Bylaws of the Council on Anthropology and Education

A Section of the American Anthropological Association

ARTICLE 1. Name

  1. The Section shall be known as the Council on Anthropology and Education hereafter referred to in these Bylaws as the Council.

ARTICLE II. Purposes

Mission

The mission of the Council on Anthropology and Education is to advance anti-oppressive, socially equitable, and racially just outcomes to educational problems through research using anthropological perspectives, theories, methods and findings. The Council advocates for research that is (1) responsive to oppressed groups and (2) promotes practices that bring anthropologists, scholars from other disciplines, and educators together to promote racial and social justice in all settings where learning takes place.

Purpose

The mission requires strategic responsibilities and actions in research, collaboration and advocacy, including commitment to racial and social justice inside the organization itself.

1.  Research

The Council shall:

  1. promote anthropological studies of education in light of local and global contexts,
  • advance and encourage rigorous and methodologically sound anthropological studies,
  • publish and promote research results, curriculum studies and teaching activities related to racial and social justice in anthropology and education.

2.  Collaboration

The Council shall:

  1. integrate anthropological theories, methods, and findings aimed at racially and socially just processes, structures and outcomes into the professional development experiences of educators,
  • aid in the development of the teaching of such anthropology, and
  • encourage engaged research, teaching, and curriculum development for teacher researchers in ways that foster thoughtful dialogue, promote thematic and multidisciplinary connections, and nurture shared commitments across issues in partnerships with university faculty.

3.  Advocacy

The Council shall:

  1. pay particular attention to the relationship between racial and social oppression and the

health and well-being of racialized, marginalized and oppressed communities through scholarship engaging schools, communities, youth development, and other forms of education as social and cultural systems,

  • support public policy and awareness of racially, anti-oppressive and socially-just policies, structures and outcomes, and
  • promote research, policies and practices that are:
    • Close to the voices of the participant communities
    • Sensitive to participant experiences and social contexts
    • Attentive and responsive to community advocate concerns
    • Community-based and participatory when appropriate and feasible
    • Richly-textured through multiple methodologies
    • Action-oriented toward policy and practice for racial and social justice

ARTICLE III. Powers

  1. The Council shall be autonomous in all matters within its field that are not reserved by the Bylaws of the American Anthropological Association, inimical to the American Anthropological Association’s interests, or prohibited by law.
  • The Council shall have an elected President, a President-elect, a Past-President, and an appointed Secretary, Communications Coordinator, and Treasurer, who each serve as officers as set forth in these bylaws.
  • The Council is empowered to determine membership dues.
  • The Council shall determine voting requirements on all Section matters.
  • The Council may engage in publishing and program activities, appoint editors, committees and other agents, and set publication and program policies appropriate to its purposes.
  • The Council shall adopt and maintain Bylaws or Rules of Procedure consistent with American Anthropological Association Bylaws. The Council shall file with the American Anthropological Association Secretary a copy of its current Bylaws, Rules of Procedure and Table of Organization.

ARTICLE IV. Membership

  1. Membership in the Council shall be open to any member in good standing of the American Anthropological Association who supports the above purpose, subject to the payment of dues stipulated by the Board of Directors of the Council.
  • The Council shall consist of Regular and Associate Members. Unless otherwise specified, the

term “Members” will refer to both categories of membership.

  • Regular Members shall be limited to those members of the Council who annually pay the dues stipulated by the Board of Directors of the Council and who are also voting Members of the

American Anthropological Association.

  • Associate Members shall consist of those members of the Council who annually pay the dues stipulated by the Board of Directors of the Council and who are also non-voting Associate members of the American Anthropological Association.
  • All Regular Members in good standing shall receive the publications of the Council, shall have one vote in electing officers and transacting other business of the Council, and may participate and hold office in any number of the Standing Committees. All Members in good standing shall be eligible for any elective or appointive office in the Council, except that the members of the Council’s Executive Committee must be Regular Members of the Council. Regular Members will also be eligible to participate in the scientific program.
  • For just cause (e.g., corruption, unethical conduct), a Member may be deprived of membership by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors, subject to appeal to all Members by electronic vote.

ARTICLE V. Dues

  1. The Board of Directors shall set the annual dues of Members and may establish rates for special categories (e.g., students).
  • Any Member in arrears in the payment of dues shall lose all membership privileges.

