by-laws

2. Delegates and Representatives — Delegates or representatives to professional organizations shall be appointed, as the need arises, by the Executive Committee. The terms of service for any delegate will be set by the Executive Committee and reviewed at its next meeting.

3. Nomination and Election of Officers — (a) A slate of nominations for officers shall be presented to a plenary meeting by the Executive Committee. The slate of nominations shall be published in the newsletter of the Association, or by special mailing, in a timely fashion. In cases where the nominee is not able to serve after having accepted the nomination, the Executive Committee shall nominate a replacement prior to the elections. Additional nominations shall be made from the floor at the plenary meeting. If the person nominated is not present, his or her written acceptance of the nomination must be presented at the time the nomination is made. (b) The election shall be by secret ballot, and shall take place during the plenary meeting, if possible. A majority vote of the members present shall be required for election. (c) Officers shall serve a term of three years. An elective officer may be reelected to serve one additional three-year term in the same office.

4. Amendments — The Executive Committee may propose amendments to, or the repeal of, a bylaw or bylaws. Any member of the Association may propose amendments to, additions to, or the repeal of a bylaw or bylaws by sending in such to one of the members of the Executive Committee. Such a proposal shall be circulated to the Executive Committee for vote not less than two months before the next plenary meeting of the Association, at which time the decision shall be submitted to the membership. If no plenary session is held within three years of the previous one, a vote of the membership must be conducted by mail under the auspices of the Executive Committee. Amendments must be approved by a majority of those voting.

The Constitution of The Polish Studies Association

ARTICLE I. NAME. This organization shall be called the Polish Studies Association, or PSA.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE. The purpose of the association is to promote Polish studies outside Poland.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERS. Membership in the Association shall be open to all persons professionally
engaged in the field of Polish studies, including college and university students. Members who have
paid their annual dues have the right to vote and to hold office in the Association, and shall qualify for
grants awarded by the Association.

ARTICLE IV. ASSOCIATED RELATIONSHIPS. On behalf of the Association, the Executive Committee,
by a majority vote, may enter into renewable relationships with other organizations for a period
of five years. Such arrangements, known as Associated relationships, may be concluded with
national organizations whose purposes conform to those of the Association. The specific terms of
each relationship approved by the Executive Committee should be established in a public letter to the
associate organization.

ARTICLE V. OFFICERS. The elective officers of the Association shall be a President, three Vice-
Presidents, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. A vacancy in any of these offices occurring at any time may
be filled until the next elections by an appointee of the Executive Committee, at its discretion.

ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, three Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer, the Secretary,
the immediate past-president, the Editor of the Association’s newsletter, and three members.