Bylaws of the Information Systems Division

Adopted 2011

ARTICLE I: Objectives

The objectives of the Information Systems Division are to:

Stimulate theoretical development and research activities in the area of communication processes as depicted in the division description.
Relate research to current communication problems.
Develop instructional methods and materials for the teaching of communication processes.
Encourage the dissemination of information about our work to professional colleagues in related fields.
Sponsor programs and endorse activities that bridge the interests of academic and practitioner specialists.

ARTICLE II: Membership

Any Active Member of the International Communication Association who expresses interest in and subscribes to the purposes of the Division is eligible for Active Membership in the Division. ICA Fellows are granted full active membership status if they designate Information Systems as an ICA division of interest.

ARTICLE III: Officers, Nominations, Elections

Section 1. Officers of the Division include a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and a Secretary. The Vice-Chairperson and the Secretary shall be elected in alternate years, each for a term of two years. The Vice-Chairperson shall be elected in even numbered years and automatically succeeds the Chairperson for a two-year term. No officers may immediately succeed themselves in office. Nonmembers of the Information Systems Division may not hold office.

Section 2. In addition to a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary, the Division will elect other officers its membership deems necessary and desirable.

Section 3. A slate of nominees will be solicited by the Chairperson via the Division’s email list as maintained through the ICA website. This email list is comprised of Active Members of the Division. Final nominees will be announced at the annual business meeting of the Division. Self-nominations are accepted. The names of at least two nominees who have given their consent must appear on the ballot for each vacant office.

Section 4. The election of any officer shall be by vote of only the Active Members of the Division.

Section 5. Elections shall be by electronic vote and incorporated with the ballot for election of officers to the Board of Directors of the International Communication Association. Such ballots shall be processed and counted, and the results reported according to the procedures employed for the election of officers to the Board of Directors of the International Communication Association.

Section 6. Unusual vacancies shall be filled by appointment of an Active Member of the Division by the President of the International Communication Association. If the unexpired term is for a period of more than six months the Division may initiate through its regular channels a special ballot for the election of an Active Member in the Division to fill the unexpired term.

Section 7. Duties of officers.

(a) Chairperson Duties. The Chairperson shall preside at all Division business meetings. In addition the Chairperson shall create and appoint such temporary committees as deemed necessary; prepare and submit the Division budget to the Board of Directors; represent the Division and provide necessary reports for the ICA Board of Directors and business meetings (usually an online meeting in or around January and an in-person meeting at the annual conference); manage the Division budget with the assistance of the ICA Executive Director; manage the oversee the nomination process for Division elections; notify fee- and travel-scholarship winners and communicate with ICA to expedite award receipt; promote nominations for and oversee selection of the Hunter Meta-Analysis Award; work with the Division Secretary to identify information to be disseminated via the Division pages on the ICA website and the Division email list; review and provide recommendations for maintaining the quality of convention programs; plan the Division’s reception at the annual conference (if instructed, via group consensus, at the preceding year’s business meeting); and generally perform those duties usually associated with this office.

(b) Vice-Chairperson Duties. The Vice-Chairperson will provide the Division’s Call for Papers by a deadline set by the President-Elect-Select and the Executive Director; organize and administer the selection of competitive and non-competitive papers/programs for conventions, following the wishes of Division membership in terms of program format; notify contributors and the Association of papers/programs that are selected; select 4 Top Paper Award winners based upon reviewer ratings, including a Top Student Paper authored solely by those not holding professional scholar positions during data collection; notify the Chairperson of authors eligible for travel grants or fee waivers; attend all training sessions surrounding computerized paper review and selection software sponsored by ICA; administer the Division’s database of paper reviewers and pass it on to the incoming Vice-Chairperson ; assist the Chairperson in administering Division business meetings, providing a quantitative report of the Division’s paper review process and conference program; submit columns for the ICA monthly newsletter notifying Association members of Division activities and information of interest to members; administer the Hunter Meta-Analysis Award when the Chair must recuse themself; assist the Chairperson when requested, and assume the duties of Chairperson in the event of the latter’s absence, disability, or request.

