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Endowment Committee

The PSA Endowment Committee is a six member committee appointed by the Committee on Committees with the approval of  Council. Members would serve three year terms, two members from each region (north, south, central). Terms would be staggered - in any one year, two members would end their terms and two would begin their terms. The purpose of the ad hoc committee - working with the Secretary/Treasurer -  is to raise funds for the Endowment.

Contract Monitoring Committee

The Contract Monitoring Committee shall advise the Council in regard to the negotiation, provision, renewal, and workability of all contracts. The Contract Monitoring committee shall normally consist of two members of the Association appointed by the Council and by the President-Elect. The members will serve three year terms. Terms are staggered so that when one member leaves a new member is appointed. Terms begin and end during the annual meeting. The remaining member of the committee is usually the chair-designate for the next year.

Members of the Contract Monitoring Committee are nominated by the Committee on Committees and approved by the Council and/or President. New appointments are usually made in late December or early January.

Social Conscience Committee

The Social Conscience Committee is charged with locating a worthy community-based organization in the city in which the PSA holds its annual meeting, for the purpose of honoring that organization through the PSA program and/or a monetary donation from the PSA. The honored organization receives the PSA Social Conscience Award. In addition, whenever possible, the recipient organization should be integrated into the annual PSA program by providing the organization with an information table and/or by having the recipient organization participate in a relevant roundtable or session.

The Social Conscience Committee is probably the most unique committee of the PSA because it relies upon individuals for membership who are living in the area of the annual PSA meeting and who have some knowledge of the organizations in their area. While nominations for the Social Conscience Award may come from a variety of individuals, they must be knowledgeable of a least one local organization in order to nominate it for the award.

Committee on the Freedom of Research and Teaching (COFRAT)

COFRAT is concerned with the maintenance of academic freedom among sociologists and with the development and maintenance of fair and equitable procedures and practices for employing, promoting, and terminating the employment of sociologists in the western region of the United States. This committee may investigate complaints referred to it by members, shall develop appropriate procedures for conducting such investigations, and shall report to Council results of all such investigations with recommendations for Council action. The Committee on the Freedom of Research and Teaching consists of six members of the Association. Membership of the committee is recommended to Council by the Committee on Committees and appointments are made by the President and/or Council for a three year term of office. Each year two members begin and two members end their term of office. While members of COFRAT may recommend prospective members of the committee to the Committee on Committees, they do not select their own members. They do, however, elect the committee’s chair. The Chair of the Committee on Freedom of Research and Teaching is elected by committee members from among their ranks and must be someone who will be a continuing and active member of the committee for at least one year. The chair is elected at the scheduled meeting of the committee and serves for one year. Chairs can be reelected if continuing as a member of the committee for a least one more year. 1. Responsibilities, Procedures, and duties of the committee other than those specified in the Constitution. It is the chair’s responsibility to see that these are initiated and followed through on. A. Conference session organization. COFRAT sponsors sessions at PSA's annual meetings that are both specific to annual topical concerns, and that provide an opportunity for discussion of ongoing COFRAT concerns. Again, early calls for papers and active recruitment of participants is most effective. Session Proposal forms are available from the PSA Web site and also at the registration desk at the annual meeting. These session proposal forms are usually due by May 1. B. Procedures for taking committee action. Generally, the Chair solicits input from committee members throughout the year as items are dealt with. This is often done via email. During the annual meeting of the committee, decisions are made by the majority of those present. C. The Chair of this committee develops the agenda for the committee meeting and its annual activities. It is the chair’s responsibility to communicate meeting results and action items to others, including PSA Council. The chair maintains communication with committee members throughout the year. The chair also determines the calendar of activities for the committee. The chair maintains the committee’s archive and makes certain that the new chair receives it. Ideally, the archive should be handed to the new chair during the committee’s annual meeting. The chair will normally use email for correspondence between committee members during the year. It is important to keep all committee members informed of schedules, activities, and deadlines.The chair also writes a report of committee activities for publication in the May online newsletter, due date, May 1. The report contains sessions created for committee sponsorship and highlights activities the members have participated in through the year which relate to the activities of the committee.

Committee on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights

The functions of the  Committee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties are to propose and organize sessions that raise awareness of issues related to civil liberties and civil rights. Further, the committee monitors and makes recommendations to the PSA Council when the civil liberties and civil rights of sociologists are in jeopardy.

The Committee on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights  consists of six members of the Association, two members from each region.  Terms are for three years. PSA members may volunteer for membership to the committee or be nominated by current members of the CLCR committee. The prospective pool of candidates is reviewed by the Committee on Committees, and those selected are appointed to the CLCR committee for a three year term. Each year the CLCR committee elects a Chair who serves for one year, but can be re-elected.

1. Procedures for taking committee action.
    Committee action is taken following a majority vote of the committee members. This is done either at the annual meeting or by mail or email at the request of the chair.

2. Specific duties of the chair.
       The chair must develop the agenda for the year’s activities and must convene the annual meeting of the committee. The chair is responsible for keeping the lines of communication open between and among members, for organizing and conducting meetings, for establishing sponsorship of sessions for annual meetings and assuring that the required paper work (filling out, Session Proposal Forms) is completed. The Chair also keeps track of pertinent member activities, writes the annual report, provides leadership, and passes action items, if any, on to the PSA Council.

3. Calendar of activities.
        Pre-PSA: The Chair develops an agenda prior to the annual PSA meeting and seeks input from committee members.

