ARTICLE XVI
ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF CHAPTERS
PROFESSIONAL CHAPTERS
SECTION 1: ESTABLISHMENT OF CHAPTERS
A professional chapter may be established in any area in the United
States or its Commonwealth by ten (10) or more NAHJ regular members
living or employed in the state or commonwealth where the chapter will
operate. No more than one professional chapter may be established in
any one county or parish. Professional chapters will be located in
such cities, municipalities, or areas the national Board of Directors
may approve. All members of the local chapter’s executive board must
be regular members of NAHJ.
SECTION 2: CHARTERS
Upon presentation of a formal petition and completion of established
requirements, a group or organization of journalists may be granted a
charter by the board of directors or the national convention as a
professional chapter of NAHJ. New chapters shall be granted
provisional status for one year upon recommendation of their regional
director, at which time they shall begin an incorporation process.
During this provisional period, chapters shall be governed by NAHJ’s
Bylaws. Charters of professional chapters shall be granted upon
approval by a majority vote of the board of directors and are subject
to renewal every two years by the national board or the national
convention.
SECTION 3: MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
A professional chapter may initiate candidates to professional
membership, providing the candidates meet all requirements of NAHJ’s
bylaws.
SECTION 4: ANNUAL REPORT
Each professional chapter shall submit an annual report to national
headquarters in which it reviews its activities and accomplishments
for the year and details its completion of minimum requirements of
chapters as spelled out by the board of directors. The incorporated
chapter’s financial records must be audited at least every two years.
Each audit must be submitted to the NAHJ headquarters office for
review and filing no later than three months prior to that year’s
national convention. Also, three months before each annual convention,
the chapter must submit to NAHJ a membership list demonstrating that
two-thirds of the chapter’s membership is eligible for NAHJ national
membership as regular or academic members. After submitting its
initial set of bylaws, all bylaws changes will be communicated to the
national Board of Directors with the yearly membership list.
STUDENT CHAPTERS
SECTION 5: CHARTERS
Upon presentation of a formal petition and completion of requirements
established by the national Board of Directors, a group or
organization of students may be granted a charter by the board of
directors as a campus chapter of NAHJ.
SECTION 6: CHAPTER LOCATION
A campus chapter may be established at any two-year or four-year
college or university that has a school or department of journalism,
or offers courses of study relevant to the scope of the study of
journalism. Its members must meet requirements for membership in the
NAHJ.
SECTION 7: CITYWIDE STUDENT CHAPTER
City- or area-wide campus chapters may be established by two-year or
four-year colleges or universities within a radius of 75 miles,
provided that at least one college or university involved has a school
or department of journalism or offers courses of study relevant to the
scope of the study of journalism. Their members must meet requirements
for membership in the NAHJ.
GOVERNANCE
SECTION 8: OFFICERS
Each student and professional chapter shall have as officers a
president, a president-elect or vice president, a secretary, and a
treasurer or a secretary-treasurer. Neither the secretary nor the
financial officer may serve concurrently as the president. Each
chapter’s officers shall be elected annually, according to local
chapter bylaws. Each student and professional chapter shall maintain
and submit annually to headquarters chapter bylaws that are consistent
with these national bylaws.
SECTION 9: PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT
The president and vice president or president-elect of the chapter
shall perform such duties as usually are performed by such officers.
SECTION 10: SECRETARY OR SECRETARY/TREASURER
The secretary or secretary-treasurer shall be responsible for
correspondence with the NAHJ executive director, notifying the
national office of chapter elections for officers and chapter
advisers, furnishing all necessary records and reports relating to
enrollment of members, and transmitting all monies on proper forms.
The chapter secretary shall inform NAHJ as to the condition of the
chapter. The secretary shall maintain and keep up to date the chapter
membership book and keep careful records of the proceedings of all
meetings of the chapter.
SECTION 11: CHAPTER FINANCES
The finances of a provisional chapter shall be handled NAHJ’s national
office until the chapter is incorporated, at which time the chapter’s
finances become the responsibility of the local officers.The treasurer
or secretary-treasurer shall have charge of all monies of the chapter,
and shall disburse funds upon proper authorization of the chapter’s
officers. The treasurer shall keep in the chapter treasurer’s book a
record of all receipts, disbursements and balances. The treasurer
shall authenticate any and all remittances sent by the chapter
secretary to the NAHJ executive director and shall make prompt and
proper report upon the financial condition of the chapter as requested
by the NAHJ executive director. The treasurer shall produce all
financial records of the chapter for inspection on demand by the
executive director, any national officer or the regional director from
the region in which the chapter is located.
SECTION 12: DISCIPLINARY ACTION
For failure to meet financial obligations or otherwise to conduct
itself according to the bylaws or policies adopted by the national
Board of Directors or the national convention, a chapter may be
declared probationary, inactive or have its charter revoked by
majority vote of the national Board of Directors. Any such decision
may be appealed to the NAHJ executive committee.
SECTION 13: CHAPTER STATUS
The national headquarters, with assistance of members of the national
Board of Directors, annually shall determine the status of all
chapters and report its findings to the full national Board of
Directors. Chapters shall be notified of their status at least 60 days
prior to the convention and shall have 30 days to bring themselves
into active, good-standing status. SECTION 14: TERMINATION OF CHAPTER
Section Fourteen. Upon the decision to terminate any professional or
student chapter, whether by dissolution, disbandment, revocation
pursuant to Section Twelve of this Article, or otherwise, any
remaining chapter funds shall be distributed to: another adjoining
NAHJ chapter then in good standing, an NAHJ Scholarship Fund, or as
directed by the chapter’s governing body, or, absent action of a local
board within 60 days of termination, by the national Board of
Directors. STUDENT CHAPTER ADVISER ROLE IN GOVERNANCE
SECTION 15: CHAPTER ADVISER
Each campus chapter shall have a chapter adviser who shall be
recognized as the representative of the chapter’s Board of Directors.
The chapter adviser shall be elected annually by the chapter or by the
chapter’s Board of Directors, according to local bylaws. The adviser
shall be chosen from among NAHJ’s professional members. SECTION 16:
CHAPTER ADVISER DUTIES
The chapter adviser shall be charged with the duties of attending
meetings regularly, of acting as adviser to the chapter at all times,
and of providing, whenever possible, a permanent place of safekeeping
for the books, documents and records of the chapter and its officers.
NAHJ DC 