Society for the Study of Social Problems-The Committees of the Society

IV. The Committees of the Society

A. Award Committees

IV. A. 1. C. Wright Mills Award Committee

The C. Wright Mills Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and at least five other members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee must select among books submitted by individuals and/or publishers, the book(s) which critically addresses an issue of contemporary public importance; brings to the topic a fresh, imaginative perspective; advances social scientific understanding of the topic; displays a theoretically informed view and empirical orientation; evinces quality in style of writing and explicitly or implicitly contains implications for courses of action. The book(s) considered for the award must have been copyrighted in the calendar year before the award is made.

The Executive Office sends the Call for Nominations to a list of publishing companies. The Call for Nominations is published in Social Problems and Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. The deadline for nominations is January 15. After the nominations have been received, publishers are contacted by the Executive Office to obtain the books for the committee. All committee members must read the books and provide an initial evaluation of the nominees. (The way in which this process is conducted is determined by the Chair in consultation with the committee members.)

After the initial screening of the books, a cut may be made depending upon the consensus of the committee. For example, if all are agreed that a book does not meet the criteria listed in the call for nominations, a given book may be dropped from the list after the initial reading. All books that survive the initial screening may be assigned to a subset of committee members for a more thorough reading. From the scores based on the more intensive reading, several (usually five or six) books become finalists for the award. Everyone reads these books and prepares a rating of each of the finalists. The list of finalists is prepared in time to be published in the preliminary program and the summer issue of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. All committee members evaluate each of the finalists. The ratings of each of the finalists are sent to the Chair who tabulates them. These tabulations may lead to a clear winner. If possible, the final evaluation is completed before the Annual Meeting in order to make sure that the winner attends the Awards Banquet. Some years, the determination of a winner has required a face-to-face committee meeting at the site of the Annual Meeting. If the committee determines that there are two equally deserving books, co-winners are announced. The Chair will send out notification letters of the results to all finalists.

The Executive Office will invite the finalists and their publishers to advertise in the Annual Meeting final program. All finalists’ books will be displayed at the Annual Meeting Book Exhibit. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Banquet. A $500 check is awarded to the winning author. The award will be divided equally among co-winners. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Banquet.

IV. A. 2. Lee Founders Award Committee

The Lee Founders Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and at least five other members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the award is made in recognition of the significant achievements that, over a distinguished career, have demonstrated continuing devotion to the ideals of the founders of the Society and especially to the humanistic tradition of Alfred McClung Lee and Elizabeth Briant Lee.

The Call for Nominations is published in Social Problems and Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. It is not uncommon for the committee to only receive one nomination. If no person is deemed worthy of the award, then the award is not given. The committee is asked to reach a decision in advance of the Annual Meeting so that the winner can be notified. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Banquet. A plaque is awarded to the winner. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Banquet.

IV. A. 3. Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship Committee

The Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and at least five other members. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of selecting the most deserving minority student(s) to receive a scholarship from the Society. The applicants must be enrolled in or accepted to a social and/or behavioral science doctoral program, have financial need and a strong commitment to a career of scholarly activism. The deadline for applications is February 1 (receipt date).

The committee receives between 20-55 applications. The committee must work diligently to read and evaluate the applications, keeping in mind the July 15 deadline. This is not an easy task, given the high degree of quality among the pool of applicants. Each member must submit their top choices and the committee must reach a consensus on the winner. A $1,000 is allocated in the budget each year to cover any clerical assistance, photocopying, phone or postage expenses that the Chair may incur. In recent years, application materials are sent to the Executive Office for photocopying and distribution to the committee.

The Executive Office sends the Call for Nominations and application form to a variety of regional and national social science associations and to departments with graduate programs in Sociology. The Call for Nominations is published in Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter and in the ASA Footnotes. The Executive Office will supply information to potential candidates, if requested.

A winner must be selected by July 15. The Executive Office will send out notification letters of the results to all applicants. The committee will award at least one $10,000 stipend with an additional $500 awarded for attendance at the Annual Meeting. Payments will be made in equal installments in September and January. An additional $500 stipend will be available for the winner to attend the following year’s Annual Meeting. Honorable Mentions will receive a complimentary one year membership in the Society. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Banquet.

