Bylaws of the Rocky Mountain
Modern Language Association

A. Membership dues are paid for one year, three years or lifetime.

1. Membership is for the calendar year, January through December.
2. RMMLA does not sell its membership list.

1. The categories of membership with voting privileges include:
   • Faculty/Staff: All ranks of faculty members (full-time or part-time), as well as academic staff
     
   • Student: Includes both graduate and undergraduate students
     
   • Independent Scholar: All scholars not associated with or employed by an educational institution (no institutional affiliation will be noted)
     
   • Emeritus/Emerita: Retired faculty member (former institutional affiliation may be noted)
     
   • Sustaining - Departments and Institutions ONLY: Sustaining support by departments and institutions, especially in the RM region. A list of sustaining member departments will be published in the winter issue of the journal, in the convention program, and on the RMMLA Web site. (Sustaining Membership does not include any individual members)
2. All members in the categories named in Section B.1. shall pay annual dues as determined by the Executive Board.
3. Membership in the association is of three types: one-year, three-year or lifetime. Lifetime memberhship is available in all but the student categories, at ten times the yearly rate.
4. Two additional categories of voting membership exist which include all the privileges outlined below in Section B. 4., but do not require payment of annual dues: Honorary and Sterling memberships.

   a. Sterling Membership

   • Sterling Member status is awarded to current RMMLA members who have made significant contributions to any of the fields of language, literature or related areas of the humanities and who have performed long-term meritorious service to RMMLA, specifically by contributing regularly to the growth and success of convention sessions and programs, to the association's scholarly journal, and to other important association activities.
   • Nominations for Sterling Memberships of the Association may come from current members of RMMLA and/or members of the Executive Board itself.
   • Awarding of Sterling Membership status is made by the Executive Board.
   • The name of the Sterling Membership recipient will be announced on the association's Web site and at the annual convention. A certificate and small gift will be given to the recipient at the convention.

   b. Honorary Membership

   • Honorary Member status is awarded to those scholars who have made significant contributions to any of the fields of language, literature or related areas of the humanities, but who may or may not already be members of RMMLA.
   • Nominations for Honorary Membership may come from current members of RMMLA and/or members of the Executive Board itself.
   • Election of honorary members would be made by the full association membership and would take place on the same ballot as for Executive Board elections.

5. Membership in any of the categories named in Section B. 1. or 3. above includes:

   a. access privileges to the Web-based, scholarly, peer-reviewed publication of the Association, the Rocky Mountain Review, the RMMLA Call for Papers and newsletters, and the Member Directory;
   b. for a supplemental mailing fee, a subscription to the print version of the Rocky Mountain Review, CFP and newsletters;
   c. the privilege of submitting a paper or special topic session proposal to the convention;
   d. the privilege of submitting an article or review for consideration in the Association's refereed print or electronic journal;
   e. the possibility of serving on the Executive Board;
   f. the ability to vote on amendments to the Association constitution, bylaws, or any other action submitted to a vote by the membership;
   g. eligibility for any grant or award offered by the Association.

6. Members are encouraged to contribute to the "RMMLA Grants and Awards Fund" when submitting dues payment.

7. When notification is received of the passing of a RMMLA member, a brief notice will be posted to the "In Memorium" page of the RMMLA Web site.

1. Departmental/Institutional Sustaining membership in the Association is a dues-paying category (at rates set by the Executive Board), but is a non-voting membership.
2. Guest speakers at the convention may be offered a special dues waiver without voting privileges. These are temporary memberships and expire at the end of the convention year.
3. Affiliate Organizations

   a. Other organizations or caucuses whose interests parallel those of the Association may request to become non-voting members of the Association for a five-year renewable term This request should be addressed to the Executive Director, who shall present the request to the Executive Board for its consideration. (For the purposes of these bylaws, a caucus is defined as a group having some sort of political allegiance that is not limited by an interest in a particular author, literary period, or discipline, but rather is focused on some common interest of its members. A Caucus is often interested in formulating and promoting institutional and societal policies that will, in some way, benefit its members and the community.
   b. Affiliate organizations may hold one session, not to exceed ninety minutes, at the Association's annual convention. They may also request the scheduling of a business meeting at the convention hotel, but outside of normal convention session hours.
   c. Individuals in all affiliated organizations who participate in the convention must become dues-paying members of the Association (thus receiving all privileges of membership as described in Section B.4., above) and must pay all applicable convention registration fees.
    