ARTICLE VI. Organization

  1. The officers of the Council shall consist of an elected President, Past-President, and a President elect, who shall also serve as Vice-President and Program Chair; an elected First Year Member-at-Large, Second Year Member-at-Large, and Third Year Member-at-Large; and an appointed Secretary, Treasurer, AEQ Editor(s), Mission Committee Chair, Student Representative, Fundraising Committee Chair, and Communications Coordinator.
  • Terms of Office:
    • President-elect: The President-elect shall be elected by the membership for one year and shall advance to the office of the President one year following election to office.
  • President: The President shall serve for one year.
  • Past-President: The Past-president shall serve for one year.
  • First Year Member-at-Large shall be elected by the membership for one year and shall advance to the office of Second Year and Third Year Member-at-Large, serving one year in each subsequent office.
  • Term Limits:
    • Elected Officers: No elected Officer of the Council shall be eligible for re-election to the same office.
  • Appointed Officers: The Secretary, Treasurer, Mission Committee Chair, Fundraising Committee Chair, Anthropology News Contributor and Communications Coordinator will serve three-ear terms upon appointment and may be reappointed to a second term of office which shall not exceed three years.
  • The Board of Directors shall consist of two classes of persons: (1) the officers of the Council as defined in section 1 of this Article; and (2) the elected Chairpersons of the Standing Committees or their representatives as designated in section 8 of this Article. Although co-chairs may be elected by their committees, no Standing Committee shall have more than one voting representative on the Board of Directors. The number of voting members shall be fifteen in the first class, and not more than fifteen in the second class, except that the number of members in the second class may be increased beyond fifteen by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. No member of the Board of Directors may serve for more than two consecutive terms.
  • The Board of Directors shall meet at least once annually, at the time of the Annual Meeting and may meet additionally on the call of the President or a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
  • The Board of Directors shall make all non-elective appointments and may make interim appointments to fill vacancies in any elective office until the next regularly scheduled election. The Executive Committee can solicit and propose nominees for such appointments, but in every case the Board must make final approval.
  • The Executive Committee shall consist of the Past-President, President, the President-elect, the Secretary, the Mission Committee Chair, the Communications Coordinator, and the Treasurer. The Executive Committee shall report to the Board of Directors and shall be subject to its decisions. When the Board of Directors is not in session, the Executive Committee is empowered to act in its stead in carrying out the work of the Council as designated by Articles II and VI of these Bylaws, provided its actions are in accordance with the directives of the Board of Directors.
  • The Council shall contain no more than fifteen thematic Standing Committees, except as this number might be increased as provided in section 3, each of which shall be devoted to a major aspect of anthropology and education. In addition, the Council shall contain three other special Standing Committees: The Mission Committee, the Fundraising Committee, and the Membership Committee. The Board of Directors shall determine the scope of each Standing Committee and shall have the power to initiate new committees and dissolve ones already in existence. Chairpersons or the representatives of Standing Committees which are dissolved shall cease to be members of the Board of Directors. Each Standing Committee shall organize itself democratically in a manner appropriate to its scope, task, and membership; except that, when a Standing Committee is initially organized, its Chairperson may be appointed by the Board of Directors. Each thematic Standing Committee shall hold elections annually for its Chairperson and other Officers. In the event that the officers of a Standing Committee shall fail to conduct its annual election, the Board of Directors may appoint a new Chairperson. No individual shall serve as Chairperson of a thematic Standing Committee for a period longer than three years.
  • In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, President-elect, or an elected Standing Committee Chair on the Board of Directors due to the absence, death, resignation or incapacity of the officer, the duties of the office shall be assumed by the appropriate officer-elect if such position of officer-elect is filled at the time. Where no other officer is empowered to assume the duties of the office, the Executive Committee shall have the power to make interim appointments. The remaining term of office shall be filled by election at the next Annual Election or by election at the Annual Meeting of the Council.
  1. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary, Treasurer, AEQ Editor, the Communications Coordinator, the Anthropology News Contributor, or Student Representative due to the absence, death, resignation or incapacity of the person holding that appointment, the Executive Committee of the Council shall have the power to appoint a successor, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The appointment shall remain in effect until the next Annual Meeting of the Council, at which time a regular appointment to the vacated position for a three- year term shall be made by the Board of Directors. If the Communications Coordinator position requires a replacement, any stipends paid to the previous and incoming Communications Coordinator would be split per the portion of the year completed and the portion of the year to come. So, for example, if the Communications Coordinator stepped down four months into a new year (as measured from time since the end of the previous annual meeting) that coordinator’s compensation would be for 4/12ths of the stipend and the incoming Communications Coordinator would receive the remaining 8/12th for that partial first-year of service.
  1. Elected officers shall take office at 9:00 pm of the third day of the Annual Meeting following their election. To maintain continuity on the AAA Board of Directors, the CAE President shall continue as AAA Board representative until the conclusion of the AAA Annual Meeting.
  1. Subject to general directives and limitations imposed by the membership by mail ballot of the membership, the Board of Directors of the Council shall have the authority to execute on behalf of the Council all powers and functions of the Council as defined in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII. Duties of Officers