IV. A. 4. Lee Student Support Fund Committee

The Lee Student Support Fund Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and one other member. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of allocating funds to facilitate conference attendance by undergraduate and graduate students.

The Executive Office places an announcement and application form in Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. The deadline for applying is March 15. The Chair is responsible for sending an email to each applicant confirming the receipt of their application. The Chair must confirm with the Executive Office that each applicant is a current member and is participating in the Annual Meeting.

The committee has a specific amount, currently $7,500, to distribute among the qualified applicants. The committee is charged with determining the amount and allocation of the awards. The Chair provides a list containing the applicant’s name, contact information and award amount to the Executive Office. All applicants will be notified no later than May 15 by the Executive Office whether their application was accepted or rejected.

The committee is also responsible for coordinating the meeting mentor program with the assistance of the Meeting Manager. The deadline for applying is June 1. The Executive Office will place the meeting mentor announcement in the winter issue of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter and on the web site. All participants will be notified no later than June 30 by the Executive Office.

IV. A. 5. Lee Scholar-Activist Support Fund Committee

The Lee Scholar-Activist Support Fund Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and one other member. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of allocating funds to facilitate conference attendance by foreign scholar-activists. The specific purpose is to facilitate scholarly participation by persons engaged in research related to labor, gender, race-ethnicity, less advantaged countries, and other struggles.

The committee has a specific amount, currently $4,000, to distribute among the qualified applicants. The committee is charged with determining the amount and allocation of the awards. The Chair provides a list containing the applicant’s name, contact information and award amount to the Executive Office. All applicants will be notified no later than May 15 by the Executive Office whether their application was accepted or rejected.

IV. A. 6. Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee

The Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and one other member. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of allocating funds to facilitate conference attendance by unemployed and underemployed sociologists.

The committee has a specific amount, currently $1,500, to distribute among the qualified applicants. A maximum of $500 is to be granted to any one recipient. An applicant must be presenting a paper at the Annual Meeting or participating as an officer or committee member. The Chair provides a list containing the applicant’s name, contact information and award amount to the Executive Office. All applicants will be notified no later than April 1 by the Executive Office whether their application was accepted or rejected.

IV. A. 7. Social Action and the Social Action Award Committee

The Social Action and the Social Action Award Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and no more than six members. If possible, committee members must reside in the area where the Annual Meeting is to be held. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee has the responsibility of selecting the most deserving non-profit social action organization in the city/local area hosting the Annual Meeting. Preference is given to small, local agencies rather than large organizations or chapters of nationally-based organizations. The main criterion is the extent to which the organization reaches out to the disadvantaged in the community and uses innovative means for dealing with local social conditions.

The Executive Office places an announcement and application form in Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. The deadline for applying is April 1. The committee receives between 4-6 applications. The committee must work diligently to read and rank the applications. Each member must submit their top choices to the Chair. The committee must reach a consensus on the winner before the Annual Meeting.

The Chair will send out notification letters of the results to all applicants. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Banquet. A $1,000 check is awarded to the winning organization. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Banquet.

IV. A. 8. Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee

The Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee consists of a Chair and no more than seven members. The current Vice-President is responsible for selecting the Chair and members of the committee. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the award should be given to the SSSP member whose scholarship over the preceding three or more years has most significantly promoted ethical solutions to social problems. By ethical solutions, we mean scholarship that promotes awareness and/or activism to increase public recognition that social problems and social injustices are ethical issues; or scholarship that identifies and promotes societal level responses to social problems and injustices. By scholarship, we mean academic work including both applied research (qualitative or quantitative research) and normative work (e.g., argumentative, historical, philosophical, textual or theoretical analyses).

The Call for Nominations is published in Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. In addition, the award should be advertised via division newsletters and via the SSSP web site. If no person is deemed worthy of the award, then the award is not given. The committee is asked to reach a decision in advance of the Annual Meeting so that the winner can be notified. The winner and guest are invited to attend the Awards Banquet. A check will be awarded to the winner. Either the President or the Chair presents the award at the Awards Banquet.

