ARTICLE I. Name

This organization shall be the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA), herein designated ‘the Association.’


ARTICLE II. Purposes

The Association is a not-for-profit professional association of scholars dedicated to the promotion and strengthening of Brazilian studies. Its principal purposes are:

1.  To foster a broader and deeper understanding of Brazil and encourage the teaching of the Portuguese language.

2.  To encourage a multidisciplinary approach to scholarly research and to seek to promote dissemination of research results.

3.  To provide a forum for policy makers, scholars and the public sector to exchange views on problems unique to Brazil and its role in world and regional affairs.

4.  To foster cooperation with the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) and with the several regional Latin American and Brazilian studies associations as well as with other public and private organizations.

5.  To foster the establishment of interdisciplinary Brazilian studies programs in those institutions of secondary and higher education where they do not now exist.

6.  To encourage cooperative research between Brazilian and non-Brazilian colleagues and facilitate relations between American, Brazilian, and other universities and research organizations.

7.  To stimulate the establishment of scholarships, grants, and exchange programs for students and scholars.

8.  To discuss, publicize and exchange experiences related to the problems and needs in Brazilian Studies as an inter-disciplinary field of studies.


ARTICLE III. Membership

There shall be the following classes of membership:

1.  Active membership is extended to all persons interested in the purposes and objectives of the Association, from the academic community, the professions, government service and the private sector.

2.  Associate membership is extended to those persons who have an interest in Brazil without being professionally engaged in this area.

3.  Life membership is available to active members who make a one-time contribution of $1,000.00 to the Association as established by the Executive Committee.

4.  Honorary membership can be awarded to senior or retired scholars who have made an outstanding contribution to Brazilian studies. Active members may propose honorary memberships to the Executive Committee, which will recommend no more than two to each congress.

5.  Only active members shall have the privilege of a vote and shall be eligible to hold office.

6.  Active members may form ad hoc committees, subject to approval by the President and Executive Committee.

7.  The Executive Committee shall propose to the general meeting the annual membership dues for active, associate and life membership.


ARTICLE IV. Administrative Structure and Officers

The officers of the Association shall be: a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer/Secretary, and an Executive Director.

1.  The President shall serve for a two-year term. Upon retirement the ex-President shall serve another two-year term as a voting member of the Executive Committee. The active President shall:

    a.  Preside at meetings of the Executive Committee, business and general meetings of
         the Association.
    b.  Arrange for Congresses. Congresses shall be held, ideally, every eighteen months,
         but may be held sooner if conditions require.
    c.  Appoint committees as required; receive committee nominations from members to
         the Executive Committee.

2.  The Vice President shall be elected for a two-year term and the presidency for the following term. In the event of an incapacity or resignation of the President, the Vice President shall serve in the President's place.

3.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall:

    a.  Be designated by the Executive Committee for a renewable two-year term.
    b.  Keep membership records.
    c.  Make and keep accurate minutes of Executive Committee meetings and any plenary
         meetings of the Association.
    d.  Give adequate notice of all meetings to members of the Executive Committee and
         of general meetings to all members of the Association.
    e.  Provide the membership annually a roster or directory (names, addresses, telephone
         and or fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and official positions) of all members.
    f.  Collect membership dues and make payments from the funds of the Association,
         keep accurate records of all receipts and expenditures, and prepare an annual
         financial statement to be presented to the Executive Committee.
    g.  Invest the available funds of the Association and of any memorial funds to provide
         the best possible return.

4.  The Executive Director shall:

    a.  Be appointed by the Executive Committee and serve at its pleasure.
    b.  Carry out the instructions and policies prescribed by the membership and/or the
         Executive Committee and coordinate the daily affairs of the Association.
    c.  Once each year the Executive Director shall present in writing a full account of the
         activities of the Association during the year immediately preceding. This account
         shall be published in Fagulha, the Association’s newsletter.
    d.  In consultation with the Executive Committee organize a Congress to be held
         ideally every eighteen months to two years.
    e.  Maintain a BRASA archive with documents relating to the founding and history of
         BRASA, including Proceedings, committee reports, issues of Fagulha and other
         pertinent materials.

