By-Laws of The American Society of Irish Medieval Studies

I. Purpose

A. The American Society of Irish Medieval Studies (ASIMS) exists to encourage research and writing in Irish Medieval Studies by establishing a means of communication between scholars interested in Irish Medieval Studies (whether it be in terms of literature, history, archaeology, literature, art history, or other disciplines), and to promote Irish Medieval Studies as a legitimate and distinct course of studies in American colleges, universities and secondary schools, and to further the development and dissemination of research, teaching and scholarly and critical inquiry in Irish medieval studies. The Society also exists to create stronger relationships between Irish medievalists in the United States and Ireland.

B. The American Society of Irish Medieval Studies is an academic organization. While not a social or political action organization, the Society recognizes that there are contemporary issues that are germane to the functions and purposes of the Society, and that the Society may choose to comment on those issues.

II. Membership

A. Anyone interested in the objectives of ASIMS is invited to join the Society. ASIMS seeks as members those with an active and continuing interest in medieval Irish interdisciplinary studies, including aspects of medieval Irish history, literature, archaeology, theology, architecture, art history, the medieval Irish languages, and manuscript studies. WE seek both those who further scholarship through active research, as well as those who wish to expand their knowledge and appreciation of Irish medieval studies through participation in organization activities.

B. Members must pay the annual dues recommended by the Executive Committee and ratified by the membership.

a) During the interim period of 2005-2006, the membership fees shall be graduated as follows:

1. Full membership: $50

2. Membership for part time faculty: $30

3. Student membership: $20

4. During the interim period, the fees of scholars resident in Ireland are waived.

b) On January 1, 2007, Section B (a) will be deleted, and the Executive Committee shall determine the annual dues.

C. Members failing to pay dues for two years automatically forfeit the benefits and rights of membership at the end of that year.

D. Membership in ASIMS entitles a member to receive the Society newsletters, the Journal of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies, voting rights in the Society, and access to the Society website.

III. Officers

A. The officers of the ACIS are President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

B. Officers serve two-year terms.

C. The Vice-President automatically succeeds the President.

D. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be appointed by the elected members of the Executive Committee for terms of two years each.

E. During the interim period of 2005-6, the Society shall be governed by an Interim Directorate.

a) The Interim Directorate is composed of an Acting Director, and Acting Recording Secretary, and an Acting Treasurer.

b) The Interim Directorate will be responsible for the activities of the Society until the election of permanent officers in 2007.

c) The Interim Directorate will also be responsible for the publication of the Journal in 2005-6.

d) On January 1, 2007, the Interim Directorate will step down and section III.E shall be deleted.

IV. The Executive Committee

A. The Executive Committee is composed of

a) The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer;

b) Five elected members representing disciplines within medieval Irish studies, with one each from history, literature, archaeology, theology, and the Irish language;

c) One representative each from the United States and Ireland;

d) The immediate past President.

B. The Executive Committee is responsible for formulating ASIMS policy. Members are encouraged to suggest policies and programs to the Executive Committee. All Executive Committee decisions concerning policy must be approved by a majority of members attending the annual general meeting.

a) ASIMS fiscal policies provide for the following:

1. A standing Financial Committee chaired by the Treasurer and made up of members of the Executive Committee proposed by the President and approved by a majority of the Executive Committee that prepares and submits a budget for each fiscal year. The Committee monitors actual revenues as well as planned and actual expenditures, and reviews a mid-year fiscal report, prepared by the Treasurer, containing an account of expenditures to date, revised projections of revenue and recommendations to cover anticipated shortfalls or surpluses.

2. Authority for spending in a given fiscal year is dependent on the approval of an operating budget. The budget, submitted to the Executive Committee before the annual conference, will include proposed expenditures for each activity in the upcoming fiscal year. Anticipated revenue from dues, sales of goods or services, and interest used as the basis for the operating budget will be listed.

3. The Executive Committee will consider, modify and approve the budget by majority vote. Once approved, this budget becomes the operating budget.

4. ASIMS fiscal records will be maintained in fund-balance form, with modified accrued accounting as the standard procedure. Authorization for the Treasurer to make expenditures for any activity is based solely on the approved operating budget.

C. The Executive Committee will be responsible for organizing the annual meeting to be held at the International Conference of Medievalists at Western Michigan University.

D. The Executive Committee has the authority to appoint ad-hoc committees or persons to carry out tasks suitable to the objectives of ASIMS. It may appoint a liaison representative or representatives in Ireland.

E. The Executive Committee has the authority to appoint the editor of the ASIMS Newsletter and the Journal of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies. The disciplinary area representatives will act as the editorial board of the Journal.

F. The Executive Committee is responsible for supervising ASIMS elections.

V. Elections

A. Elections for Vice-President and the six discipline representatives on the Executive Committee are to be held every two years.

B. The President will fill vacancies that may arise on the Executive Committee between elections. Should a vacancy arise in the office of Vice-President, the member appointed will not succeed automatically to the office of President on completion of the term of office. An election for President will be held at the time of the next election for membership on the Executive Committee.

C. A committee chaired by the Vice-President, nominated by the President, and appointed by the Executive Committee will invite members to submit names from which it will select candidates for office. The committee will then send ballots to members, tabulate their votes, announce the results to the Executive Committee and the membership, and deposit the ballots in the ASIMS archives, which will be maintained by the Secretary.

VI. Meetings

A. The ASIMS will hold an annual national meeting at the International Conference of Medievalists at Western Michigan University.

B. ASIMS will propose and sponsor several sessions at ACM that are particularly concerned with Irish medieval studies.

C. The Executive Committee shall meet, either in person or virtually, before the annual meeting to prepare the agenda for the annual meeting, to discuss the budget, and to evaluate the publications of the previous year.

D. The annual meeting is the legislative body of ASIMS. At the meeting the Executive Committee reports its decisions and recommendations to the membership and seeks approval of its policies. Members may use the annual meeting as a forum to discuss issues relating to Irish medieval studies and to recommend policy to the Executive Committee and membership.

E. ASIMS encourages scholarly sessions in conjunction with the national and regional meetings of other scholarly organizations.

VII. Amendments

A. The by-laws of the ASIMS may be amended with the approval of at least sixty percent of those members voting in a mail ballot.

Faithfully Submitted to the Society by the Acting Directorate of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies, on May 9, 2005.

Thomas Finan—Acting Director
John Soderberg—Acting Treasurer
Silas Mallery—Acting Recording Secretary