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Articles from the SCE By-Laws, based on the document as amended at the 2006 Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting. You may download the full document by clicking the PDF link below.
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The name of this organization shall be The Society of Christian Ethics.
The purpose of the Society shall be to promote scholarly work in the field of Christian ethics and in the relation of Christian ethics to other traditions of ethics and to social, economic, political, and cultural problems; to encourage and improve the teaching of these fields in colleges, universities and theological schools; and to provide a community of discourse and debate for those engaged professionally within these general fields.
Section l. Eligibility
Persons eligible for membership shall include (1) college, university, or seminary teachers of Christian ethics or social ethics; (2) persons teaching in similar institutions in other fields who are concerned with the relation of Christian ethics to their subject matter; and (3) persons whose full-time professional work in church, government, social agency or elsewhere is related to the purposes of the Society. A prerequisite for membership is at least one of the following: a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, scholarly publications in the above-named fields, or a full-time teaching position in ethics and/or related fields in an accredited institution of higher education.
Doctoral students in ethics or related fields may become members of the Society upon matriculation into a doctoral program. This status ordinarily may be retained for not more than ten years.
Section 2. Election to Membership
Membership in the Society shall be granted by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Applications for membership shall be made in writing to the Executive Director, who shall present the same to the Board of Directors for its action.
Section 3. Conduct of Members in the Internal Scholarly and Organizational Activities of the Society
The Society will conduct all its business in a manner appropriate to its purposes (see Article II), and expects members to conduct themselves within the Society in a manner appropriate to the purposes of the Society. Achievement of those purposes--the formation of a community of discourse, debate, and research which engages in scholarly work in and teaching of Christian ethics in relation to social, economic, political, and cultural problems--requires members to respect both the basic human dignity of all persons and the recognized social and political rights of individuals which proceed from that dignity. Society members, agents, or employees acting within the Society will therefore refrain from any form of harassment or unjust discrimination, in deed or word, based in race, sex, age, nationality, ethnicity, religious community, sexual orientation, or physical condition. Respect for the work and property of others will exclude plagiarism, copyright infringement, and unacknowledged use of the research of others.
Nothing in this Article shall be interpreted to prohibit members of the Society from articulating the positions of their respective belief systems, religious traditions or ecclesial communions, nor shall this Article be interpreted to prohibit open and vigorous discussion of controversial issues by members of the Society, both within its meetings and elsewhere.
Section 4. Life Membership
Upon recommendation by the Executive Director, Life Membership without payment of dues will be granted by the Board of Directors to those who have retired and who have been members in good standing of the Society for at least 25 years. In exceptional circumstances, on recommendation of the Executive Director, a member having retired, but having less than 25 years of membership in good standing in the Society, may be granted life membership by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Maintenance of Membership
Membership in the Society shall be maintained by payment of the annual dues. Membership shall be terminated by resignation or by failure to pay annual dues. Reinstatement of membership will automatically accompany the payment of annual dues.
Section 6. Dues
The Board of Directors shall set membership dues, which shall run for the calendar year.
Section 7. Termination of Membership for Cause
Membership in the Society may be terminated, suspended, or restricted for cause by vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board of Directors. The Board shall provide the members in question with no less than fifteen (15) days’ prior written notice of the proposed expulsion, suspension, termination, or restriction and the reasons therefore. The Board shall also provide an opportunity ofr the members to be heard by the Board, orally or in writing, not less than five (5) days before the effective date of the expulsion, suspension, termination, or restriction. It shall be the responsibility of the President of the Society, working together with the Executive Director, to formulate and implement further details of a procedure that are fair and reasonable given the circumstances of the case, including but not limited to its timing relative to the regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, and the geographic proximity of the member in question and the members of the Board. Nothing in this provision shall be construed to limit the right of the Society to terminate, suspend, or restrict membership for non-payment of dues.
The Society shall hold an Annual Meeting at a time and place to be determined by the Board of Directors or its Executive Committee, for the reading and discussing of scholarly papers, election of officers, and the conduct of the Society's official business. A quorum for conducting business at the Annual Meeting shall consist of a number of members equal to ten percent (10%) of the membership in the Society at the time of the Annual Meeting.
The Officers of the Society are the President, the Vice President, The Executive Director, and the Treasurer.
