Handbook of the Society of California Archivists

Handbook, Bylaws, and Policies

  1. SCA Handbook / Part 3 Committees / 3-1 Committees

3-1 Committees

General Description

Special Committees are ad hoc committees or task force groups established by the Board to perform a specific task for a limited time. They are described briefly in Bylaws VI.4.

Standing Committees are those committees that provide essential services to the society. Permanent committees are established by the Bylaws or by the Board for whatever purpose is deemed necessary to help in the work of the society. Standing Committees and their selection are described in Bylaws VI.1-2 (See also the current version of The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure by Sturgis).

The Standing Committees and means of appointment of their chairs are:

  1. Advocacy and Public Policy (appointed by President)
  2. Awards (appointed by President)
  3. Communications and Outreach Committee (appointment by President)
  4. Development (appointed by President)
  5. Education (appointed by President)
    • 5.a. Vice Chair for Online Education (appointed by Committee Chair, approved by President)
  6. Election (appointed by President)
  7. Ethics and Inclusion (appointed by President)
  8. Finance and Investment (SCA Treasurer)
  9. Local Arrangements (appointed by President)
  10. Membership (SCA Membership Director)
    • 10.a. Vice Chair for Member Activities (appointed by Membership Director, approved by President)
  11. Nominating (SCA Immediate Past-President)
  12. Program (SCA Vice-President/President-Elect)
  13. Publications (appointed by President)
  14. Site Selection (appointed by President)
  15. Western Archives Institute Joint Management (appointed by California State Archives)

Chairs and members of all committees shall be SCA members. In most cases committee members are appointed or reappointed by the chair. Annually, chairs should confirm the continuing interest of committee members to serve. Annually, the President assigns a Board liaison to each committee. Committee composition is outlined in Bylaws VI.2.

Hereafter, in the handbook, the term chair shall also refer to co-chairs when applicable. Incoming committee chairs should familiarize themselves with the SCA Handbook. Outgoing chairs or board liaisons should provide at minimum to incoming chairs a copy of the outgoing chair’s quarterly and annual reports and the previous year’s committee budget.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities that apply to all standing committees are described here. Those pertaining to specific committees are described in that Committee’s description in the Handbook.

  1. The Committee chair is responsible for making Handbook change recommendations to the Board.
  2. All committee chairs report directly to the President, although the President may delegate to a Board member the role of liaison between a committee and the Board.
  3. Each committee chair prepares a formal report to the Board prior to each Board meeting (use Quarterly Report Format, section 3-1-1 of the Handbook). Usually the report is submitted to the President about two weeks before the scheduled Board meeting.
  4. SCA’s fiscal year is January 1- December 31. In preparation for the Board’s fall budget meeting, chairs provide a proposed budget to the Treasurer (see Handbook 2-5-2 for budget categories). Committee Chairs and members are reimbursed for budgeted expenses incurred in the course of performing committee tasks. These include costs incurred for such activities as photocopying, mailing, and phone calls. SEE ALSO: Reimbursement Policy, Handbook section 2-5-8.
  5. All committee chairs present an oral report of committee activity at the Annual Business Meeting during the Annual General Meeting. Chairs unable to attend shall designate a representative to make this report in their absence.
  6. Committee chairs send non-current records to the Society’s archives at the end of their term of service. SEE ALSO Records Retention Schedule, Handbook section 1-8-4 and SCA Archives: Finding Aid, Handbook section 1-8-6.
  7. All SCA members must adhere to the Code of Conduct outlined in section 1-6 of the SCA Handbook. Additionally, Committee Chairs must distribute the Code of Conduct and obtain adherence agreements from third parties involved in SCA business that include, but are not limited to, invited speakers, non-member AGM participants, instructors, and vendors. Committee Chairs are also responsible for assuring that the Code of Conduct is prominently displayed at official SCA gatherings, such as Member Initiated Events, the Annual General Membership meeting, and workshops as well as have print copies readily available at in-person events.

Tenure of Appointed Standing Committee Chairs

Appointed committee chairs will serve for three years. Within that three-year period, committee chairs and/or co-chairs will be reappointed annually by the President at the beginning of their term, with Board approval. On notifying committee chairs of their appointment or reappointment, the President shall inform them of the remaining length of their tenure. Outgoing committee chairs will suggest a successor to the President, preferably one currently serving on the committee. Committee co-chairs will preferably have staggered tenures. Local Arrangements chairs will be selected by the President and serve for three-year terms.

Revision history: 7/86 rln, 5/89 dsn, 10/90 nlb, 5/93 jab, 4/94 ppa, 2/98 lgr, 1/06 jlm, 3/06 Board, 10/10 jmw, 3/12 tep, 6/2015 tep, 10/2017 llc, 01/2019 llc, 04/2019 llc, 05/2020 mh, 08/2020 mh, 10/2024 nls

  1. Section 3-1 Committees
  2. Part 3 Committees
  3. Handbook of the Society of California Archivists