How to Form a New Section

The proposal to form a new section must be accompanied by a petition signed by at least 200 current Association members. Signing the petition implies that members will pay dues for the section for two years. The petition form should include the following statement: "Signing this petition is a commitment to join and pay dues to the section for at least two years."

The proposal and petition for creation of a new section will be referred to the Committee on Sections for its review. Prior to making a recommendation to the ASA Council, the Committee on Sections will review the proposal to ensure that the proposed section represents a sub-field that has intellectual merit and that the vision for the section will benefit the profession. If the Committee on Sections approves the proposal, it will recommend to ASA Council that it be granted the status of section-in-formation. Council has the authority to approve or reject the proposal.  If Council approves the section-in-formation, the organizers will have two years from the beginning of the following membership year to recruit at least 300 members.

A section-in-formation will propose a set of By-Laws that will be sent to the Executive Office. The By-Laws must conform to the Constitution, By-Laws and policies of the Association. The Committee on Sections will review the proposed By-Laws and recommend action to ASA Council.  If a section-in-formation reaches 300 members and the Committee on Sections and ASA Council approve their By-Laws, the section will have achieved full section status.

To permit ASA members an opportunity to respond to the proposed section, the Executive Office will announce in Footnotes the proposal for a new section after its approval as a section-in-formation by the Committee on Sections and ASA Council.

Sections-in-formation are entitled to a set of address labels once each year of ASA members who indicate a relevant interest area, but who are not current members of the section-in-formation (up to 1,000 address labels).

During the period of formation, the Association will provide the printing and mailing of a newsletter during the first year. In the second year, a section-in-formation will receive an allocation for operating funds based on the number of members as of September 30 of their first membership year.

Sections-in-formation are entitled to one organizing session at the ASA Annual Meeting to elect acting officers and create a set of proposed By-Laws.

Sections-in-formation that reach 300 members by December 31 will be allocated two sessions at the next Annual Meeting.