CONSTITUTION

Article I: Name

The name of this Association shall be the Society for Marketing Advances (hereafter referred to in this document as “the Association”).

Article II: Purpose

Section 1.  The Association is founded to foster service, research, and education in all phases of marketing and to encourage the exchange of ideas among members with similar interests.

Section 2.  It shall endeavor to promote the growth of intellectual leadership in the field of marketing on the part of teachers, researchers, and students in universities and interested executives in business and government.

Article III: Functions

Section 1.  The Association shall provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of problems in the field of marketing and marketing education as may seem desirable and in keeping with its objectives.

Section 2.  It shall encourage and, where possible, secure the publication of worthy papers and research reports of an original nature dealing with the practice and theory of marketing and the teaching thereof.

Section 3.  It shall promote, sponsor, and conduct such original research in the field of marketing as may seem desirable and consistent with the general purposes of the Association.

Section 4.  It shall perform such activities as are required to represent marketing education effectively in academic circles.

Section 5.  It shall seek out and make available to its members information on visual, technical, or pedagogical aids for use in marketing education.

Section 6.  It shall seek to advance marketing management and marketing research as professions and shall encourage cooperation and exchange of viewpoints among scholars and leaders in business and government.

Section 7.  It shall cooperate with other societies in activities that promote the objectives of the Association.

Section 8.  It may carry on such other activities as are compatible with the objectives of the Association.

Article IV: Membership

Section 1.  Membership is open to persons actively engaged in teaching marketing or a related area in a university, college, junior college, community college, technical institute, extension school, or management training center.  Membership is open to graduate students with a major or minor in marketing in any type of schools mentioned above.

Section 2.  Membership is open to business or government executives who are supportive of the objectives of the Association.

Section 3.  The President of the Association may appoint an ad hoc committee whose responsibility it shall be to search out and name to honorary membership uniquely distinguished marketing practitioners.  The number of honorary memberships shall be limited to three or fewer per year.  Names of honorary members shall be recorded on a scroll kept for that purpose.  Such members shall be accorded all rights, privileges, and duties of full membership.  Honorary members when chosen shall be presented at the Annual Conference.

Section 4.  Procedures for application for an election to membership shall be specified in the By-Laws.

Article V: Oficers and Duties

Section 1.  The officers of the Association shall be:  President, President-Elect, Vice-President for Research and Publications, Vice-President for Member Services, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Director, Vice-President for Development, and Vice-President for Electronic Media.  These officers constitute the Executive Committee of the Association.  All are voting members of the Executive Committee except for the Executive Director and the Vice-President for Electronic Media. 

Section 2.  The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association, but may delegate this responsibility to the President-Elect or to another voting member of the Executive committee at his/her discretion.  The President shall have whatever authority may be required for management of the affairs of the Association during the interim between Annual Conferences, except that he/she may not encroach on any specific grants of authority made hereafter by this Constitution to officers or committees.  He/she shall conduct the annual election of officers including the tabulation of ballots.  He/she shall present a report of the status and progress of the Association at the business meeting at the Annual Conference.  The President shall, in consultation with standing committee chairpersons, make committee assignments.

Section 3.  The President-Elect shall at the President’s request act for him/her in his/her absence or disability.  The President-Elect shall be responsible for the program for the Annual Conference and may have other duties assigned him/her by the President or by this Constitution hereafter.

Section 4.  The Vice-President for Research and Publications shall be responsible for sponsoring an active research and publication program to include selection of an editor or editors for the annual proceedings, contracting for the production of the proceedings, and updating necessary indices and officers manuals.

Section 5.  The Vice-President for Member Services shall be responsible for conducting membership solicitation activities for the Association.  His/her efforts shall be directed to all sectors wherein potential members exist.  In addition, the Vice-President for Member Services shall, under the direction of the President-Elect/Program Chair, coordinate logistical support of members’ presentations at the Annual Conference, including presentation room set-up, signage, and equipment.  In addition, procurement of all plaques and other similar recognition devices shall be the responsibility of the Vice-President for Member Services.