(c) Secretary Duties. The Secretary shall maintain, distribute, and obtain Division approval of minutes for Division business meetings; manage the Division pages on the ICA website and distribute messages via the Division’s email list as maintained through the ICA; and prepare any certificates or awards as instructed by the Chairperson of Vice-Chairperson; assist the Chairperson in administering business meetings; and participate with the Vice-Chair in evaluating the quality of Division programs.

Section 8. Any elected officer may be removed from office by the following procedure: at least one-third of the listed members of the Division must sign a petition to the Executive Secretary of the International Communication Association requesting a special election and including nominations for the office in question. The Executive Secretary arranges an extraordinary election within 60 days at the expense of the Information Systems Division, with the challenged officer(s) on the ballot. The result of the election becomes effective immediately.

ARTICLE IV. Committees

Section 1. The Chairperson is empowered to establish and appoint members and a chairperson for any of ad hoc committees deemed necessary to assist in the conduct of the affairs of the Division.

Section 2. When requested by the President of the International Communication Association, the Division Chairperson is empowered to recommend members of the Division to serve on designated Association committees.

Section 3. The term of office of any appointed committee member shall not exceed the term of office of the appointing officer, except in the case of standing committees.

ARTICLE V. Dues

Section 1. The Division officers may propose to the members an annual dues charge for membership, if approved by the Board of Directors of the Association. This charge shall be adopted upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the responding Active Members of the Division, voting on a mail ballot. Nonpayment of such Divisional dues shall be a basis for termination of membership in the Division, but shall not affect the individual’s status as a member of the Association.

Section 2. In the event the Division is dissolved, the elected officers shall transfer the net assets of the Division to the Association itself to be used for the work of the Association.

ARTICLE VI. Meeting and Reports

Section 1. An Annual Business Meeting of the Division shall be held at the time and place of the annual conference of the Association. A simple majority of the Active members at the business meeting determines approval on motions before the Division.

Section 2. Activity reports of officers and committees of the Division shall be received at the Annual Business Meeting, and action recommendations shall be presented to the Board of Directors for vote.

Section 3. The Secretary shall prepare a written report of the Annual Division Business Meeting for transmission to the members of the Division.

Section 4. The Division may plan and hold professional meetings at the time of the annual conference, under the general coordination of the President-Elect of the Association.

Section 5. The Division may organize and hold local or regional programs and meetings on its own initiative, upon notification of the Board of Directors of the Association.

Section 6. At Annual Meetings, the passage of resolutions will not require a vote of the Division membership at large. Motions approved at the Annual Business Meeting involving (a) a change in Bylaws, (b) approval for general expenditures, (c) election of officers, (d) creation of standing or permanent committees, and (e) Division dues adjustments will require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the responding Active Members of the Division, voting on a mail or electronic ballot.

ARTICLE VII. Amendments and Restrictions

Section 1. Amendments to, or other changes in, these Bylaws may be initiated in the following ways: (a) The Chairperson may appoint a committee to consider revising the Bylaws in general or in particular, and subsequently submit to the membership of the Division the committee report, (b) Twenty five Active Members of the Division may submit to the Board of Directors a proposed amendment or amendments in writing and signed by the sponsors, and (c) the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary may formulate proposals for amendment of these Bylaws and submit them, with any arguments, to the Active Membership for vote. Amendments formulated in this manner must be submitted to the Chairperson prior to the Annual Business Meeting. Amendments or revisions receiving an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds at the annual business meeting shall be considered formally by the Active Members of the Division.

Section 2. Amendments or revisions to this document may be considered formally by the Active Members of the Association as follows: The Executive Secretary of the Association shall send the proposed changes with explanations and arguments, a ballot, and a request for a mail vote to the Active Members. No sooner than 30 days, not later than 45 days after mailing the proposal, the Executive Secretary shall request the Tellers Committee to count the votes. An affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the ballots returned shall be required for acceptance of the amendment(s). The results of the vote shall be reported to the membership within 30 days following the vote.

Section 3. These Division Bylaws may not conflict with the Bylaws of the Association; the latter take precedence, and power for determining conflict rests with the Board of Directors of the Association.

ARTICLE VIII. Parliamentary Authority

In the absence of any provision to the contrary in these bylaws, all business meetings of the Division shall be governed by the parliamentary rules and usages contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.

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