Society of Catholic Social Scientists Constitution

ARTICLE ONE: NAME

Name The name of this organization is the Society of Catholic Social Scientists (SCSS).

ARTICLE TWO: PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization is to bring Catholic scholars, professors, teachers, researchers, practitioners, writers, and others in the social sciences and related disciplines into association to produce objective knowledge and analysis about the political, social, and economic orders which can assist the Catholic Church in fulfilling her various apostolic efforts, and which can bring the Church’s social and other teaching and the Natural Law to bear on addressing the challenges and problems of modern culture. The Society seeks to promote scholarly endeavors and efforts and approaches in applied fields which are oriented to helping rebuild the culture according to the principles of the papal social encyclicals (with justice and charity as foremost considerations), securing protection for the dignity and rights of the Christian family and of all innocent human life (from fertilization until natural death), and furthering respect for the legitimate rights and duties of the human person. The means by which this purpose shall be effectuated shall be stipulated by the By-Laws and/or determined by decisions from time to time by those charged with the Society’s governance.

ARTICLE THREE: MEMBERSHIP

Membership is open to the categories of individuals stated in Article Two and others specified by the By-Laws who uphold the teaching of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and who meet the specific criteria for membership stated in the By-Laws.

ARTICLE FOUR: GOVERNANCE AND ADVISING BODIES

Section I. Governing Body. Governance, policymaking, determination of the amount of dues and other charges, and maintenance of the general fiscal integrity of the Society shall be the responsibility of a Board of Directors that shall be composed of the following members: the national executive officers of the Society; the Chairman or Co-Chairmen of the Society’s Board of Advisors; the two founding officers of the Society; the number of local chapter presidents or executive heads specified by the By-Laws; and such other person(s) as shall be specified by the By-Laws. The President of the Society shall be the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Section II. Executive Officers. The officers of the Society shall consist of the following: a President; a Vice President (or, if the By-Laws stipulate, a 1st Vice President and a 2nd Vice President); an Executive Secretary; a Treasurer; and a Chaplain. Sub-Section 1. The duties of the officers shall be as follows: President – Shall be the chief executive officer of the Society and shall carry out all the executive functions of the Society. As Chairman of the Board of Directors, he shall preside over all meetings of that Board. He shall also preside over all general membership meetings of the Society. He shall also serve as an ex-officio (non-voting) member of all Society committees of which he is not a regular member. He shall also carry out all other functions assigned to him by the By-Laws and/or the Board of Directors. He shall also appoint the members and chairmen of any committees provided for in the By-Laws or which he constitutes to help carry on the business of the Society. He shall also, along with the Executive Secretary, handle the Society’s correspondence and record keeping. Vice President (or 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents) – Shall handle the executive functions of the Society in the President’s absence (if there is both a 1st and 2nd Vice President, the 1st Vice President fills in for the President) and shall perform all other functions assigned by the President and/or the By-Laws. Executive Secretary – Shall, along with the President, handle the Society’s correspondence and record keeping. He shall take minutes at all Society meetings, and receive and count ballots in any Society election or referenda provided for in this Constitution or the By-Laws or which is authorized by the Board of Directors. Treasurer – Shall handle financial disbursements, keep financial records for the Society, and be in charge of regular dues collection from Society members (if the By-Laws permit, these functions may be shared by the President). Chaplain – Shall attend to the spiritual needs of the Society and its members. Sub-Section 2. Officers, except for the Chaplain, shall be elected for two-year terms. The procedure for election of officers, except for the Chaplain, shall be as follows (with further particulars to be specified in the By-Laws): the Board of Directors, after consultation with the Board of Advisors, shall nominate candidates from among the eligible members of the Society, as specified in the By-Laws. The election shall be carried out via a mail ballot of the members who are eligible to vote according to the By-Laws. The candidates who secure the most votes on the returned ballots shall be elected. Write-in votes shall be permitted. The Chaplain shall be appointed by the Board of Directors, upon nomination by the President, for an indefinite term. Any officer may be removed by a vote of two-thirds of the entire Board of Directors before the completion of his term. Vacancies in the various officer positions shall be filled by a vote of an absolute majority of the Board of Directors, with the newly-appointed officer serving until the end of the uncompleted term. Section III. Board of Advisors. The President, with the consent of the Board of Directors, shall, from time to time, appoint prominent Catholic scholars and others involved in the social sciences and related disciplines to a Board of Advisors to provide advice and assistance in the direction of the Society. The President shall appoint, with the consent of the Board of Directors, one or more members of the Board of Advisors to be Chairman or Co-Chairmen of that Board. Section IV. Bishops Board. The President shall recommend to the Board of Directors members of the Catholic hierarchy to be approached for appointment to a Bishops Board which shall provide guidance and direction to the Society in its mission and undertakings. If the By-Laws so stipulate, all or certain members of the Bishops Board shall sit on the Board of Directors. Section V. Local Chapters. Where there is interest, local chapters of the Society may be started to pursue programs of their choice which conform to the national Society’s stated purposes and policies. Recognition of local chapters is granted by vote of the Board of Directors. Subject to any limitations specified in the By-Laws, local chapters select their own officers or other governing officials, at least one of whom shall be a president or other executive head.

ARTICLE FIVE: INTERPRETATION

The President shall have the power to interpret provisions of this Constitution or the By-Laws when they are in question or dispute. The President’s interpretation shall stand unless appealed within seven calendar days to the Board of Directors. In the case of such an appeal, the decision of the majority of the Board of Directors voting on such shall be final.

ARTICLE SIX: AMENDMENT

This Constitution may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the entire Board of Directors, subject to the approval of the majority of the members of the Society who vote via a mail ballot.

ARTICLE SEVEN: RATIFICATION

This Constitution and the initial appended By-Laws shall be in effect upon approval by a majority of the members of the Society who vote via a mail ballot.