BY Laws
By‐Laws of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Chapter of the American Association for Public Opinion Research
Article I. Name and Offices.
Section 1. Name.
The name of the organization shall be the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Chapter of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (PANJAAPOR).
Section 2. Principal Office.
The principal office of PANJAAPOR shall be at the office of the President, provided that said office is within the State of New Jersey. If the office of the President is outside of the State of New Jersey, the principal office shall be as such location, within the State of New Jersey, as the Executive Council shall designate.
Section 3. Other Offices.
PANJAAPOR may have offices at such other place or places as from time to time the Executive Council may determine or the business of PANJAAPOR may require.
Article II. Membership.
Section 1. Membership Qualifications.
Any person professionally engaged or interested in research or study in the field of public opinion, survey research and/or social behavior, who has read and subscribes to the Code of Professional Ethics and Practices of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), shall be accepted as a member of PANJAAPOR, contingent upon completion of an application form and payment of dues if required by category of membership. In order to vote or hold office, a member must be also a member of AAPOR.
Section 2. Categories of Membership.
PANJAAPOR shall have two categories of members: regular members and student members. Other categories of members may be added by vote of the Executive Council as required to address the needs of PANJAAPOR.
Section 3. Termination of Membership.
Any member can voluntarily withdraw from PANJAAPOR by giving written notice of withdrawal to the President or Secretary of PANJAAPOR. The membership of any member may be terminated by the Secretary if such member has not paid his or her dues within six months from the assessment thereof. Membership that has been terminated because of non‐payment of dues will be reinstated when the appropriate dues are paid, providing he or she has not been terminated for other reasons stated hereinafter. The Executive Council may terminate a member’s membership status for a violation of the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices under the following conditions: (a) A formal finding by AAPOR that such member is guilty of violating the AAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices. (b) The termination of membership must be voted by at least two‐thirds of the Executive Council members present at the meeting at which such votes are taken.
Article III. Meeting of Members.
Section 1. Meetings.
A meeting of the members for any purpose, unless otherwise prescribed by by‐law, may be called at any time by the Chapter President or by order of the Executive Council and shall be called by the President or Secretary upon the request in writing of ten members entitled to vote thereat. This meeting shall be held after prior notice to the membership of at least ten days.
Section 2. Annual Meeting for the Election of Officers.
The annual meeting of members for the election of officers, and the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting, shall be held in April, or at such other time as the Executive Council may from time to time determine.
Section 3. Place of Meetings.
Each meeting of the members of PANJAAPOR shall be held at such place as fixed by the Executive Council and specified in the notice or waiver of notice of said meeting.
Section 4. Voting.
At each meeting of the members, every current PANJAAPOR member in good standing shall be entitled to vote in person or in proxy on all PANJAAPOR issues. Voting may be held electronically via secure Internet application, provided that each member entitled to vote shall receive notice of the nature and scope of the vote at least ten days prior, such notice being sent, by the Secretary, to the email address each member has on file with the Membership Committee of AAPOR, as provided to PANJAAPOR via the last regular Chapter Report. The Internet voting application will be open for at least ten calendar days, and the time and manner of follow‐up and/or reminder notices shall be fixed by the Executive Council on a vote‐by‐vote basis.
Section 5. List of Members.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to prepare a complete list of the members entitled to vote. The list shall be available and shall be open to the examination of any member upon request.
Article IV. Executive Council.
Section 1. General Powers.
The property, affairs and business of PANJAAPOR shall be managed by the Executive Council.
Section 2. Number, Election, Qualifications.