4. Non-voting membership includes:

   a. access privileges to the Web-based, scholarly, peer-reviewed publication of the Association, the Rocky Mountain Review, the RMMLA Call for Papers and newsletters;
   b. for a supplemental mailing fee, a subscription to the print version of the Rocky Mountain Review, CFP and newsletters;
   

    

A. The Association shall be governed by its officers with the advice and consent of the Executive Board, subject in matters of policy to the agreement of the membership. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President, and a Past President. Each officer serves for a term of one year in each of the three positions, with a pattern of succession as follows: as elected Vice President in the first year, as President in the second year, and as Past President in the third year. The election of the Vice President takes place by mail or electronic ballot after the annual meeting. In alternate years, the newly elected officer shall be an individual whose primary professional activities are English or Foreign Language studies. A member may serve a second (or third) term on the Executive Board, but there must be a one-year hiatus between service.

B. The President
The President is the chief executive office of the Association, and as such, shall be responsible, with the advice and consent of the Executive Board, for the administration of the Association. The President shall chair the following committees:

• Huntington Grant Selection
• Membership Recruitment and Retention
• Open Forum and Business Meeting at the RMMLA convention (with the Executive Director)
• Master of Ceremonies at the RMMLA convention

• Nominating Committee
• Faculty Research Travel Grant Committee
• Graduate Student Convention Travel Grant Committee

C. The Vice President
The Vice President shall be elected by mail or electronic ballot after the annual (fall) meeting for the term of one calendar year. The Vice President shall be chosen in alternate years from the fields of Foreign Languages and English. The Vice President shall succeed to the Presidency upon the completion of the one-year term of the President. In addition, the Vice President shall assume the Presidency in the event of the resignation, leave of absence, serious illness, or death of the President. Should the Vice President be unable to succeed to the presidency, the Executive Board shall solicit nominations from the membership and a new election shall be conducted. The Vice President shall assist the President as needed. The Vice President shall chair the following committees:

• Nominating Committee
• Faculty Convention Travel Grant Committee
• CV Help Session at the RMMLA convention

• Membership Recruitment and Retention
• Davis Award
• Graduate Research Travel Grant Committees
• Program Committee

D. The Past President
The outgoing President shall become Past President for a term of one year. The Past President shall assist the President and Vice President, as needed, and will be the Secretary/Minute-Taker at Executive Board meetings and/or will designate a replacement if s/he is not able to attend. The Past President will also serve as chair of the following committees:

• Program Committee
• Davis Award
• Substitute MC at convention, if needed

• Membership Recruitment and Retention
• Faculty Research Travel Committee
• Graduate Student Research Grant Committee

E. The Executive Board
The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Past President, three Delegates-at-Large, two Graduate Student Delegates, an Executive Director (ex officio), and the Editor(s) of the Association's journal (ex officio). The Executive Board shall administer the affairs of the Association. To its wisdom shall be left immediate decisions concerning the welfare of the Association such as routine expenditures of funds, the appointment of ad hoc committees as necessary, the setting of the annual program including the division of existing sections, the cancellation of sections, and the creation of new sections. If a member of the Executive Board except the President has a leave of absence, the Board shall appoint a replacement for the duration of his/her leave. Major changes in general policy, including extraordinary expenditures of funds, levying of additional assessments, changes in dues or registration fees, or modifications to convention policy, must be approved by a simple majority of those members present at a Board meeting or of those responding to a mail or electronic ballot. A majority of Board members present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board. A tie vote shall be construed as a failure to pass the measure proposed. Any member who wishes to initiate similar major changes may petition the Executive Board to consider such a change and to ask members to vote on the change by mail or electronic ballot. The petition must be signed by a minimum of ten percent of the Association members.