5.  The Association shall maintain a Secretariat office, at a location chosen by the Executive Committee after considering bids submitted from bona fide academic institutions. Unless removed for cause, the Secretariat shall conduct the business of the Association, maintaining current rolls of members, and housing its records for a term of not less than six years.

6.  An officer may be removed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee upon presentation of evidence of malfeasance, or other dereliction of duty.

7.  Any person made a part to any action, suit, or proceeding by reason that she/he was an officer of the Association or of any corporation in which she/he served at the request of the Association, shall be indemnified by the Association against the reasonable expenses incurred by her/him in connection with the defense of such action, suit or proceeding except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged that such an officer is liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his/her duties.


ARTICLE V. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall administer the affairs of the Association, and shall be considered for legal purposes its Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, Vice-President, the Secretary/Treasurer, the Executive Director, the immediate past president, and  ten elected members.  Eight of these members shall be elected at large, and the remaining two Executive Committee seats are reserved for persons residing permanently in Brazil.  All members shall be elected by e-mail ballot for a term of four years and shall represent, insofar as possible, different disciplines and geographic regions. The Executive Committee shall:

1.  Appoint a nominating committee for the officers.

2.  Assist the President in developing meetings.

3.  Provide a mechanism to resolve unforeseen problems or circumstances.

4.  Appoint a Recording Secretary who shall keep minutes of Executive Committee meetings,
     the Plenary Session at Congresses, and any other business of the Executive Committee.

5.  Appoint an Executive Director and Secretary/Treasurer (who may be a member of the Executive Committee). The Executive Director shall be an officer of the Secretariat, and who shall serve under terms and conditions specified in writing by the Committee and accepted in writing by the Executive Director.


ARTICLE VI. Meetings

1.  The Association will have congresses at such time and place as recommended by the  Executive Committee, ideally every eighteen months to two years.

2.  The President may call additional meetings for business or substantive programs of a  scholarly nature.

3.  The normal agenda of a congress shall include:

    a.  Organization of panels and topical sessions for the purpose of the presentation of
         professional research papers and discussions of pertinent issues.
    b.  Other matters properly presented to the meeting.


ARTICLE VII. Amendments

Amendments to this constitution may be proposed either by two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee or by petition of at least fifty members in good standing. Ratification procedures shall be as follows:

1.  Amendments proposed by two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee must be  published and distributed to the membership by the Executive Director.

2.  Such amendments shall be considered ratified unless at least one hundred members protest in writing to the Executive Director within ninety days of distribution of the proposals.

3.  Amendments that have been protested shall be submitted to a ballot and shall be considered  ratified if approved by a majority of the voting membership that responds within ninety days of the distribution of the ballot.

4.  Amendments proposed by petition and subsequently endorsed by two-thirds of the  Executive Committee shall be subject to the same ratification procedure as provided in  sections 1-3 of this Article.

5.  Amendments proposed by petition but not endorsed by two-thirds of the Executive  Committee shall be submitted to a ballot of members in good standing as in Section 4 above.


ARTICLE VIII. Dissolution of the Association

The Association may be dissolved by a majority vote of the members in a Congress. In the event of the dissolution of the Association, funds in the Treasury shall be used to pay outstanding bills. Any remaining funds shall be awarded to a charity designated by the Executive Committee at the time of the dissolution.


Note: The Constitution and By-laws of the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA) were approved by the Executive Committee, November 3, 2001, Albuquerque, NM, and on April 5, 2002, Atlanta, GA, and ratified by the Executive Committee on October 5, 2002.

Article I. Nominations

1.  The Nominations Committee shall submit nominations for the Vice Presidency and the Executive Committee to the Executive Committee for approval. This ballot may be altered by a two-thirds vote of voting EC members present. Once approved, the e-mail ballot shall be submitted to the membership. Nominees must be members in good standing.

2.  The Nominations Committee shall present to the Executive Committee a nomination list broadly representative of the membership at large, including constituent disciplines, sexes and geographic locations. The list should include at least one junior faculty member if possible.

