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By-Laws
(as adopted by the membership in Fall 1993, and amended in Fall 1994)
  I.
Introduction
    A. Name
      The name of the association is Christians in Political Science
    B. Statement of Faith
      We believe that:
      1. God is the creator and sustainer of all that is;
      2. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully God and fully human, and through his death and bodily resurrection is the Redeemer of fallen humanity; and
      3. The Holy Spirit led the authors of the Bible in writing an authoritative guide for faith and conduct, and continues to guide the church of Jesus Christ today.
    C. Statement of Purpose
      1. To encourage, stimulate, and assist members to integrate their Christian faith into their research and writing.
      2. To encourage, stimulate and assist members to bring insights and perspectives from their faith to classroom teaching in appropriate, creative ways
      3. To provide a forum for fellowship among Christians in political science
  II.   Membership
    A. Members of the association shall consist of all persons who are in agreement with the Statement of Faith and pay the annual dues.
    B. Each year the executive committee shall review the amount of the annual dues. If it desires to change the dues, it shall make a recommendation to the membership and the new dues shall go into effect if approved by a majority of the members voting by mail ballot.
  III.   Officers
    A. The officers of the association and their duties shall be as follows:
      1. President. The president shall serve as chair of the executive committee, preside over full meetings of the membership, and provide leadership to and serve as the spokesperson for the association as a whole.
      2. Vice-President. The vice-president shall carry out the duties of the president whenever she or he is unable to do so and shall assist the president as mutually agreed.
      3. Treasurer. The treasurer shall deposit all association moneys in a FDIC insured bank, pay all association bills properly incurred and authorized for payment, keep a current record of all members and the status of their dues payments, send out periodic newsletters, and send out annual notices for renewal of membership. He or she shall submit an annual written report to the executive committee on the income and disbursements.
      4. Secretary. The secretary shall maintain accurate minutes of all executive committee and membership meetings.
      5. Newsletter editor. The newsletter editor shall, in conjunction with the executive committee, determine the contents of the newsletter, oversee the assembling and editing of the material for it, and produce the newsletters in sufficient numbers for the treasurer to mail out. The executive committee may name one or more members to assist the editor in reviewing unsolicited manuscripts.
    B. The five officers of the association shall collectively constitute an executive committee. The executive committee shall meet at least annually at the time of the American Political Science Association annual meetings, adopt an annual budget, plan the contents, number and timing of the newsletter, plan other activities of the association, and give overall direction and guidance to the association. The executive committee may create committees as it deems advisable to assist it in the work of the association.
    C. Election of officers. In the spring of even-numbered years the officers shall be elected by majority vote of the membership voting by mail ballot. They shall be nominated by the executive committee, after members have been given an opportunity to suggest nominees and to volunteer for nomination. This opportunity can be met either by an announcement in the newsletter or at a general membership meeting.

The executive committee shall not nominate more than two persons for each office. If only one person is nominated for a position, the mail ballot shall leave space for members to write in the name of an alternative person.

Officers shall serve two-year terms and may be renominated and reelected for a second two-year term. After serving two consecutive terms, an officer may not serve as an officer until she or he has been out of office two years. They shall take office at the time of the Annual American Political Science Convention following their election.
  IV.   Amendment of the By-Laws
    A. Amendments to the by-laws may be proposed either by the executive committee or by a majority vote of the members attending an annual membership meeting.
    B. Proposed amendments to the by-laws shall be submitted to the full membership for a vote by mail ballot and shall be considered adopted if they receive the votes of a majority of those voting.
 
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