Section 1. President
The President shall serve for a term of one year commencing with the adjournment of the Annual Meeting, and shall be selected in accordance with the procedure described in Article V, Section 2. The President shall preside at the Annual Meeting and at the meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall receive, together with the Board, reports from the Executive Director and shall have and exercise such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board. The President shall customarily deliver a "Presidential Address" to the membership at the Annual Meeting.
Section 2. Vice President
The Vice President shall serve for a term of one year commencing with the adjournment of the Annual Meeting. The Vice President shall be elected by a majority vote of members present and voting at the Annual Meeting of the Society. The Vice President shall be President-Designate, and shall automatically succeed to the office of President after the completion of a one-year term. In the event of the resignation, death, or incapacity of the President, the Vice President shall serve as acting President of the Society, and shall perform such presidential duties as the Board of Directors deems appropriate. In the event of the resignation, death, or incapacity of the Vice President, the Board of Directors, in consultation with the Nominating Committee, shall arrange for a replacement in a timely fashion.
Section 3. Executive Director/Secretary
The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director shall serve as Secretary of the Society. The Executive Director shall have responsibility for preparing the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Members. He or she shall give or cause to be given notices of all such meetings, shall authenticate records of the Society, and shall see that records and reports are properly kept and filed by the Society. The Executive Director, with the assistance of the Treasurer, shall prepare or oversee the preparation of all reports and filings required by the State of Tennessee, the Internal Revenue Service, and other government agencies.
The Executive Director, in consultation and cooperation with the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Program Committee, shall coordinate the planning and execution of the Annual Meeting and all activities associated with it, including but not limited to the selection and of meeting sites, the production of the Annual Meeting Program, and the provision of materials and facilities needed at the Annual Meeting. The Executive Director shall have the authority to execute on behalf of the Society any contracts and other legal documents that he or she reasonably deems necessary to further the successful occurrence of the Annual Meeting and any other regular or special meetings of the Society or its Committees. The Executive Director shall serve ex officio as a member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Director shall have other such duties and powers as designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall be in charge of the Society’s financial affairs, books of account, accounting records or procedures, funds, securities and valuable papers, and shall keep full and accurate records thereof. The Treasurer shall render to the Executive Director and to the Board of Directors at their request an account of all transactions by the treasurer and of the financial condition of the Society. The treasurer shall assist the Executive Director in preparation of all reports and filings required by the State of Tennessee, the Internal Revenue Service, and other government agencies. The treasurer shall have such other duties and powers as designated by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall consist of the following members: the President, the Vice President, the immediate Past-President, the Executive Director, the Editor or Co-editors of the Journal, twelve (12) other members elected by majority vote of the members present and voting at the Annual Meeting in classes of three for terms of four years. A Director elected at the Annual Meeting may be elected to another term, but only after an interval of at least one year. The Board of Directors shall meet during the twenty-four hours prior to the Annual Meeting of the Society, and at such other times as the President shall convene them. The Board of Directors shall have power to act on all matters concerning the activities and business of the Society, shall authorize the expenditure of the Society's funds and provide for the proper auditing of its accounts, and shall have the power to act for the Society in all matters of policy and program between Annual Meetings. It shall present to the Annual Meeting a report of its actions, which report shall be subject to approval of the members present. Seven of the members shall constitute a quorum for the Board of Directors.
There shall be an Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, consisting of the President, Vice President, and at least two members of the Board of Directors appointed by the President. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for planning the program for the Annual Meeting, shall prepare and present to the Board of Directors an agenda for each of its meetings, and shall otherwise advise the Board in the discharge of its responsibilities. The Executive Committee shall have power to act, if necessary, for the Board of Directors between its meetings. The Executive Director shall be an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
The Archivist shall be appointed for a term of four years by the Board of Directors and confirmed by a majority vote of the membership present and voting at the earliest Annual Meeting. The Archivist may be reappointed. The Archivist shall see that materials are collected for the Society's archives; shall encourage members to contribute materials that may not be included in the files of the Society's officers; shall, working with the Executive Director, the President, the Editor or Co-editors of the Journal, and any other appropriate persons, make regular deposits to the archives accompanied by directories of file titles in each shipment; and shall be a liaison between the Society and the library that is the official repository of the archives.
Section 1. Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by a member of the Board of Directors and consist of four other members of the Society (not members of the Board of Directors) appointed by the President from among those present at the Annual Meeting. The Nominating Committee shall present at the Annual Meeting nominations to fill expiring terms and vacancies. Nominations for any office may also be made from the floor, subject to the movers having the person's consent to be nominated.
Section 2. Other Committees
The President may appoint such other committees as are necessary.
Section 1. Authorization
The Society shall publish at least once each year a volume containing selected papers presented at the Annual Meeting, normally including the presidential address, and such professional materials as may be determined and arranged by the Editor or Co-editors and the Editorial Board charged with its planning and production.
Section 2. Name
This publication shall be called the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, hereafter referred to as the Journal.
Section 3. Editor/Co-editors
An Editor or Co-editors shall be appointed by the Board of Directors, following a search, and confirmed for a term of five years by majority vote of the membership present and voting at the earliest Annual Meeting. The Editor or Co-editors, in consultation with the Editorial Board, shall be responsible for soliciting and selecting materials to be included in the Journal, for overseeing the publication process, for supervising and assisting with promotion of sales, and for delivering papers presented at the Annual Meeting and submitted to the Journal to the Society Archivist. The Editor or Co-editors shall report on the work of the Journal to the membership through the Board of Directors and shall present to the Board of Directors an annual budget for publishing and publicizing the Journal.
Section 4. Editorial Board
An Editorial Board of no fewer than six (6) members shall advise and assist the Editor or Co-editors in the preparation and publication of the Journal. Members of this Board shall serve three-year staggered terms. They shall be appointed by the President of the Society in consultation with the Editor or Co-editors and the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Paper Selection
At the discretion of the authors, papers presented at the Annual Meeting shall be considered for inclusion in the Journal. The Editor or Co-editors and the Editorial Board shall determine procedures and criteria for paper selection. They shall appoint additional persons to assist in the review and assessment of these papers. Final decisions on publication shall reside with the Editor or Co-editors, guided by the advice of the Editorial Board.
Section 1. Authorization of Sections
The Board of Directors may authorize the formation of, and establish the boundaries of, regional sections of the Society. It may also revoke such authorization or redefine such boundaries.
Section 2. Membership and Section Officers
The membership of a section shall be drawn from members in good standing with the Society and who are resident within the boundaries of the regional section. Sections may elect whatever officers they deem appropriate. One officer shall be designated to provide an annual report to the Society's Board of Directors.
Section 3. Finances
The Board of Directors may allot funds to support the activities of sections when it is desirable to do so. No section shall levy additional membership dues.
Section 4. Meetings
Sections may arrange meetings at appropriate times, provided they do not conflict with the Annual Meeting of the Society.
These By-Laws may be amended by vote of the majority of the members present and voting at the Annual Meeting, the Call to Meeting shall contain notice of any proposed amendment, and shall include a copy or summary of the amendment and state the general nature of the amendment. The Board of Directors shall discuss the proposed amendment at a meeting of the Board prior to the Annual Meeting, and shall take a consultative vote regarding whether it should be adopted, the results of which vote shall be presented by the President or the Executive Director to the membership at the Annual Meeting prior to the vote of the members regarding the proposed amendment.
These By-Laws may also be amended by vote of the majority of the Board of Directors, which shall exercise this power between Annual Meetings only to make clerical or minor ministerial changes to the By-Laws, or to make changes necessary to conform to applicable law or to protect fundamental legal or financial interests of the Society. In the event that the Board of Directors exercises this power to amend the By-Laws, it shall provide notice of the amendment and its rationale to the membership in the Call to Meeting.
The purpose of the Society of Christian Ethics is to promote scholarly work in the field of Christian ethics and in the relation of Christian ethics to other traditions of ethics and to social, economic, political, and cultural problems; to encourage and improve the teaching of these fields in colleges, universities and theological schools; and to provide a community of discourse and debate for those engaged professionally within these general fields. (By-laws, Art. II) In pursuit of this purpose members of the Society have particular professional commitments and responsibilities.
As scholars in the field of ethics we hold ourselves to a standard of free, rigorous, and intellectually honest inquiry aiming to advance moral understanding, especially in regard to theologically informed perspectives. Our examination of moral issues shall respect the dignity of persons whose practices and positions we study. Likewise, our engagement with other disciplines and ethical and religious traditions shall be conducted with the aim of mutual learning and understanding. We seek to promote critical and constructive understandings of justice, the well being of society and the good of the wider creation.