3.  The Candidates for the Vice Presidency shall be nominated according to the following procedure:

    a.  The Executive Committee shall nominate two candidates for each vacancy.
    b.  Members of the Association may propose additional candidates by submitting
         petitions signed by at least fifty members in good standing for each such candidate.
    c.  The Executive Director shall formulate an official ballot with the names of the two
         candidates approved by the Executive Committee and the names of any other
         candidates nominated by the petition process.
    d.  The candidate receiving the most votes is elected Vice President.  The candidate
         receiving the second largest number of votes is elected to the Executive
         Committee.

4.  If an incumbent BRASA Vice President assumes the office of President, through the  resignation or incapacity of the President, the Vice Presidency shall be filled as follows:

    a.  If a regular election has already been held, the Vice President-elect shall
         immediately assume the office and duties of the Vice Presidency;
    b.  Lacking such an election, the Executive Committee shall name from its own ranks
         a member to serve as Vice President until the election can be held.

5.  Members of the Executive Committee shall be nominated according to the following  procedures:

    a.  The Executive Committee shall approve eight candidates submitted by the
         Nominations Committee for the four impending at-large vacancies.  In addition,
         pursuant to Article V of the Constitution, the Executive Committee shall approve
         two candidates for a fifth vacancy reserved for a person residing permanently in
         Brazil.
    b.  Members may propose additional candidates for the Executive Committee by
         submitting a petition signed by at least fifteen Members in good standing for each
         candidate.
    c.  The Executive Director shall formulate a ballot with the names of candidates
         approved by the Executive Committee, including those submitted by petition.
    d.  For the four at-large vacancies, candidates in positions five through eight in voting
         will be designated alternates in rank order of votes received.  For the Brazil-based
         vacancy, the second-placed candidate will become an alternate for that position.

6.  If a member of the Executive Committee is unable to serve due to absence, leave, sickness  or any other reason during her/his term of office, said member shall communicate this to the President, if able. In such an event, the first elected alternate shall serve out the remaining term of the retiring member.


Article II. Elections

1.  The Vice President and the members of the Executive Committee shall be chosen by an  Internet-based balloting system.  Only members in good standing may vote.  The Secretariat shall be charged with holding the elections in a timely manner and verifying the validity of each vote cast.

2.  The four candidates for Executive Committee receiving the highest number of votes shall  be declared elected for the next four years. The four receiving the next highest number of  votes in rank order shall be declared alternates for the next two years to serve in place of a  regular member of the Executive Committee as specified in Article I, 6, above.


Article III. Committees and Task Forces

1.  There shall be two Standing Committees: the Membership Recruitment Committee and the  Nominating Committee, both serving under the direction of the Executive Committee and  created by it. Each standing committee should, if possible, include a member of the Executive Committee.

2.  The Executive Committee may, by majority vote, create ad hoc task forces or working  groups to address specific needs or objectives, specifying in each case the duration of each  group. The President shall appoint the chairperson and members of such groups, with the  advice and consent of the Committee.

3.  Reports of standing committees and ad hoc working groups shall be made at least annually  by the Chairpersons to the President of the Association for action by the Executive  Committee if this is the case, or to be communicated to the membership in the Association’s bulletin, if not.

4.  Funds, if needed by the standing committees or ad hoc groups, must be requested of the  Executive Committee, and may not be disbursed without prior approval.

5.  No standing committee or task force may delegate authority by creating its own subordinate body or bodies, such as a subcommittee.


Article IV. Congresses

1.  At each Congress the Executive Committee may choose to hold a business session during  which only members in good standing may vote. Such votes shall be effective for any purpose consistent with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association. Neither the Constitution nor By-Laws may be amended at any such meeting. By unanimous consent of those present non-members may be allowed to speak at the Plenary Session, but they may not make or second motions.

2.  If the Executive Committee chooses not to hold a business session at the Congress, and a  petition requesting such a session is signed by 100 (one hundred) members in good  standing, the business session shall be held during the Congress.

