Governance Procedures of the ACRL Community and Junior College Libraries Section
These procedures are also available as a Word document and a PDF.
A. Name
The name of the organization shall be the Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, hereinafter referred to as the Section.
B. Purpose
ACRL Sections are established primarily for the purpose of building communities of learning and providing professional development and networking opportunities for their members. A Section’s name, purpose, and mission are as proposed by the Section and approved by the ACRL Board. The ACRL Board ascertains that overlaps between the mandates are of various Sections are minimized.
The purpose of the Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) is to contribute to library service and librarianship through those activities which relate to libraries and learning resources centers and services and which support the educational programs in community and junior colleges and equivalent institutions.
C. Membership
Any member of the Association of College and Research Libraries may elect membership in this Section.
The number of “community of practice” affiliations included in the basic ACRL dues is determined by the ACRL Board. The dues for additional affiliations are also set by the ACRL Board.
D. Relationship to ACRL Board
The Board shall be authorized to establish Communities of Practice (including Sections), to monitor their activities, and determine their continuance in consultation with the respective groups. The Board shall also be entitled to establish policies to govern the activities of Communities of Practice. (ACRL Bylaws).
The Board liaison role provides a critical connection between membership structures and the ACRL Board of Directors. This liaison role can be particularly helpful in providing perspective, guidance, and insight regarding ACRL policies, procedures, and initiatives; soliciting feedback from Communities of
Practice regarding proposed Board actions; and providing helpful advice regarding Action Plan Proposals and Board Action Forms which community of practice leaders will need to submit for official ACRL Board and ACRL Executive Committee action/decisions. The liaison relationship is meant to enhance communication; it is not an advocacy role and for that reason Board members are asked to liaison with communities in which they have not been active. (Tip Sheet for Board Responsibilities)
The Board of Directors is the voice for the association. Sections, committees, and other established units are not authorized to speak for the association except through the Board. This is to say that unit leaders should refrain from issuing statements, taking positions, or endorsing any statements or positions except with Board approval. (ACRL Guide to Policies and Procedures, Chapter 5.12.8, Use of ACRL’s Name).
E. Meetings
Section meetings at the ALA Midwinter Meeting and ALA Annual Conference are scheduled by the ACRL units are encouraged to work outside of Midwinter and/or Annual Conference to increase group participation, efficiency, and productivity. Electronic meetings are conducted within the environment of ALA/ACRL bylaws and policies. In all cases these requirements must be adhered to, although they may have to be adopted to fit the virtual environment.
The ALA Policy Manual 7.4.1 defines a meeting as “an official assembly, for any length of time following
a designated starting time, of the members of any board, committee task force, commission, etc., during which the members do not separate except for a recess and in which the assembly has the capacity to formalize decisions.” Conference calls, Internet chat sessions (and their equivalents), and in-person meetings are recognized as meetings subject to the open meetings policy (ALA Policy 7.4.4). Committees must confirm all decisions made in these forums by affirming the actions at the next face-to-face meeting.
There is a distinction between carrying on work of a committee electronically and conducting an electronic meeting. Asynchronous electronic discussions by electronic mail or other asynchronous communication methods do not constitute meetings because they are not an official assembly with a designated starting time (ALA Policy Manual 7.4.1).
The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (Alice Sturgis) applies to meetings of the Section to the extent that it is applicable, upholds the integrity of the voting processes, helps facilitate progress, and ensures equality, fairness, and common sense.
The annual meeting of the Section shall be held at the time and place of the annual conference of ALA. A quorum shall consist of 15 members.
Special meetings may be called by the chair of the Section. A quorum shall consist of 15 members.
Section business may also be transacted by a mail ballot to all members. A quorum shall consist of those members voting.
F. Officers
Each Section will have a vice-chair/chair-elect and a chair to ensure succession. The officers of this section shall be the chair, vice-chair/chair-elect, secretary, and the immediate past chair. The vice-chair shall serve successively as vice-chair, chair, and past chair.
Duties of the Officers
The duties of officers shall be those specified in the Governance Procedures, the Section’s handbook, and as prescribed by ACRL Bylaws, policies, and procedures for Section officers.
The chair shall
- preside at all meetings of the Section,
- act as chief administrative officer of the Section,
- make appointments to all ad hoc committees and fill committee vacancies as needed,
- serve ex-officio on all Section committees except the Nominations Committee,
- perform other duties as required by the position.
The vice-chair shall
- preside in the absence of the chair,
- make appointments effective in the year she/he will serve as chair,
- perform other duties as required by the position.
The secretary shall
- preside in the absence of the chair, vice-chair, and immediate past-chair (in such case appointing a secretary pro tem),
- take and distribute minutes for all Executive Committee meetings, the Section’s annual meeting, and any special meetings.
The immediate past-chair shall preside in the absence of the chair and vice-chair.
G. Executive Committee
The Section Executive Committee is responsible for the stewardship of the Section and the coordination of its activities, provided that it operates within the Section mandate and budget as determined by membership level (ACRL Guide to Policy and Procedure, Basic Services, 4.3.2).
