Mississippi Communication Association
Constitution and By-Laws
Proposed for Adoption, February 17, 2023
Article I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the Mississippi Communication Association (MCA).
Article II – Purpose
The Mississippi Communication Association is a scholarly, not-for-profit organization that promotes the study, criticism, research, teaching, and appreciation of the artistic, humanistic, and scientific principles of communication. The association also seeks to create a sense of unity among high school, community college, and university communication departments in the State of Mississippi.
Article III – Membership
Section 1 – Regular Membership
Membership shall be available to any person interested in the purpose of the association upon payment of annual Regular Membership dues. Regular members shall be eligible to vote, shall be eligible to hold office, and shall exercise the other privileges currently accruing to regular members.
Section 2 – Student Membership
Student Membership shall be available to any graduate or undergraduate student interested in the purpose of the association upon payment of annual Student Membership dues.
Section 3 – Life Membership
Life Membership shall be available to any person interested in the purpose of the association upon payment of Life Membership dues. This sum shall be deposited in the association’s savings account. Life Membership carries all the privileges of Regular Membership.
Section 4 – Honorary Life Membership
Honorary Life Membership may be granted to any member who is deemed to have made outstanding contributions to the association. Nominees for Honorary Life Membership must be submitted, along with a written rationale for the nomination, to the Executive Council no later than January 1 prior to the annual conference. The Executive Committee shall determine by majority vote whether or not to forward to membership at the annual conference any nominations for Honorary Life Membership. A majority vote of members present at the annual conference is required for the granting of Honorary Life Membership. Honorary Life Membership carries all the privileges of Regular Membership but without the payment of annual dues.
Section 5 – Membership Term and Dues
The membership term shall begin January 1 and shall consist of the calendar year. Annual dues will be set by the Executive Council no later than October 1 of the preceding year.
Article IV – Officers and Committees
Section 1 – Officers
The officers of MCA shall constitute the Executive Committee. Members shall be President (Executive Committee chair), First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Media Coordinator, and Historian. The duties of each officer are defined in the by-laws. All members of the Executive Committee shall be Regular Members of the association throughout the tenure of their service in office or shall be Life Members.
The President shall ensure that the Executive Committee meets at least three times during the calendar year, either in person or online, once within 60 days of the completion of the annual conference, once between July 1 and September 1, and once no later than 30 days prior to the annual conference.
Section 2 – Election of Officers
Any member may submit nominations for any position up for election by contacting via email the Chair of the Nominating Committee no later than January 1 prior to the annual conference. After securing the consent of each individual nominated, the Nominating Committee shall submit to the Executive Committee no later than February 1 prior to the annual conference a slate of nominees for offices open to election and re-election.
Officers shall be elected in the business meeting of each the annual conference. In the event no conference is held, election will be held by e-mail ballot of a majority of then-current eligible voting members. The Executive Director shall prepare a paper ballot with the name, title, and institution represented of each nominee and make sufficient copies for conference attendees to vote by secret ballot. The Executive Director and Chair of the Nominating Committee shall oversee the tallying of ballots and report the results to membership at the end of the annual business meeting.
Section 3 – Tenure of Officers
The terms of office of the President, First Vice President, and Second Vice President shall be one year. The First Vice President shall succeed to the office of the President upon the expiration of the President’s term of office. The Second Vice President shall succeed to the office of First Vice President at the expiration of the First Vice President’s term of office.
The Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Media Coordinator, and Historian shall each serve for a period of four years. In the event that the Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Media Coordinator, or Historian resigns or is prevented from executing the duties of the office, the President shall notify the Nominating Committee which shall open the office up for election at the next annual conference.
Each officer’s service year begins at the close of the annual conference. Each outgoing officer shall assist the incoming officer in their transition and initial duties as requested.
Section 4 – Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall be a standing committee consisting of the immediate past President and two other regular members appointed by the President and approved by majority vote of the Executive Committee. All members of the Nominating Committee shall serve one-year terms beginning at the end of the annual conference. The immediate past President shall serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee. Members of the Nominating Committee shall not be eligible to stand for election to any office for which the current Nominating Committee is overseeing election.