  1. President
    1. The President shall be the presiding officer of the Council and shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. The President shall exercise all the duties and responsibilities associated with this office, except as provided in these Bylaws.
  • The President shall serve as the first representative of the Council on the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association. In the event that the Council is entitled to such representation, the President shall serve as its representative on the Executive Committee of the American Anthropological Association.
  • Limitations. The actions of the President in exercising the duties of the office shall be subject to review and approval by the Board of Directors.
  • Chair the Emerald Travel Award Committee.
  • President-elect
    • The President-elect shall serve as Vice-President and co-chair of the program for the Annual Meeting of the Council. In the absence or disability of the President, the President-elect shall perform the duties of the President.
  • In the event that the Council is entitled to such representation, the President-elect shall serve as its second representative on the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association.
  • Past-president
    • The Past-president shall serve on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors and shall organize the committee to select the Concha Delgado Gaitan CAE Presidential Fellows awardees, as well as coordinate the organization and submission of events for such awardees at the annual AAA meetings.
  • Treasurer
    • The Treasurer shall maintain all financial records related to Council business transactions, and shall, not less than sixty (60) days before the Annual Meeting, submit a draft budget for the approval of the Board of Directors.
  • Secretary
    • The Secretary shall maintain a record of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, manage the Council’s storage of documents and records, compile and present all reports to the Board, and serve as the primary liaison between the Executive Committee and the Board.
  • AEQ Editor
    • The AEQ Editor shall have full charge of the Council’s principal publication under the direction of the Board of Directors. The AEQ Editor shall render an annual report to the Board of Directors, which upon approval shall be presented to the membership through one of its publications.
  • The AEQ Editor may appoint Associate, Assistant, and Advisory Editors, subject to review by the Board of Directors. Advisory Editors who serve in the capacity of reviewers shall, as far as practicable, represent a range of interests in education and anthropology. The Associate, Assistant, and Advisory Editors shall serve concurrently with, and under the direction of, the AEQ Editor and shall be responsible to him or her.
  • At least once during the tenure of the Editor/Editorial Team, the Editor/Editorial Team will offer an informational session at the AAA Annual Meeting to familiarize the CAE membership with submission procedures, encourage submissions from new scholars, and encourage nominations for the next editorship.
  • Members-at-large
    • The Members-at-large shall serve in the following capacities:
  • First Year Member-at-large: During the first year, the Member-at-large shall assist in the planning of the program for the Annual Meeting of the Council where deemed necessary. The Member-at-large will also chair the Membership Committee, which shall be composed of the second-year Member-at-large along with two other members appointed by the Board of Directors. The function of the Membership Committee shall be to monitor membership trends and to make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the recruitment of new members. The First Year Member-at-Large will also organize and submit the annual “Works-in-Progress Session.”
  • The Second Year Member-at-large: During the second year, the Member-at large shall serve on the Membership Committee, organize the invited poster event for new scholars, and coordinate the Shirley Brice Heath New CAE Scholar travel award stipends.
  • The Third Year Member-at-large: During the third year, the Member-at-large shall chair the Nominations Committee for new elections; said committee shall consist of the Third Year Member-at-Large, the Mission Committee Chair, and 2 other members appointed by the Board. The Third Year Member-at-Large shall also organize committees to solicit nominations for the Frederick Erickson Outstanding Dissertation Award, the George and Louise Spindler Award, the Douglas Foley Early Career Award, and the CAE Book Award.
  • Communications Team
    • The Communications Teams shall consist of the AN Contributing Editor, whose job shall be to serve as editor of the Council’s section in the Anthropology Newsletter and the Communications Coordinator, whose job shall be to update the Council’s website, monitor the Communities and Google discussion groups, be point person for members and prospective members with communication tasks and/or questions, and assure the Council’s timely and in-depth presence on social media platforms. In recognition of the technical skills needed and the number of hours per month required to perform this role, the role would be compensated and the Council’s voting members could move to replace the Coordinator if performance was insufficient to the Council’s needs. While the AN Contributing Editor and the Communications Coordinator would communicate, the discrete and specific nature of the AN editing task means that that would remain separate from the Communication Coordinator’s role.
  • Mission Committee Chair
    • The Mission Committee Chair shall preside over the Mission Committee, serve on the Executive Committee and Nominations Committee, and coordinate such activities deemed necessary to assure the Council’s adherence to the purposes articulated in Article II.
  1. Fundraising Committee Chair
    1. The Fundraising Committee Chair shall coordinate all fundraising activities of the Council, chiefly by proposing and then overseeing a Board-approved Fundraising Committee, ideally consisting of one member for each of the 4 quasi-endowments created by the Council. The Fundraising Committee Chair shall report directly to the Treasurer.
  1. Student Representative
    1. The Student Representative shall serve as principal liaison between the Board and the Council’s student members and shall coordinate special events and activities such as mentoring sessions at the Annual Meetings.
  1. Board of Directors
    1. Subject to the provisions of Article VI of these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may
  • appoint necessary committees, define their duties, and receive their reports;
  • expend Council funds within the budget and solicit, accept, and expend special funds for special purposes, and notify the membership of action with reference to special funds by report in the appropriate publication of the Council;
  • maintain records of professional personnel in the area of anthropology and education;
  • serve as a clearing house for information concerning all matters of professional and scientific interest in the field of anthropology and education;

