SCSMI By-Laws
Revised 6/14/2018 by a vote of the Fellows.
Article I. Organization
The name of the organization shall be the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image. The organization may at its pleasure by a vote of the membership body change its name.
Article II. Purposes
To encourage research into and theorizing about moving images in the context of the findings and theoretical constructs of cognitive science, as well as related issues in art theory, philosophy, literary theory, and perceptual and cognitive psychology. To conduct research specifically focused upon problems related to moving image media. To serve as a clearinghouse for information gained from the above activities. To provide to its members teaching materials and other educational resources for cognitive and related studies of the moving image. To hold an annual or biennial conference on matters of interest to the Society.
Article III. Membership
1. Qualification
Membership in the Society shall be open to anyone interested in the study of the various aspects of moving image media itemized above.
2. Types of Membership
SCSMI memberships are held by individuals, not organizations, and include:
(a) Fellows. Fellows are the senior members of the Society. A Fellow has been nominated by a Fellow, is an outstanding scholar with a substantial publication record in one of the fields associated with moving images, has presented a paper at an SCSMI conference or symposium, and has a strong commitment to the mission of the Society, such as involvement with the Society journal, Projections. New Fellows are selected by vote of all current Fellows.
(b) Members. Members are all of those who have joined the Society by paying membership dues. Members may eventually become Fellows.
3. Member rights
Voting rights on matters of policy are reserved for Fellows. Both Fellows and Members are entitled to attend all meetings of the Society. Members may attend meetings of the Fellows by request or by invitation.
Article IV. Dues and Budget
(1) An annual membership fee shall be assessed for full membership and for student membership in SCSMI. The membership fee includes a subscription to the journal Projections: The Journal for Movies and Mind, and is also used to meet the expenses incurred in running the Society. Fellows and board members are expected to maintain membership in SCSMI.
(2) Establishment of dues. Dues shall be established by a two-thirds vote of the Fellows.
(3) Refunds. No dues shall be refunded to any member whose membership terminates for any reason.
(4) There shall be no dividends to the members of the organization.
Article V. Board of Directors
The Organization shall be administered by a Board of Directors consisting of twelve Fellows elected to the Board, the president of SCSMI, and in addition, four ex-officio members; to whit, the Secretary/Treasurer, Membership Officer, the editor of Projections, the immediate past-president (who shall serve ex-officio for two years), and founders Joseph Anderson and Barbara Anderson who sit on the Board unless they decline to do so. Elected members of the Board serve four-year terms and are elected by a vote of the Fellows. Through rotation, each year three elected Board members are up for re-election or replacement. Ex Officio members of the Board serve in an advisory capacity and do not vote, except in the case when an ex officio member is also an elected member of the board. Board members shall not be held liable for any debts or losses that the Society may suffer or incur.
Article VI. Officers
The officers of the organization shall be as follows:
- President
- Secretary/Treasurer
- Membership Officer
(1) The President shall by virtue of his or her office preside over Board meetings and appoint all committees, temporary or permanent. He/she shall see that all books, reports, and certificates required by law are properly kept and filed. He/she shall be one of the officers who may sign the checks or drafts of the organization. He/she shall have such powers as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive of any organization.
(2) The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep the minutes and records of the organization in appropriate books. It shall be his/her duty to file any certificate required by any statute, federal or state. He/she shall have the care and custody of all monies belonging to the organization and shall be solely responsible for such moneys or securities of the organization. He/she shall be one of the officers authorized to sign checks or drafts of the organization. He/she shall render at stated periods as the Fellows determine a written account of the finances of the organization and such report shall be physically affixed to the minutes of the Fellows’ meeting.
(3) The Membership Officer shall give and serve all notices to members of this organization. He/she shall attend to all correspondence with members of the organization and present to the membership at any meetings any communication addressed to him as Membership Officer. He/she will also assist the Secretary/Treasurer in financial matters pertaining to status of members, collection of dues, and payment for services. He/she will be one of the officers who shall sign checks or drafts of the organization.
Officers shall by virtue of their office be members of the Fellows and serve on the Board. No officer shall for reason of his office be entitled to receive any salary or compensation, but nothing herein shall be construed to prevent an officer from receiving compensation from the organization for duties other than as officer.
Article VII. Meetings
Meetings of this organization shall be held annually or biennially. The President may schedule meetings of the Board at other times as the President deems advisable. The Membership Officer shall cause to be mailed to every member in good standing at his/her address as it appears in the roll book of this organization a notice telling the time and place of such meeting. The presence of not less than 50% of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct the business of this organization. Each active Fellow shall have one vote.
