Bylaws

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE WESLEYAN THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

[As officially adopted by the WTS, November 8, 1969, at Marion, IN, and subsequently amended. Most recent revision, March, 2013.]

ARTICLE I. Name

The name of the organization shall be the Wesleyan Theological Society.

ARTICLE II. Purposes

A. To promote theological interchange among Wesleyan-Holiness scholars and other persons interested in this area;

B. To stimulate scholarship among younger theologians and pastors;

C. To publish a Journal consisting of significant contributions to Wesleyan-Holiness scholarship.

ARTICLE III. Doctrinal Position

The Society is a part of the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition.

ARTICLE IV. Membership

Section 1. Types and Privileges of Members in the WTS

A. Full Members: Full members are those who affirm the purposes of the Society as expressed in Articles II and III above. Full members are entitled to attend all meetings, to vote and to hold office, to present papers, and to receive the Journal upon the payment of annual dues.

B. Student Members: Members who are currently in undergraduate or graduate studies. Student members shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Society, to present papers, and to receive the Journal upon the payment of annual dues.

C. Retired members: Members who are retired from employment. Retired members shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Society, to present papers, and to receive the Journal upon the payment of annual dues.

D. Honorary Members: Members who were charter members of the WTS, or who have twenty or more years of continuous membership in the Society, and who notify the Secretary in writing, shall be exempted from further payment of dues upon retirement, with full rights and privileges accorded them in the type of membership they maintained immediately before retirement.

Section 2. Qualifications for Membership

A. All full members shall be in accord with the purposes of the Society as expressed in Articles II and III of these Bylaws.

B. Members may change as desired from one type of membership to another at any time by a written request to the Secretary.

Section 3. Membership Dues

A. Membership dues shall be based on the calendar year.

B. The executive committee will periodically review the membership dues.

C. Members must be up to date in their membership in order to receive the Journal.

ARTICLE V. Officers

Section 1. The officers of this Society shall be a President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice- President, a Secretary-Treasurer, and a Promotion Officer. These officers shall perform the duties as prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Society.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall nominate candidates for the offices and committee memberships to be filled at the annual meeting of the Society. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a ballot using every reasonable effort to submit at least two names as nominees for each office or committee membership, with additional nominations from the floor permitted before the election.

Section 3. The officers shall be elected by ballot to serve for one year or until their successors are elected, with the exception of the Secretary-Treasurer and Promotion Officer, who shall be elected for three years. The term of the officers shall begin at the close of the annual meeting at which they are elected.

Section 4. In case of a vacancy in any office except that of President, the Executive Committee shall appoint an eligible person from the membership to fill the unexpired term and/or until the regular election at the annual meeting. If the office of President becomes vacant, the First Vice-President shall succeed to that office, the Second Vice-President shall become First Vice-President, and the Executive Committee may appoint an eligible person to fill the unexpired term of the Second Vice- President.

ARTICLE VI. Duties of the Officers

Section 1. The President shall preside at all business meetings, serve as chair of the Executive Committee, and represent the general interests of the Society whenever possible.

Section 2. The First Vice-President shall serve as chair of the Program and Arrangements Committee to plan and promote the program for the annual meeting which occurs during his or her term of office. He or she shall fulfill the duties of President if the latter is unable to serve, and shall succeed to the office of President when the President’s term of office expires, or in case of a vacancy.

Section 3. The Second Vice-President shall serve as the chair of the Program and Arrangement Committee to plan and promote the program for the annual meeting which occurs during his or her term as First Vice-President. He or she shall succeed to the office of First Vice-President when the First Vice-President becomes President, except as provided in Article V: Officers, Section 4.

Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain the records and properties of the Society; collect dues and disburse its funds, provide for adequate insurance for the properties of the Society in consultation with the Executive Committee, prepare an annual a budget and submit it to the Executive Committee for approval before it is presented to the annual business meeting, present a fiscal report to the membership at the annual meeting, submit the financial records to an auditor who is approved by the Executive Committee prior to the presentation of the fiscal report at the annual meeting, and report periodically to the Executive Committee, as deemed necessary, in the interim between annual meetings. Disbursement of funds shall be at the direction of the Executive Committee, except for regular or routine matters.

Section 5. The Promotion Officer shall strive to increase the Society’s membership, enlarge the endowment, seek advertising in and subscribers for its Journal, and otherwise promote its general interests.

ARTICLE VII. Meetings

Section 1. The Society shall meet annually for the prepared program and the business meeting.

Section 2. The calendar year will function as the Society’s fiscal year.

Section 3. The place of the annual meeting shall be determined by the Executive Committee from written invitations submitted by responsible authorities of institutions or other facilities.

Section 4. The active full members of the Society who are present at the annual business meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 5. Regional meetings may be developed as interest in the Society grows.