IV. B. Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee

The Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee consists of the Treasurer and three members elected by the membership to staggered three-year terms. The committee selects its own chair from the three elected members each year. The convention has been to select the member who has served on the committee the longest. This committee develops the most detailed knowledge of the financial situation of the Society. The Executive Office provides the committee with quarterly financial statements.

Duties of the Committee

to examine, acknowledge, and approve the Society’s budget as proposed by the Executive Office
to acknowledge and approve the audit of the Society’s financial records each year by the Executive Office with the assistance of a certified public accountant
to supervise the Society’s investments

Meetings of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee

The spring meeting is scheduled in late May or early June at which point a detailed examination of the Society’s finances takes place. A budget item for committee expenses is included in the Society’s budget. The Chair will prepare a report summarizing the meeting. The committee will:

review the Society’s investments and recommend any changes
review the financial relationship between the Editorial Offices of the Newsletter and Journal, and the Executive Office
review the relationship between the Society and the host institution of the Executive Office
review the performance of Social Problems and the publisher of the journal
discuss investments and socially responsible mutual funds
review the audit performed by an independent accounting firm and recommend its acceptance or revision
review the current year’s budget and make any revisions, if needed
project the following year’s budget
elect the next Chair

The Committee meets twice during the Annual Meeting to revise the current and following year’s budget, if needed, and to review the Society’s investments. The Chair presents the current year’s budget to the Board of Directors for approval. The Treasurer presents the auditor’s report to the Board of Directors for approval. The newly appointed Chair presents the following year’s budget to the Board of Directors for approval.

IV. C. Committee on Committees

The Committee on Committees consists of six members elected by the membership to staggered three-year terms. The committee selects it own Chair each year.

Duties of the Committee

The committee must secure members to serve on the following committees prior to the Annual Meeting. The President-Elect can appoint members to serve as well. The Committee on Committees Chair contacts the President-Elect to see if the committee can offer assistance with additional nominations.

Secure two persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to serve on the Committee on Standards and Freedom of Research, Publication, and Teaching for a three-year term.
Secure nine persons from five regional areas (Northeast, Upper Middle, Southern Middle, West and International) to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to serve on the Membership Committee for a three-year term, with three new members being appointed each year.
Secure three persons from the area hosting the next Annual Meeting to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors who are willing to serve on the Local Arrangements Committee for a one-year term. The President-elect nominates the Chair. The Chair often recruits his or her own committee.
Secure one person to serve as Chair of the Elections Committee for a one-year term. The Chair often recruits his or her own committee. The Board of Directors will receive your recommendations and make the appointment.
Secure two persons to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee for a three-year term. A Chair must be nominated from among the members of the committee.
Secure at least five persons for each committee to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the C. Wright Mills Award Committee, Lee Founders Award Committee and the Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship Committee for a one-year term.
Secure not more than six persons from the area hosting the next Annual Meeting to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Social Action and Social Action Award Committee for a one-year term.
Secure one person for each committee to be considered for appointment by the Board of Directors to the Accessibility Committee, Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee, Lee Scholar-Activist Support Fund Committee and Lee Student Support Fund Committee, for a one-year term.

IV. D. Editorial and Publications Committee

The Editorial and Publications Committee consists of six members elected by the membership to staggered three-year terms. The Chair of the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee serves as a voting, ex-officio committee member. The Editor of Social Problems and the Editor of Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter serve as non-voting, ex-officio committee members. The committee selects its own Chair each year.

Duties of the Committee

Provide oversight responsibilities with respect to the publication of Social Problems and Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. The committee must ensure quality and timeliness of these publications.
Conduct bi-yearly evaluations of the editors of Social Problems and Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter. The committee can recommend reappointment of the editors to a second term not to exceed three years.
Review periodically and publish its criteria for the oversight of the Editorial Offices and for the selection of editors. Final decisions regarding the editorial policies of Social Problems is made by the Board of Directors or by the membership by vote or referendum. The Editor remains the final judge over acceptance and rejection of manuscripts and over format within the limits set by the budget.
Supervise the preparation and the arrangements of publications of the Society other than Social Problems.