Section 6.  The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all business meetings of the Association and all records except those of a financial nature.  He/she shall perform such other duties as may properly be assigned to a secretary of a learned society, as specified by the By-Laws.

Section 7.  The Treasurer shall be responsible for the funds of the Association.  The Treasurer shall maintain an official membership list, prepare a budget, issue checks, collect dues and other receipts, keep complete and accurate books of account showing all receipts and disbursements, and perform such other duties as may pertain to his/her office.  The Treasurer of the Association shall be bonded in sufficient and adequate amount for the protection of the Association.

Section 8.  The Executive Director shall be responsible for maintaining the inventory of the Association’s annual proceedings, a record of all standing orders for the proceedings, and systems and records that are essential for efficient membership drives and proceedings promotions.  The Executive Director shall serve as an information clearinghouse for members and non-members.  He/she shall assist the President and President-Elect in the performance of duties that are essential to sustain a learned society.  The Executive Director shall work under the direction of the Executive Committee of the Association to secure hotels and exhibitors for the Annual Conference.

Section 9.  The Vice-President for Development shall be responsible for coordinating external fund raising activities for the Association and managing the relationships with the Association’s external constituencies.  He/she shall work closely with the President in executing these duties.

Section 10.  The Vice-President for Electronic Media shall serve as web master for the SMA web site, and shall also provide technical and strategic assistance to the Association as requested by the President and President-Elect.  The Vice-President for Electronic Media shall be responsible for sending electronic correspondence (email, list serve) as directed by the President and President-Elect.

Article VI: Election and Tenure

Section 1.  Except for the appointed positions of Executive Director and Vice-President for Electronic Media, the officers of the Association shall be nominated by a Nominating Committee appointed by the President, comprised of Past Presidents of the Association.  This Committee shall prepare a slate of officers with two nominees per contested office.  It shall also list on the ballot the names of members nominated by a petition signed by not fewer than ten members of the Association.

Section 2.  The offices of Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice-President for Development shall be for a term of two calendar years each.  The offices of Secretary and Treasurer shall come up for election on opposite years such that neither of these offices is being vacated at the same time.  The offices of President, President-Elect, Vice-President for Member Services, and Vice-President for Research and Publications shall be for a term of one calendar year each.  The offices of Executive Director and Vice-President for Electronic Media are each appointed for a term of three calendar years by vote of the Executive Committee voting members, and may be reappointed in the same manner to additional three-year terms.  For all offices, terms begin and end at the close of the business meeting at the Annual Conference.

Section 3.  In order to run for the office of President-Elect of the Association, a person must have served either (a) a complete term in any two-year elective office plus a complete term in any one-year elective office, or (b) complete terms in any two two-year elective offices.

Section 4.  The officers of the Association shall be elected to office for their associated terms of service by mail ballot at least one month in advance of the Annual Conference.  A majority of the ballots returned shall be sufficient to elect.  The results of the election shall be announced at the business meeting at the Annual Conference, and at the close of the business meeting the new officers shall take office.

Section 5.  If, for any reason, an officer is unable to complete his/her term of office, the President shall have the authority, after consultation with other voting members of the Executive Committee, to appoint another member of the Association to the vacated office to complete the time remaining in the original term.

Article VII: Amendments

Section 1.  This Constitution may be amended either through the mail or at the business meeting at the Annual Conference.  When the vote is conducted through the mail, successful amendment requires a two-thirds vote of the members voting, but not less than a 25 percent favorable vote by all members of the Association in good standing.  When the vote is conducted at the business meeting at the Annual Conference, successful amendment requires a two-thirds vote of the members voting, and a quorum will exist based on the number of members present and in good standing at the designated location and time scheduled for the business meeting.

Section 2.  Any proposals to amend this Constitution shall be submitted to the members at least thirty days before the closing date for the ballot, whether the ballot is taken by mail or at the business meeting at the Annual Conference.  In the case of a mail ballot, a report of the results of the ballot must be made at the business meeting at the next Annual Conference of the Association.

