Updated October 2020
Approved December 2020
Bylaws
Society of Professional Journalists,
Rio Grande Chapter
Preamble: The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Rio Grande Chapter, is a duly constituted chapter of the national Society of Professional Journalists, which is headquartered at 3909 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN. It operates as an SPJ chapter with the approval of the national SPJ. The chapter is part of Region IX of SPJ.
These bylaws supersede any previous bylaws developed by the New Mexico Professional Chapter, SPJ (the chapter was originally known as “New Mexico Professional Chapter”) as well as the Interim Bylaws of the revived New Mexico Chapter, SPJ, which bylaws were approved by the chapter’s interim board on September 26, 2009.
ARTICLE I — NAME OF THE CHAPTER
“Chapter” as used herein shall refer to the Rio Grande Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
ARTICLE II — QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 — All members of the chapter must be members in good standing of the national Society. Professional members will be assigned to the chapter by the national headquarters based on geographic boundaries established by the national Society. A member of the Society in any membership category, other than a student member, located outside a chapter’s boundaries may join the chapter by filing a membership form and complying with all chapter membership requirements and initiation fees.
Section 2 — Only members in good standing of the chapter shall be eligible to vote in chapter elections.
ARTICLE III — DUES
Section 1 — If the Board of Directors decides to charge local dues, the amount to be paid by each member of the chapter shall be fixed by the Board subject to ratification by the professional membership when the Board proposes to implement, increase or decrease the annual dues
ARTICLE IV — MEETINGS & PROGRAMS
Section 1 — “Meetings” as used herein shall mean regularly scheduled or special meetings that are publicized or announced and approved by the Board of Directors.
Section 2 — The Board of Directors shall give notice when chapter business is to be conducted at a regularly scheduled membership meeting or program at least seven days in advance via the chapter’s website or other official chapter communication.
Section 3 — At a chapter membership meeting or program, a vote of a majority of the members in good standing who are present and voting shall be sufficient to approve any measure that requires a vote, except amendments to these Bylaws.
Section 4 — At a meeting of the Board of Directors a quorum consisting of a majority of the members of that body must be present to conduct any business.
Section 5 — Any action of the Board of Directors may be rescinded by a majority vote of the members in good standing present at a meeting of the chapter membership if notice has been given in accordance with Section 2 above that the action previously taken by the Board of Directors shall be put to a vote of the membership at the meeting.
Section 6 — All membership meetings and programs of the Rio Grande Chapter shall be on the record and open to coverage by any or all communications media on an equal basis. Coverage of programs of the Rio Grande Chapter shall be encouraged in order to acquaint the profession and public at large with the issues discussed by and before the chapter membership. Individual guest speakers shall be apprised in advance that this is a chapter policy.
Section 7 — All meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to all members of the national Society, except that when action is required between regular meetings the Board of Directors may vote by electronic or other means. When the Board of Directors has taken action outside a regular meeting, that body must ratify the action by a vote at the next regular meeting. After each meeting, the Board will notify chapter members via newsletter or other communication of any votes and other notable actions taken by the Board.
Section 8 — The financial records of the chapter and minutes of all meetings shall be open for inspection to members in good standing. Requests for inspection shall be made to the custodian(s) of such records and shall be made available, if practical, at the next meeting of the membership or the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V — OFFICERS
Section 1 — The officers of the chapter shall be: President, Vice President(s), Secretary, and Treasurer.
President — The President shall be the chief executive officer and shall supervise and direct the business and affairs of the chapter. The President shall see to it that the chapter conforms to the requirements of the national Society. The President shall have the power to delegate such functions to other officers as necessary. The President shall have the power to create committees of officers, directors, members, or any combination thereof, to further the business and affairs of the chapter. The President shall perform other functions customarily associated with such a title.
Vice President, Communications: This Vice President is the officer in charge of chapter communications, which can include newsletters, website, other electronic communications, or any other appropriate tool. This Vice President may appoint members to assist with the internal communications work, including a newsletter editor
Vice President, Membership: This Vice President is in charge of membership development and may appoint other members to assist with contacts of prospective members and membership campaigns. Either Vice President may exercise the functions of the President in the absence or inability of the President, either temporarily or for the duration of the President’s term.
Secretary: The Secretary shall record the minutes of meetings of the chapter membership and the Board of Directors, be custodian of chapter records, maintain chapter membership rolls, and maintain contact with the national Society. The Secretary shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or Board, and provide all notices required by these Bylaws.
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be the principal accounting and financial officer of the chapter. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial books of account for the chapter, will have custody of all chapter funds and securities, and will make disbursements of funds in accordance with chapter policies and at the direction of the Board of Directors. The Treasurer will perform all the duties incidental to the office.
Immediate Past President — The Immediate Past President shall serve as an ex-officio officer of the chapter.
Section 2 — If the President and Vice President(s) are both unable to carry out their duties, executive power shall flow to the following officers, in order: the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Immediate Past President
Section 3 — Officers’ terms shall begin on January 1 each year, and each shall serve for one year or until their successors have been selected and qualified.
ARTICLE VI — BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1 — The Board of Directors is the decision-making body of the chapter. It shall meet at least every other month to conduct the chapter’s business, and meet at times and places it chooses, including via telephone conferencing or electronic conferencing. The Board shall be made up of the President, Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, and up to six elected at-large members of the Board of Directors. Directors shall serve one-year terms
ARTICLE VII — ELECTIONS
Section 1 — There shall be an election annually in December to elect the President, Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, and up to six at-large Board members of the Rio Grande Chapter.