As participants in institutions we will foster just relationships with their members and constituencies -- especially students, graduate assistants, colleagues, staff, clients, and patients -- as well as with the communities these institutions affect.
As educators we will strive to improve the methods and intellectual depth of our teaching. We will exercise our authority justly with concern for the development of our students, respecting their dignity and the boundaries appropriate to professional interaction.
As members of the Society we will conduct inquiry, debate and other interactions with colleagues openly, fairly, and respectfully. We will execute our duties competently and justly without prejudice toward those with different values and viewpoints. We will welcome and take action to ensure the full participation of new and junior members and those who bring new voices to our conversations.
In recent years we have become keenly aware that certain conduct so clearly affronts the dignity of persons that it contravenes the minimal conditions for participation in our profession. Accordingly, in activities that occur under the auspices of the Society we will neither practice nor tolerate any form of harassment or unjust discrimination, in deed or word, based on race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, religious community, sexual orientation, age, or physical condition. Neither will we practice nor tolerate plagiarism, copyright infringement, and unacknowledged use of the research of others. (Cf. By-laws, Art. III, Sec. 3.) Persons who engage in such conduct within the Society's activities shall be subject to whatever grievance procedures the Society may adopt.
We will publicize these commitments and renew them by regular examination and revision.
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N.B. The text of the By-Laws and Coda is based on the document as amended at the 2006 Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting.
You may download the full document by clicking the PDF icon. You may read each section separately by clicking the links below.
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The purpose of the Society of Christian Ethics is to promote scholarly work in the field of Christian ethics and in the relation of Christian ethics to other traditions of ethics and to social, economic, political, and cultural problems; to encourage and improve the teaching of these fields in colleges, universities and theological schools; and to provide a community of discourse and debate for those engaged professionally within these general fields. (By-laws, Art. II) In pursuit of this purpose members of the Society have particular professional commitments and responsibilities.
As scholars in the field of ethics we hold ourselves to a standard of free, rigorous, and intellectually honest inquiry aiming to advance moral understanding, especially in regard to theologically informed perspectives. Our examination of moral issues shall respect the dignity of persons whose practices and positions we study. Likewise, our engagement with other disciplines and ethical and religious traditions shall be conducted with the aim of mutual learning and understanding. We seek to promote critical and constructive understandings of justice, the well being of society and the good of the wider creation.
As participants in institutions we will foster just relationships with their members and constituencies -- especially students, graduate assistants, colleagues, staff, clients, and patients -- as well as with the communities these institutions affect.
As educators we will strive to improve the methods and intellectual depth of our teaching. We will exercise our authority justly with concern for the development of our students, respecting their dignity and the boundaries appropriate to professional interaction.
As members of the Society we will conduct inquiry, debate and other interactions with colleagues openly, fairly, and respectfully. We will execute our duties competently and justly without prejudice toward those with different values and viewpoints. We will welcome and take action to ensure the full participation of new and junior members and those who bring new voices to our conversations.
Certain conduct so clearly affronts the dignity of persons that it contravenes the minimal conditions for participation in our profession. Accordingly, in activities that occur under the auspices of the Society we will neither practice nor tolerate any form of harassment or unjust discrimination, in deed or word, based on race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, religious community, sexual orientation, age, or physical condition. Neither will we practice nor tolerate plagiarism, copyright infringement, and unacknowledged use of the research of others. (Cf. By-laws, Art. III, Sec. 3.) Persons who engage in such conduct within the Society's activities shall be subject to the grievance procedures the Society adopts, as explained below.[fn]To this point, this Section 1 is taken from the “Declaration of Professional Commitments”, which was appended to SCE Bylaws at the 2006 annual meeting.[/fn]
The primary purpose of this document is to promote the commitments outlined in the paragraphs above by adopting standards for the professional conduct of our members, and setting forth a grievance procedure for their reinforcement. These standards, organized under three headings, aim to protect the goods of our society, to protect members from being treated in such a way that they cannot enjoy the full benefits of membership and activity in the Society, and to educate all members about that standards of behavior that membership in our scholarly community requires.
It is our responsibility, as a community of professionals, to develop and sustain our own standards of conduct. We therefore publicize these commitments and standards, and commit to renewing them by regular examination and, if appropriate, revision. Questions and concerns, and especially reports and complaints of violations of professional conduct, will be listened to, taken seriously, and responded to fairly and constructively.
