The purpose of the Section on Methodology is to foster the development
of this aspect of sociology through the organized interchange
of ideas and research results. It shall encourage the development
of methodology and its applications in sociology both through
organized meetings and conferences, publication, and such other
means as are deemed appropriate by the Council of the Section.
The term methodology shall be interpreted in its broadest sense
to include the development of investigative techniques appropriate
to any branch of sociology, of statistical and experimental procedures,
and of mathematics, data processing, and such other interests
as may be useful in sociological research.
OFFICERS OF THE SECTION: The officers of the Section shall
be a Chairperson, a Chairperson-elect, and a Secretary-treasurer.
Beginning with the Chairperson elected for 1977-78 (i.e. to be
elected as Chairperson-elect in the spring of 1976), the Chairperson
shall serve for a period of two years. Beginning with the Chairperson-elect
to be elected in the spring of 1977, the Chairperson-elect shall
also serve in that office for a period of two years prior to becoming
Chairperson. The Secretary-treasurer shall be elected for a period
of three years. There shall be a Council consisting of six members,
each serving for three years, with two Council seats being vacated
each year. Officers shall not succeed themselves. The Chairperson,
the Chairperson-elect and the Secretary-treasurer shall serve
as members of the Council, with the Chairperson serving as Chairperson
of the Council.
POWERS OF THE OFFICER: The council is vested in principle
with the power to carry out all the necessary operations for the
Section, acting as the representative of the membership of the
Section. Any action of the Section, including proposed changes
of the by-laws, may be brought to the vote of the Section by the
Council, by a petition of 10 percent of the members of the Section,
or by 25 members of the Section, whichever is less. Changes in
the by-laws are valid when approved by a majority of the Section
members voting in a mail ballot. Questions that are interpreted
by the Council to be matters of major program development or policy
shall be brought before the membership for approval.
In the event of the death, resignation, incapacity
or inactivity of the Chairperson, Chairperson-elect, or Secretary-treasurer,
the Council, acting on the initiative of any member thereof, may
designate an interim officer to perform the function of that office
for a period of at most one year. Such action shall require the
approval of two=thirds of the Council members. The interim officer
so designated may be any member of the Section, including a a
member already holding another office or membership on the Council.
In case of death or resignation, or in case of the continued incapacity
or inactivity of an officer for a period longer than the one year
permitted for an interim officer, the Council shall call for the
election of a replacement at the time of the regular annual election,
and the elected replacement shall fill the remainder of the term
of office.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING: The elections of the Section shall
be carried out by mail in cooperation with the American Sociological
Association and coordinated to their schedule. A simple majority
of the members voting on candidates for the Chairperson-elect
or for Secretary-treasurer shall determine the outcome. In the
election of Council members (normally four candidates for two
positions) the two candidates having the largest number of votes
shall be the elected Council members. Referenda submitted to the
membership should, when feasible, be accompanied by brief statements
for and against the proposal. A simple majority of the membership
voting on amendments to the by-laws or referenda submitted to
the membership shall determine the outcome. Votes at the Section
Business Meeting held at the annual meeting of the American Sociological
Association shall be advisory to the Council only.
COMMITTEES There shall be a Committee on Nominations,
appointed each year by the Chairperson, with the advice of the
Council, at least two months prior to the convening of the annual
meetings of the American Sociological Association. The Committee
on Nominations shall be constituted of at least five members.
Two candidates will be presented for each office by the Committee
on Nominations.
There shall be a Committee on Publications, appointed by the
Council of the Section, membership to be for three years, with
the term of one member expiring each year. The purpose of this
Committee shall be to report to the Council on matters of publication
that may foster the discipline.
There shall be a Committee on Methodology Sessions of the annual
meetings of the American Sociological Association appointed by
the Council of the Section, membership to be for three years,
with the term of one member expiring each year. The purpose of
this Committee shall be to develop sessions on methodology at
each annual meeting in cooperation with the Program Committee
of the Association.
Other committees shall be appointed by the Chairman with the
approval of the Council or by the Council on an ad hoc
basis.
MEMBERSHIP: The membership of the Section shall be drawn
from members of the American Sociological Association, without
regard to the classification of their membership, who have expressed
or demonstrated a major commitment to research methodology and
measurement in sociology. Members who do not pay their Section
dues shall be suspended and dropped from the rolls after two years.
DUES: No increase in the dues beyond the requirements
beyond the requirements of the American Sociological Association
shall be made without the approval of the members as determined
by mail ballot.
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