BYLAWS OF THE SOCIETY OF GEORGIA ARCHIVISTS

1. NAME

The name of the organization shall be the Society of Georgia Archivists, hereafter referred to as SGA.

2. PURPOSE

SGA provides an effective means of communication and cooperation among all individuals interested in the field of

archives in the state of Georgia; promotes the preservation and use of the manuscript and archival resources of the

state; increases the knowledge of archival theories and practices; and cooperates with professionals in related

disciplines.

As its mission, SGA fosters and supports the archival community by advocating for professionals, collections, and

repositories; encouraging diversity in the field; promoting education and professional development; and advancing

scholarly research and innovation through the publication of Provenance.

3. MEMBERSHIP

Individual Members: Individual memberships shall be open to any person who has paid all current dues assessed

by the organization. Any changes in the dues for individual memberships shall be proposed by the Board of Directors

(hereafter Board.) The proposed changes shall be ratified by a majority of the organization’s members casting a vote,

regardless of individual member type of those voting. Notice of changes in the rates of individual dues shall be

mailed or emailed to members at least thirty (30) days before the vote.

The schedule for the payment of dues to the organization shall be twelve months based on the join date.

4. OFFICERS

All officers--elected and appointed--are required to fulfill the following duties unless otherwise stated in the Bylaws:

attend all quarterly Board meetings and the Annual Business Meeting; submit quarterly reports on position activities

to the Board electronically prior to meetings and also present the reports verbally at said meetings; submit an annual

summary report to the Board, to be presented and/or distributed at the annual meeting as requested; and transfer all

non-current records as listed in the organization's records retention schedule to the archivist at the end of their terms;

officers must be a SGA member in good standing to hold either elected or appointed office. Each report should

include position title and individual name, goals, and summary of work accomplished with particular attention paid to

Strategic Plan priorities and goals. New officers shall assume their duties on January 1 of the year following their

election or appointment, as applicable. Specific officer duties are outlined in the organization’s Administrative

Handbook.

Any member of the Board may be removed, either for or without cause, by the Board whenever in the judgment of the

Board the best interests of the organization will be served. Removal shall occur only upon a two-thirds vote of the

Board members then in office, exclusive of the person being considered for removal, and only after that person has

been given an opportunity to be heard at a meeting of the Board.

Elected Officers: The elected officers of the organization shall be president, vice president, at large member,

treasurer, and archivist, as well as program chair and local arrangements chair for the annual meeting. The elected

officer can resign with a notice of thirty (30) days given by the terminating party.

President: The president shall serve as presiding officer of the organization and conduct the business

of the organization with the approval of the Board. The president shall notify Board members of

meetings at least five days in advance. The president's term shall last for one year. The president shall

become the past president/Nominating Committee chair when their term expires.

Vice President: The vice president shall preside over Board meetings if the president is absent or

incapacitated and assume the role of president should the current president resign from office. The

vice president shall chair the Membership Committee. The vice president's term shall last for one year.

The vice president shall become the president when their term expires.

Past President: The past president shall serve as an advisor to the president. The past president

shall chair the Nominating Committee and will serve as the organization’s representative to the

Regional Archival Associations Consortium. The past president's term shall last for one year.

Treasurer: The treasurer will share custody of all funds belonging to the organization in conjunction

with the administrative assistant who will disburse them in accordance with the annual budget or upon

the expressed authority of the Board. The treasurer will review all financial transactions done by the

administrative assistant, present current budget reports at each meeting of the Board and at the

Annual Business Meeting, and create and submit to the Board a final budget report at the end of the

calendar year. Following the last quarterly board meeting of the year, the treasurer shall put out a call

to the Board for budget proposals for the following year. These proposals shall be gathered and

compiled by the treasurer before the end of the current year. These proposals shall be created by

outgoing officers and discussed with incoming officers. Incoming officers shall review the proposed

budget in January of the following year and shall make adjustments to the budget as necessary prior

to its approval. The proposed budget shall be circulated to the Board prior to the first Board meeting of

the year and shall be voted on for approval at the meeting or shortly thereafter via a vote by email as

necessary. The treasurer's term shall last for two years. The person elected to this position shall serve

as assistant treasurer during the first year and treasurer during the second year. The election for the

office of treasurer shall take place annually.

Archivist: The archivist shall collect, arrange, and describe the archival records of the organization

and assist officers in accessing the organization's archives. The archivist shall also be responsible for

development and maintenance of the organization’s records retention schedule. The archivist's term

shall last for two years. The election for the office of archivist shall take place biyearly.

