BYLAWS

ARTICLE I: TITLE

The title of this organization shall be The Society of Tennessee Archivists.

ARTICLE II: ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

The Society of Tennessee Archivists (Society) shall be a not-for-profit organization.

ARTICLE III: OBJECTIVES

(1) To Promote the preservation, description, use, administration and accessibility of archives and manuscripts according to accepted archival principles.

(2) To Promote, according to professional standards, the education and training of archivists, manuscript curators and other interested persons.

(3) To Encourage government agencies, other institutions of all types, and individuals to assume and assure modern collection, preservation and administration of archives and manuscripts.

(4) To Promote the exchange of information among archival institutions both within and outside Tennessee.

(5) To Maintain and strengthen relations with others in allied disciplines.

(6) To Cooperate with the Society of American Archivists, the Southeastern Archivists Association, and other professional archival organizations in promoting the archival profession.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

There shall be three categories of membership: regular, associate, and institutional.

(1) Regular membership is open to those who are or have been engaged in the custody, study, teaching, or control of records, archives, or private papers or who wish to support the objectives of the Society. Regular members are eligible to hold office in the Society; to hold any appointed position in the Society; to vote for officers; to vote on all matters requiring a vote which come before the Society as a whole; to be members of constituent units of the Society; and to receive the benefits of the Society's programs and services.

(2) Associate membership is open to those who support the objectives of the Society but who are either not engaged in the custody, study, teaching, or control of records, archives, or private papers or who are students in degree-conferring programs. Associate members are eligible to hold any appointed position in the Society; to be members of constituent units of the Society; and to receive the benefits of the Society's programs and services.

ARTICLE V: DUES

Dues for each membership category shall be proposed by the Executive Committee and approved by a majority of members online via web form. Notice of any proposal dues change shall be given the membership at least four weeks prior to voting. Members with unpaid dues will be considered not in good standing and thus be unable to vote in elections until dues are paid. The current dues (adopted October 2014) are:

(1) For Regular Membership: $30.00

(3) For Associate Membership: $10.00

ARTICLE VI: PUBLICATIONS

The Society shall issue an occasional newsletter, which shall contain reports of the Society's status, reports of meetings, informational notes, and any other information of interest to the membership. A newsletter editor shall produce the newsletter and have responsibility for its distribution. A copy of the newsletter will be provided to all dues-paying members and to other persons and institutions or organizations as deemed necessary. The Society may produce other publications as found desirable.

ARTICLE VII: OFFICERS AND GOVERNANCE

The Officers of the Society shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Archivist, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, and Past President. The Vice President shall automatically become President at the conclusion of the following year's annual business meeting or in case of a vacancy in the presidency. The President shall automatically become Past President at the conclusion of the following year's annual business meeting. All other officers shall be elected for a term of three (3) years beginning at the conclusion of the annual business meeting following the election and shall be ineligible for immediate reelection to the position vacated. The Nominating Committee shall stagger terms so that members of the Executive Committee serve overlapping, non-simultaneous terms, preventing complete turnover of the Executive Committee.

All officers must be regular members in good standing of this organization.

• The President shall preside at meetings, conduct the routine business of the Society between meetings, appoint committees as needed, and represent the Society.


• The Vice-President/President-Elect shall conduct the Society's business in the absence of the President, succeed the President if necessary, during that term, and assist the President in the operation of the Society.


• The Secretary shall record the minutes of the Society's annual business meeting and Executive Committee meetings. The Secretary will coordinate with the Webmaster to publish Executive Committee minutes online once they are approved by the Executive Committee. At the completion of the term of office, said minutes will be deposited by the Society's archivist.


• The Treasurer shall collect dues, maintain the financial records, disburse funds as necessary, and prepare an annual report to be published in the newsletter prior to the annual business meeting.


• The Newsletter Editor will be responsible for the publication and distribution of the Society's newsletter at least twice a year. The Newsletter Editor will coordinate with the Webmaster to publish the newsletter online.


