the proposal was revised in the course of discussion at meeting, such absentee ballots will be rendered invalid.
Section 3.The Vice President shall be elected to serve for two years after which he/she shall become President, in which capacity he/she shall serve for two years and shall not succeed himself/herself.
Section 4.The Vice President of the Society shall be elected by the Council of the Society on the basis of candidates named by a Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee consists of five members and the Executive Director, who does not vote. Three of these members are to be elected by the Council and two by the Executive Board. The Council chooses its three members at the annual meeting in alternate years. Members of the Executive Board do not vote in this election. The Executive Board chooses its two members in the subsequent October meeting of the Executive Board and will designate one of them as the Chair of the Nominating Committee.
The Nominating Committee is charged with preparing a slate of three candidates for Vice President. The election will be held early in the following January by mail ballot. The ballot will include curricula vitae of about 300 words for each candidate provided by the candidates. The results of the election will be announced at the next annual meeting when the Vice President assumes office.
The Executive Director shall be elected for three years, but may be reelected.
Section 6.The Treasurer shall be elected for three years, but may be reelected.
Section 7.The editors and associate editors of Renaissance Quarterly shall be elected for three years, but may be reelected for one additional term to the same position.
Section 8.The Chairs of the seven standing committees shall be elected by the Executive Board for three years, but may be reelected for one additional term to the same chair.
Section 9.The Executive Board shall appoint to the Board 4-6 Counselors, who shall be senior scholars of distinction, to sit on the Board for a three year term; they may be reelected for one additional term to the same position.
Section 9.Vacancy in the Presidency shall be filled by the Vice President. Should vacancies occur in both offices during the year, the presidency shall be filled by election by the Executive Board until the next Council meeting. Vacancies in any other post on the Executive Board shall be filled by the President with the consent of the Executive Board until the next Council meeting.
Section 10.Vacancy in the Presidency shall be filled by the Vice President. Should vacancies occur in both offices during the year, the presidency shall be filled by election by the Executive Board until the next Council meeting. Vacancies in any other post on the Executive Board shall be filled by the President with the consent of the Executive Board until the next Council meeting.
Section 11.The Council shall meet at least once a year and shall consist of one representative from each associate organization, representatives of the disciplines representing as many specializations or disciplines, as appropriate, and the members of the Executive Board.
A. The specializations or disciplines which will be represented are the History of Art and Architecture; History of Religion; Paleography, Manuscripts, and Print; Neo-Latin; History of the Classical Tradition; Emblem Studies; Hebraica; History; History of Legal and Political Thought; History of Science and Medicine; English Literature; French Literature; Hispanic Literature; Germanic Literature; Italian Literature; Comparative Literature; Music; Performing Arts and Theater; Philosophy; Rhetoric; Humanism; and such other disciplines as the Executive Board may from time to time decide to include. Each discipline shall have one representative, with the exception that the disciplines of History of Art and Architecture, English Literature, and History shall each have three representatives.
B. The annual meeting of the Council shall be held during the annual spring meeting of the Society.
Section 12.The associate organizations shall choose their own representatives and fix terms of office. When a Discipline Representative cannot fill his/her term, the Executive Board shall call upon the person(s) who received at the last election the next highest vote to fill the vacant post.
Section 13.The representatives of disciplines shall be nominated by the Executive Board and elected for three years by a vote of the individual members of the Society. The Executive Board shall nominate, by disciplines, at least twice as many candidates as are to be elected. Representatives of disciplines may be reelected.
Section 14.Proxy voting will not be allowed at the annual meeting.
Section 15.An Investment Committee shall oversee and administer the Society's financial goals and portfolio. This committee will consist of the President, Treasurer (chair), Executive Director, Chair of Development, and two pro bono financial advisers who will serve renewable five-year terms.