Article I – Name and Purpose
This organization, Students of Color at SLIS, hereafter referred to as SoCS, was founded in the Fall of 2015 in response to a call for a greater sense of community amongst graduate students of color at the Simmons School of Library and Information Sciences. The purpose of the SoCS is to build and sustain a supportive community for graduate students of color that contributes to their academic development, social growth, and well-being. The organization’s goals are:
To provide a safe, open forum for the open exchange of the discussion of racial and ethnic diversity in librarianship and graduate library education.
a) To actively promote racial and ethnic diversity within graduate library education and librarianship.
b) To disseminate information on issues relating to racism in graduate library education and librarianship.
c) To disseminate information about financial aid opportunities, internships, and fellowships designed for students of color.
d) To facilitate the above goals through various activities and events (seminars, meetings, fundraisers, etc).
Article II – Membership
Membership is open to current students of Simmons School of Library and Information Sciences including the Boston campus, West campus, and online students.
Article III – Officers
A leadership board of 3-6 students will execute the operational functions of SoCS. Only current students are eligible to be officers. Officers may be on the leadership board as long as they are a student. Officers are expected to divide the following tasks among individual board members:
Manage SoCS organizational email
Attend LISSA meetings and report outcomes to LISSA
Attend SLIS IDEA Committee meetings
Maintain organizational records in shared drive
Plan and facilitate leadership board meetings
Plan and facilitate membership events
Communicate with membership
The leadership board may remove any member of the board by consensus.
Article IV: Ad Hoc Representatives and Events
Ad Hoc representatives and committees may be proposed as needed by the leadership board or members and chosen by consensus.
Events can be proposed and spearheaded by any active member of SoCS. Proposed events should meet one or more of the goals of SoCS as set out in the bylaws. Events can be proposed via email to the leadership board.
Article V: Elections
Elections will be held each semester for vacant positions and will follow LISSA policies.
Article VI: Faculty Advisor
A faculty advisor is required for SoCS.
The faculty advisor is a non-voting member.
The faculty advisor may serve in the position without term limits.
The leadership board may remove a faculty advisor by consensus.
Last revised: 2023-11-26a