Program Chair, Annual Meeting: The program chair takes responsibility for the content of the Annual

Meeting program and shall perform duties as requested by the Board or president. This appointment

shall last two years and it is a staggered appointment. The person elected shall serve as assistant

chair in the first year and work with the program chair. At the end of the first year of said appointment,

the assistant chair shall then assume the role of chair for the second year of said appointment.

Attendance at meetings and creation of reports are not required of the person serving in the assistant

chair role. The program chair shall work with the local arrangements chair to coordinate the Annual

Meeting.

Local Arrangements Chair, Annual Meeting: The local arrangements chair takes responsibility for

the local arrangements of the Annual Meeting and shall perform duties as requested by the Board or

president. This appointment shall last two years and it is a staggered appointment. The person elected

shall serve as assistant chair in the first year and work with the local arrangements chair. At the end of

the first year of said appointment, the assistant chair shall then assume the role of chair for the second

year of said appointment. Attendance at meetings and creation of reports are not required of the

person serving in the assistant chair role. The local arrangements chair shall work with the program

chair to coordinate the Annual Meeting and the Vendor Coordinator for space planning purposes and

financial support of the Annual Meeting.

At-Large Member: The at-large member will represent the SGA membership on the Board to support

SGA initiatives to the benefit of the membership and to assist in the coordination of advocacy and

awareness issues of the Georgia archives community.

Appointed Officers: The appointed officers of the organization shall be the Education Committee chair; Georgia

Archives Month (GAM) Committee chair; Mentoring Program coordinator; Communications Director; Outreach

Committee chair; Provenance Editor; Scholarship Committee chair; Vendor Coordinator; and website manager.

These officers shall be appointed by the Nominating Committee in consultation with applicable incumbent officers and

with the approval of the Board. The appointment can be terminated by either party with a notice of thirty (30) days

given by the terminating party.

Provenance Editor: The Provenance editor shall manage the annual publication and distribution of

the organization's journal, Provenance. The Provenance editor shall appoint an editorial staff including

a managing editor, associate editors, and a book review editor. The editor, with assistance from the

Nominating Committee and dependent on final Board approval, shall appoint members to the

Provenance editorial board. This editor’s appointment shall last a minimum of three years.

Communications Director: The Communications Director shall manage the annual publication and

distribution of the organization’s magazine along with managing various social media accounts and

the blog. This appointment shall last two years and it is a staggered appointment. The person

appointed shall serve as assistant communications director to the incumbent communications director.

At the end of the first year of said appointment, the assistant communications director shall then

assume the role of communications director for the second year of said appointment. Attendance at

meetings and creation of reports are not required of the person serving in the assistant role.

Website Manager: The website manager shall work with the administrative assistant to maintain the

organization's website. The major duties of this role are to review the website content and work with

the administrative assistant to keep all content on the website up to date and assist with any redesign

of the website or change platforms if/when necessary. This appointment shall last a minimum of two

years and it is a staggered appointment.

Education Committee Chair: The Education Committee chair shall lead the Education Committee

with regards to its goals and assigned duties. This appointment shall last two years, and it is a

staggered appointment. The person appointed shall serve as Education Committee Assistant Chair to

the incumbent Chair. At the end of the first year of said appointment, the Assistant Chair shall then

assume the role of Chair for the second year of said appointment. Attendance at meetings and

creation of reports are not required of the person serving in the Assistant role.

Scholarship Committee Chair: The Scholarship Committee chair shall lead the Scholarship

Committee in selecting the recipients of the organization's scholarships and for promoting awareness

of those scholarships. The Scholarship Chair will work with the Vendor Coordinator to solicit and raise

funds to support scholarships in which funds are needed. The chair will also work with donors and

potential donors to update scholarship language or develop new scholarship funds. The chair's term

shall last for one year.

Outreach Committee Chair: The Outreach Chair manages outreach activities to non-members, allied

GLAM organizations, and the general public. They conduct archival advocacy activities, and submit

recommendations to the president for the President's Award. They coordinate with the Georgia

Archives Month Committee Chair. The chair's term shall last for one year.

Mentoring Program Coordinator: The Mentoring Program coordinator manages the Mentoring

Program and ensures the program enhances the success of members by encouraging individual

growth, promoting thoughtful and meaningful engagement with issues, and creating a sense of

community within the profession. The coordinator facilitates mentor-mentee relationships. This

appointment shall last a minimum of two years and it is a staggered appointment. The person

appointed shall serve as assistant coordinator to the incumbent coordinator. At the end of the first year

of said appointment, the assistant coordinator shall then assume the role of coordinator for the second

year of said appointment. Attendance at meetings and creation of reports are not required of the

person serving in the assistant role.

