SLA Regional Meetings Policy

1. Policy

The development and implementation of "Regional Meetings" may be undertaken by a single chapter or chapters of the Special Libraries Association. This may be done in cooperation with other associations having a similar mission, or units of the Association.
2. Purpose

The SLA Board of Directors recognizes the need for regional meetings and authorizes such activities within the parameters set forth in the procedures listed below.
3. Practice/Procedure

A regional meeting, by definition, is more than a single chapter meeting. It may involve any number of like-minded chapters that come together for a onetime event - called a Regional Meeting.
1. SLA chapter(s) involved in holding a regional meeting must advise, in a timely manner, the SLA Board of Directors of such an activity. It will be the responsibility of the organizing unit(s) to keep the SLA Board of Directors fully informed of all activities. Reports are to be submitted to the Board on a semiannual basis (Winter Meeting and Annual Conference) as to: 1) organizational progress and/or 2) final outcome of the event, i.e., a full report that includes all appropriate historical material to be forwarded to SLA headquarters for archival purposes;

2. the size, scope and dates of a regional meeting are to be determined by the petitioning chapter(s);

3. said chapter(s) must be able to show appropriate member and financial support for a regional meeting. Letters of commitment from the sponsoring chapter(s) along with a proposed "draft" budget and accounting procedure must accompany other planning documents that are submitted to the Board;

4. regional meetings may be scheduled at any time during a calendar vear as long as they do not conflict with an Association wide event, such as an Annual Conference, Winter Meeting or Winter Education Conference, nor within the same region as an Association wide event;

5. regional meeting organizers must follow established Association policy with any exceptions to be approved by the Executive Director;

6. units should be aware of the Association's "Extra Association Relations Policy" which contains this statement: "An agreement, contract, or obligation entered into by an Association Unit which involves liability in excess of $5,000.00 must be reviewed and signed by the Executive Director; any which exceeds the Unit's available or budgeted funds requires advance approval by the Association's Board of Directors."

7. organizing units are responsible for all costs in organizing, planning and holding the regional event. Distribution of costs and income shall be determined by the organizing units. Said organizing units may not assign SLA any liability without written permission from the Executive Director;

8. regional meetings within any given area will not be held more often than every two years;

9. as appropriates Association staff will be available for assistance on a limited basis.
4. Responsibility

The Executive Director is responsible for monitoring compliance with this policy.

Approved: October 26, 1995