Article VIII: Liability

Section 1.  Nothing herein shall constitute members of the Association as partners for any purpose.  No member, officer, agent, or employee shall be liable for the acts or failure to act of any member, officer, agent, or employee of the Association.  Nor shall any member, officer, agent, or employee be liable for his/her acts or failure to act under this Constitution and By-Laws, excepting only acts or admissions of his/her malfeasance.

BY-LAWS

Article I: Governance

Section 1.  The conduct of the Association’s business shall be governed by the By-Laws.

Section 2.  The provisions of the By-Laws may not conflict with the provisions of this Constitution, from which they derive their sanction.

Article II: Committees

Section 1.  The standing committees of the Association shall be the Executive Committee, the Program Committee, the Research and Publications Committee, and the Membership Committee.  The President shall be a member ex officio of all committees and shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee.

Section 2.  The Executive Committee shall be composed of seven voting members: the President of the Association, the President-Elect, the Vice-President for Research and Publications, the Vice-President for Member Services, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Vice-President for Development.  Two non-voting members also serve on the Executive Committee: the Executive Director and the Vice-President for Electronic Media.  All policies of the Association must be approved by the voting members of the Executive Committee.  Any important questions of policy interpretation and application shall be submitted by the President to the Executive Committee for its recommendation.  In the case of extraordinary conditions, such as a national emergency, rendering one or more Annual Conferences impracticable, the current Executive Committee is charged with the responsibility for maintenance and preservation of the Association, its finances, and its records until a new set of officers has been elected and new committee chairpersons have been appointed.  The Executive Committee may not obligate the Association for indebtedness in addition to that already existing in excess of unencumbered funds in the Treasury.

Section 3.  The Program Committee shall be responsible for planning, organizing, and staging the Annual Conference of the Association, and such special conferences as may be required by its responsibility.  The President-Elect shall act as Chairperson of the Committee.

Section 4.  The Research and Publications Committee shall oversee the total research and publication responsibility of the Association.  The Vice-President for Research and Publications shall act as Chairperson of the Committee.

Section 5.  The Membership Committee shall recruit members for the Association.  Upon receipt of application, new members’ names will be sent to the Treasurer.  The Vice-President for Member Services shall act as Chairperson of the Committee.

Section 6.  The Chairperson of each standing committee shall report to the President and shall render annually a report of the activities and accomplishments of his/her committee.  Such reports shall be made known to the members of the Association at the business meeting at the Annual Conference.

Section 7.  The members officially registered as present and in good standing shall constitute a quorum at all business meetings of the Association.  The Association shall hold at least one business meeting each year unless prevented by emergency.

Article III: Dues

Section 1.  Annual dues of the Association shall be set by action of the voting members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2.  The Association’s fiscal year shall run from April 1 through March 31.

Section 3.  Dues cover a fiscal year and are not prorated for fractions of years.

Section 4.  A former member dropped for non-payment of dues may be reinstated upon payment of current year’s dues.

Article IV: Amendments

Section 1.  These By-Laws may be amended either through the mail or at the business meeting at the Annual Conference.  When the vote is conducted through the mail, successful amendment requires a two-thirds vote of the members voting, but not less than a 25 percent favorable vote by all members of the Association in good standing.  When the vote is conducted at the business meeting at the Annual Conference, successful amendment requires a two-thirds vote of the members voting, and a quorum will exist based on the number of members present and in good standing at the designated location and time scheduled for the business meeting.

Section 2.  Any proposals to amend these By-Laws shall be submitted to the members at least thirty days before the closing date for the ballot, whether the ballot is taken by mail or at the business meeting at the Annual Conference.  In the case of a mail ballot, a report of the results of the ballot must be made at the business meeting at the next Annual Conference of the Association.

Constitution and Bylaws Updated January 1 2003
The Constitution and Bylaws are also available in Word and pdf formats.