Section 5 – Ad Hoc Committees
Ad Hoc committees may be created, and their purposes and length determined, as deemed necessary by majority vote of the Executive Committee. These committees may operate and make recommendations to the Executive Committee on terms determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 6 – Interest Groups
The President shall, with prior consultation of the Executive Committee, be empowered to create, at the annual conference of his or her term, Interest Groups and to select a Chair of each new Interest Group who will serve for one year after the group’s creation. Membership in Interest Groups shall be open to any current association member, and time shall be given for Interest Group meetings at each annual conference. Members of each Interest Group shall determine by majority vote of members present at each annual convention the Chair of the Interest Group in each subsequent year after the initial year. Interest Groups may continue group meetings and activities indefinitely or may vote by a two-thirds majority of members present at any annual convention to dissolve the Interest Group.
Article V – Amendments
Section 1 – Initiation of Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution and/or Bylaws may be initiated by any member of the Executive Committee or by members of the association by written submission to the Executive Committee. Proposed amendments must be received via email by January 1 to be considered at that year’s annual conference.
Section 2 – Approval of Amendments
The Executive Committee shall vote on proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws with a majority of officers needed for passage. Upon passage, the Executive Committee shall put forward proposed amendments for discussion and a vote by paper ballot at the next annual conference. Proposed amendments must be approved by a majority of voting members at the same annual conference to be added to the Constitution and By-Laws. In the event that an annual conference is not held in person, voting on proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be electronically. Amendments shall take effect immediately following adoption by members.
The name of this organization shall be the Mississippi Communication Association (MCA).
Article II – Purpose
The Mississippi Communication Association is a scholarly, not-for-profit organization that promotes the study, criticism, research, teaching, and appreciation of the artistic, humanistic, and scientific principles of communication. The association also seeks to create a sense of unity among high school, community college, and university communication departments in the State of Mississippi.
Article III – Membership
Section 1 – Regular Membership
Membership shall be available to any person interested in the purpose of the association upon payment of annual Regular Membership dues. Regular members shall be eligible to vote, shall be eligible to hold office, and shall exercise the other privileges currently accruing to regular members.
Section 2 – Student Membership
Student Membership shall be available to any graduate or undergraduate student interested in the purpose of the association upon payment of annual Student Membership dues.
Section 3 – Life Membership
Life Membership shall be available to any person interested in the purpose of the association upon payment of Life Membership dues. This sum shall be deposited in the association’s savings account. Life Membership carries all the privileges of Regular Membership.
Section 4 – Honorary Life Membership
Honorary Life Membership may be granted to any member who is deemed to have made outstanding contributions to the association. Nominees for Honorary Life Membership must be submitted, along with a written rationale for the nomination, to the Executive Council no later than January 1 prior to the annual conference. The Executive Committee shall determine by majority vote whether or not to forward to membership at the annual conference any nominations for Honorary Life Membership. A majority vote of members present at the annual conference is required for the granting of Honorary Life Membership. Honorary Life Membership carries all the privileges of Regular Membership but without the payment of annual dues.
Section 5 – Membership Term and Dues
The membership term shall begin January 1 and shall consist of the calendar year. Annual dues will be set by the Executive Council no later than October 1 of the preceding year.
Article IV – Officers and Committees
Section 1 – Officers
The officers of MCA shall constitute the Executive Committee. Members shall be President (Executive Committee chair), First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Media Coordinator, and Historian. The duties of each officer are defined in the by-laws. All members of the Executive Committee shall be Regular Members of the association throughout the tenure of their service in office or shall be Life Members.
The President shall ensure that the Executive Committee meets at least three times during the calendar year, either in person or online, once within 60 days of the completion of the annual conference, once between July 1 and September 1, and once no later than 30 days prior to the annual conference.
Section 2 – Election of Officers
Any member may submit nominations for any position up for election by contacting via email the Chair of the Nominating Committee no later than January 1 prior to the annual conference. After securing the consent of each individual nominated, the Nominating Committee shall submit to the Executive Committee no later than February 1 prior to the annual conference a slate of nominees for offices open to election and re-election.