3.  The agenda for the business session may include committee reports and such business as  the Executive Committee may choose to present to the membership. Members in good  standing who wish to propose items for discussion at the Session must do so by e-mail or mail to the Executive Director, postmarked at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

4.  Within thirty days after the business session, any legislative action taken by the members at the meeting shall be submitted to the membership at large for ratification via an Internet-based balloting system.  Actions taken at the business session shall be considered ratified if approved by a majority of the voting membership that responds within ninety days of the distribution of the ballot.

5.  Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of the business session.

6.  A quorum for voting in the business session shall consist of twenty percent of members registered for the meeting.

7.  Votes may be made in three ways: yea, nay, and abstention.

8.  The purpose of the business session is procedural. Members wishing to bring other issues before the membership must present their motions, signed by at least five members, in writing, to the Executive Committee at least twenty-four hours before the business meeting.


Article V. Dues

Membership dues shall be set by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.



Article VI. Amendments

Amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed either by two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee or by petition of at least fifty members in good standing. Ratification procedures shall be as follows:

1.  Amendments proposed by two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee must be published and distributed by e-mail to the membership by the Executive Director.

2.  Such amendments shall be considered ratified unless at least one hundred members protest in writing to the Executive Director within ninety days of distribution of the proposals.

3.  Amendments that have been protested shall be submitted to a mail ballot and shall be considered ratified if approved by a majority of the voting membership that responds within ninety days of the distribution of the ballot.

4.  Amendments proposed by petition and subsequently endorsed by two-thirds of the Executive Committee shall be subject to the same ratification procedure as provided in sections 1-3 of this Article.

5.  Amendments proposed by petition but not endorsed by two-thirds of the Executive Committee shall be submitted to a mail ballot of members in good standing as in Section 4 above.



Note: The Constitution and By-laws of the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA) were approved by the Executive Committee, November 3, 2001, Albuquerque, NM, and on April 5, 2002, Atlanta, GA, and ratified by the Executive Committee on October 5, 2002.

Dear BRASA Members:

The BRASA elections closed on April 15, 2004. We are pleased to report the results below.

VICE-PRESIDENT
Kenneth Serbin (History, University of San Diego) has been elected vice-president of the Brazilian Studies Association. He will serve as vice-president from 2004 to 2006, will succeed Timothy Power as president from 2006 to 2008, and then serve as a voting member of the EC (as Immediate Past President) from 2008-2010.

EC MEMBER PERMANENTLY RESIDING IN BRAZIL
Celso Castro (Anthropology, CPDOC-Fundação Getúlio Vargas) has been elected as to the Brazil-based seat on the EC, for a term of four years. João Roberto Martins Filho (Political Science, Universidade Federal de São Carlos) will serve as the alternate (suplente).

AT-LARGE EC SEATS
These are also four-year terms. There were 10 candidates for a total of 5 available seats. Due to a tie for fifth place, six candidates are hereby declared elected as full members (titulares), and four will become alternate members (suplentes).

The following candidates are elected as full members (titulares) of the EC:

Cecília Santos (Sociology, University of San Francisco)
Emanuelle Oliveira (Literature, Vanderbilt University)
Jerry Dávila (History, University of North Carolina, Charlotte)
Maxine Margolis (Anthropology, University of Florida)
Steve Butterman (Literature, University of Miami)
William C. Smith (Political Science, University of Miami)

The following candidates are elected as alternate members (suplentes) of the EC:

Brian Godfrey (Anthropology, Vassar College)
Ed Amann (Economics, University of Manchester)
Raul Reis (Journalism, California State University, Long Beach)
Wendy Hunter (Political Science, University of Texas)

Congratulations to everyone involved in these elections. BRASA received many laudatory comments on the quality of this year’s candidates. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2004, we are pleased and honored to have such a fine group of scholars who are willing to donate their time and help to develop the Association in its second decade.

I would like to thank my fellow members of the 2004 Nominations Committee, which was made up of Past President Susan Quinlan, President James Green, and EC member Eduardo Gomes. We are grateful especially to Robyn Coté at the BRASA Secretariat (University of New Mexico) for running the election itself.

Congratulations and best wishes to all,

Timothy J. Power
BRASA President