At any regular meeting of the Fellows, voting is by voice or ballot. When by ballot, the President shall appoint a pro tem officer to act as “Inspector of Election” to count the ballots and prepare a written tally of the vote, to be affixed to the minutes. When votes are required outside the annual or biennial meeting, officers of the organization will canvass the Fellows. Such voting may be conducted by any means allowable by law, including mail, telephone call, telegram, electronic mail, or any other means of transmission, providing that such means of voting must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that such vote was authorized by the member.
Article VIII. Committees
All committees of this organization shall be appointed by the President and their term of office shall be for a period of one year or less if sooner terminated by the action of the Board.
Article IX. Procedures
(1) Election to the Board of Directors. Each year nominations for the three open seats on the board will be solicited from the Fellows, a list of nominees compiled, and that list presented to the Fellows for a vote. The three nominees with the largest number of votes are elected to the positions on the board.
(2) Election of the President: Every four years the Board elects a President, who appoints from the fellows of the Society a Secretary/Treasurer, a Membership Director, a Webmaster, and a Journal Editor, who will in turn appoint an Editorial Board. A President is elected according to the following procedure. Six months before the expiration of the President’s term, a Nominating Committee appointed by the President solicits nominations from the Fellows. Any of the Fellows may nominate a candidate, with self-nomination permitted. The Nominating Committee reviews the nominees and prepares a slate of candidates to be submitted to the Board. The Board votes on the slate, with majority determining the outcome.
In the event that a newly elected President is also an elected board member with time remaining on his or her board seat, then the President must vacate his or her seat at the beginning of the President’s term. The vacated seat will be filled according to the procedure for the Election to the Board of Directors, and the board member elected shall serve only for the period remaining on the vacated seat.
If for any reason the President is unable to carry out his term, the Treasurer/Secretary becomes Acting President, and must convene a special election for president to occur on or before December 15 of that year.
(3) Becoming a Fellow. To become a Fellow of the Society one must be nominated by a Fellow, must be an outstanding scholar with a substantial publication record in one of the fields associated with moving images, must have presented at an SCSMI conference or symposium, and must have a strong commitment to the mission of the Society. An appreciation for the literature of both the arts and the sciences must be demonstrated in the scholarly work. The nominating Fellow should provide to board members and other fellows a brief written introduction to the nominee, demonstrating that the nominated member meets the requirements listed above. The candidate must be approved by no fewer than nine members of the Board before the nomination is presented to the Fellowship for a vote. The candidate must then be approved by a minimum of 4/5 of the voting fellows. The fellowship will be given a period of no less than four weeks to vote on the nomination. They will be polled by e-mail, with a non-response not counting as a vote. Fellows are Fellows for life unless they submit a written resignation.
(4) Inactive Fellows. Fellows who have allowed their membership to lapse will be declared inactive. Inactive Fellows do not vote. Inactive Fellows will revert to full Fellows, with voting rights, immediately upon payment of membership dues. Inactive Fellows will continue to receive all mailings sent to Fellows unless they notify the Society that they would like to cease receiving such mailings.
(5) Elections to the Board of Directors, of Fellows, and the President (when appropriate) are to be held annually on or before 15 December. New officers and Board members assume responsibility for the office on February 1 of the following year. Those elected as Fellows assume the title immediately upon the official announcement of election results.
(6) Becoming a Member. Any individual may become a member by payment of the organization’s annual membership fee. Distinguished scholars may become members at no cost by invitation of the President of SCSMI, acting on the nomination of any Society member, and ratified by a majority vote of the Board. The term of any membership is one year (unless designated otherwise in special cases) and may be renewed annually by payment of the membership fee. Members who fail to renew before the end their term will be dropped from the rolls and lose their membership privileges but may rejoin at any time by payment of dues. Members do not have voting privileges.
Article X. Conference
Only active Members or Fellows may deliver papers or participate in other official functions at SCSMI conferences, with the exception of plenary speakers or other guests of the Society.
Article XI. Tax-Exempt
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these bylaws, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on: (a) by a corporation exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law); or (b) by a corporation’s contributions to which are deductible under Section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the Revenue Law). Notwithstanding any of the above statements of purpose and powers, this corporation shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities and exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the primary purpose of this corporation.
This corporation is organized pursuant to the State of Michigan Non-Profit Corporation Act of 1982 and does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit to the members thereof and is organized for nonprofit status.
Article XII. Changes to the Bylaws
The bylaws of the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image may be changed with the approval of 2/3 of the Board of Directors, followed by a 2/3 vote of the voting active Fellows.