(4) publish journals, newsletters, bibliographies, monographs, or other materials which it judges appropriate to the goals of the Council;

(6) establish liaison with other professional or scientific organizations and institutions;

(7) appoint all representatives of the Council to other societies, agencies or organizations, or select such representatives from slates submitted by other societies, agencies or organizations.

  • Reports of officers, representatives, delegates, committees, and agents shall be approved by the Board of Directors.
  • Any member of the Board of Directors may be removed for non-attendance at meetings of the Board or inattention to duties after written notice and by two-thirds vote of the Board.

ARTICLE VIII. Annual Report

  1. At the time of each Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors shall report its activities to the Members and to the Board of Directors of the American Anthropological Association. The report shall include the reports of all officers designated in VI. 1., as well as other agents representing the Council (e.g., chairs of ad hoc task forces).

ARTICLE IX. Meetings

  1. The Council shall hold an Annual Meeting at the time of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association. The Council shall also reserve the right to hold an additional meeting each year, typically in conjunction with another professional association, section, or interest group.
  • The place and date of the Annual Meeting shall be disclosed to the Members not less than one hundred twenty (120) days in advance of the meeting.
  • The President-elect shall serve as Program Chair and shall organize the program of the Council, with the assistance of the first-year Member-at-large.
  • Special meetings may be called by the Board of Directors or upon written request of five (5) percent of the Members.

ARTICLE X. Quorum

  1. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.
  • The business of the Council shall be transacted by majority vote unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws. In case of a tie vote by the Board of Directors, the decision of the President shall be final. No person attending a meeting of the Board of Directors shall have the right to cast a vote unless he or she is a member of the Board or is acting as a representative of a board member in his or her absence.

ARTICLE XI. Nominations, Elections and Appointments

  1. Candidates for any elective office may be nominated by the Board of Directors, by the Nominations Committee, or by Members. All candidates for the Executive Committee of the Council shall be Regular Members in good standing of the Council. All candidates for other positions shall be Regular Members in good standing of the Council.
  • A Nominations Committee shall be appointed annually by the Board of Directors. The Nominations Committee shall be chaired by the Member-at-large serving his or her third year in that capacity and shall include the Mission Committee Chair and two (2) additional Members appointed by the Board of Directors.
  • The Nominations Committee shall nominate two (2) persons for each vacant office. These nominations shall be made known to Members at the Annual Meeting.
  • Five (5) percent of the Members in good standing may nominate an additional candidate for any office, provided the nomination is received in writing by the Secretary within 10 days of the end of the Annual Meeting.
  • The Secretary shall inform the prospective nominee to any office or position of the probable extent of the burden of the office or position. A nomination becomes effective only upon filing with the Secretary a statement of the willingness and ability to devote such time to the affairs of

the Council as necessary to the effective execution of the office.

