Bylaws

Article 1. Name

The name of the organization is the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists. The principal office for the transaction of business of the corporation is located in the State of Texas, County of Bexar.

Article 2. Purpose.

The San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists is a nonpartisan organization. Its purpose is to:

  1. Provide networking opportunities for Hispanics and Latinos/as/e/x in journalism and communications careers
  2. Help develop Hispanic and Latino/a/e/x leaders in journalism
  3. Advance and be an advocate for Hispanics and Latinos/as/e/x in journalism and communications careers
  4. Encourage Hispanics and Latinos/as/e/x to consider and pursue journalism and communications professions.

Article 3. Membership

  1. Journalist: Membership is open to all professionals in electronic and print media and journalism associations who work full time in the gathering, editing or presentation of news.  Journalist members must reside and/or work in Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Uvalde, or Wilson counties.  Journalist members who no longer reside or work in the specified counties can maintain their journalist membership status for one year if they pay their dues within one year of departure.  All journalist members are eligible to vote and hold office.  Only journalist members can hold the office of President and Vice President. Annual dues are set by the board.
  2. Communications: Membership is open to journalism educators; professionals in advertising and public relations; journalist freelancers, podcasters and bloggers; and other independent journalists.  Communications members must reside and/or work in Bexar, Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Uvalde, or Wilson counties.  Communications members are eligible to vote.  Only communications members who are full-time communications professionals can hold office, except for that of President or Vice President. Annual dues are set by the board.
  3. Retired journalist and communications members: Membership is open to those who previously met qualifications of the Journalist and Communications categories but have retired. Retired journalist and communications members are eligible to vote and hold office, except for that of President or Vice President. Annual dues are set by the board.
  4. Student: Membership is open to high school and college students involved in the study of journalism or communications.  Student members may not vote or hold office.  Annual dues are set by the board.
  5. Supporting: Membership is open to any individual or entity, including corporations, that support the goals of the Association. Annual dues are set by the board.

Article 4. Membership requirements

  1. Dues must be paid for a member to vote on Association issues or in elections.
  2. The membership fees are set by the board but may be modified by a two-thirds vote of the eligible members at the last date of record.

Article 5. Meetings

  1. Association meetings shall be held a minimum of six times a year.  Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the President and/or majority of the officers. A meeting may be called by a two-thirds majority of the members in good standing at the last date of record. The general membership must be notified of all meetings and of the official agenda at least five (5) days in advance.
  2. A quorum of at least five-eighths of the elected officers is required to conduct association business at an officially called meeting posted to the general membership.
  3. Meetings of the association or the board may be held in person or electronically so long as the required quorum is met.
  4. No action may be taken by the board unless the membership has been notified as required by the bylaws.

Article 6. Elections

  1. Election dates
    1. The board must set a July date for the annual election of officers.
    2. The board must set a date of record for voter eligibility that is at least 90 days before the election date.
  2. Nominations
    1. The board must set a June date for nominations to open. Nominations will close one week after that date.
    2. An eligible member is allowed to run for only one position at a time. If a person is nominated for more than one position, the person must choose which nomination to accept before candidates are announced for that election.
  3. Voting
    1. An election may be conducted electronically or in person.
    2. Once a ballot has been submitted in an election, it cannot be changed.
  4. Elections are overseen by the Elections Committee, which is responsible for verification of voter eligibility and of the vote counting.
    1. The Elections Committee chair must be an independent arbiter who is not involved in the campaign of any candidate in the elections the arbiter is overseeing.
    2. The President appoints the Elections Committee chair and committee members unless the president is running for office.
    3. If the president is running for office, the president will not appoint or be involved in the appointing of the Elections Committee chair or members of the committee. In such cases, the Elections Committee chair must be nominated by a member in good standing who is not running for office and must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the board; the chair will choose the other committee members, subject to approval by a majority of the board.
  5. If a position becomes vacant, the board must call a special election within thirty (30) days. The date of record for voter eligibility will be ninety (90) days before the special election date.

Article 7. Organizational Structure

All officers may serve no more than two consecutive terms per office.  Officers may serve on any of the association committees.  If an officer cannot attend a meeting, the officer must provide notice to the president or vice president.

President: The Association president must be a full-time working electronic or print journalist. The president presides over meetings, develops the agenda and communicates with members. The president is the organization’s official spokesperson.  The president appoints committee chairs and committee members to assist with committee assignments.  The president has the authority to delegate responsibilities to any board member.

Vice President: The vice president must be a full-time working electronic or print journalist. The vice president must assume all duties of the president in the event of the absence or disability of the president.  The vice president will keep a record of membership, showing names of all members, their addresses, type of membership and a record showing dues payments.

Secretary: The secretary must attend all meetings and keep a record of minutes of meetings of the members and the directors. The secretary is responsible for ensuring the membership receives required notices by mail, email, social media or telephone.  Notices must be posted on the association’s website at least five (5) days in advance.

Treasurer: The treasurer must keep a record of all financial transactions by the association including:

  1. making deposits of all money in the name and to the credit of the Association;
  2. disbursing funds at the order of the officers and;
  3. making available to the officers whenever requested, an account of all transactions and the condition of the financial condition of the Association.

At-Large Print Officer: must be a professional journalist who works full time in the gathering, editing or presentation of news for a print or digital publication or a journalism association.  This officer is responsible for advocating for the members in this category to the board and recruiting additional members from this category.

At-Large Broadcast Officer: must be a professional journalist who works full time in the gathering, editing or presentation of news for broadcast. This officer is responsible for advocating for the members in this category to the board and recruiting additional members from this category.

At-Large Communications Officer: must be a journalism educator; professional in advertising, communications, marketing or public relations; journalist freelancer, podcaster, blogger; or other independent journalist. This officer is responsible for advocating for the members in this category to the board and recruiting additional members from this category.

Article 8. Removal or Resignation

  1. Resignation of officers
    1. Any elected officer may resign by providing a letter of resignation to the President and officers.
    2. The President may resign by submitting a letter of resignation to the full board of officers.
  2. Removal
    1. Officers
      1. May be subject to removal for missing three meetings per year.
      2. An elected officer may be removed by a majority vote of the members in good standing at the last date of record at a called meeting.
      3. An officer proposed for removal must be notified at least ten (10) days before the meeting at which the removal will be considered by the membership.
    2. Committees
      1. Committee Chairs may be removed by the President without any vote.
      2. A Committee Chair in conjunction with the President may remove a committee member without a vote.

Article 9. Committees

  1. The Association will have standing committees for elections, scholarships and fundraising events.
  2. The president appoints committee chairs and members to assist with committee assignments.
  3. The president may create and appoint other committees as necessary.
  4. A committee chair must be a member in good standing.

Article 10. Amendments to the Bylaws

  1. The Association bylaws may be amended no more than once a year either in person or electronically. The vote may be held in conjunction with annual elections.
  2. One third (1/3) of the members in good standing at the last date of record can propose an amendment to the general membership; the members must notify the board at least forty-five (45) days before the proposed vote.
  3. Proposed changes must be presented in writing to the general membership by the secretary at least thirty (30) days before an amendment vote.
  4. Amendments must be approved by two-thirds vote of the members in good standing at the last date of record.

These bylaws were approved by the members of the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists at their meeting on April 24, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas.