Constitution

Constitution of the Japan-U.S. Communication Association

(A Not-for-Profit Educational Organization)

Revised and Proposed November 2007

Approved November 2008

Revised and Proposed November 2011

Approved November 2012

Revised and Proposed November 2021

To Be Approved November 2022

Mission Statement

· The Japan-U.S. Communication Association (JUCA, hereinafter referred to as JUCA where convenient) is primarily a scholarly society dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and theory about Japanese and U.S. communication interactions. JUCA is dedicated to promoting understanding about and improvement in communication between the peoples of Japan and the United States.

· Further, JUCA wishes to provide a forum for innovative study approaches to understanding indigenous Japanese communication phenomena, as well as understanding the beliefs, attitudes, and misunderstandings of U.S. citizens about Japanese people, traditions, and culture, and vice versa.

· JUCA encourages and promotes the efforts of young scholars who are interested in our mission.

· As an affiliate of the National Communication Association (NCA, hereinafter referred to as NCA where convenient), JUCA operates under the principles of democratic procedures and is guided by Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised Edition.

1.0 Name of Association

Japan-U.S. Communication Association. JUCA is a not-for-profit educational organization affiliated with the National Communication Association.

2.0 Purpose:

The purpose of JUCA is to attempt to fulfill the following objectives:

2.1 To improve understanding and communication between the peoples of Japan and the United States.

2.2 To promote excellence in communication scholarship and research by Japanese and U.S. scholars, as well as encourage contributions by international scholars

2.3 To promote the scholarly study of Japan-U.S. intercultural communication, indigenous Japanese communication, and Japan’s relationships with its neighbors from communication perspectives

2.4 To cooperate with NCA as per our status as an affiliate of NCA

2.5 To meet annually with NCA, conducting paper and panel sessions, as well as holding an annual JUCA business meeting

2.6 To develop cooperative relationships with other NCA divisions, units, and affiliates, as well as other associations, organizations, colleges, and universities

2.7 To encourage the publication of our NCA proceedings, individually or collectively, in journals, books, and online formats.

3.0 Activities of the Association

The activities of the association may include:

3.1 An annual business meeting, other meetings, conferences, or seminars

3.2 Publishing an academic journal, an online newsletter, and website

3.3 Cooperative activities with other communication associations or interest groups

3.4 Cooperative research projects

3.5 Other professional activities appropriate to the objectives of the association.

4.0 Membership and Membership Dues

There are three kinds of membership:

4.1 Student membership

4.2 Regular membership

4.3 Institutional membership

4.4 There will be no student and regular membership dues initially. The annual institutional membership due is $250. Membership shall be by expressed interest in being a member of the association and a willingness to contribute to the association

4.5 All persons who sign on as a member can vote at the annual business meeting.

5.0 Officers of the Association

There are up to 10 officers in the association: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Web-Page Director, Treasurer, Student Representative, and as many as three Members-at-large:

5.1 The President is the official representative of the association. The President is the ex-officio chairperson of the Executive Committee (See Article 6.1) and holds ultimate authority over activities of the association (See Section 3.0). The major duties include preparing a business-meeting agenda, holding annual business meetings and new elections for officers, executing fundraising and membership drives, and negotiating with other communication associations or interest groups. The President may hold the office for no more than two consecutive years in the first term, but the term is renewable every two years through members’ vote during a new election

5.2 The First Vice President assists the President and shall be acting President in case of the President’s absence or inability to perform the duties. The First Vice President shall be responsible for initiating, planning, and conducting scholarly seminars, conferences, or sessions at various communication meetings, including meetings held in association with other communication associations. The First Vice President is the primary conference planner who attends the NCA planner’s meeting, writes a call for papers, assigns papers to reviewers, communicates with authors, programs JUCA sessions, informs session chairs and respondents about their duties, makes sure presenters join JUCA, and brings and distributes flyers and membership forms during an NCA conference. The First Vice President may hold the office for no more than two consecutive years in the first term, but the term is renewable every two years through members’ vote during a new election