F. The Delegates-at-Large
Three Delegates-at-Large shall be elected, one every year for a staggered, rather than concurrent, set of terms. The candidates for Delegate-at-Large shall be chosen with a view to representing the wide distribution of cultural interests, residential locations, and types of educational institutions in the Association. The Delegate candidates shall also be chosen in alternate years from the fields of Foreign Languages and English.

The longest serving delegate (Delegate #1) shall chair the following committees:

• Fund-Raising
• Graduate Student Convention Travel Grant
• Announcements of grants and awards at the convention

• Huntington Award
• Faculty Convention Travel Grant
• Program Committee

The next longest serving delegate (Delegate #2) shall chair the following committee:

• Graduate Student Research Travel Grant

• Graduate Student Convention Travel Grant Committee
• Nominating Committee
• Faculty Research Travel Grant Committee
• Alternate to make announcements at the convention

The newest delegate (Delegate #3) shall chair the following committees:

• Faculty Research Travel Grant

• Fund-raising Committee
• Graduate Student Forum Committee
• CV Help session at the convention
• Faculty Convention Travel Grant
• Graduate Student Convention Travel Grant

G. The Graduate Student Delegates
The two Graduate Student Delegates shall be elected one every year for a staggered rather than concurrent set of two-year terms. In alternate terms, the newly elected delegate shall be an individual from a field other than English. The longest serving Graduate Student Delegate shall serve on the following committees:

• Graduate Student Forum Committee
• Membership Recruitment and Retention Committee
• Davis Award Committee
• Graduate Research Travel Grant Committee

• Graduate Student Forum Committee
• Fund-raising Committee
• Huntington Grant Committee
• Faculty Convention Travel Committee

H. The Executive Director
The Executive Director, appointed by the Executive Board, shall be responsible for managing the daily activities of the Association in accordance with the decisions and policies of the Executive Board. The Executive Director shall maintain membership in the Association. The Association shall pay for expenses incurred by the Executive Director in attending the convention and annual business meeting, as well as other travel on behalf of the Association when the expenses for this travel is not reimbursed by other sources. The Executive Director shall be provided with a clerical staff and the necessary office equipment and supplies to help him/her carry out the following duties, all subject to budgetary approval by the Executive Board. It is the responsibility of the Executive Board, however, to approve a budget that enables the Executive Director and the Secretariat staff to maintain the smooth and professional operation of the organization, and the duty of the Executive Director to be fiscally responsible. The duties of the Executive Director include the following:

1. Maintain the central files and membership records of the Association.
    
2. Prepare the program of sessions for the annual convention. Receive all proposals for permanent and special topic sessions for the convention and present them to the Executive Board. In accordance with the wishes of the Board, the Executive Director shall issue a Call for Papers for the convention and shall respond to those who have proposed special topic sessions with the Board’s decision on their taking place at the convention or not.
    
3. Oversee planning of the annual business meeting and the convention, including the selection and approval of session meetings, the setting of the convention schedule, the arrangement of special social or cultural events at the convention, and the preparation of the convention program. The Executive Director shall also be responsible for contracting space with a convention hotel, negotiating rental of breakout rooms, and organizing meal functions during the convention.
    
4. Prepare and distribute the minutes of the Executive Board meetings and prepare appropriate reports on the Association for publication in the Rocky Mountain Review/E-Review, the RMMLA site on the World Wide Web, and the PMLA.

5. Coordinate the sale of advertising in publications of the Association, the rental of exhibition space at the annual meetings, and other fund-raising activities, observing standards of professional integrity and good taste.
    