The Executive Council shall be comprised of a President, Vice President, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair, Member‐at‐Large, and such other officers and representatives of the membership as shall be deemed appropriate for election by the prior Executive Council. The Executive Council shall be elected in the following manner: the Committee on Nominations chaired and appointed by the Past President shall prepare and submit to the members entitled to vote the names of candidates, together with short biographies thereof, for each office to be filled by election. No person can be made a candidate without his or her prior approval. Officers shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the members entitled to vote. Officers must be both PANJAAPOR and AAPOR members in good standing. No person shall hold more than one position on the Executive Council at any single time. Voting shall be by secure method, with winning decided by a plurality of votes cast. In order to vote, chapter members must be in good standing (i.e., dues for current membership year paid in full). The voting period should conclude before the Annual AAPOR Conference, or another time as set by Executive Council and the newly elected officers should be announced by the outgoing Secretary after the results are final.
Section 3. Terms of Office.
The term of office of each Executive Councilor shall be as follows: (a) The Vice President shall have a term of office of one year at the end of which s/he shall become President. The President shall have a term of office of one year at which s/he shall become Past President. The Past President shall have a term of office of one year. (b) The Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair, and Member‐at‐Large shall have terms of office of one year.
Section 4. Resignation.
Any Executive Council member of PANJAAPOR may resign as such as an officer or chair of any committee at any time by giving written notice to the President or the Secretary of PANJAAPOR. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein and, unless otherwise specified therein, acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 5. Removal.
In the event a Council member is considered unwilling or unable to fulfill his or her duties, the Council may vote to remove that member by a two‐thirds majority.
Section 6. Vacancies.
Vacancies on the Executive Council (except for the position of Immediate Past President) shall be filled in the following way: If the Presidency is vacant, the Vice President assumes the President’s position. Vacancies in the remaining positions are filled through appointment by the remaining Executive Council members via a majority vote of the council. Members of the Executive Council cannot hold more than one office at a time.
Section 7. Place of Meetings.
Except as otherwise provided by by‐law, the Executive Council may hold its meetings, have one or more offices, and keep the books and records of PANJAAPOR at such place or places as the Executive Council may from time to time determine.
Section 8. Regular Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Executive Council may be held at such places and at such times as the Executive Council shall determine and shall be held at least once a year. Notice of regular meetings need not be given to members.
Section 9. Quorum and Manner of Acting.
Except as otherwise provided by by‐law, one half of the total number of Executive Council members (but not less than two) shall be required to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting, and the act of a majority of the Executive Council members present at any meeting at which a quorum shall be present shall be the act of the Executive Council. Once a quorum has been determined, the Council may transact business at any meeting for which prior notice has been given. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the Executive Council members present may adjourn any meeting from time to time until a quorum can be had. Notice of any adjourned meeting need not be given. Roberts Rules of Order shall prevail at meetings of the Executive Committee and members.
Section 10. Remuneration.
Executive Council members or other officers or committee chairs, shall not receive any salary for their services, but may receive reimbursement of reasonable and necessary expenses incurred. Nothing herein contained shall be construed so as to preclude any Executive Council member from serving PANJAAPOR in any other capacity and receiving remuneration for such services.
Section 11. Action by Consent.
Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Executive Council, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting, if prior to such action a written consent thereto is signed by all members of the Executive Council or of such committee as the case may be, and such written consent is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Executive Council or committee. Written consent may be provided electronically (i.e., via email or other electronic means).
Section 12. Committees.
The Executive Council may establish such committees of the Executive Council having such duties and powers as it may deem appropriate. A majority of all the members of any such committee may fix its rules of procedure, determine its action and fix the time and place of its meetings and specify what notice thereof, if any, shall be given, unless the 4 Executive Council shall otherwise provide. The Executive Council may change the members of any such committee with or without cause at any time.
Article V. Officers and Other Principals.
Section 1. Number.
The officers of PANJAAPOR shall be a President, Vice President, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair, Member‐at‐Large, and such other officers and representatives of the membership as shall be deemed appropriate for election by the prior Executive Council.
Section 2. Other Officers.
PANJAAPOR may have such other officers and agents as may be deemed necessary by the Executive Council. Such other officers and agents shall be appointed in such manner, have such duties and hold their offices for such terms as may be determined by the Executive Council.
Section 3. The President.
