SPJ OREGON TERRITORY BYLAWS
ARTICLE I Definitions
Section 1: The name of the chapter is the Greater Oregon Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (referred to hereafter as "SPJ Oregon" or "the chapter").
Section 2: SPJ Oregon encompasses all of Oregon and Southwest Washington as a state chapter of the National Society of Professional Journalists. The chapter is a member of the national organization's Region 10, including Oregon, Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Montana.
Section 3: SPJ Oregon was founded June 22, 1966, as the Willamette Valley Professional Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi (the organization that later became the National Society of Professional Journalists).
Section 4: "Meetings" refers to regularly scheduled meetings of SPJ Oregon's board of directors.
ARTICLE II Membership
Section 1: Membership in SPJ Oregon is open to all individuals engaged in journalism (or the teaching of journalism) as their primary occupation.
Section 2: Individuals engaged in public relations, advertising and other professions related to journalism but not directly involved in the independent gathering and dissemination of news are not eligible for membership. However, they may support the efforts of SPJ Oregon by becoming associate members of the organization.
ARTICLE III Organization
Section 1: SPJ Oregon is governed by a nine-member board of directors. Board members must be SPJ members or associate members, with the exception of a student filling the Education Seat.
Section 2: The board of directors will include an Education Seat to be filled by a student or educator from a high school or university in Oregon or SW Washington. If this member is a student, then the SPJ membership requirement may be waived. The Education Seat will have the same voting rights as other board members.
Section 3: Vacancies of the board of directors are filled by a majority vote of the existing board members attending an official meeting of the chapter. The elected candidate becomes “board member elect” of that seat until the end of the seat’s scheduled two-year term.
Section 4: The board is governed by four officers: the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Board officers are elected by the entire board of directors during a meeting following the year’s board election.
Section 5: The Education Seat is elected to a one-year term and other board members are elected to two-year terms via a ballot disseminated to the entire membership of the chapter to close between Sept. 1 and Oct. 15. Seats 1-4 are elected in odd years, and seats 5-8 in even years. All board members run at large, and the four candidates with the most votes are elected to the board.
Section 6: Board members and officers may be voted out of office by a majority vote of the entire board of directors.
Section 7: There are no limitations on the number of terms a board officer may serve.
Section 8: Chapter bylaws may only be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the entire board of directors.
ARTICLE IV Meetings
Section 1: The board of directors of SPJ Oregon meets monthly. The exact time and meeting place is determined by a vote of the board.
Section 2: Other issues concerning the board, as they arise, are addressed with teleconferences, emails and other forms of long-distance communication.
Section 3: The president may call special board meetings, if warranted, by providing board members at least 72 hours notice of the meeting. The exact time, date and location of the meeting will be decided by a consensus of board members.
Section 4: A board meeting requires a quorum of the board. A quorum is the majority of the occupied seats of the board. All actions taken by the chapter will be decided by a majority vote of the board members present. Decisions made outside board meetings must be approved by a majority of the entire board.
Section 5: The board of directors may hold an annual membership meeting, open to all chapter members. This meeting may coincide with the chapter's annual Excellence in Journalism awards ceremony or the chapter’s annual training conference.