• The Archivist shall have custody of and responsibility for the maintenance of the permanent records of the Society and will make such records available to officers and members as necessary. All officers at the end of their tenure in office shall deposit Society records in their possession with the Archivist unless such records are necessary to their successor in office.


• The Webmaster shall be responsible for the design and maintenance of the Society's website.


• The Past President shall represent the Society in the Southeastern Archives Association (SEAA) by corresponding with other SEAA members and communicating SEAA news to the Society.

In the event an officer is unable to complete their term of office, the Executive Committee shall appoint an interim officer to fill out the remainder of said position for that term. If an officer cannot complete their term within sixty (60) days or less prior to the annual meeting, the Executive Committee will accept responsibility for the duties of that office.

The Society shall have an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of the Society.

A Nominating Committee of at least three members appointed by the President shall propose a slate of officers. The President must solicit appointees for the Nominating Committee from the Society's eligible membership online via web form. The web form shall be open one month. The Committee shall consist of a chairperson and at least three members, each representing one of the state's three grand divisions: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee. Nominees for officers should be selected from each of the state's three grand divisions whenever possible. The membership shall be notified of the nominees for office at least four weeks prior to the election. Members of the committee will be responsible for the election process and vote tabulation.

A Membership Committee shall be appointed by the President to promote and coordinate the Society's member recruitment activities. The President must solicit appointees for the Membership Committee from the Society's eligible membership online via web form. The web form shall be open one month. The committee shall consist of a chairperson and at least three members, each representing one of the state's three grand divisions: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee.

An Awards Committee, consisting of the Society's three immediate past Presidents, shall, when deemed appropriate by the Committee, select an archives, manuscript or records repository in Tennessee deserving of honor and recognition by the Society for its efforts to support and advance the objectives of Society.

An Education Committee consisting of two or more members may be appointed by the President to organize an online professional development event in the Spring. The President must solicit appointees for the Education Committee from the Society's eligible membership online via web form. The web form shall be open one month. The committee shall consist of a chairperson and at least three members, each representing one of the state's three grand divisions: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee.

An Arrangements Committee shall be appointed by the President to organize the Society's Annual Meeting. The President must solicit appointees for the Arrangements Committee from the Society's eligible membership online via web form. The web form shall be open one month. The Committee shall consist of the Vice President serving as chairperson and at least three members, each representing one of the state's three grand divisions: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee. The Arrangements Committee is responsible for the organization of the Society's Annual Meeting, including meeting site transactions, itineraries, speaker contacts, member notification, workshop arrangements, fee schedules, travel award, and any other business involved with the Annual Meeting of the Society. The Arrangements Committee shall conform to the stipulations of Article VIII of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS

There shall be an annual meeting held in the autumn, at which necessary business shall be transacted. Meeting sites shall rotate among locations in the three grand divisions of the State (East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee) whenever possible.

All members shall be notified of upcoming meetings at least four weeks prior to the meetings.

Twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership in good standing and eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum at the business meeting.

Decisions at meetings shall be made by a simple majority of those members present and voting.

The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the order of business at meetings.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances that make in-person Annual Meetings, including the Executive Committee or special appointed committees unsafe or substantially difficult, meetings may be conducted virtually. The Executive Committee will determine when this should occur.

ARTICLE IX: DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution of this Society, the assets and all other property of the Society shall be disposed of according to the decision and simple majority of those present and voting at the last meeting and according to proper procedures for a not-for-profit organization. The permanent records of the Society shall be given by the last Society Archivist to the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS

These articles of organization may be amended by a simple majority of those members in good standing voting online. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for dispersal to the Society membership via email. Society members will then have four weeks to submit their online vote on the amendment.

These Bylaws were approved or amended by the Membership of the Society of Tennessee Archivists at its annual meetings on the following dates:

• Approved, November 14,1997
• Amended, November 5, 1999
• Amended, November 10, 2005
• Amended, October 27, 2006
• Amended, November 9, 2007
• Amended, October 16, 2014
• Amended, November 17, 2022
• Amended, October 17, 2025