To: Members of the American Academy of Religion
From: Claudia Schippert, Executive Director
Subject: Proposed Changes to the AAR Bylaws
Date: March 26, 2025
After careful consideration, the Board of Directors unanimously recommended several revisions to the AAR bylaws.
The bylaws outline how revisions and amendments are to be handled:
Article X. Amendment:
These bylaws may be amended by a two‐thirds majority vote of the entire Board of Directors, followed by a two‐thirds majority vote of the Members present and voting at a meeting of the Members, or by mail or electronic ballot. Notice of the proposed revisions and meeting shall be distributed to all Members of the Academy at least thirty days (30) prior to the meeting at which they are to be considered.
With this memo, the Board provides the AAR membership notice of proposed revisions, as well as its intention to bring these proposed revisions for a vote by electronic ballot April 28 to 6:00pm Eastern Time on May 8, 2025. Current AAR members will be eligible to vote on these bylaws revisions.
The proposed bylaws changes are specified below. The actual change in text is provided for each revision. A strikethrough font (like this) indicates passages or text to be deleted. A red underlined font (like this) represents new text or passages to be added.
Proposed Bylaws Revisions
Bylaws of the American Academy of Religion
Approved October 31, 2010 (Amended 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024)
Article IV. Meetings
Section 1. Annual Business Meeting.
The Academy shall hold an annual business meeting in conjunction with the an Annual Meeting at a place and time fixed by the Board of Directors. The annual business meeting Annual Business Meeting may be held by any means of communication, as decided by the Board of Directors, by which all Members participating may simultaneously hear the proceedings during the meeting.
Section 2. Quorum.
Twenty-five (25) Members shall constitute a quorum at the annual business meeting Annual Business Meeting. Any business is transacted by majority vote.
Section 3. Resolutions.
Members may propose resolutions for consideration at the annual business meeting Annual Business Meeting. Any such proposals shall (i) be received by the office of the Executive Director at least thirty (30) days prior to the an Annual Meeting; (ii) be in proper parliamentary form; (iii) be signed by at least twenty‐five (25) Members; (iv) be no more than three hundred (300) words in length: and (v) deal with matters relating to the purposes of the Academy as set forth in Article II. Resolutions approved at the Annual Business Meeting do not supersede the fiduciary duties and authority of the Board of Directors as the governing body of the Academy.
Article V. Board of Directors
Section 9. Election.
Except for the President, President‐Elect, and Executive Director, Directors are elected by majority vote of the Members eligible to vote, and they serve until their successors take office. Their terms of office begin at the close of the November Annual Mmeeting at which their election is reported. Election shall be by electronic ballot, distributed to all Members eligible to vote at the email address on file at the AAR Office. The Executive Director shall manage the election and report the results to the membership. The President and President‐Elect succeed to office as provided in these bylaws.
Article VII. Committees of the Board and Working Groups
Part I. Committees of the Board
Section 4. Program Committee.
The Program Unit Director chairs the Program Committee. Membership includes the Vice President (ex officio), one At‐Large Director, and ten other AAR non‐Board of Directors Members, all of whom must have had significant Program Unit experience. The Committee shall meet after the Annual Meeting Annual Meetings, and once at another point during the year. The Director of Programs and Publications, the Executive Director, and other members of the AAR staff, as necessary, shall staff this committee.