6. Prepare an official ballot for Association elections (containing the name and brief biography of each candidate nominated by the Nominating Committee and any additional nominations proposed by petition of members - see Section IV. below), make it available to the membership, tally the votes on January 1, and report the results of the elections immediately to all candidates and the general membership.
    
7. Provide pre-convention information and registration materials to the membership.
    
8. Advertise fellowships, grants, and awards, as authorized by the Executive Board.
    
9. Represent the Association at meetings of the MLA Delegate Assembly and at meetings of the Executive Secretaries/Delegates of the MLA regional associations, or delegate an officer to represent RMMLA.
    
10. Collect dues, fees, and donations, and make disbursements as authorized by the Executive Board.
     
11. Make an annual report to the Executive Board and prepare an annual balanced budget for approval by the Executive Board (at beginning of new fiscal year).
     
12. Submit the books and records of the Association at the end of every fiscal year for such auditing as may be directed by the Executive Board and for tax preparation.
     
13. Be empowered to enter into negotiations for contracts and to sign contracts on behalf of the Association, in accordance with the policies established by the Executive Board and proportionate to the income and assets of the Association, as well as to redeem, transfer or exchange funds in investment accounts to cover basic operating costs.

J. The Editorial Board
Editorial Board members must be current members of RMMLA. Editorial Board consists of specialists in the following areas: American, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand Studies (and all English non-UK); Asian Studies; British Studies; Composition, Linguistics, Technical Writing, Pedagogy Studies; French, Francophone, Comparative Literature Studies; Germanic Studies; Russian and Slavic Studies; and Spanish, Ibero-American Studies.

Editorial Board members (EBM) serve a three-year term, renewable for additional three-year terms. Requests for renewal are reviewed by the RMMLA Editors, the Executive Director and members of the Executive Board based on criteria set out in the document Description of Responsibilities of Editorial Board Members that is given to each Editorial Board member at the time of initial appointment to the board. Timely notice is expected if a person has to step down prematurely from the board, as time is needed to find a replacement in that field of specialty. Regarding his/her duties, Editorial Board member:

1. Participates in the search and selection of the succeeding Editorial Board Member in collaboration with the editors.
2. Helps in promoting submission of manuscripts and book reviews to RMR.
3. Receives manuscripts from the Editor, which have already been accepted in-house.
4. Supervises the external review of incoming manuscripts.
5. Reads the manuscripts, followed by choice between two options for critical review:
   • Option A:
     a. The EBM reads the manuscript and decides not to act as one of the two external reviewers, then...
     b. Informs the Editor of his/her choice and receives from Editor the name of the author, then...
     c. Identifies two external reviewers from two different institutions who are experts and knowledgeable in the field of the manuscript.
     d. Once external reviewers are chosen, the EBM goes to Step 6.
   • Option B:
     a. The EBM decides to act as one of the two external reviewers, then... b. Informs the Editor of his/her choice, then... c. Sends to the Editor the names and contact information of two external reviewers from two different institutions. (Even though the EBM acts as one of the two reviewers, Editor still needs the name of two external reviewers to insure a blind review by the EBM and to prevent the EBM from asking the author of the manuscript to review his/her own work). d. Once external reviewers are chosen, the EBM goes to Step 6.
6. Sends the manuscript with 'Guidelines for Reviewers' and Evaluation Form to the external reader(s).
7. Receives the annotated manuscript, Evaluation Form and comments from external reviewer(s).
8. Sends them, together with his/her own evaluation if Option B was chosen, to the editor within eight (8) weeks.
9. In case the reviewers require revisions, the EBM will be in charge of contacting the original reviewers and obtaining their final comments, should the author resubmit. In an effort to accelerate the review process, the editor may contact directly the reviewers with prior consultation with the EBM; the editor will copy the EBM on all communication with reviewers.

