Article I. Name:

The name of the society shall be The John Dos Passos Society.
Article II. Purpose:

The purpose of the society shall be to assist and coordinate John Dos Passos studies through the organization of publication and presentation opportunities and the maintenance of the John Dos Passos website from which research, teaching, and professional development resources can be made available.
Article III. Membership:

A. The Society shall be composed of:
1. The Officers: the President, the Vice-President, and the Secretary-Treasurer.
2. Members: any person who subscribes to the Society's by-laws and pays the annual dues of 50 dollars shall be a member.
3. Student Members: any student enrolled in an accredited college or university who subscribes to the by-laws and pays annual student dues of 25 dollars shall be a Student Member. Student Members shall receive the same benefits as Members.
B. Privileges: All members shall be entitled to:
1. Attend and vote at the society's general meetings held annually at The American Literature Association and hold office in the society.
2. Receive any mass publications authorized by the Executive Board and the Society.
Article IV. Organization:

A. The Executive Board: the President, the Vice-President, and the Secretary-Treasurer will be elected by the members. Nominations or self-nominations are due by April of odd years. Elections will be determined by a simple majority vote at the American Literature Association conference held in odd years. All terms begin June 1, odd years.
1. The elected President and Vice-President shall serve for two years. Consecutive terms will not be allowed unless no successor nominates him or herself for the role of President or Vice-President.
2. The Secretary-Treasurer will serve two-year terms, as well, but he or she is eligible to serve as many consecutive two-year terms as he or she wishes. (This stipulation is in place to ensure ease of transition with monetary matters.)
3. The conference organizer will serve two-year terms (since the John Dos Passos Conference will be held only during even years) and is eligible to serve as many consecutive two-year terms as he or she wishes.
4. A member serving as President, Vice-President, or Secretary-Treasurer can concurrently serve as conference organizer.

B. Advisory Board: The Advisory Board consists of former officers and others to be named as needed in order to help provide direction for the organization through consultation on all matters pertaining to The John Dos Passos Society.

C. Duties of the Officers:
1. The President
a. General:  The President is responsible for keeping the John Dos Passos Society in good working order and publicizing the work of the Society.  The President sets the agenda for business meetings, leads the meetings, and works to ensure that business is handled efficiently and well. The President shall consult with other officers and the Advisory Board on important matters. The President shall also assist the Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer as needed. The President, with the approval of the Advisory Committee, has the authority to delegate certain responsibilities of the office where necessary for efficiency.
b. Distribution:  The President is responsible for preparing and distributing calls for papers, organizing panels effectively, and acting as liaison with the conference/convention venues to make sure that proposals are submitted correctly and on time.
c. Website: The President shall oversee the John Dos Passos Society's website, post all necessary information about the Society and its activities, and post the minutes from the annual business meeting.

2. The Vice President:
a. Operations:  The Vice-President is responsible for all record keeping, i.e.: taking minutes at the business meetings and collecting, helping to create, and organizing other paperwork. The Vice-President, with the approval of the Advisory Board, has the authority to delegate, when necessary for efficiency, certain responsibilities of the office.
b. Distribution:  The Vice-President shall help to edit calls for papers, minutes, and any other written material before sending such material to the President for final proofing, corrections, and distribution.
c. Website: The Vice-President is authorized to make changes to the John Dos Passos Society website by posting necessary information about the Society and its activities.
d. Newsletter: The Vice-President is responsible for delegating article content and formatting and finalizing the articles included in the John Dos Passos Society newsletter, “The Speech of the People.”

3.  The Secretary-Treasurer:
a. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain and manage the financial accounts of the Society, including the Society’s PayPal account. He or she shall be the sole keeper of the funds of the Society and shall be the only member with access to the PayPal account. This stipulation is in place to ensure ease of transition with monetary matters.
b. The Secretary-Treasurer shall collect membership dues and maintain an updated roster of members in good standing.
c. The Secretary-Treasurer shall present a budgetary report to the Society annually at the American Literature Association.
d. The Secretary-Treasurer shall take all legal filings with the appropriate state and federal agencies.
e. The Secretary-Treasurer shall assist in correspondence, minutes, and communications as requested by the President or Vice-President.
g. The Secretary-Treasurer shall submit financial reports and membership lists at the request of the President.
h. The Secretary-Treasurer is authorized to make changes to the John Dos Passos Society website by posting necessary information about the Society and its activities.
i. The Secretary-Treasurer is responsible for printing and distributing the John Dos Passos Society newsletter, “The Speech of the People.”

4.  Conference Organizer:
a. The conference organizer shall be responsible for working in accordance with the President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer on matters organizational and monetary in relation to organizing full conferences (not single panels at other conferences) centered around the work of John Dos Passos.
b. The conference organizer shall be charged with securing a location, communicating with vendors, corresponding with speakers and potential speakers, organizing the conference schedule, and other sundry tasks related to conference organization.

Article V. Use of Funds:

Funds belonging to the Society shall be used only to support the charitable and educational purposes which define the Society. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall benefit any member, office, or member of the Advisory Board of the Society. The group may pay reasonable compensation for services rendered, and it may freely spend its resources to further the tax-exempt purposes listed above.

Article VI. Amendments to the By-Laws:

Amendments to the by-laws adopted by the Society shall be made upon the recommendation of the Advisory Board and adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members attending the annual business meeting at the American Literature Association.

Article VII. Dissolution of the Society:

Any assets of the John Dos Passos Society shall, at the time of the group's dissolution, be used to discharge any and all outstanding debts. Assets left over shall then become the property of a non-profit organization that is similarly tax-exempt and approved by the Advisory Board.