APSE

1. The Organization:

1. The name of the organization is APSE (Associated Press Sports Editors).
2. The purposes of the organization are to improve professional standards of newspaper sports departments, to discuss and attempt to resolve problems of newspaper sports departments, to improve communication between sports departments and other newspaper departments and newspaper management and to recognize professional excellence among the membership.

2. Membership:

1. Membership is open to all newspaper administrative sports department executives, their supervisors and their assistants, regardless of whether those papers are members of the Associated Press. Former presidents of APSE are members, even if no longer qualified under the provisions of the previous sentence.

   Memberships also may be approved or disapproved individually at any time by the Executive Committee for general interest sports Internet sites that apply generally accepted newsgathering practices and have a fulltime staff of no fewer than three people. Dues for any persons representing general interest sports Internet sites will be at the highest category as set by the Executive Committee.

2. Membership is non-discriminatory as to race or sex.
3. Each newspaper has one vote in the organization, no matter how many members of APSE a paper has. If a paper should send more than one representative to an APSE meeting, or if an emergency written vote should be taken, only one representative from each paper may participate in voting.
4. Dues will be set by the Executive Committee and must be paid by Oct. 15. The fiscal year is June 1 through May 31.
5. Associate memberships may be approved individually at any time by the Executive Committee for persons who represent wire services operated by newspaper groups or persons who represent general interest or general sports newspapers that are published fewer than five times a week.

   Such associate memberships may be terminated by a majority vote at two consecutive Executive Committee meetings or by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership.

   Dues for wire services will be at the highest category as set by the Executive Committee, and dues for general interest or general sports newspapers will be in accordance with the paper’s circulation.

   Associate members may serve on committees but may not hold APSE office. Each wire service will receive one vote in general elections, no matter how many associate members of APSE a wire service has. Members from general interest and general sports newspapers that publish fewer than five times a week, as well as persons representing general interest sports Internet sites, will not receive a vote.

6. The general sports editor of the Associated Press and assistants will be ex officio members of APSE. They will serve on APSE committees at their discretion upon the invitation of the APSE president.

   Sports editors at Associated Press bureaus will be ex officio members of APSE in the regions where their bureaus are located. They may attend regional APSE meetings in an advisory capacity.

7. The term "newspaper," as used in these bylaws, will refer to newspapers and Internet sites that are full members of APSE.

3. Officers and Executive Committee:

1. Elected officers are a president, three vice presidents and a regional chair and vice chair for each of the organization’s geographic regions (defined in Section 7 below).

   Appointed officers are a secretary-treasurer and a convention coordinator (non-voting, permanent, paid positions).

2. The Executive Committee consists of the president, three vice presidents, regional chairs and all past presidents of APSE. Each has one vote in matters before the committee.

   The APSE secretary-treasurer and convention coordinator will attend Executive Committee meetings in an advisory capacity. The general sports editor of the Associated Press (or a designated representative) and the Associated Press Managing Editors (APME) sports committee chair (or an APME representative appointed by APME in place of the sports committee chair) also may attend Executive Committee meetings in an advisory capacity.

   Committee chairs appointed by the president are obligated to attend Executive Committee meetings or to appoint another committee member to represent them at such meetings.

   Any other APSE member may attend Executive Committee meetings and participate in discussions, but only the members named in the first paragraph of this section may introduce motions or vote.

   The president serves as chair of the Executive Committee.

   A regional vice chair may participate in Executive Committee voting in the absence of that region’s chair. If neither the regional chair nor the vice chair is present, the president will appoint another member to represent that region at the meeting.

   Two-thirds of the elected officers or their designated representatives will constitute a quorum for an Executive Committee meeting. Although former presidents may vote at such meetings, their attendance does not count toward a quorum.

   Unless specified otherwise in the bylaws, a majority vote at an Executive Committee meeting with a quorum is sufficient to approve a motion.

   The Executive Committee may conduct votes via e-mail or other electronic means if the president determines that the subject of the vote cannot wait for a scheduled meeting. At least seven days prior notice must be given on the APSE Web site. For such votes, the Executive Committee shall consist of the president, vice presidents, region chairs and past presidents who are employed by institutions that are full members of APSE.

   Reports of all actions of the Executive Committee and the minutes of Executive Committee meetings will be published in the APSE Newsletter.