A Section’s Executive Committee may establish and appoint standing or ad-hoc committees to assist it in fulfilling the Section’s mandate.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the chair, vice-chair/chair-elect, secretary, immediate past chair, archivist/historian, editor of the Section newsletter, parliamentarian/editor of the Section handbook, webmaster, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Liaison, the National Council for Learning Resources (NCLR) Liaison, the Student Learning and Information Literacy Committee (SLILC) Liaison, and the chairs of the standing and ad hoc committees of the Section. All are voting members.
The Executive Committee has responsibility for the business of the Section with its actions being subject to review by the members at the following membership meeting.
As administrative officer of the Section, the chair may act for the Committee between meetings on which require action before the next Committee meeting and cannot reasonably or in a timely manner be decided upon through correspondence with the Committee, or which have been specifically delegated to the chair by the Committee, except that filling vacancies in the positions of chair, vice-chair/chair-elect, or secretary may not be delegated but must be done by the Executive Committee.
The chair’s actions shall be reported to the Committee no later than its next meeting. Where these actions are exceptional, the chair shall notify all Committee members as quickly as possible.
If the chair is unavailable to take action as indicated in (a), the vice-chair, immediate past-chair, and secretary shall act in like manner in the order listed.
A quorum at an Executive Committee meeting shall consist of a simple majority of the voting members of the Committee including at least one officer.
H. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
Standing committees shall be established and discontinued by approval of Executive Committee. The motion to establish shall include the name and function of the committee.
Ad hoc committees shall be established and discontinued by vote of the Executive Committee. Ad hoc committees stand until completion of their duties and shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee each year.
Members of standing committees will ordinarily be appointed for two-year terms with the exception of the nominations committee whose members shall have one-year terms. Members of all other committees may be appointed to one-year terms to meet special circumstances. Members may be appointed for additional terms, but in no case shall serve for more than four consecutive years. Approximately one-half of the committee members should be appointed each year.
Committees carry out their business by meeting at the ALA annual conferences and midwinter meetings and may also do work by telephone or email.
I. Nominations and Elections
To be nominated, elected, and continue to serve on a Section’s Executive Committee, a person must be a current member of the Section (with ALA, ACRL, and section dues—if applicable—paid).
Nominations
A nominating committee of not less than three members shall be appointed by the vice-chair/chair-elect to nominate candidates for Section officers and ACRL Board of Directors. Neither the chair nor vice-chair/chair-elect may be members of this committee.
The Committee will present the names of at least two candidates for each position to be filled. All candidates must be members of the Section, and give written consent.
Additional nominations, supported by signatures of five (5) Section members, accompanied by the candidate’s written consent, may be made by filing such nominations in accordance with ACRL and ALA bylaws, policies, and procedures. Written notification shall be made to the Section Chair.
Elections
Elections shall be by mail ballot as part of the ALA election process.
Mail and Electronic Votes
Membership. Mail votes of the membership of the Section may be authorized between meetings by the Executive Committee, provided all members are canvassed simultaneously. Such mail votes shall be conducted under the same requirements as votes at meetings.
Executive Committee. Mail or electronic votes of the Executive Committee may be taken provided they are authorized by the officers of the Section and all voting Committee members are canvassed
Committees and ad hoc committees. Mail or electronic votes of duly constituted committees may be taken by the chair of such committees.
J. Vacancies
In case of a vacancy in the office of chair, the vice-chair shall succeed and serve until the expiration of the year for which that person was elected.
If the office of vice-chair/chair-elect becomes vacant
- The Executive Committee shall appoint a vice-chair/chair elect to begin service immediately and to serve for the remainder of the term.
- At the next regular election, the candidate getting the most votes for vice- chair/chair-elect shall become chair for the next term and the candidate with the second number of votes shall become vice-chair/chair-elect. A tie shall be broken by lot as per ACRL procedures.
If both the offices of vice-chair/chair-elect and chair become vacant during the same office term (so that there is not an elected vice-chair to fill the chair’s position), both positions shall be appointed by the Executive Committee to finish out the remainder of the terms. These vacancies may be filled at a regularly scheduled Executive Committee meeting, a special meeting, or through correspondence which includes all members of the Executive Committee. If an appointment takes place between Committee meetings, all members of the Committee shall be contacted through the most expeditious form of correspondence by the chair. The vote shall be taken by a stated deadline, and a majority of those voting carries by simple majority.
A vacancy in the office of secretary will be filled by an appointment made by the Executive Committee.
A Section vacancy on the ACRL Board of Directors shall be filled by an interim appointment and a new election in accordance with ACRL bylaws, policies, and procedures.
K. Amendments to Governance Procedures
These Operating Procedures may be amended by the Executive Committee, as long they are not in conflict with ALA/ACRL bylaws, policies, and procedures, and any approved changes shall be distributed and voted upon as prescribed above. The governance procedures shall supersede previous bylaws or governance procedures and will be effective immediately upon adoption. Changes to these governance procedures do not require, and should not include, a ballot vote by the membership. Sections may determine their approval process (e.g., responsibility of the Executive Committee, vote at face-to-face Section membership meeting, etc.). A current copy shall be provided to the Executive Director per ACRL Bylaws, Article XV, Section 3.
Established January 24, 2009
Revised July 11, 2009
Revised June 28, 2015