ARTICLE VIII. The Executive Committee

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Society and the chairs of the Editorial Committee and Nominating Committee.

Section 2. The Duties and Powers of the Executive Committee shall be: A. To act in the interim between the annual meetings of the Society.

B. To appoint a Nominating Committee as prescribed in Article IX, Section 3.

C. To serve as the Program and Arrangements Committee, with the First and Second Vice- Presidents as chairs of the respective years when each is First Vice-President;

D. To oversee the work of the Program Units Committee.

E. To determine the place of the annual meeting from the written invitations received from responsible authorities of institutions or other facilities;

E. To direct the disbursement of funds, except for regular and routine matters.

F. To review and approve the annual budget of the Society prepared by the Secretary- Treasurer, prior to its presentation for adoption by the membership at the annual meeting;

G. To periodically review the insurance coverage of the Society’s properties, with the Secretary- Treasurer;

I. To annually review and set the price of the Journal;

J. To periodically review the amount of the membership dues;

K. To provide for an annual honorarium for the Secretary-Treasurer and the Editor of the Journal from the funds of the Society;

L. To work with the Editorial Committee in addressing policy or content issues related to the Society’s Journal and other publications;

M. To approve the minutes of the annual business meeting and the minutes of the Executive Committee; and,

N. To appoint an eligible person from the membership to fill any vacancy which occurs in the offices or committees of the Society in the interim between the annual meetings, except that of President.

O. To determine the date of the annual meeting.

ARTICLE IX. Committees

Section 1. A Program and Arrangements Committee shall consist of the Executive Committee, with the First and Second Vice-Presidents as chairs in their respective years in the office of First Vice- President. It shall secure personnel and complete all arrangements for annual meetings and for all seminar programs of the Society.

Section 2. An Editorial Committee shall consist of the Chair, who shall be elected for three-year terms and who shall serve as the Editor of the Journal, in addition to three other persons, each of whom shall serve for terms of three years, with elections staggered to insure maximum continuity. The Chair shall name one of these three as the Book Review Editor who will solicit and approve book reviews for publication and determine the annual nomination for the Smith/Wynkoop Book Award, forwarding it to the Executive Committee for decision. The Committee shall advise the Editor on the selection of materials and preparation of the Society’s Journal for publication and advise, in cooperation with the Editor and Executive Committee, in determining the content of other WTS publications.

Section 3. A Nominating Committee shall consist of the five most recent past presidents of the Society. The immediate past president of the Society shall serve as chair. Should any of the five most recent past presidents be unable or ineligible to serve, the next most recent past president, able and eligible, shall serve. Should the immediate past president be unable or ineligible to serve, the committee may elect its own chair. The committee shall present to the annual meeting of the Society a ballot as prescribed in article V, section 2.

Section 4. A Program Units Committee shall consist of five members, including a chair, each member serving a term of three years with staggered terms. This committee will establish policies and procedures relating to the program of the annual meeting; will review requests for new program units of the annual meeting; will, when it is judged to be appropriate to do so, create new program units of the annual meeting; will select chairs and/or co-chairs of program units as vacancies arise; and will, by means of policy and action, contribute to appropriately diverse representation in the program. All actions and policies of this committee are subject to the review and approval of the executive committee. Nominations for this committee and for the chair of this committee will be proposed to the Society by the nominating committee in accordance with the procedure described in article V, section 2.

ARTICLE X. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Orders Newly Revised shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Society may adopt.

ARTICLE XI. Amendment of Bylaw

These Bylaws may be amended at any regular business meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of the full members present, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the members of the Society at least thirty days prior to the annual meeting in which it is to be considered.

ARTICLE XII. Dissolution Of Property

Upon dissolution of the Wesleyan Theological Society, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the Wesleyan Theological Society is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

STANDING RULES

I. Relating to Membership

A. All new members shall be notified in writing of their acceptance by the Secretary-Treasurer, and shall receive a letter of welcome.

II. Relating to Officers, Committees, and Procedures

A. Operational expenses of the society incurred by its officers and committees will be reimbursed upon presentation of appropriate documentation.

B. The advertising rate in the Journal shall be reviewed periodically by the Executive Committee. C. A cumulative index shall be included in the Journal at appropriate intervals.

D. Guidelines for the Nominating Committee (cf. Bylaws, ART. V. Sect. 2).

1. While perceived ability to carry forward the work of the Society in an acceptable manner and spirit should be the primary consideration in making nominations, the Nominating Committee may give consideration also to variety of denominational representation in the leadership of the Society.

2. The Nominating Committee should have its work done thirty days before the annual meeting of the Society. This includes consultation with any candidates to ascertain their availability for service. The Secretary of the Society should be informed as soon as the Committee has decided on a ballot so that it may be prepared for the meeting by the Secretary.