By-Laws

Bylaws of the Association of Korean Sociologists in America

1. Purposes and Goals:

The Association of Korean Sociologists in America (herein called the “AKSA”) aims:

To foster scholarly inquiry related to Korean Americans and Korean society to advance knowledge in Sociology, and
To support its members for professional development and well-being by promoting networking, mentoring and collaborative relationships.

2. Membership:

The AKSA shall include Regular, Student, Sponsor, and Honorary members.

Regular member: A regular member shall be an individual professionally engaged in Sociology or other related fields, who desires to promote the purposes and goals of the AKSA and pays the AKSA membership fee. A regular member shall be entitled to vote and hold elective office.
Student member: A student member shall be an undergraduate or a graduate student studying Sociology or other related fields, who is interested in the mission of the AKSA and pays the AKSA student membership fee. A student member shall have the right to vote and hold elective office as student representative.
Sponsor member: A sponsor member shall be an individual who supports the AKSA financially. A sponsor member shall not have the right to vote. A sponsor member will be exempt from annual dues.
Honorary member: An honorary member shall be an individual who is retired with a distinguished career in Sociology or other related fields and makes significant contributions to the AKSA. An honorary member has no voting right and no annual dues are required.

3. Officers:

4. Terms:

Term of President, Vice President, and Immediate Past President: One year (non-renewable for the next three years).
Term of the General Administrator and the Treasurer: Two years (both shall be appointed by the President in alternating years; an exception to the alternating year appointments can be made to fill a vacancy for the remaining term)
Term of Student Representative: One year.

5. Board of Directors:

It will consist of the President, the President-elect, and the Immediate Past President. They also serve on nominating committee.

6. Election:

Vice President shall be elected by written ballot (electronic) sent to the active members among the candidates recommended by the nominating committee. The President-elect shall succeed automatically to the President and Immediate Past President, and may not be re-elected within three years after being elected.
Student Representative shall be elected by written ballot (electronic) sent to the active members from the candidates recommended by the nominating committee.

7. Finances:

1) Income and Expenses

2) Fiscal Year: October 1 to September 30 of the following year.

8. Others:

Annual business meeting shall take place before the mini AKSA conference at the Annual meetings of American Sociological Association.
Newsletter shall be published for affairs of the AKSA, job replacement of members, graduation with MA or PhD of student members, publications by members, research funding obtained by members, call for papers or proposals for funding, fellowship information, obituary, etc.

9. Amendments:

Amendments to these Bylaws may be initiated in either of the following ways.
- The Board of Directors may formulate amendments and submit them to the Regular members of the AKSA for action by ballot.
- Any 5 or more active Regular members may submit to the Board a proposed amendment or amendments with any arguments constructed by its sponsors in writing signed by the sponsors. The Board shall then submit the proposed amendments with recommendations for or arguments against to the active Regular members of the AKSA for action by ballot.

Effective Quorum and Date
- A quorum for approving amendments to the Bylaws shall be one-fourths of all eligible voting members. An affirmative vote by two-thirds of the members returning ballots within 30 days shall be sufficient for passing an amendment.
- An amendment to the Bylaws becomes effective immediately upon acceptance unless otherwise specified on the ballot.