Section 2 — In preparation for the annual election, by November, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee to prepare a slate of candidates for each officer and director position to be filled.
Section 3 — No later than 30 days before the start of balloting, the Nominating Committee shall forward to the President a slate of qualified candidates for President, Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, and up to six at-large Board members for consideration by the Board of Directors.
Section 4 — Upon determination that each candidate is any member, or person who agrees to become a member prior to January 1, and who is qualified to serve in the position for which s/he has been nominated, the Board of Directors shall, at least 30 days before the start of balloting, publish the candidates’ names and qualifications for office to the chapter membership via e-mail and/or the chapter’s communications, which can include newsletters, website, other electronic communications, or any other appropriate tool.
Section 5 — Any chapter member in good standing may nominate a candidate or candidates to run against the proposed slate. Nominations must be received by the chapter President no later than 14 days before balloting is to begin, and must include a statement of the candidate’s qualifications to hold the office for which s/he has been nominated. Upon verification that a candidate nominated in this way is a member of the chapter in good standing, or agrees to become a member prior to January 1, and qualified to hold the office sought, the Board of Directors shall, no later than 10 days before the Bylaws: Society of Professional Journalists, Rio Grande Chapter – Page 5 balloting begins, publish the names of candidates and their qualifications by the same method used to publish the official slate.
Section 6 — Voting by electronic means using ballots returned by electronic means shall commence during the month of December, on a date(s) determined by the Board.
Section 7 — All chapter members in good standing are eligible to vote.
Section 8 — No later than [7 days following an election], the elections committee shall count the ballots and report the results of the election to the Board of Directors, which shall publish the outcome of the election to the members.
ARTICLE VIII — FILLING UNEXPIRED TERMS
Section 1 — Vacancies among Officers, other than the President, and board members due to death, resignation or other cause shall be filled by a majority vote of the chapter officers and directors present at any meeting at which a quorum of the officers and directors is present. Officers appointed under this section shall serve until the next chapter election.
ARTICLE IX — REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Section 1 — It shall be grounds for removal from office if any officer or board member has failed to attend three regularly scheduled, consecutive meetings, or any five meetings, without an excuse approved by the President.
Section 2 — Upon recommendation of the President, and after giving at least seven days’ notice to the officer or board member, upon a vote of two-thirds of the remaining officers and directors at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, the officer or board member shall be removed from office.
ARTICLE X — AUDITS
Section 1 — At least once per year the Treasure will present all relevant financial records to a committee for review, following the regulations set by SPJ national.
ARTICLE XI — COMMITTEES
Section 1 — The President is authorized to appoint such committees as s/he deems necessary. Chairmen of the committees may be officers, directors, or regular chapter members.
ARTICLE XII — CONVENTION ATTENDANCE
Section 1 — The chapter shall be represented at either the National Convention or Regional Conference each year by at least one delegate and alternate elected by the Board of Directors from among the chapter’s members in good standing.
Section 2 — The chapter will strive to defray travel costs and registration fees for delegates who attend the Convention
ARTICLE XIII — DISBANDING THE CHAPTER
Section 1 — Upon the decision to terminate the chapter, whether by dissolution, disbandment, revocation pursuant to the national Bylaws, or otherwise, any remaining chapter funds shall be distributed to an adjoining active Society chapter then in good standing, to the Society or to the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, as directed by the chapter’s governing body, or, in the absence of action within 60 days of termination by the local governing body, by the Board of Directors of the national Society.
ARTICLE XIV — AMENDMENTS
Section 1 — Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by the Board of Directors at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors, or by chapter members in good standing. Regardless of whether the Board of Directors agrees with the proposal, it must present the proposal to the Rio Grande Chapter membership for a vote no later than the next annual election of officers. The Board of Directors must provide members the text of the proposed amendment(s) at least 60 days before the next annual election/balloting is to begin. If the Board of Directors opposes the proposed amendment(s) it may issue a statement explaining its reasons for opposition and/or alternative amendments, and circulate its report at least 30 days before the next annual election/balloting is to begin.
Section 2 — To become effective, proposed amendments must receive a 2/3 vote of the chapter members in good standing voting in accordance with procedures set out in Article VII above.
Section 3 — Amendments become effect immediately, unless otherwise specified.
Be it known that the Officers and Board members of the Rio Grande Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists, do certify that these bylaws are the by-laws of the Society of Professional Journalists, Rio Grande Chapter, approved on December 7, 2020, and amended as indicated below.
Effective Date and Signatures
Dec. 7, 2020
Karen Coates -— Vice President
Ryan Lowery — Vice President for Development
Jerry Redfern — Vice President for Communication
Megan Kamerick — Treasurer
Jessica Onsurez — Secretary
Algernon D’Ammassa
Monica Braine
Julia M. Dendinger
Michael Marcotte
April Reese
Rachel Sams
Updated on April 22, 2013 – amended rules governing officer terms. Original Date of Draft: September 26, 2009
Updated April 22, 2012
Re-drafted: November 14, 2009 to provide for two vice-presidents
Re-drafted: May 21, 2010, to change name of chapter from “SPJ–New Mexico Chapter” to “SPJ-Rio Grande Chapter” and to remove references to “interim by-laws
Updated November 19, 2010 to alter Section 8 as per board vote and update list of board members and officers.