         PSA Committee Meeting: The CLCR members meet as a committee, elect next committee chair and discuss agenda items, including sessions proposed for the next year’s PSA meeting (session proposal forms are available from the PSA office, online, or at the registration desk at the annual meeting). In addition, the Committee solicits recommendations for prospective committee members. The names are then passed on to the Chair of the Committee on Committees.

        Post PSA Meeting: The CLCR chair writes a report of committee activities for publication in the May Newsletter; due date, May 1. The report contains sessions created for committee sponsorship and highlights activities the members have participated in throughout the year which relate to civil liberties and civil rights.

Committee on Committees

The Committee on Committees (hence COC) consists of nine members elected for a three year term by the entire membership of the Association and the Vice President of the PSA who serves as chair and is an ex officio non voting member. Each year, three members, one from each division of the PSA (North, South, Central), begin and three end their term of office. The Committee recommends appointments to each non elected committee of the Association in such manner that the Northern, Southern, and Central regions are represented.

committee reports

To find reports from the chairs of past committees, click on the following links which will take you directly to the reports or to a May issue of the Pacific Sociologist newsletter where you will need to scroll down to find a secific report (these are all PDF files; to view them, you may need the Adobe Acrobat Reader).

 

• reports from 2011-2012 committees and council
• reports from 2010-2011 committees and council
• reports from 2008-2009 committees and council
• reports from 2007-2008 committees (inside newsletter Vol. 16 #2) 
• reports from 2006-2007 committees (inside newsletter Vol. 15 #2)
• reports from 2005-2006 committees (inside newsletter Vol.14 #2)
• reports from 2004-2005 committees (inside newsletter Vol.13 # 2)
• reports from 2003-04 committees (inside newsletter vol. 12 # 2)
• reports from 2002-03 committees
• reports from 2001-02 committees
• reports from 2000-01 committees
• reports from 1999-2000 committees
• reports from 1998-99 committees
• reports from 1997-98 committees
• reports from 1996-97 committees

Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee is one of the three elected committees serving the Association. The Nominations Committee nominates candidates for membership on the three elected committees of the Association: The Publications Committee, the Committee on Committees, and the Nominations Committee and for each elective office in the Association: President, Vice-President, and Members of the PSA Council. The Nominations Committee consists of the Past President who serves ex officio as chair without a vote, and three members elected at-large by the entire voting membership of the Association. One elected member shall retire each year on a rotating basis so that a member from each successive geographical division is elected each year. 

Volunteer to Serve on a Committee

Committees are vital to the proper functioning of the Association. Each year there are vacancies on the various committees that must be filled. Each year the Committee on Committees is looking for interested and committed members who can be recommended to the President and the Council for possible appointment.

Committee Membership must represent the Southern, Central, and Northern sections of the PSA western region. Usually there is one opening for each region on each appointed committee. Those responsible for committee appointments are always glad to know of willing volunteers. Student members are now eligible to serve on all appointed committees with the exception of the Awards Committee.

Student Affairs Committee

The Student Affairs Committee concerns itself with the participation of both undergraduate and graduate students in the association, such as planning the student reception at the annual conference and organizing sessions that students can participate in and or attend.

 

The Student Affairs Committee consists of six members.  Non-student members are appointed for a three year term. Student members are appointed for a one to three year term, depending on the length of service that they can commit to.  Each year two members end their term and two members begin their term.  Membership in this committee is recommended to Council by the Committee on Committees and appointments are made by the President and/or Council. While members of the Student Affairs Committee may recommend prospective members to the Committee on Committees, they do not select their own committee members.  They do, however, elect the committee’s chair (or co-chairs). The chair needs to be someone who will be a continuing and active member of the committee.  The Chair serves for one year, but can be reelected.

 

1. Procedures for taking committee action.

 Committee action is taken following a majority vote of the committee members.  This is done either at the annual meeting or by mail or email at the request of the chair.

 2.  Specific duties of the chair.

 The chair develops the agenda for the year’s activities and convenes the annual meeting of the committee.  The chair is responsible for keeping the lines of communication open between and among members, organizing and conducting meetings, establishing sponsorship of student sessions for the annual meeting, following through with session proposal applications, keeping track of pertinent member activities, writing the annual report, keeping a committee archive and passing it on to the next chair, and providing leadership.

 3. Calendar of activities.

December or earlier: Agenda for Upcoming PSA Meeting                       

Chair develops agenda for the March/April PSA meeting.  Input from committee members is encouraged.                                   

By March 1: Organization of Student Reception           

Details regarding the student reception are worked out with the Executive Director (time, place, food, etc.). The reception is normally held on Saturday evening. Publishers typically donated books, which are then raffled off at the student reception.  The PSA may also provide checks of $50 to be raffled off to students

March/April: Annual Meeting                       

 During the annual meeting, members meet as a committee. Someone is selected to take minutes. The selection/election of the next committee chair (or co-chairs) is made. Agenda items are discussed, including sessions to be proposed for next year’s PSA meeting (session proposal forms are available from the PSA Office, online, or at the registration desk at the annual meeting). Action items, if any, are passed on to the PSA Council. Recommendations for prospective committee members are solicited; these names are passed on to the chair of the Committee on Committees.  It is important to remind members about the student reception and encourage everyone’s attendance.

After Annual Meeting: Written Report      

The chair writes the annual report of committee activities for publication in the May Newsletter. Due date for the report is May 1. The report contains committee-sponsored from the previous conference and highlights any activities that the members have participated in throughout the year which relate to the student affairs committee.  This report becomes part of the committee archive.