3. Terms of elected officers: Organization officers, with the exception of the third vice president, serve in their new positions for one year, beginning with the Executive Committee meeting at the end of the summer convention and continuing until the Executive Committee meeting at the end of the following year’s convention.

   The president is succeeded by the first vice president, with the second vice president becoming first vice president and the new second vice president assuming office at the Executive Committee meeting at the end of the summer convention.

   Term and other matters pertaining to the third vice president are described below.

   Regional chairs serve for two years. Succession and other matters pertaining to regional officers are described below.

4. The second vice president is elected each year by the general membership, with each newspaper having one vote.

   Candidates for second vice president will include the third vice president (in those years when the third vice president is completing a term of office) and outgoing regional chairs (unless one or more declines to run or is serving an additional two-year term as the result of a procedure described below).

   The Executive Committee may nominate as many as four candidates for second vice president at a meeting during the winter workshop (described below).

   Any APSE member may nominate a candidate for second vice president by composing a petition and obtaining the signatures of representatives of 15 member newspapers who acquiesce in the nomination of said candidate. The petition must be presented to the president by March 15.

   All candidates’ names and biographies will published in an APSE Newsletter before the election.

5. The third vice president is elected for a two-year term in even-numbered years, only by the representatives of the papers in APSE’s smallest circulation category for dues. The third vice president assumes office beginning with the Executive Committee meeting at the end of the summer convention in even-numbered years and serves for two years, continuing until the Executive Committee meeting at the end of the convention two years hence.

   Candidates for third vice president must be from APSE’s smallest circulation category. In even-numbered years, three candidates will be nominated by a committee of regionally diverse small-circulation members appointed by the APSE president. In addition, the Executive Committee may nominate as many as three additional candidates for third vice president at a meeting during the winter workshop.

   A nomination may be made by any member from a small-circulation paper by composing a petition and obtaining the signatures of representatives of 15 small-circulation member newspapers who acquiesce in the nomination of said candidate. The petition must be presented to the president by March 15 in even-numbered years. All candidates’ names and biographies will be published in an APSE Newsletter before the election.

6. Vacated Offices. If an officer (except for secretary-treasurer or convention coordinator) leaves a sports-related position at the newspaper, or if said officer leaves the newspaper business, that officer must resign from APSE.

   In the case of resignation or removal of the president, the first vice president will become president immediately and will retain that office for the remainder of the APSE year as well as the following year.

   In the case of an unexpired vacancy in a vice presidential position (including such vacancy created by the first vice president’s becoming president), the president will appoint an interim vice president to serve until the executive committee meeting at the end of the next convention (except for the third vice president, whose succession under these circumstances is described below). At the time of normal succession, each elected vice president will move up to the next-highest vacant organization office as provided above.

   Interim first and second vice presidents automatically will become candidates for vacant organization offices for the following year. In no case may an interim first or second vice president succeed to a higher office, nor may said interim vice president serve past the interim term, except by the prescribed election process.

   An interim third vice president will serve the remainder of the two-year term. If less than one year remains in the term, said interim third vice president will automatically become a candidate for that office at the expiration of the term.

   At the time of the regular organization election, all vacant vice presidential positions will be filled as provided above, except that each newspaper may vote for as many candidates for first or second vice president as there are vacant positions (positions other than that of second vice president having been created by resignation or removal described above). The candidate receiving the most votes for first or second vice president will fill the highest vacant office. If resignations or removal should leave no officer eligible to become president, the APSE’s region chairs shall immediately appoint a member of the organization to serve for the remainder of the APSE’s year. Region chairs may meet in person, if the issue arises during the summer convention or winter workshop; otherwise chairs may vote by conference call or e-mail.

7. An officer may be removed by the Executive Committee, but such action requires the approval of 75 percent of those committee members assembled in quorum at the winter workshop or the convention. If said officer is a member of the Executive Committee, that officer may not vote on removal action.

4. Duties:

1. The president presides over Executive Committee and general membership meetings. The president will make appointments as prescribed in the APSE bylaws and such other appointments as necessary to conduct the business of the organization. At the direction of the Executive Committee, the president will appoint committees to carry on the business of APSE. These committees will make reports to the Executive Committee, and their actions will be reported in the APSE Newsletter.

   The president is also responsible for planning and organizing the convention, with the assistance of the convention coordinator. The president may appoint such committees as necessary to fulfill these duties or to assist the convention coordinator.