Officers shall be elected in the business meeting of each the annual conference. In the event no conference is held, election will be held by e-mail ballot of a majority of then-current eligible voting members. The Executive Director shall prepare a paper ballot with the name, title, and institution represented of each nominee and make sufficient copies for conference attendees to vote by secret ballot. The Executive Director and Chair of the Nominating Committee shall oversee the tallying of ballots and report the results to membership at the end of the annual business meeting.
Section 3 – Tenure of Officers
The terms of office of the President, First Vice President, and Second Vice President shall be one year. The First Vice President shall succeed to the office of the President upon the expiration of the President’s term of office. The Second Vice President shall succeed to the office of First Vice President at the expiration of the First Vice President’s term of office.
The Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Media Coordinator, and Historian shall each serve for a period of four years. In the event that the Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Media Coordinator, or Historian resigns or is prevented from executing the duties of the office, the President shall notify the Nominating Committee which shall open the office up for election at the next annual conference.
Each officer’s service year begins at the close of the annual conference. Each outgoing officer shall assist the incoming officer in their transition and initial duties as requested.
Section 4 – Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall be a standing committee consisting of the immediate past President and two other regular members appointed by the President and approved by majority vote of the Executive Committee. All members of the Nominating Committee shall serve one-year terms beginning at the end of the annual conference. The immediate past President shall serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee. Members of the Nominating Committee shall not be eligible to stand for election to any office for which the current Nominating Committee is overseeing election.
Section 5 – Ad Hoc Committees
Ad Hoc committees may be created, and their purposes and length determined, as deemed necessary by majority vote of the Executive Committee. These committees may operate and make recommendations to the Executive Committee on terms determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 6 – Interest Groups
The President shall, with prior consultation of the Executive Committee, be empowered to create, at the annual conference of his or her term, Interest Groups and to select a Chair of each new Interest Group who will serve for one year after the group’s creation. Membership in Interest Groups shall be open to any current association member, and time shall be given for Interest Group meetings at each annual conference. Members of each Interest Group shall determine by majority vote of members present at each annual convention the Chair of the Interest Group in each subsequent year after the initial year. Interest Groups may continue group meetings and activities indefinitely or may vote by a two-thirds majority of members present at any annual convention to dissolve the Interest Group.
Article V – Amendments
Section 1 – Initiation of Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution and/or Bylaws may be initiated by any member of the Executive Committee or by members of the association by written submission to the Executive Committee. Proposed amendments must be received via email by January 1 to be considered at that year’s annual conference.
Section 2 – Approval of Amendments
The Executive Committee shall vote on proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws with a majority of officers needed for passage. Upon passage, the Executive Committee shall put forward proposed amendments for discussion and a vote by paper ballot at the next annual conference. Proposed amendments must be approved by a majority of voting members at the same annual conference to be added to the Constitution and By-Laws. In the event that an annual conference is not held in person, voting on proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be electronically. Amendments shall take effect immediately following adoption by members.
By-Laws of the Mississippi Communication Association
Article I – Duties of Officers
Section 1 – President
The President shall:
Section 2 – First Vice-President
The First Vice-President shall:
Section 3 – Second Vice-President
The Second Vice-President shall:
Section 4 – Secretary-Treasurer
The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
Section 5 – Historian
The Historian shall:
Section 6 – Media Coordinator
The Media Coordinator shall:
Section 7 – Executive Director
The Executive Director shall:
Article II – Annual Conference
Section 1 – Conference Requirements
The Association shall hold an annual conference at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Committee. In addition to instructional and research sessions, a business meeting of all members shall be held at each conference. Additional meetings may be called by the Executive Committee if needed.
Section 2 – Conference Location
The Executive Committee shall solicit proposals from institutions wishing to host the annual conference. Proposals must be submitted in writing to the Executive Director no later than January 1 for the following year’s conference. (Ex: Proposals for the 2025 conference must be submitted by January 1, 2024.) All proposals must include:
Incomplete proposals will not be considered. The Executive Committee will consider each proposal and decide the host by majority vote. The next year’s conference host will be announced at the business meeting of the annual conference.
Section 3 – Conference Fees and Expenses
Annual conference registration fees will be set by majority vote of the Executive Committee no later than October 1 for the next year’s conference. Fees will be promoted, along with other conference details, promptly to membership by the Media Coordinator. The Executive Committee shall approve my majority vote all expenses for the annual conference.