  • Appointment of the AEQ Editor/Editorial Team: The Executive Committee and the current AEQ Editor-in-Chief will be responsible for selecting a new Editor/Editorial Team for the next three-year term with input and ratification from the full CAE Board of Directors. Candidates may be affiliated with academic institutions, NGOs, or community based organizations, or they may be independent scholars, provided they have access to the technologies needed to produce the journal. Nominations from the CAE Board, membership, and self-nominations are accepted. As indicated in section VII 5 (b), the candidate may be a single editor or an editorial team. Candidates must demonstrate in a letter of application that they have: (1) a strong record of scholarship in the field of Anthropology and Education, and (2) excellent organizational and editorial skills. The letter must provide a detailed plan describing how the time and material and human resources needed for a successful editorship will be assured.

Because CAE funding of the AEQ editorship fluctuates and therefore cannot be guaranteed, the Executive Committee will clarify in the call for nominations what portion of the editorship, if any, is to be supported by CAE.

In order to encourage the most inclusive and thorough nomination and selection procedure, the Executive Committee and CAE Board of Directors will (1) allow 18-24 months of lead time. The first call for nominations will occur by July, midway through the current editor’s term; interviews with potential candidates will take place during the CAE Board meeting at AAA in November/December of the same year; selection will be completed by March of following year; and the new editorial team will assume full responsibility for the journal in December of that year. And (2) encourage members of the CAE Board of Directors, the current AEQ Editor/Editorial Team, and the membership at large to nominate potential candidates who have the desired qualifications.

ARTICLE XII. Balloting

  1. A Member in good standing shall be entitled to cast one electronic ballot in any election or referendum.
  • Ballots shall be secret and administered electronically by the AAA. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to examine the eligibility of any voter.
  • Thirty (30) days shall be allowed for the return of ballots. Ballots must be received by the Secretary not later than the stated return date to be counted.
  • A service agency may be engaged to tally the votes and certify the results to the Board of Directors.
  • The candidate receiving the most votes for a contested office shall be elected.
  • The Board of Directors shall hold a run-off election within ninety (90) days to resolve all ties.

ARTICLE XIII. Referenda

  1. A referendum may be conducted by e-mail ballot at any time upon initiation of the Board of Directors, or a petition signed by five (5) percent of the Members in good standing. A majority of votes received shall constitute a favorable vote.

ARTICLE XIV. Finances

  1. The fiscal year of the Council shall be that of the American Anthropological Association.
  • The Council shall submit an annual operating budget to the American Anthropological Association Board of Directors, which, when approved, shall govern Council activities.
  • The income from annual dues and from investments and other sources shall constitute a working fund, available for operating, publication, and current expenses consistent with the purposes of the Council.
  • No financial obligation in excess of funds available in the treasury shall be assumed on behalf of the Council except that for the purpose of this section, estimated receipts from annual dues and other accounts receivable for the current year may be considered as available funds.
  • The Council may establish special funds to be administered by the American Anthropological Association for purposes the Council may designate.

ARTICLE XV. Amendments

  1. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Members in good standing voting by electronic ballot.
  • Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, or by petition to the President of five (5) percent of the Members in good standing, as reported in the last published report of the Treasurer.
  • The proposed amendments shall be included with the electronic Officers’ ballot administered

by the AAA within 90 days of the Annual Meeting or Special Meeting.

  • In the case of a mail ballot, ballots must be received by the Secretary within thirty (30) days of the date of mailing to be counted.
  • An amendment shall go into effect immediately unless otherwise specifically provided.
  • The amendments and provisions of these Bylaws shall be effective immediately upon their adoption and shall supersede and nullify all previous Bylaw enactments in conflict with them and all amendments and provisions.

Last amendments: April 2022: Communications Coordinator position