   The president – following advice of the Executive Committee or such other committees that have been appointed for this purpose – will determine the agendas and programs for the convention.

   The president will attend the annual APME convention. At the discretion of the Executive Committee, the president may attend or name members to attend conventions of other national professional journalism organizations as official representatives of APSE.

2. The first vice president is responsible for the APSE contest, which is the vehicle by which professional excellence is recognized among the membership. At the discretion of the president, the first vice president may appoint such committees as necessary to fulfill these duties. With the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, which makes and amends the contest rules, the first vice president will arrange for preliminary and final judging, announcements and awards.

   The first vice president will arrange for the dissemination of information about the contest to the preliminary and final judges and to the general membership. Such information includes the contest rules and changes thereto, which are made by the Executive Committee, and the contest judging guidelines, which are the responsibility of the first vice president and such committees as are appointed for assistance.

   As incoming president, the first vice president – with advice from the president and the secretary-treasurer – will present a written budget for the upcoming fiscal year at the Executive Committee meeting that precedes the first general membership meeting at the convention.

3. The second vice president is responsible for generating the content of the APSE Newsletter and the yearbook, which is the Newsletter that reports on the convention. The newsletter may appear in print or online on the APSE Web site.

   The APSE Newsletter will contain reports of all actions of the Executive Committee and general membership, minutes of Executive Committee meetings, general dates and agendas, proposed and approved bylaws changes, honorees in the APSE contest, names and biographies of vice presidential nominees, reports of committee activities, and reports of such other news, problems and trends as determined by the president and the Executive Committee.

   The second vice president may make use of such persons and committees as necessary and may solicit the help of other APSE members to gather information, articles and reports for the APSE Newsletter, including the yearbook.

   The second vice president also will assist the first vice president in administering the APSE contests.

4. The third vice president represents the interests of members from APSE’s smallest circulation category, is responsible for APSE’s recruiting, and will work as necessary with region chairs to insure that each region has at least one meeting each year.

   The third vice president also will assist the president and the convention coordinator in organizing the general membership meeting.

5. The secretary-treasurer is responsible for membership lists, mailings, collection of dues and maintenance and disbursement of funds. The secretary-treasurer also will perform other duties prescribed by the president and the Executive Committee.

   The secretary-treasurer is appointed by the Executive Committee for an indefinite term. Such appointment – or the removal of the secretary-treasurer – requires the approval of 75 percent of those Executive Committee members assembled in quorum at a convention or winter workshop.

   The secretary-treasurer will receive a monetary stipend, such stipend to be established by the Executive Committee.

6. The convention coordinator is responsible for logistical arrangements for the annual convention. At the direction of the president and the secretary-treasurer, the convention coordinator will work with APSE members in the host city and will make and secure arrangements with the convention hotel.

   The convention coordinator will report to the incoming president after each convention with suggestions for amending or improving arrangements for the following year’s convention.

   The convention coordinator is appointed by the Executive Committee for an indefinite term. Such appointment – or the removal of the convention coordinator – requires the approval of 75 percent of those Executive Committee members assembled in quorum at a convention or winter workshop.

   The convention coordinator will receive a monetary stipend, such stipend to be established by the Executive Committee.

7. Regional chairs and vice chairs. Chairs serve two-year terms and are succeeded by vice chairs.

   Terms of the Atlantic Coast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southwest and Western regional chairs expire in odd-numbered years. Terms of other regional chairs expire in even-numbered years. Time of succession coincides with succession of organization officers. Duties of regional officers are described below.

   The method of election of vice chairs, which occurs every two years unless it is necessary sooner because of resignation, will be determined by regional membership with the approval of the APSE president.

   In the event of a vacancy in a regional chair, the vice chair will succeed immediately. If less than a year remains in the original term of office, the new chair will serve the balance of the term and all of the following two-year term. If more than a year remains in the term, the new chair will serve only until the end of the original term, and an election for a new vice chair will be held, such vice chair to succeed the new chair at the end of the original two-year term.

   A regional chair or vice chair must be a working APSE member from the region. If a regional chair or vice chair transfers to another region or leaves the sports department of the newspaper or leaves the newspaper business, such regional chair must resign. The position will be filled as prescribed above.