Contracting with a Publisher/Printer

Social Problems

The Society contracts with a press to handle various business aspects of publishing Social Problems. The committee is involved in negotiating the contract and in the selection of a publisher. The Chair, Executive Officer, and the Treasurer form a committee to receive bids from various publishers. The committee reviews the bids and makes a recommendation to the Editorial and Publications Committee who in turn makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors.

Our current contract with the University of California Press has a provision for an automatic five-year renewal, unless notice of termination is submitted in writing by either party to the other not later than the first of July eighteen months preceding the date of expiration (December 31, 2009.) The committee must determine whether we renew the contract or seek bids from alternative publishers when the contract expires.

The Social Problems Forum: The SSSP Newsletter

The Editor provides the Executive Office with a camera-ready copy and a pdf file of the newsletter. The Executive Office has the newsletter printed and mailed. The newsletter is also placed on the Society’s web site. No stipulation in the bylaws governs this activity, but it provides for a convenient way of mailing out the newsletter. It also provides an ongoing relationship between the Executive Office and the Editor of the Newsletter.

The Membership Directory

The Membership Directory can only be accessed by current and one year past members on the Society’s web site. The electronic Membership Directory provides several search options. Members can make changes directly to their listing. The Executive Office has responsibilities for the quality of this service.

Other Publications

The Editorial and Publications Committee may recommend other publications to the Board of Directors. Given the wide use of Social Problems articles and their high quality, anthologies utilizing the articles have been well received. Proposals must be prepared by current members. The Editorial and Publications Committee reviews the proposals and makes a recommendation to the Board of Directors as to whether or not the book is endorsed by the Society as a sponsored publication. Approved proposals are submitted to the publisher for consideration. The agreement on sponsored publications stipulates that any royalties earned by these edited volumes will be paid to the Society.

IV. E. Elections Committee and Election Procedures

The Elections Committee is composed of a Chair and three or more members who reside in the same geographic area as the Chair. The committee makes no nominations. An ordered list developed by the Nominations Committee and approved by the Board of Directors is sent to the Chair to secure the verbal consent of nominees after the Annual Meeting.

By October 1 of the year following the Annual Meeting, candidates shall be contacted by the Elections Committee, in order of priority in which nominated, and asked to serve. Candidates may accept or refuse in writing, or orally; the date of response shall be noted in writing. Immediately upon acceptance, candidates shall be sent a biographical data form. This form must be returned within 30 days of receipt.

After being contacted, candidates shall have a two-week grace period to accept or decline candidacy. Candidates who make no decision by the close of this period, and/or who decline to pay dues for the year in which they were nominated, shall be ineligible to run for office.

If there are insufficient candidates for any given position after the priority list is exhausted, the President or the Executive Committee; or Board members, as polled by either the Nominations Committee or Committee on Committee Chairs according to which candidates fall into their jurisdiction shall recommend further candidates. The same procedure shall hold in the event of an unexpected vacancy in any Committee, or the Board of Directors.

Candidate lists shall be completed by December 15 of the year following nominations, even if there are fewer nominations for given office than otherwise prescribed by the By-Laws. The slate of nominees will be posted on the Society’s web site by December 15 each year and appear in the winter issue of the newsletter.

Posting the Ballot

By March 1 of each year an email to all members will announce the opening of the general election on March 15. In the event the email does not reach the member, a first class letter announcing the election and explaining how to vote on the Society’s web site will be sent to the last known postal address of the member.

By March 15 of each year the Elections Committee shall report the final results of the nominations procedures to the membership. This report shall take the form of the Executive Office posting the ballot on the Society’s web site and declaring the election open. The election site shall remain open for four (4) weeks.

Final Results

The Elections Committee shall report the results of the final elections to all nominees and members of the Board of Directors by no later than June 1. In case of ties, the Board of Directors shall be requested to cast the deciding votes. After all candidates have been notified of the election results, the Executive Officer will communicate with each person elected and advise them of the office’s responsibilities.

a. The Elections Committee shall review the computer record of votes cast, note and resolve any irregularities and file a report with the President and the Executive Office.

b. If any candidate disputes the election results they shall be granted access to the report discussed in “a” and may appeal the report of the Elections Committee to the Board of Directors. The decision of the Board of Directors on the appeal shall be final.