Georgia Archives Month (GAM) Committee Chair: The Georgia Archives Month Committee Chair

shall be responsible for the planning and promoting of Georgia Archives Month. This

appointment shall last for one year.

Vendor Coordinator: The Vendor Coordinator shall be responsible for soliciting funds from vendors in

support of the Society of Georgia Archivists’ annual meeting, scholarship funds, and other funding

needs as appropriate. The person in this role is responsible for coordinating with the chairs of the

Scholarship Committee and Local Arrangements Committee. This appointment shall last a minimum of

three years up to a maximum of six years. Attendance at quarterly board meetings and reports are

required as part of the position.

Vacancies and Special Elections: If a vacancy should occur in any of the offices except president, the office may be

filled by a majority vote of the Board or the Board can hold a special election via the Nominating Committee

depending on the circumstances and timing of the vacancy. The person designated shall hold the position for the

remainder of its term. The Board may also call for a special election to fill any newly created position that addresses

specific needs as identified by the Board. The newly created position shall be described in the bylaws.

In the case of a vacancy in the presidency, the vice-president shall assume that office and hold it for the remainder of

the term and for his or her own complete term as president. The Board, at its discretion, shall appoint someone or

hold a special election via the Nominating Committee for a replacement vice-president depending on circumstances

and timing of the vacancy.

5. OTHER ELECTED POSITIONS

Nominating Committee Members: Two members shall be elected to the Nominating Committee. No currently

serving member of the Board, whether in an elected or appointed position, shall be eligible to serve as an elected

member of the Nominating Committee. New committee members shall assume their duties on January 1 of the year

following their election. The elected Nominating Committee members' terms shall last for one year. If a vacancy

should occur on the Nominating Committee, the position may be filled by a majority vote of the Board and the person

designated shall hold the position for the remainder of its term. It shall not be required that these members attend

meetings or create reports for submission to the Board.

6. OTHER APPOINTED POSITIONS

The following positions are appointed by the Provenance Editor, in consultation with the Nominating Committee, and

approved by the SGA Board. New appointees shall assume their duties on January 1 of the year following their

appointment. If a vacancy should occur in any of the positions, it may be filled by a majority vote of the Board and the

person designated shall hold the position for the remainder of its term.

Provenance Editorial Board: The Editorial Board advises and assists the Provenance Editor in the editorial

production of the journal and in establishing and implementing editorial policies and procedures for peer review of

submitted manuscripts. The editorial board also judges journal submissions for the sake of the Gracy Award, a $350

prize in recognition of a superior contribution for each issue of Provenance. Editorial Board members shall be

appointed for three-year terms; such terms are to be staggered so that one-third of the members are appointed each

year. There shall be a minimum of nine Editorial Board members. Provenance Editorial Board members are not

required to attend Board meetings.

7. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The government of the organization shall be vested in a Board composed of elected officers and appointed officers.

Board members with voting privileges include the elected offices of president, vice-president, treasurer, and archivist,

as well as program chair and local arrangements chair for the Annual Meeting and an at-large Board member

representing the SGA membership. The appointed officers shall be ex-officio members of the Board and shall not be

permitted to vote, but can contribute to discussions prior to a vote being taken. Appointed members shall also have

the ability to make and second motions requiring a vote.

The Board shall meet at least four times yearly. The Board may be convened at the call of the president or of two

members of the Board. Four Board members present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the proceedings of the organization, except as otherwise provided for

in the Bylaws.

The Board shall be responsible for the funds of the organization, including the establishment of procedures for

accounting and auditing of such funds. The fiscal year for the organization's budget shall be January 1 to December

31 each year. The Board shall prepare an annual budget as described within the duties of its treasurer. The budget

shall be posted to the SGA website and news of the resource shared with general membership following approval of

the budget. Approval by a majority of the Board is required to amend the annual budget.

8. COMMITTEES

All committees shall be composed of a chair and at least two additional members. A list of committee members shall

be presented by their respective committee chairs at the first board meeting of the year and the Board shall approve

the members via a vote. If at any time a new committee member is added to a committee, a vote shall be taken by

the Board to approve the addition. Committee members must be members of the organization--an exception being

that members of an allied organization may serve on committees in instances where SGA is partnering with other

organizations on projects or initiatives, e.g. a joint annual meeting between SGA and other archival organizations.

