Guideline Protocols for SSA Officers

These Guideline Protocols for SSA Officers are proposed as a support document to provide clarification of the timing and responsibilities for various SSA functions. The Executive Board Members approved this document at their meeting on September 30, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Item 1: Defining the annual duties and timing of SSA officers and committees:

1. The President is to take office at end of general meeting after serving as Vice-President. The duties of the President are:
   1. To preside over Executive Board meeting at beginning of the conference (following installation as President at the previous General Meeting);
   2. To recognize those who are completing their service to the EB, and welcome new members of the EB

[note that according to Article V Section 2 “In contrast to the
President, who assumes office at the end of the Annual Meeting, the two
newly elected
members of the Executive Board take office with the beginning of the Annual Meeting�?]

To present the agenda (provided by the Executive Director) to include:

1. Approval of last meeting minutes;
2. Report by the Executive Director including all transactions of the SSA, documentation of financial records, and all society activities such as election of a Vice-President/President Elect and new Executive Board members;
3. Reports from the
   1. Editor of TJAS
   2. Editor of Semiotics Yearbook, and
   3. Program Committee Chair (generally the VP/President elect).
4. Selection of a new member of the Nominating Committee—composed of three members serving three years each, with the committee chaired by the individual serving the last year of the 3-year term.
5. Announce the results of the election of a new VP and two new members of the EB (completed at least two months before the annual meeting by the ED);
6. Decide the venues for the next 2-3 conference meetings and initiate plans for the next Program Committee (including the selection of the Program Committee;
7. Request for an evaluation of the Executive Director and recommendation for reappointing the ED by the Executive Board;
8. NEW BUSINESS; additional agenda items, (previously distributed to the members of the board);

To give the Presidential address at the conference banquet or luncheon;To preside over the General Meeting at the end of the conference, and include voting on any items put forward by the EXECUTIVE BOARD, and INSTALLING THE NEW PRESIDENT. The Vice-President shall have the additional title of President-Elect.The duties of the Vice-President are:

The Vice-President shall serve for one term only, succeeding to the presidency in the
following term. The Vice-President chairs the Program Committee. The Program Committee
consists of six members appointed by the Vice-President and Executive Director.Executive Director
The Executive Board appoints an Executive Director for one term and eligible for immediate re-appointment. The Executive Director (ED) has the task of overseeing the affairs of the Society on a regular basis between the SSA annual meetings. The Executive Director is directly responsible to the Executive Board.

1. The Executive Director shall administer the affairs of the Society, with the following specific responsibilities:
   1. To conduct financial operations of the Society related to publications, meetings, and other Society functions in cooperation with the Program Committee, Executive Board, and other SSA officers,
   2. To keep records of all transactions of the Society including financial records, and
      documentation of all other Society business, functions, and communications;
   3. To present a report at the annual Executive Board meeting documenting all financial transactions and other Society business noted above;
   4. To oversee all issues related to publications by the Society, delegating any editing deemed advisable to members of all committees;
   5. To oversee the elections and referenda conducted by mail ballot. The Executive Director may be provided with administrative, editorial, and clerical assistance, as approved by the Executive Board.
   6. To submit an agenda to the President for the Executive Board meeting to take place at the opening of the Annual Meeting. Note that the details of the agenda are included in the description of the President’s responsibilities (see above in
      the section describing The duties of the President are: #3 To present the agenda from the Executive Director to include:)
2. Item 2: Non-elected officers of SSA shall be appointed by a search committee
   Non-elected officers of SSA include the Executive Director, Editors of TAJS, and Semiotics Annual, and the Secretary (not presently defined in the Constitution). All non-elected officers shall be nominated by a search committee involving the Executive Board, and approved by the Executive Board.
3. Item 3: The Kevelson Award
   The Roberta Kevelson Award Committee consists of three people (including a chairperson) appointed by the Executive Director. The Committee is responsible for reviewing papers submitted by students and selecting the individual who will receive the Kevelson Award. The Executive Director will collect the full papers approximately one month before the annual meeting and, soon thereafter, send them to the committee for selection based on appropriate criteria pertaining to excellent writing and a significant contribution to semiotic scholarship.
   All papers will be presented at the SSA annual meeting. The winner of the Kevelson Award will have their paper published in the SSA Yearbook with page costs waived.
4. Item 4: The Sebeok Fellow Award
   The Sebeok Fellow Award Committee consists of three people (including a chairperson) appointed by the Executive Director. The Committee is responsible for reviewing nominees submitted by Members (in good standing) of the SSA and selecting the individual who will receive the Sebeok Fellow Award.