The President shall be responsible for fulfilling the purposes of PANJAAPOR, serving as chair of the Executive Council and as the official representative of PANJAAPOR in its relations with other organizations and the public.
Section 4. The Vice President.
In the event of the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall perform all duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of, and be subject to all the restrictions upon, the President. Except where by by‐law the signature of the President is required, the Vice President shall possess the same power as the President to sign all certificates, contracts, obligations, and other instructions of PANJAAPOR.
Section 5. The Secretary.
The Secretary shall be responsible to keep the minutes of all proceedings of the meetings of the members and of the Executive Council in one or more books to be kept for that purpose. The Secretary shall be responsible for communicating with the membership as well as communicating with potential members and the public at large. Communications may include, but are not limited to, newsletters, web page or other official correspondence. The Secretary, with the approval of Executive Council, may delegate tasks as needed.
Section 6. The Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping and disbursing the moneys of PANJAAPOR, as directed by the Executive Council, shall be responsible for keeping correct books of account, shall be responsible for rendering to the President and to the Executive Council at the regular meetings thereof, or whenever requested by them, reports of financial transactions and of the financial condition of PANJAAPOR, and shall be responsible for preparing an annual report of PANJAAPOR finances, activities and membership to be submitted to AAPOR in compliance with chapter status. The Treasurer, with the approval of Executive Council, may delegate tasks as needed.
Section 7. The Program Chair.
The Program Chair shall serve as the Chair of the Programming Committee and shall be responsible for arranging lectures, workshops, short courses and other events consistent with the goals of the chapter, seeking approval of the Executive Council.
Section 8. The Past President.
The Past President shall chair the Committee on Nominations. The Past President is not eligible to run for office for the year he or she chairs the nomination committee. Other duties involve assisting the President and other Council members as deemed appropriate.
Section 9. The Member‐at‐Large.
The Member‐at‐Large shall assist and support the other Council members in such manner as may be deemed appropriate, reasonable, and necessary.
Article VI. Dues.
The Executive Council shall establish a schedule of dues annually. Dues shall be collected by PANJAAPOR or the national AAPOR secretariat for conducting PANJAAPOR business. Requests for dues payment shall be made annually, in a manner that is consistent with AAPOR’s schedule. The membership year will be consistent with AAPOR’s year. The Executive Council must authorize any fees that may be necessary to cover the costs of specific chapter activities such as speaker honorariums, catering at events, or short courses.
Article VII. Finances.
Section 1. Checks, Contracts, Etc.
All checks, drafts, or bills of exchange or other orders for the payment of money issued in the name of PANJAAPOR shall be signed on behalf of PANJAAPOR by the President, the Vice President, the Program Chair, Secretary, or Treasurer. Except as specifically authorized by the Executive Council, no officer, agent, or employee shall have any power or authority to bind PANJAAPOR by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it financially liable for any purpose.
Section 2. Deposits.
All funds of PANJAAPOR not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of PANJAAPOR in such banks, trust companies or other depositaries as the Executive Council may select. The Executive Council may make such special rules and regulations with respect to such bank accounts, not inconsistent with the provisions of these by‐laws, as it may deem expedient. For the purpose of deposit and for the purpose of collection for the account of PANJAAPOR, checks, drafts, and other orders for the payment of money which are payable to the order of PANJAAPOR shall be endorsed, assigned, and delivered by either the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, or the Treasurer.
Section 3. Relationship to AAPOR.
In accordance with Article VII, Section 2 of the AAPOR Bylaws, PANJAAPOR agrees that AAPOR is not liable for the actions of PANJAAPOR or its obligations or liabilities. PANJAAPOR waives, releases and indemnifies and holds harmless AAPOR from and against any and all loss, claim or liability that might arise in connection with PANJAAPOR’s existence and activities.
Article VIII. Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of PANJAAPOR shall run from January 1 through December 31, unless otherwise determined by the Executive Council.
Article IX. Amendments.
The name of the organization shall be the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Chapter of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (PANJAAPOR).