Committee chairs shall reserve the right to remove any committee member for repeated non-participation in

committee activities. Chairs shall notify the Board of such action when taken. A Board vote shall not be required for

the removal of committee members. All committee chairs must submit quarterly and annual reports to the Board. If

the committee is in existence for less than a year, a report is required upon its dissolution or abolishment. Each report

should include names of chair(s) and members, goals, and summary of work accomplished with particular attention

paid to Strategic Plan priorities and goals. Additional details regarding committee duties are outlined in the

organization’s Administrative Handbook.

Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall solicit and select candidates to run for elected and

appointed office, compose the ballot, analyze returns, and report election results to the Board and to the membership

at the Annual Business Meeting. All candidates shall be members of the organization. No member of the Nominating

Committee shall be a candidate for office in the elections managed by that committee.

Education Committee: The Education Committee shall be responsible for planning, conducting, and promoting

opportunities for professional development sponsored by the organization alone or in cooperation with other GLAM

organizations. The committee members' appointment shall last for one year.

Scholarship Committee: The Scholarship Committee shall be responsible for selecting the recipients of the

organization's scholarships and for promoting awareness of those scholarships. The committee shall also work with

the Vendor Coordinator on fundraising initiatives in support of scholarships. The committee members' appointment

shall last for one year.

Membership Committee: The Membership Committee shall work on programming for current members. This may

include the promotion of membership benefits and activities designed to retain members. The vice president shall

serve as chair of the committee. The committee members' appointment shall last for one year.

Georgia Archives Month: The Georgia Archives Month Committee shall be responsible for the planning and

promoting of Georgia Archives Month. The Georgia Archives Month Committee shall work with other

committees and board members, including Outreach Committee, Vendor Coordinator, and Communications

Director, when planning Georgia Archives Month. The committee members' appointment shall last for one year.

Outreach Committee: The Outreach Committee manages outreach activities to non-members, allied GLAM

organizations, and the general public. The committee conducts archival advocacy activities, and submit

recommendations to the president for the President's Award. The committee coordinates with the Georgia Archives

Month Committee. The committee members' appointment shall last for one year.

Annual Meeting Program Committee: The Annual Meeting Program Committee shall plan all aspects of the

organization's annual meeting as pertains to its content, e.g. sessions, presenters, speakers, et cetera. The

committee will work in conjunction with the Annual Meeting Local Arrangements Committee, as well as the Education

Committee, the latter of which leads planning on Annual Meeting workshops. The Program Committee chair shall

serve as chair of said committee. The committee members' appointment shall last for one year.

Annual Meeting Local Arrangements Committee: The Annual Meeting Local Arrangements Committee shall

coordinate logistics for the organization’s annual meeting as pertains to the physical meeting space, e.g. hotel

booking, catering, vendor relations, et cetera. The committee will work in conjunction with the Annual Meeting

Program Committee, the Vendor Coordinator, as well as the Education Committee, the latter of which leads planning

on Annual Meeting workshops. The Local Arrangements Committee chair shall serve as chair of said committee. The

committee members’ appointment shall last for one year.

Other Committees and Task Force groups: Committees and/or task force groups shall be created or abolished as

needed by vote of the Board. Committees shall be established when long-term needs exist, whereas task force

groups shall be created to address specific, short-term needs.

9. MEETINGS

The organization shall hold at least one meeting per year that shall constitute the Annual Business Meeting. Dates

and details of any other meetings, workshops, or similar activities shall be determined by the Board. Members

present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If an opportunity arises for SGA to sponsor or

officially support an event organized by an outside party, the SGA Board will evaluate whether the event aligns with

the organization’s mission, vision, core values, and strategic plan, and will vote on that basis about whether to

sponsor the event. If any Board Member has a known or potential conflict of interest with the event (e.g. event at

Board Member’s workplace,) they will recuse themselves from voting.

10. RECORDS

The Georgia Archives will serve as the official repository for the archives of the organization.

11. PUBLICATIONS

When sufficient funds are available, the organization shall publish electronically the annual journal Provenance, a

blog, an annual magazine, and other publications as determined by the Board. Members of the organization and

institutional subscribers shall be entitled to receive the serial publications.

12. AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS TO BYLAWS

Amendments and revisions to the Bylaws must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the voting members of the

Board and ratified by a two-thirds majority of the organization’s members casting a vote, regardless of membership

type. A copy of the Bylaws shall be made available publicly via the organization’s website.

Revised Bylaws approved by SGA membership: January 2024