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Bylaws of the Law & Policy Division of the Broadcast Education Association

Presented for ratification by Law & Policy Division members April 5, 2003.

Article I  –  Name:  The name of the division shall be the Law & Policy Division.

Article II  –  Purpose:  The mission of the Law & Policy Division is to promote research into communications law and policy matters and provide a forum for its presentation.

The Division also provides a discussion forum for all persons with an interest in law and policy issues.  To that end, the Law and Policy Division of BEA sponsors and co-sponsors peer-reviewed paper competitions and non-peer reviewed panels for presentation at the annual BEA Convention.

Since the electronic media is particularly impacted by legal and policy decisions and decision-makers, the division also acts as an education resource for all BEA attendees and thus should aim for panels that aid all members in the teaching of law and policy issues.

Article III  –  Officers:  The governing body of the Division shall be called the Leadership of the Law & Policy Division and shall consist of: a chair, a vice chair, and a newsletter editor/secretary.

Section 1  –  Chair.  The vice-chair shall succeed the chair on even-numbered years to a two-year term.  The duties of the chair shall include:
1.   Overseeing the overall organization of the Law & Policy Division;
2.   Representing the Law & Policy Division in all BEA convention meetings,
3.   Chairing the Business Meeting at the annual BEA convention,
4.   Handling Division business in the interim between BEA conventions,
5.   Serving as panel coordinator, overseeing Leadership evaluation and ranking panel proposals, and
6.   Authorizing expenditure of Law & Policy Division funds.

Section 2  –  Vice-Chair.  The vice-chair shall be elected on even-numbered years to a two-year term.  Duties of the vice-chair include:

  1. Representing the Division in all BEA convention meetings in absence of the chair, or as designated by the chair,
    2.   Assisting the chair during the business meeting at the annual BEA convention,
    3.   Assisting the chair in handling Division business in the interim between BEA conventions,
    4.   Managing the Law & Policy Division’s competitive paper competition,

Prior to the convention:

  1. a)  Disseminate information about the paper competition,
    b)  Select judges for the competition,
  2. c)  Coordinate the judging procedures including preparing judging forms, distributing papers to the judges, and tallying judging forms,
    d)  Notify winners and losers of the competition and provide feedback, and
    e)  Arrange for a respondent for the Competitive Paper session.

During the convention: chairing of the session in which the winners are presented.

  1. Assuming the chair’s position at the end of the two-year term or should the Chair resign or be unable to fulfill the duties of the office.

Section 3  –  Newsletter Editor/Secretary.  The newsletter editor/secretary shall be elected on even-numbered years to a two-year term.  The duties of the office shall include:
1.   Writing, soliciting, and/or editing all copy to go in the newsletter.
2.   Preparing, publishing, and distributing the newsletter to Law & Policy Division members, and
3.   Take notes at the annual business meeting of the Law & Policy Division.

Section 4 –  Procedures for the Election of Officers.  Nominations will be taken from the floor for each vacant position at the business meeting at the annual BEA convention.  Normally, the vice-chair moves into the chair’s position at the end of the two-year term.  Therefore, the chair’s position is generally not open for election.  After nominations are closed, the candidate getting the most votes of the Law & Policy Division members who are present and voting will be elected to the office for each vacant position.  In order to cast a vote for Division Leadership, an individual must be a member of the Law & Policy Division.

Article IV  –  Newsletter:  The newsletter shall be published at least three (3) times per year.  The first issue of the year shall be published in May (post-convention wrap-up), the second issue in September (competition deadline announcements/call for papers), and the third in March (convention preview).  Writing, editing, publishing, and distributing the letter shall be the responsibility of the newsletter editor/secretary.  Publishing and mailing costs of the newsletter shall come from Law & Policy Division funds.

Article V  –  Paper Competitions:  The purpose of the paper competition shall be to provide forum for the presentation of peer-reviewed research.

The competition shall be open to both members and nonmembers of the BEA, faculty, graduates and undergraduate students.  At least one author of a winning paper shall be required to present the paper at the convention or forfeit their award and all presenters are required to be members of the BEA.

The paper competition shall follow the BEA guidelines and shall consist of both open and debut categories.  The debut competition shall have a $200 award for first place and a $100 award for second place.  The debut competition is open to only those people who have never submitted a paper to any BEA competition.  The first place debut winner is named the David Eschelman Award winner and receives a plaque, given in his memory.  The cost of the plaque shall come from Law & Policy Division funds, the awards shall come from BEA funds.

 

The open competition shall be available to anyone who would like to submit a paper.  The open competition shall have a $200 award for first place and a $100 award for second place.  The funds for these awards shall come from Law & Policy Division funds.

If a person is submitting two papers in their first year of interest in the conference, they should submit both papers in the debut category.

The responsibility for operating the competition shall fall to the vice-chair. There shall be at least three (university) judges for the competition with the co-chair making every effort to balance the judges by their interest in Law & Policy activities.  The paper competition shall follow the deadlines established by the BEA.

Article VI  –  Division Panels:  Panel proposals shall be submitted to the chair of the Law & Policy Division.  Both members and non-members of the BEA are eligible to submit panel proposals with the understanding that all panel members are planning to attend the BEA annual convention and will become members of the BEA.

The chair shall then rank the panel proposals and forward copies of the proposals to the vice-chair for his/her consideration.  The chair shall then submit the final panels in rank order to the convention coordinator by the deadlines established by the BEA.  Upon receipt of the final recommendation of the convention coordinator, the chair shall notify the panel conveners of the decision regarding their proposals.

Article VII – Bylaw Changes:  Law & Policy Division members may propose bylaw changes up to 30 days prior to the annual business meeting with a “second” from one additional division member. Motions may be discussed prior to the meeting (e.g., via e-mail) and are also discussed at the meeting (if seconded). When discussion is closed at the meeting, a vote is taken. To pass, a proposed bylaw change must receive a majority of votes from the division members who are present and voting at the annual meeting.

Note:  Bylaws of the Law and Policy Division comply with the BEA Interest Division Policies and Guidelines

 

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