Article I Name

The name of this organization is the Literary Division (hereinafter called the “Division”) of the American Translators Association (hereinafter called the “Association”).

Article II Mission and Purpose

Section 1. Mission
The mission of the ATA Literary Division is to uphold excellence and ethical standards within the profession, to advocate fair and just treatment of literary translators by authors, agents and publishers, to promote recognition of work and professionalism of literary translators, to encourage cooperation among other literary translation organizations, and to support literary translators as a community.

Section 2. Purpose
The purpose of the Division is to further cooperation and exchange of information among its members; organize meetings, workshops and conference activities related to literary translation; encourage and promote cooperation among sister organizations; advocate fair and just treatment of literary translators by authors, agents, and publishers; publicize professional development opportunities; and promote the policies and the objectives of the Division and the Association.

Article III Membership

Section 1. Members
Members of the Division shall be members in good standing of the Association. All members of the Division shall be considered voting members.

Section 2. Rights of Membership
Members of the Division shall have the right to vote for Division officers and on Division business as required. They shall receive Division publications and announcements.

Section 3. ATA Bylaws
The Division and its members shall abide by the Association’s bylaws, policies, and procedures, which shall prevail in the event of any conflict with the Division’s bylaws, policies, and procedures.

Article IV Officers

Section 1. Names of Officers
The Officers of the Division shall be a Division Administrator and an Assistant Administrator. All officers must be voting members of the Association and members of the Division.

Section 2. Administrator
The Administrator shall serve as the presiding officer of the Division. The Administrator shall be the principal representative of the Division in relations with other organizations and bodies, and shall serve as liaison between the Division and the Association. The Administrator shall submit an annual report and financial statement to Division members and to the Board of Directors of the Association. The Administrator shall be responsible for the organization of the meetings of the Division and for general matters related to the Division. The Administrator shall be responsible for correspondence as required by the Division. The Administrator shall be responsible for keeping copies of all minutes on record as well as filing minutes with the Association. These duties may be delegated by the Administrator to eligible members of the Division.

Section 3. Assistant Administrator
The Assistant Administrator shall assist the Administrator in all of the foregoing duties, and in addition, shall act for the Administrator in the event of absence or in the event that the Administrator is incapacitated or resigns until elections can be held, as necessary.

Section 4. Secretary
The Division has no elected or appointed Secretary; however, either the Administrator or the Assistant Administrator may appoint an individual Division member to serve as Secretary for Division meetings and to take minutes.

Article V Elections

Section 1. Nominating Committee
The Administrator shall appoint a Nominating Committee no later than March 31 of any year in which elections for office are to be held. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be Association members in good standing. This Committee shall not include any current officer or any candidate for office.

The Nominating Committee shall present the names of the candidates and their written acceptances to the Association’s Board of Directors no later than 16 weeks before the Annual Meeting of the Division.

The Division Administrator shall cause the slate of candidates to be published to all members of the Division at least 14 weeks before the Annual Meeting of the Division. Publication of the list of candidates and their biographical statements shall be by whatever method will reach all members of the Division and may include e-mail, newsletter, or regular mail.

Additional candidates may be entered by a petition endorsed by the signatures of 15 members of the Division. Such petition and a written acceptance from the proposed candidate must be received by the Nominating Committee no later than 45 calendar days after the publications of the slate of candidates.

Section 2. Elections
In the case of an uncontested election, Division officers shall be declared by acclamation. In the case of a contested election, balloting shall be conducted only by mail ballot. There shall be no voting by proxy.

The Administrator shall cause ballots to be mailed to all Division members at least 6 weeks before the Annual Meeting of the Division.

Ballots must be received by the Inspector of Elections or his or her designated representative at least seven days prior to the Annual Meeting of the Division. Ballots without a current and legible Association membership number shall be declared invalid.

The Division officers shall be elected for a two-year period or until a successor is elected, and the term of office shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting of the Division.

Section 3. Limitation of Consecutive Terms
No member shall be eligible to serve as Administrator for more than two consecutive terms, or Assistant Administrator for more than two consecutive terms.

Section 4. Filling Vacated Positions
If the office of Administrator is vacated between elections, the office shall be assumed by the Assistant Administrator, who shall serve until the next Annual Meeting of the Division, at which time an Administrator shall be elected. If the office of Assistant Administrator is vacated between elections, the Administrator may appoint an interim Assistant Administrator who shall serve until the new annual meeting of the Division, at which time an Assistant Administrator shall be elected.

Article VI Meetings

Section 1. Annual Meeting of the Division
The Division shall hold its annual meeting during the Annual Conference of the Association for the purposes of hearing reports by the Administrator and committees and conducting general Division business. Additional meetings may be held during the year by determination of the officers, provided that all members receive notification of the meeting at least 30 days in advance.

Section 2. Quorum
Five percent or a minimum of 20 members of the Division shall constitute a quorum. The Administrator shall vote only in case of a tie, but shall be counted for the purpose of determining a quorum.

Section 3. Special Meetings
The Administrator may call additional meetings if the need arises, of if one is requested by petition of at least 15 members of the Division. Members shall be notified of the meeting and the agenda thereat at least ten days in advance. Those unable to attend shall have the right to vote by mail, or to appoint a proxy, on any business to be conducted at such a meeting. In the event that the Administrator is unable to attend the meeting, the Assistant Administrator shall act as Administrator will full powers. In the event that neither officer is able to attend the meeting, the Administrator may appoint a member of the Division to stand in his or her stead.

Section 4. Notification in Advance and Open Meetings
Members shall be notified of all meetings including the Annual Meeting and the agenda thereof at least 14 days in advance. Division meetings shall be open to members and non-members alike.

Article VII. Committees

Standing and special committees shall be appointed by the Administrator. Committees may include, but shall not be limited to, a Newsletter Committee and a Nominating Committee. The Chair of each Committee may recruit Committee members as needed. It shall be the responsibility of the Committee Chair to notify the Administrator and the membership of the Division of such appointments.

Article VIII. Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised Edition shall govern the Division in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws or those of the Association and any special rules the Association or the Division may adopt.

Article IX. Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote cast by members of the Division voting by ballot at the Annual Conference, or at a regular meeting of the Division held at a designated location notified to all members, provided that the complete text of the proposed change(s) is submitted to each member in writing in advance of the vote, that each member has the opportunity to vote either in person, by mail, or by proxy, and that the revision is ratified by the Board of Directors of the Association following such approval of the amendment..

Approved by the ATA Board May 2007
Adopted by the ATA Literary Division