By-Laws of the Calvin Studies Society
(Studiorum Calvini Societas)
Name
Article I.
The name of the Society shall be Calvin Studies Society (Studiorum Calvini Societas).
Purpose
Article II.
The primary purpose of the Society shall be to engage in and promote the study of the life, times and thought of John Calvin.
While centering on John Calvin, the Society’s purpose shall include the study of persons and subjects related to the Reformed aspect of the Protestant Reformation, centering on the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Besides theological subjects, the Society shall consider historical, sociological and other concerns.
In pursuit of this purpose, the Society shall encourage research, sponsor conferences and, insofar as possible, assist in and arrange for publications.
Membership
Article III.
Active membership is open to all persons who pay the annual membership fee of $35.00.
Membership is based on the calendar year.
Payment of the membership fee includes a copy of one volume of papers published by the CSS between 1985 and 2005.
Payment of a colloquium registration fee includes the membership fee for two years.
Officers
Article IV.
The officers of the Society shall be the President, the Vice-President and the Secretary-Treasurer.
The officers shall be elected at a biennial meeting of the Society from a ballot prepared by the Nominating Committee; or, nominees may be elected by a mail or e-mail ballot. The Nominating Committee will submit one name for each position to be filled. A plurality of votes cast is required for any election.
The President and the Vice-President shall be elected for a two-year term. The Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency. They shall not be eligible for re-election. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected for a two-year term and shall be eligible for re-election.
Duties of Officers
Article V.
Duties of the President shall be to:
1. preside at meetings of the Society,
2. arrange the agenda for business sessions of the Society,
3. appoint all standing committees of the Society,
4. provide the Secretary-Treasurer with a copy of any correspondence relating to the business of the Society, and
5. to be responsible for and to arrange for, in consultation with the Board, the biennial meeting of the Society, and for any joint or cooperative sessions at the meetings of other professional societies.
Duties of the Vice-President shall be to:
1. preside at all official meetings of the Society or the Board in the absence of the President, and to
2. chair the Program Committee.
In the event of the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall have all the powers and prerogatives of the President.
In the event of the absence of both the President and the Vice-President from any meeting of the Society, a member of the Board of Trustees or a person appointed by the Board of Trustees shall preside.
Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be, as Secretary, to:
1. Record all resolutions and proceedings of the meetings of the Society,
2. Conduct such correspondence as the officers of the Society shall direct, to receive and preserve official correspondence of the Society, and to issue all notices of meetings, and to perform other duties pertaining to the office of Secretary, as directed by the officers and Board, and to
3. Keep a register of the members of the Society.
As Treasurer, the duties shall be to
1. Report on the condition of the treasury at each meeting of the Board of Trustees, and
2. Present the treasurer’s report at the biennial meeting of the Society.
All monies payable to the Society shall be payable to the Calvin Studies Society. All monies payable by the Society shall be paid by checks or credit cards signed by the Secretary-Treasurer or the President.
The Board of Trustees
Article VI.
The Board of Trustees of the Society shall consist of the three officers, the immediate past-President, and three members-at-large. The term of the members-at-large shall be four years, but only two shall be elected at the biennialmeeting. The Nominating Committee shall submit one name for each of the positions of members-at-large to be filled. The nominees shall be elected at the biennial meeting; or, may be elected by mail or e-mail ballot. A plurality of votes is required for election.
The Board of Trustees shall submit a budget at the biennial meeting for approval by the members in attendance.
The Board of Trustees shall have the authority to make temporary appointments until the next regular election.
Meetings
Article VII.
The Society shall meet biennially to conduct its business and to hear and discuss papers submitted by invitation of the Program Committee.
The time and place of each biennial meeting shall by determined by the Board of Trustees by the time of the preceding biennial meeting.
Those members present at a biennial meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Committees
Article VIII.
The Committees of the Society are and their duties shall be as follows:
1. The Program Committee shall consist of the Vice-President as Chairperson and two members appointed by the President. The Program Committee shall make all plans and arrangements for the biennial meetings of the Society.
2. The Nominating Committee shall provide a nominee for each office which is about to become vacant. The Board of Trustees shall appoint the chairperson, who in turn shall then appoint at least two members.
Amendments
Article IX.
These by-laws have been adopted by a two-thirds vote of the constituting meeting. They may hereafter be amended either by a two-thirds vote of any duly constituted meeting, or by a vote by mail or e-mail, provided that two-thirds of the ballots returned approve the proposed amendment.
Notification of proposed amendments must be mailed or e-mailed to all members of the Society thirty days in advance of the meeting to which they will be submitted, or the due-date stated on the amendment ballot.
Amended: October, 1989; April, 1999; June, 2011; August, 2013