Election Procedures

The list is ordered so that preferred candidates are contacted first. If names appear on more than one list, candidates are contacted in the order they appear on each list. In the event that an individual declines to run, that person may be eligible to serve in another office. If this occurs, the person is offered the higher-ranking office first. Determination of the candidate’s willingness to run is made by the Elections Committee. A minimum of two candidates must be proposed for any vacant position except Secretary and Treasurer. The candidates for these two positions are nominated by the Board of Directors.

IV. F. Membership Committee

The Membership Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-elect and nine members selected from five regional areas: Northeast (New England and Eastern USA); Upper Middle (Midwest and North Central USA); Southern Middle (DC, Mid-South and South USA); West (Southwest, Rocky Mountains and Pacific USA); International (Canada and other countries) appointed to serve three year terms, with three new members being appointed each year.

The duties of the committee are to recruit new members and recommend retention strategies to the Executive Office. The Chair works closely with the Executive Office in coordinating the promotion campaign and redesigning the membership brochure.

IV. G. Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee

The Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-elect and six members appointed to staggered three-year terms. The President-Elect will appoint a Chair from among the members who have served on the committee for at least one year. The Chair will serve during the term in which the President-Elect is President.

Duties of the Committee

performs a critical survey of the functioning of the Society
develops proposals for the improvement of the organization and operation of the Society
examines the distribution of functions between volunteer members and paid staff for more effective achievement of organizational objectives
initiates the process of planning new goals and future development of the Society
reviews the maintenance of a system of permanent records and operating procedures
serves as the personnel committee for the Society

A subcommittee (Chair and two committee members) will perform a site visit of the Executive Office biannually. The biannual visit to the Executive Office should take place in the spring of the second year, and be routinely initiated by the Executive Office. The meeting should be organized jointly by the Chair of the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee and the Administrative Officer. Care should be taken to identify and agree upon a convenient time for all involved parties. The purpose of the visit is to conduct personnel evaluations of the Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Meeting Manager, and Graduate Research Associate, to discuss a range of operational issues of current concern, and to plan new goals, and review future development issues. The Chair will prepare a report summarizing the meeting. The Executive Office will distribute the report to the Board of Directors and the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee. A budget item for committee expenses is included in the Society’s budget.

IV. H. Program Committee

The Program Committee consists of a Chair and three or more members. The duties of the committee are to develop and implement plans for the Annual Meeting program based upon the theme for the meeting. The theme is developed by the President-Elect and announced with a description in the final program for the Annual Meeting that occurs one year before the program will be held. In recent years, Presidents have kept the committee near the lower limit of three persons, but some Presidents have chosen to have a larger committee. The Executive Office works closely with the committee providing information on past successes and failures, and support needed in completing the duties of the committee.

The following paragraph appears in the bylaws and is meant to convey the wide latitude granted to the committee in planning a stimulating program. “The committee shall be empowered to stimulate discussion at the Annual Meeting of topics it deems important in furtherance of the interests of the Society. To this end it may arrange for the presentation of papers, colloquia, seminars, and any other formats it deems appropriate. These forums for discussion may deal with research findings, theory, or policy questions. The committee shall also invite the membership of the Society to contribute suggestions for topics around which sessions might be organized. The committee shall make a special effort to provide for the critical discussion of constraints, internal and external to the social science professions in their pursuit of research, theory and policy analysis.”

Often papers are invited for special sessions. In addition to the sessions organized by the committee, each of the Special Problems Divisions is entitled to organize at least three sessions. One of these sessions must pertain to the announced theme of the meeting. This encouragement comes in a joint meeting with the Program Committee and the Special Problems Division Chairpersons held during the Annual Meeting preceding the year during which the committee functions.

Also, a joint meeting of the Program Committee, which has completed its work, and the Program Committee that is just beginning its intensive planning phase takes place at the Annual Meeting. This meeting provides an opportunity to discuss what went well and what could be improved. The Executive Officer and Administrative Officer may be requested to attend this meeting to provide additional information from their perspective.

