REFRESH. REPOSITION. REIMAGINE: A NEW NABJ CONSTITUTION
GOVERNANCE
AND MEMBERSHIP (Chapters 2, 3 and 4)
The changes in Chapter 4, relating to NABJ membership
categories, are designed to: - Reflect the new patterns of employment, business
models and technology in media since the association was founded in 1975, while
retaining flexibility for the future.
- Create an overarching membership dynamic that
embraces anyone who is creating, producing or
supervising the creation of journalism, whether one works for
traditional or legacy media companies, or as an independent journalist or media
entrepreneur.
- Enhance membership
opportunities for journalists, journalism educators, those former journalists
who have served NABJ and the industry significantly, and those new in the
business but who are not yet able to afford the costs of professional
membership.
- Remove the “class” concept that certain members are
“full” and others are not, particularly with respect to voting on the
association’s leaders and initiatives, by creating, for example, such
categories as “professional” and “emerging professional.”
- Provide the board of
directors with the flexibility to extend “honorary” membership to those who may
not be actively engaged in creating, producing or
supervising the creation of journalism, but whose work supports
NABJ’s mission.
____________________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 4 Article I. Composition of the National Membership and
Membership Eligibility. Section
1. Membership Composition.
The organization shall be composed of journalists, journalism educators,
students interested in pursuing a career in journalism and people or entities
that support the organization’s vision and goals. Section 2. Lifetime Members. Lifetime membership shall be open to all NABJ founders, past NABJ presidents not removed from office, NABJ Hall of Fame inductees and lifetime achievement recipients, and those who have paid for lifetime membership as prescribed by the operating procedures. Lifetime members may vote in any NABJ matter calling on the entire membership to decide except for the election of the academic, media-related or student representatives. Lifetime members may also seek election to the board of directors as constitutionally permitted. Section 3. Professional Members. Professional membership shall be open to any person whose principal livelihood comes from creating, producing or supervising the creation of journalism. Professional members may serve on the board of directors and vote in any NABJ matter calling on the entire membership to decide, except for the election of the academic, media-related or student representatives to the board of directors. Section 4. Emerging Professional Members. Emerging professional membership shall be open to anyone who otherwise meets the criteria for professional membership as provided above, but is also within the first five years of his or her journalism career. Emerging professionals may not serve on the board of directors, but may vote in any NABJ matter calling on the entire membership to decide, except for the election of the academic, media-related or student representatives to the board of directors. Section 5. Academic Members. Academic membership shall be open to high school, college and university faculty and other academic professionals, including administrators and trainers, with research and or teaching interests in journalism. Academic members with at least five years prior experience in journalism may serve in the academic seat on the board of directors, and may vote in any NABJ matter calling on the entire membership to decide, except for the election of the media-related or student representatives on the board of directors. And only such academic members are eligible to serve as – or to vote for – the academic representative to the board of directors. Section 6. Alumni Members. Alumni membership shall be open to anyone who had been a professional or academic
member of NABJ for not less than 25 years, and who has either retired or
otherwise no longer works within journalism or academia. Alumni members may not
serve on the board of directors, but may vote in any NABJ matter calling on the
entire membership to decide, except for the election of the academic,
media-related or student board representatives. Section 7. Media-Related Professional
Members. Media-related
professional membership shall be open to
an individual working primarily in a field related to journalism – such as
public relations, public information, marketing, communications, advocacy,
legal, etc. – and whose work supports the mission of NABJ. Media-related professional members shall be admitted to
national membership sessions, may voice a non-binding opinion at such meetings
and may serve on committees, provided they do not comprise more than one-third
of any committee. Only media-related professional members are eligible to serve
as – or to vote for – the media-related professional representative on the
board of directors. Media-related professional members may not vote in any
other NABJ matter. Section 8. Student Members. Student membership shall be open to high school, college or university students –
including undergraduate, graduate and associate degree students – who have a
demonstrated interest in journalism. Student members shall
be admitted to national membership sessions, may voice a non-binding opinion
and may serve on committees, provided they do not comprise more than one-third
of any committee. Only college or university student members are
eligible to serve as – or to vote for – the student representative on the board
of directors. Student members may not vote in any
other NABJ matter. Section 9. Honorary or Corporate Members. The board of directors shall have the
authority to establish additional categories of non-voting memberships, such as
honorary or corporate memberships, to corporate sponsors and community members who support NABJ’s
mission. Such categories shall be considered honorary, and no individual or
sponsor granted such designation may vote or is eligible for any of the rights
afforded members as defined above. Section 10. Membership Dues. To be a member in good standing in any
membership category provided in this article, an individual must meet the
eligibility requirements – and pay to NABJ the required membership dues
pursuant to the organization’s operating procedures. The board of directors shall determine
the dues structure and the due dates for payment. Section 11. Status prior to 2014. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
individual who once held full member status between August 2009 and August 2014
may become a lifetime or professional member provided he or she seeks lifetime
or professional member status by Dec. 31, 2014. Any individual deemed a
lifetime or professional member by such date may retain such status
indefinitely, provided his or her membership dues never lapses. If his or her
dues lapse, the individual must reapply for membership status in accordance
with the guidelines prescribed and may be re-admitted to membership, but only
in the category for which he or she is then currently eligible as defined in
Sections 2-9 above. Section 12. Membership Committee. All applications for any NABJ membership
category as provided above shall be subject to the membership committee’s
review. Anyone wishing to appeal a related committee decision may do so to the
board of directors, which may endorse or overrule the committee’s decision. Section 13. Disclaimer. Nothing in this constitution or in this
article shall be construed as limiting the right of the organization to refer
to persons or entities associated with it as “members,” even though such
persons or entities are not members as defined in Sections 2-6 above, and no
such reference shall constitute anyone a member, within the meaning of the
District of Columbia Code or the foregoing provisions of this article, unless
such persons shall have qualified for and be a member in good standing as
defined in Sections 2-6 above. All references in this constitution, the NABJ
bylaws, or in the Law, to “approval by the members” or “approval by a majority
of members” or a “quorum of the members” shall be deemed to apply to the membership
categories specified in Chapter 4, Article I, Sections 2-6 only.
Article II. Membership Meeting, Powers and Voting. Section 1.
Purpose. The national membership
shall assemble at least once a year at such times and places as the board of
directors may determine for the purposes of: (a) Hearing and acting upon the reports of the
national officers and board of directors. (b) Providing education and professional development
workshops at a national convention. (c) Providing a job fair primarily for those
journalists seeking job opportunities. (d) Hearing and acting on such business that may be
presented to and by the membership. Section 2.
Powers. The national membership
shall have the power to: (a) Adopt amendments to the constitution. (b) Elect national officers as
prescribed above in Chapter 2, Articles I and II. (c) Do such other things as may be necessary or
appropriate for the good of the organization and its members.
Section 3.
Voting and Voting Eligibility. Any
member as defined in Chapter 4, Article I, Sections 2
through 6, can vote in accordance with this
constitution, the operating procedures and election committee guidelines. A quorum of
51 percent of a majority of the voting membership must be registered at the
convention. The membership shall have the authority to adopt, subject to
ratification by simple majority of those members voting at a duly called and
authorized annual meeting, any appropriate resolution, including, without
limit, any emergency resolution.
-- Do you have questions about the proposed NABJ constitution? Send an email to membership@nabj.org. | 
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