ACIS Logo Bylaws

Bylaws of the American Conference for Irish Studies

(formerly the American Committee for Irish Studies)

I. Purpose

  1. The American Conference for Irish Studies (A.C.I.S.) exists to encourage research and writing in Irish Studies by establishing a means of communication between scholars interested in Irish Studies in all disciplines, and to promote Irish 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 Studies.
  2. In order to maintain the essential purpose of the organization, members involved in political or social action are not permitted to use the name of the American Conference for Irish Studies in support of their activities.

II. Membership

  1. Anyone interested in the objectives of the A.C.I.S. is invited to join the Conference. The A.C.I.S. seeks as members those with an active and continuing interest in Irish interdisciplinary studies, including aspects of Irish history, literature, the arts, sociology, anthropology, political science, the Irish language, folklore and architecture. We seek both those who further scholarship through active research, as well as those who wish to expand their knowledge and appreciation of Irish Studies through participation in organizational activities.
  2. Members must pay the annual dues recommended by the Executive Committee and ratified by the membership.
  3. Members failing to pay dues for one year automatically forfeit the benefits and rights of membership at the end of that year.
  4. Membership in the A.C.I.S. entitles a member to membership in all regional branches of A.C.I.S. For the purpose of determining regional representation on the Executive Committee under Section IV. A (c), members may identify one primary regional membership when paying the annual dues.

III. Officers

The officers of the A.C.I.S. are President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

  1. Officers serve two-year terms.
  2. The Vice-President automatically succeeds the President.
  3. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be appointed by the elected members of the Executive Committee for terms of two years each.

IV. The Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee is composed of
    1. President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer;
    2. Six elected members representing disciplines within Irish Studies, with one each from history, literature, the arts, social science, the Irish language, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies;
    3. One representative each from regional branches with one hundred or more primary members;
    4. Immediate Past President;
    5. A graduate student representative.
  2. The Executive Committee is responsible for formulating A.C.I.S. 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.C.I.S. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. The Executive Committee will consider, modify and approve the budget by majority vote. Once approved, this budget becomes the operating budget.
    5. A.C.I.S. 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.
  3. The Executive Committee is responsible for arranging the dates and locations for the annual national meetings of the A.C.I.S.
  4. The Executive Committee has the authority to appoint committees or persons to carry out tasks suitable to the objectives of the A.C.I.S. It may appoint a liaison representative or representatives in Ireland.
  5. The Executive Committee has the authority to appoint the editor of the A.C.I.S. Newsletter and other editors of publications sponsored by the A.C.I.S.
  6. The Executive Committee is responsible for supervising AC.I.S. elections.
  7. The Executive Committee has the authority to recognize regional branches of the A.C.I.S.

V. Elections

  1. Elections for Vice-President and the six discipline representatives on the Executive Committee are to be held every two years.
  2. The President will fill vacancies which 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.
  3. 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 A.C.I.S. archives.

VI. Meetings

  1. The A.C.I.S. will hold an annual national meeting.
  2. The annual national meeting provides scholars in Irish Studies with opportunities to present research papers in their special fields of interest and to discuss interdisciplinary approaches to and problems connected with Irish Studies.
  3. The national meeting is the occasion for the annual meeting of the Executive Committee.
  4. The national meeting is the legislative body of the A.C.I.S. At the business session the Executive Committee reports its decisions and recommendations to the membership and seeks approval of its policies. Members may use the business session as a forum to discuss issues relating to Irish Studies and to recommend policy to the Executive Committee and membership.
  5. The A.C.I.S. encourages scholarly sessions in conjunction with the national and regional meetings of other scholarly organizations.
  6. Regional branches of the A.C.I.S. may hold regional meetings. The Executive Committee may authorize meetings in regions without authorized branches.

VII. Amendments

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