Timetable for Various Program Committee Activities:

Appointment of Program Committee Chairperson(s)	two years before Annual Meeting
Appointment of Program Committee	one year before Annual Meeting
Deadline for Names of Program Organizers	mid-September in year before Annual Meeting
Distribution of Call for Papers to all members	mid-October in year before Annual Meeting
Deadline for electronic submission of papers/proposals to the Program Committee Chair and the Division Program Organizers	January 31 the year of the Annual Meeting
Participants are notified by the session organizer of acceptance or referral of paper/proposal	no later than mid-February the year of the Annual Meeting
Session/paper titles and contact information for each author must be in the hands of the Executive Office	no later than March 1 the year of the Annual Meeting
Preliminary program will be distributed to all current members via e-mail	no later than May 15 the year of the Annual Meeting
Final Program goes to the printer	late July the year of the Annual Meeting

A budget item for committee expenses is included in the Society’s budget. If the committee needs additional money, the Chair must inform the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee. An expense incurred by the committee is the waiving of registration and/or membership fees for invited participants in the program who are not members of the Society. The Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer do not waive fees on their own authority but at the request of the President and/or Program Committee Chair. These waivers must be budgeted as an expense to the committee for sound financial planning.

IV. I. Standards and Freedom of Research, Publication, and Teaching Committee

The Standards and Freedom of Research, Publication, and Teaching Committee consists of a Chair and five members appointed to staggered three-year terms. The President-Elect will appoint a Chair from among the members who have served on the committee for at least one year. The Chair will serve during the term in which the President-Elect is President.

Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee will concern itself on behalf of the Society, with the professional rights and freedom of sociologists and other social scientists in their investigation and teaching of social problems. The committee will be empowered to investigate cases and to protect and strengthen the responsible professional autonomy of sociologists and other social scientists. In doing so, the committee will respect the integrity of other professional groups whose concerns may overlap with the Society’s and consult with them before taking action that may involve the membership.

During the past 10 years, the committee has met only when the Board of Directors, the President or a member alerted the Society to a specific case or issue. In these instances, the committee has recommended a course of action or stand to the Board of Directors.

IV. J. Accessibility Committee

The Accessibility Committee consists of a Chair, Chair-Elect and one other member. Following criteria specified by the Board of Directors, the committee strives to assure that all facilities at the Annual Meeting are accessible to disabled participants. The committee has the responsibility of developing and recommending to the Board of Directors and to the membership policies that will encourage and assure the full participation of disabled persons in the Society and in the larger community.

In mid-March, the Chair reviews and modifies the Guidelines for Meeting Participants flyer. The Administrative Officer will assist the Chair with this task. The Executive Office will distribute the guidelines to all program participants.

IV. K. Site Selection Committee

The bylaws designate the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer as the Site Selection Committee. Since 2004, the Society has utilized the meeting management services of HelmsBriscoe (placement fee paid directly by the hotel) when soliciting hotel bids. In addition to consulting with persons who live in the area proposed as the Annual Meeting site, the committee may consult with others in selecting a site according to criteria established by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors legislated that the hotel or conference site must be staffed by unionized personnel whenever possible.

Provisions are made in the annual budget for the Site Selection Committee to visit the Annual Meeting site up to three years in advance of the meeting date. The committee visits the proposed city in October or November and screens potential host properties.

The following factors must be considered when selecting a meeting site:

Low hotel room cost for attendees
Unionization of hotel employees
Close proximity to the American Sociological Association’s conference hotel. Try to avoid transporting members between SSSP and ASA properties. If transportation is required, the hotel must incur costs.
Conformity to the American Disabilities Act (3 of the ADA sleeping rooms must have a roll-in shower – room types : 1 king and 2 with 2 double beds)
Non-discriminatory with regard to racial or ethnic groups

Properties meeting these requirements are asked to prepare a written contract. The Administrative Officer prepares a comparison report of the property characteristics for the Board of Directors consideration. These options are forwarded to the Board of Directors during January and a vote is taken via email. The Executive Officer signs a contract for the Annual Meeting site approximately two and a half years in advance. This amount of lead time is necessary to secure a property compatible with the wishes of the Society’s members. This process has been found to be most effective in insuring that site requirements are met.