Regarding the duties of the External Reviewers, they must:

1. Commit to complete the review within eight weeks.
   
2. Read manuscripts sent to them from EBM.
   
3. Fill out an evaluation form with comments for each manuscript.
   
4. Send comments back to the EBM by E-mail.
   
5. Return annotated manuscript and evaluation form to EBM by regular mail.
   
6. Must return all materials to the EBM within eight weeks of receipt of the manuscript.
   
7. If recommends that an article be accepted with specific revisions or substantially revised and resubmitted, will review the revised manuscript when submitted by author.
   
8. External Reviewers are not required to be current members of RMMLA.

The Review Process that articles undergo is as follows:

1. Upon receipt at the RMMLA Secretariat, each manuscript undergoes an in-house editorial review. This first evaluation focuses strictly on the suitability of the topic for The Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature and/or The Rocky Mountain E-Review, the appropriateness of the style for an academic audience, and the presence of reference to other scholarly works.
   
2. Authors are informed within four weeks whether their manuscript has been rejected or if it will be sent to external, anonymous readers who have expertise in fields suitable to the subject. These external readers are selected by the Editorial Board member representing that general area of study.
   
3. The external reviewers consider the author's grasp of the theoretical framework and relevant previous scholarship, the originality and strength of the main thesis, and the effectiveness of the supporting evidence.
   
4. The external reviewers are asked to complete their review of manuscripts within six (6) weeks, at which time they decide if the article is publishable as is, acceptable with certain specific revisions, recommended for more substantial revision and resubmission, or unacceptable.
5. A complete evaluation is sent by email to the author within twelve (12) weeks of the manuscript reception. If reviewers return annotated manuscripts, these are sent back to the author by regular mail.

III. NOMINATING COMMITTEE

A. A Nominating Committee, chaired by the Vice President and consisting of the President and Delegate #2, shall solicit and collect nominations from among the membership for candidates for the offices that need to be filled each year. This committee shall present the annual slate of two new candidates, representing the wide distribution of cultural interests, residential locations, and types of educational institutions in the Association, for each vacant position at the time of the annual meeting.

B. Any member of the Association who is willing to commit to the responsibilities of the office and who has received a commitment from his/her institution for travel funding to the two annual board meetings, may be nominated or nominate him/herself for the Executive Board, regardless of his/her local affiliations or place of residence.
 

IV. GRANT AND AWARD COMMITTEE

A. The Grant and Award Committee is broken into several sub-committees, based on the grants and awards offered by the association.

B. Members of each sub-committee shall receive and review applications for specific RMMLA grants and awards according to criteria established by the Executive Board, with the chair of each sub-committee transmitting recommendations for award recipients to the Executive Director.
 

V. AUDITING COMMITTEE

A. There shall be an annual audit of the books for the Association to be made by an Auditing Committee consisting of two members of the Executive Board and by two members of the Association not on the Board, to be appointed annually by the Executive Board.

B. This audit shall be held at the time of the annual meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Executive Board.
 

VI. PROGRAM COMMITTEE

A. The Executive Director shall prepare the convention program and present this to the Executive Board. This arrangement is called the Program Committee.

B. The Program Committee shall review all proposals, submitted by the Executive Director, involving the organization of the annual meeting. These proposals may include requests for new regular sessions or special topic sessions, modifications to the list of regular sessions, as well as proposals for special events, panels, cultural activities, et al. The Program Committee will also approve the distribution of sessions over the convention period.

C. All discussion and voting on the program will take place at the time of the annual spring board meeting and/or by electronic means.
 

VII. FUND-RAISING COMMITTEE

A. The Fund-Raising Committee, chaired by the Delegate #1 and consisting of the Delegate #3, and Graduate Student Delegate #2, shall make recommendations on ways in which the Association might organize activities to increase revenue for purposes determined by the Executive Board.

VIII. MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COMMITTEE
 

A. The Membership Recruitment and Retention Committee, chaired by the President and consisting of the Vice President, the Past President, the Graduate Student Delegate #1 and the Executive Director, shall make recommendations on ways in which the Association might better recruit and retain members in all categories.
 

