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Constitution

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this organization shall be the American Collegiate Retailing Association

ARTICLE II: PRIME PURPOSE

The prime purpose of the American Collegiate Retailing Association (ACRA) is to foster quality education and research at colleges and graduate schools in subjects related to the retailing industry. As such, the Association is committed to the development and advancement of:

  • Quality teaching, with regard to both content and technique;
  • Retailing including research and innovative approaches to the understanding of the industry;
  • The interaction of industry and academic leaders to promote an understanding of mutual needs, concerns, and opportunities.
ARTICLE III: RELATED PURPOSES

By encouraging the exchange of information and the development of professional activities among members, ACRA will hold annual meetings, publish a newsletter, hold workshops, and serve as a clearinghouse of resources for the teaching and research of the retailing industry. The activities undertaken by the membership of the Association are intended to accomplish the following:

  • Enhance the professional development of the membership;
  • Promote retailing as a profession;
  • Provide a clearinghouse for information on advances in retail teaching methods and retail research;
  • Stimulate the exchange of ideas and retail research among the membership;
  • Form strategic alliances with other related professional, business, and industry organizations.
  • Encourage, support and disseminate retail research among academicians, practitioners, and students.
  • Bridge international academic and retail boundaries.
ARTICLE IV: AFFILIATION REQUIREMENTS

Section 1: General Policies

A. Membership Philosophy

1.     Diverse membership among academic disciplines studying issues impacting retailing is to be encouraged by the organization. In addition to involving faculty from retailing, marketing, merchandising programs, membership should include faculty from schools teaching a. business, b. human ecology, c. liberal arts, d. economics, e. textiles, f. design g. apparel production, and h. e-commerce.

2.     ACRA should forge a mutually constructive relationship between industry and academia by accepting membership of industry professionals who share the commitment to the purpose of the Association.

B. Voting Privileges

1.     Once given, voting privileges are retained throughout the term of an individual's regular membership.

2.     Regular members in good standing and life members may vote. Associate and honorary members do not have voting privileges.

3.     Voting members are entitled to only one vote in all situations.

C. Membership Structure and Rules

1.     There are five membership classifications; a. regular, b. associate, c. doctoral for current doctoral students in retailing and retail-related disciplines, d. honorary and e. life. At no time may the number of honorary members exceed 25% of the regular members of the Association.

2.     Applications for membership shall be processed by the treasurer on an annual basis at the time when dues are collected in the fall.

3.     The membership rate for dues shall be determined at the annual meeting of the Association.

4.     Regular and Associate members pay dues while Honorary and life members are exempt from dues.

5.     A member failing to pay membership dues for two consecutive years will be dropped from membership in the Association.

6.     Applications for membership shall be processed by the treasurer on an annual basis at the time when dues are collected.

Section 2: Regular Voting Membership

Regular voting membership is reserved for full time faculty or administrators at four year, baccalaureate degree-granting, accredited colleges or universities and those teaching in or administrating graduate programs in similar institutions. For non-U.S. institutions, members representing schools offering equivalent baccalaureate or masters degree programs will be voting members.

Individuals must be directly responsible for teaching or administrative duty in an academic program with a curriculum including as least one course or internship program in retailing, supply chain management, fashion, hospitality and other related areas.

The number of members from any college or university shall be unlimited, as long as each member meets the above criteria.

Section 3: Associate Membership

Regular members in good standing who no longer hold full time academic positions, or teach retail specific courses, shall be permitted to retain their privileges as Associate members.

Associate membership may be extended to retail industry professionals who have an interest in making a contribution to academic teaching and research in retailing.

Graduate students enrolled in doctoral programs of study in academic disciplines involving retailing issues, or teaching retail courses in doctoral programs at accredited universities are eligible to become associate members.

Section 4: Honorary Membership

The Executive Board may elect, by a two-thirds vote, to award Honorary membership to an individual who has achieved a position of national eminence in the field of retailing, and has also demonstrated a commitment to the objectives of the Association.

Section 5: Life Membership

An active member of the associate who retires from professional life after ten or more years of membership and contribution to the organization may be voted to a life membership by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE V: ORGANIZATION

Section 1: Officers

The organization shall have the following officers: a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and such other officers as the members of the ACRA may choose to elect on an as-needed basis. All officers shall be elected biennially by a vote of the members in good standing. The term of office shall be two years. No officer except the treasurer shall serve consecutive terms in the same office. Term of office shall run from July 1- June 30, expiring in even years.

Section 2: Duties

A. The responsibilities of the president are as follows:

1.     To preside at the meetings of the Association;

2.     To act as Chairperson of the executive board;

3.     To appoint all temporary and standing committees, not otherwise specified in Article V, Section 4

4.     To serve as a member ex officio of all committees;

5.     To perform all other duties that pertain to his/her office.

B. The Vice President will serve in the absence or disability of the President and perform all other duties that shall be assigned to him/her by the President and| Executive Board.

C. The Secretary’s responsibilities are as follows;

1.     To keep a record of all proceedings of the Association;

2.     To carry on all necessary correspondence in the handling of the affairs of the Association and to provide oversight to RET.

3.     To solicit, edit, design, produce and electronically send RET.

D. The Treasurer will handle all funds of the Association and will report semi-annually on the status of the treasury to the Executive board first and then also to the membership at the annual meeting of the Association. The treasurer will also maintain a complete membership roster and publish an updated membership directory once each year.

Section 3: Executive Board

There shall be an executive board composed of all elected officers, past Presidents, and chairpersons of all standing committees. Past presidents, with the exception of the immediate past president, who participate in executive board meetings shall not have a vote at these meetings. This Executive board shall be empowered to act in behalf of the Association.

Section 4: Committees

The Executive Board and/or the nominating committee shall nominate committee chairpersons. A majority vote of the attending Executive Board shall confirm their appointments for a two-year term, beginning and ending with the officer's term. Committee chairpersons select their own members if and when they are needed. Committee chairpersons may hold unlimited consecutive biennial appointments but must be members in good standing.

Committee and their responsibilities:

Nomination- To determine the Executive Board slate biennially and present it to the general membership for vote. The nominating committee will consist of the last five presidents. The chair will be the immediate past president.

Conferences- To plan and implement annual springand a triennial conference

Development- To seek out new opportunities for the organization.

Member at Large- To maintain liaisons with international academic organizations. |

Industry Liaisons- To maintain relationship with trade associations; keep membership informed of research and other collaborative opportunities.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Section 1: Annual Meetings

There shall be an annual conference of the Association, the time and place of which shall be decided by the majority vote of the executive Board. This meeting should be attended by all duly authorized members.

Section 2: Annual Business Meeting

An annual business meeting of the executive Board and the Association shall be called at a time and place designated by the President. Other meetings may be called at his/her discretion. A majority of those members present shall constitute a quorum.

Section 3: Committee Meetings

Meetings of all temporary and standing committees shall be called at times and places designated by the respective chairperson. A majority shall constitute a quorum in each case.

Section 4: Executive Sessions

At each of the meetings of the Association, the Executive Board shall schedule a Business Session, attendance at which shall be confined to the active voting members of the Executive board.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended by a three-fourths majority of members responding to a ballot mailed to all voting members. Requests for proposed amendments endorsed by a ten voting members of the Association, shall be made directly to the President for transmittal to the association's membership for a vote.

Ratified, December, 1999, modified and ratified March, 2013

Copyright © 2015 ACRA – American Collegiate Retailing Association – Professional Faculty Academic Retail - All Rights Reserved
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