5.3 The First Vice President shall become President after the latter steps down

5.4 The Second Vice President assists the First Vice President and shall be acting First Vice President in case of the First Vice President’s absence or inability to perform the duties. The Second Vice President’s major duties include serving as a co-conference planner, attending the NCA planner’s meeting, preparing award certificates, taking charge of JUCA’s annual social, and managing general internal/external communications, such as updating the membership list, proposing and implementing membership campaigns, and promoting activities and events via email to members and non-members alike

5.5 The Second Vice President shall become the First Vice President after the latter position becomes vacant

5.6 The Secretary assists the Second Vice President and shall be the acting Second Vice President in case of the Second Vice President’s absence or inability to perform the duties. The Secretary’s major duties include publishing a Web-based newsletter before an NCA conference, helping the Second Vice President with conference planning, and taking the minutes during the annual business meeting and forwarding it to the Web-Page Director in due time. The Secretary may hold the office for no more than two consecutive years in the first term, but the term is renewable every two years through members’ vote during a new election

5.7 The Web-Page Director shall be responsible for facilitating Web-based communication among members, which also includes the storage of information, minutes, and JUCA descriptions. The major duties include maintaining the association’s website, helping the secretary to publish a Web-based newsletter, and publicizing the association’s activities and events on the website. The Web-Page Director may hold the office for no more than four consecutive years in the first term, but the term is renewable every two years through members’ votes during a new election

5.8 The Treasurer is instrumental to the financial functions of the association. The major duties include managing JUCA finance, accounting, collecting any membership dues, seeking contributions, searching for grants and other external financial resources, and helping the Second Vice President to prepare for JUCA’s annual social. The Treasurer may hold the office for no more than four consecutive years in the first term, but the term is renewable every two years through members’ votes during a new election

5.9 The Student Representative functions as a link between the association and student members. The Student Representative accommodates student members’ opinions, needs, and concerns, and communicates them to the Executive Committee. The major duties include recruiting graduate students to join the association and helping other officers to prepare for the annual conference. The Student Representative may hold the office for no more than two consecutive years in the first term, but the term is renewable every two years through members’ votes during a new election

5.10 The Members-at-large function to assist other officers. The major duties include reviewing papers submitted to the association for the annual conference of NCA and helping other officers to prepare for the conference. They may hold the office for no more than two consecutive years in the first term, but the term is renewable every two years through members’ votes during a new election

5.11 All officers are eligible for taking different positions after stepping down from their current positions. For nominations, see Section 7.0.

6.0 Executive Committee and Divisions of the Association

The association has an executive committee, but no divisions or division officers:

6.1 The Executive Committee consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Web-Page Director, Treasurer, Student Representative, and Members-at-large shall discuss and decide major activities of the association. The President presides as the chairperson of the Executive Committee. The chairperson summons the committee meeting at least once a year. This meeting can take place during the annual conference of NCA or another major communication conference if desired. Other meetings can be summoned if the chairperson or two or more members of the Executive Committee call the meeting. In case of geographic or time difficulty, the meetings can be substituted for by teleconference or email correspondence. The majority rule shall be applied to decisions of the Executive Committee. The chairperson holds the casting vote in the meetings

6.2 There are no divisions of the association initially. Upon a necessary membership, however, divisions can be created.

7.0 Election Procedures

The President shall announce election procedures and call for nominations by regular mail or email for the officers three months before the annual business meeting.

7.1 Nominations for the officers of the association may be made by any member(s) of the association within three months of the annual business meeting. All nominations prior to the annual business meeting shall be posted on the association’s website prior to the annual business meeting

7.2 Nominations can also be made from the floor of the annual business meeting

7.3 Elections shall take place at the annual meeting by members of the association in attendance. Membership is conferred upon filling out and signing a membership form

7.4 The nominees receiving the largest number of votes shall be declared elected

7.5 If there are no nominations of any candidate for any officer position, the Executive Committee shall appoint qualified individuals for the coming year.

8.0 Revision of the Articles of the Association

The articles of the association may be amended or revised by a two-thirds majority vote of all ballots cast:

8.1 Any member of the Executive Committee or five or more members of the association can propose the amendment or revised article(s) during the annual business meeting. The petition must be accompanied by a statement explicating the reasons for the amendment or the revision of the article(s)

8.2 The petition for amendments or revisions shall be voted upon at the annual business meeting.