IX. OTHER COMMITTEES

The Executive Board shall establish and appoint other committees as required. The actions of these committees shall be subject to review and approval by the Executive Board.
 

X. ANNUAL MEETINGS

A. The Association shall hold an annual business meeting and scholarly convention concurrently, at such place and time as the Executive board shall determine. All persons attending this annual meeting/convention shall be charged a registration fee, beyond the regular membership dues, which is sufficient to help defray convention expenses.

B. The Annual Business Meeting
At the annual business meeting, the Executive Director and the President shall report on the actions of the Executive Board and the other committees of the Association and transact any other business as provided for in the Constitution and these Bylaws. The business meeting is open only to members of the RMMLA. All members are requested to attend and to take part in the proceedings. All amendments, resolutions, and proposals of changes to operating procedures to be considered at the business meeting must be submitted to the Executive Director of the association no later than 60 days before the date of the convention so these resolutions may be forwarded to the full Executive Board. All voting shall be in accordance with Section I of these Bylaws, each person holding a voting membership having one vote.

C. The Scholarly Convention
A scholarly convention shall be held in the Rocky Mountain region in early October, from Thursday morning until early afternoon on Saturday. The primary responsibility for organizing this convention shall be that of the Executive Director (see Section II. H. 3 above), with the Executive Board serving in an advisory role.

D. Executive Board Meetings
The Executive Board will meet twice annually, once in the spring at a site and on a date determined by the board members, and once in the fall, during the annual convention. Board members will receive a stipend of $500 for attendance at both meetings, $250 for one meeting. All Board members except Graduate Student Delegates pay applicable membership dues and convention registration fees.  

XI. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Meetings of the executive board and the annual business meeting shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.
 

XII. PUBLICATIONS

A. The Association publishes a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal called the Rocky Mountain Review.

B. Copyrights for the journal and its content are owned by the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association (RMMLA). These rights can be released under conditions specified in the publication agreement between RMMLA and the contributing author.

C. Access privileges to the electronic journal shall be included in all voting membership categories. For a supplemental fee, members may also have print versions of the journal, newsletters and Call for Papers mailed to them twice yearly.

D. Only a member in good standing may have a paper published in the Rocky Mountain Review and/or may request a book for review.

E. Specific details of publication and general editorial policy shall be determined by mutual agreement of the Executive Board, the Editor(s) and editorial staff, and the Executive Director. General editorial guidelines shall be published prominently in each issue of the journal and on the Association's web site.
 

XIII. AMENDMENTS, RESOLUTIONS, AND CHANGES TO OPERATING PROCEDURES

A. TThe Executive Board may propose amendments, resolutions, and changes to operating procedures to be adopted by a majority vote of the Executive Board, either at one of its annual meetings or by mail / electronic ballot.

B. The Executive Board shall receive amendments, resolutions, or proposals for changes to operating procedures submitted by members of the Association. All such items must bear the signatures of at least twenty-five members in good standing and be received by the Association Secretariat at least sixty days in advance of the annual business meeting.

C. The Executive Board shall determine if an amendment, resolution, or proposal for a change to operating procedures so submitted shall be presented for adoption at the annual business meeting.

D. A member proposing to the Executive Board an amendment, resolution, or change to operating procedures not submitted for adoption at the annual business meeting may still request that the item be offered at the annual business meeting. The majority vote of the members in good standing present at the business meeting shall determine whether a proposed amendment, resolution, or proposal for a change to operating procedures so offered shall be submitted for adoption to the full membership by mail or electronic ballot. The assent of the majority of the members in good standing voting by mail or electronic ballot shall be necessary for the adoption of an item so presented.

E. No amendment, resolution, or change to operating procedures may be proposed and no amendments to such items or substitute items may be moved on the floor of the annual business meeting.

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