Section 1 – President
The President shall:
- schedule and preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee
- preside over the business meeting at the annual conference
- appoint ad hoc committee members or create ad hoc committees as needed and approved by majority vote of the Executive Committee
- implement the work of the Executive Committee and ad hoc committees
- actively promote the purposes and work of the association.
Section 2 – First Vice-President
The First Vice-President shall:
- plan and coordinate the annual conference, including distributing the call for papers.
- coordinate with the conference host site representative and Executive Director regarding all event logistics.
- recruit assistance as needed for the annual conference, including assistance from the Media Coordinator in conference promotion.
- actively promote the purposes and work of the association.
- shall assume the full duties of the President when the latter officer is prevented from fulfilling them by reason of absence, illness, or death.
Section 3 – Second Vice-President
The Second Vice-President shall:
- assist the Vice-President in the planning and coordination of the annual conference.
- actively promote the purposes and work of the association.
Section 4 – Secretary-Treasurer
The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
- maintain an up-to-date database of association members and make that database available to the Executive Committee upon request.
- coordinate registration at the annual conference.
- keep detailed records of the annual conference including a record of conference attendance and minutes of all business meetings which shall be posted on the association web site no later than 30 days after the conclusion of each year’s conference.
- maintain all financial accounts and documents, receive and disperse funds, issue receipts, and submit a financial report to membership the annual conference business meeting and to the Executive Committee at its meetings.
- be empowered to require of the Executive Committee, any Executive Committee member, and committee, or any committee chair an audit of any funds spent or collected during the committee’s tenure or officer’s term.
- actively promote the purposes and work of the association.
Section 5 – Historian
The Historian shall:
- maintain an electronic file of photos, annual conference programs, speaker biographies, a record of changes within the organization, annual membership lists and any other pertinent information to the history of the organization.
- create a record of each annual conference through the creation of photographs, video, and other digital records.
- work with the Media Coordinator to make historical records available to members and other constituencies.
- actively promote the purposes and work of the association.
Section 6 – Media Coordinator
The Media Coordinator shall:
- maintain the association website and all association social media accounts which shall be professional in appearance, free of any inappropriate language or content.
- make timely and frequent posts on social media and engage with members and other constituencies on each platform.
- work with the Secretary-Treasurer to place payment functions for membership dues and conference registration on the website.
- actively promote the purposes and work of the association.
Section 7 – Executive Director
The Executive Director shall:
- support the Executive Committee with council and guidance.
- lead the process of selecting the site of the annual conference as described in Article II.
- assist the First Vice-President and Second Vice-President in their efforts to coordinate and promote the annual conference.
- work with the First Vice-President and Second Vice-President to secure sponsorships for the association and annual conference.
- actively promote the purposes and work of the association.
Article II – Annual Conference
Section 1 – Conference Requirements
The Association shall hold an annual conference at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Committee. In addition to instructional and research sessions, a business meeting of all members shall be held at each conference. Additional meetings may be called by the Executive Committee if needed.
Section 2 – Conference Location
The Executive Committee shall solicit proposals from institutions wishing to host the annual conference. Proposals must be submitted in writing to the Executive Director no later than January 1 for the following year’s conference. (Ex: Proposals for the 2025 conference must be submitted by January 1, 2024.) All proposals must include:
- the name of one and only one individual who will serve as the host representative to the Executive Committee for all purposes in planning and coordinating all host responsibilities of the conference.
- a written description and photographs of facilities, meeting spaces, and accommodations.
- options for breakfast, lunch, and break snacks, including costs.
- descriptions of parking areas and access to buildings.
- a list of hotels or other overnight accommodations within a 30-mile radius.
- an all-inclusive cost to the association.
- a letter from the institution’s president or provost supporting the institution’s willingness to host the conference.
Incomplete proposals will not be considered. The Executive Committee will consider each proposal and decide the host by majority vote. The next year’s conference host will be announced at the business meeting of the annual conference.
Section 3 – Conference Fees and Expenses
Annual conference registration fees will be set by majority vote of the Executive Committee no later than October 1 for the next year’s conference. Fees will be promoted, along with other conference details, promptly to membership by the Media Coordinator. The Executive Committee shall approve my majority vote all expenses for the annual conference.