   Region chairs are responsible for the following, or for designating another member to do the same:

   1. Attending the annual convention and winter meetings to serve as a member of the executive committee.
   2. Planning and execution of region meetings, pursuant to 6(A) of these bylaws.
   3. Providing announcements about, and reports on, region meetings for the Web site and/or newsletter.
   4. Providing region reports for every newsletter.
   5. Identifying and recruiting potential small-newspaper members for contest judging each year, in conjunction with the secretary-treasurer and the contest chair.

5. Meetings and Conventions:

1. The Executive Committee will meet at least three times a year (times of such meetings described below). The general membership will meet at the beginning of the annual convention, which is to take place in late spring or early summer. The general membership may also meet at the end of the annual convention if the president deems the need for such a meeting.

   The Executive Committee and all other interested members will attend a winter workshop for discussion and resolution of such matters deemed necessary by the president, including work on the APSE contest and planning for the convention later that year. Dates, sites and agendas for the winter meeting will be approved by the Executive Committee.

2. Executive Committee meetings will take place:
   1. At the end of the annual convention.
   2. At least once during the winter workshop.
   3. Immediately before the general membership meeting at the beginning of the convention.
3. Agendas for Executive Committee and general membership meetings are determined by the president with suggestions by the Executive Committee and the general membership.
4. Dates and sites for the annual convention will be determined by the Executive Committee.

   The dates and site of each year’s convention will be set no later than at a winter Executive Committee meeting the year before, assuring that such dates and site are determined at least 16 months in advance. Convention dates and sites may be set more than 16 months in advance.

5. The Executive Committee is responsible for determining the financing of conventions.
6. Contest rules will be made and amended by the Executive Committee. Guidelines for preliminary and final contest judges and the dissemination of such guidelines – as well as the contest rules – to the judges and the APSE membership are the responsibility of the first vice president and such committees as are appointed to help in these matters.
7. Revisions to the bylaws will be made by the Executive Committee, but a change may also be proposed by a member from the floor at a general membership meeting of the convention.
8. Revisions will be approved as follows:
   1. After the text of the proposed revision is presented at an Executive Committee meeting, such text must be approved by the Executive Committee assembled in quorum and be presented to the general membership, either by publication in an APSE Newsletter, or at a general session of the convention.
   2. The revision may then be approved by the Executive Committee assembled in quorum at its next scheduled meeting.
   3. Revisions to the bylaws will take effect at the end of the convention, unless the Executive Committee votes that such revisions should take place at a different time.
9. The president will report actions and proposed actions of the Executive Committee to the general membership at the convention. Any APSE member may make motions or requests for action from the floor at a general session. At the discretion of the president or by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, actions normally reserved for the Executive Committee may be opened to the general membership. Such a move by the president or Executive Committee must be made before the Executive Committee votes on the matter at hand.
10. Minutes of the Executive Committee and other meetings will be kept at the direction of the president. Reports of all such meetings must appear in the next APSE Newsletter published after such meetings, or in the yearbook if these meetings occurred at the convention.

6. Regional Meetings:

1. Each APSE region will conduct at least one annual meeting, sites and dates to be determined by the regional chair and vice chair with advice from the regional membership. The APSE president must be notified of all such meetings before they are conducted.
2. Financing of regional meetings will be determined by the regional membership, with advice and consent of the president and the Executive Committee.
3. Regional meetings will be devoted to professional development and to regional business, including business involving dealings with and services provided by the Associated Press. Any other regional business as determined by the regional chair may be conducted at regional meetings. The APSE president may suggest topics for discussion at regional meetings.
4. The regional chair will file a report of each regional meeting to the APSE president. Such reports must be filed within 30 days of the meetings, and excerpts from these reports will appear in the APSE Newsletter.
5. The regional chair may make appointments necessary to the conduct of regional meetings.
6. Each region will caucus at the convention, such caucus to take place after the first general membership meeting. Additional caucuses may be held as necessary.

   The purpose of these caucuses is to discuss topics of interest to the region, so that the regional chair or representative will be informed as to the feelings of regional members when such chair votes or participates in discussions at the next Executive Committee meeting.

7. APSE Regions:

1. Northeast – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont.
2. Atlantic Coast – North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia.
3. Mid-Atlantic – Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia.
4. Southeast – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee.
5. Great Lakes – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.
6. Great Plains – Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma.
7. Southwest – New Mexico, Texas.
8. Northwest – Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming.
9. West – Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah.
10. Canada – All provinces.