These standards apply to all members of the SCE when they are involved in meetings and activities directly connected with the Society’s work. These standards also will be shared with invited speakers and other non-members who register for SCE meetings.
A. Respect for difference. We commit ourselves to sustaining a secure and open environment for discussion in the public spaces of our annual meetings. We expect, from ourselves individually and each other, thoughtful and constructive analysis and reflection—discourse which serves to invite, rather than diminish or exclude the participation of those to whom and about whom we are speaking. We respect each other through the civil language that we employ in panels, presentations and conversation. We recognize that vigorous expression of disagreement about ethical matters does not itself count as disrespect for difference; we commit ourselves to expressing even vigorous disagreement in a civil way.
Disrespect for difference occurs when members use abrasive and hurtful words, or engage in insensitive and demeaning conduct, unjust discrimination based on race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, religious community, sexual orientation, age, or physical condition—in short, and any behavior which impedes particular individuals or groups from fully participating in and enjoying the life of the Society. Any words or actions of this sort violate this standard when they contribute to an atmosphere of intimidation or contempt.
B. Respect for personal integrity. We commit ourselves to honoring the physical, moral, and sexual integrity of all SCE members. In all of our professional interactions connected with the SCE, we will treat fellow members with the equal regard due to them as fellow human beings and fellow professionals, according to the norms of justice, honesty, fairness, and care. We recognize that each of us has a right to claim our own physical safety and security, as well as to make our own decisions and keep our own commitments in matters concerning romantic and sexual relationships. Participation in the roles, activities, and events of the SCE should depend solely upon professional interest and competence. No one’s claim to participation should be conditioned upon a threat, implicit or explicit, to their personal integrity.
Disrespect for personal integrity can take several different forms in the context of SCE meetings, particularly in the context of the annual meeting at a hotel. The use of hotel bedrooms for professional purposes can create the appearance of a threat to personal integrity. Consequently, such private rooms should not be used for functions appropriate to public spaces, such as interviews, meetings or official SCE social gatherings. In public spaces, disrespect is expressed through remarks, jokes or behavior which belittle, bully, harass, or exploit other members; the display or use of degrading or pornographic images for purposes unconnected to a professional presentation; the expression of lewd remarks or conduct; and the surreptitious administration of alcohol or drugs to reduce sexual inhibitions. As teachers and scholars of ethics, we are particularly sensitive to the way in which differentials of power and position, such as those between students and teachers, or junior colleagues and senior colleagues, can create or exacerbate threats to personal integrity. Unwelcome sexual advances, including unwanted touching, violate the integrity of both parties. Persistent and unwelcome social invitations threaten to violate personal integrity, particularly when the intent is to extract sexual favors in exchange for professional advantage.
C. Respect for intellectual integrity. No scholarly progress can be made without freedom of thought, speech, and publication. The Society encourages its members to formulate and present their ideas, arguments, and research with freely exercised imagination and responsibility, in accordance with internalized standards of professional judgment. Good scholarly work requires a high degree of discretion exercised by members in determining the appropriate context and presentation of academic material. Respect for intellectual integrity also requires us to accurately present the work of other scholars with whom we are in conversation, particularly if we disagree with them. Finally, we must appropriately acknowledge our debt to the scholarly endeavors of others, by citing them fully and fairly in accordance with prevailing scholarly standards. Respect for intellectual integrity consists in protecting the conditions for and honoring the fruits of the vocation to scholarship, in order to facilitate a creative, honest, and rigorous scholarly conversation.
Disrespect for intellectual integrity can be expressed in several ways. Three of the more egregious kinds of violations include incidents where: 1) a member or members intimidate, ridicule or otherwise wrongfully inhibit others from a full and genuine expression of their ideas; 2) a member presents the ideas or positions of another scholar or source in a willfully or negligently incomplete or biased way; and 3) a member misrepresents the ideas from a source as his or her own, by willfully or negligently failing to acknowledge the source in accordance with prevailing scholarly standards.
The list is meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive, and the possible violations are framed in a general way so as to allow appropriate latitude for a determination to be made as to whether a given incident constitutes a violation.
1. The Purpose of the Grievance Procedure is to provide structure and guidance for responding to evident violations. The procedure may be applied only to grievances between members of the SCE, that is, to members of the SCE aggrieved by the conduct of fellow members in the context of meetings and activities directly connected with the Society's work.[fn]SCE employees are expected to know and abide by these standards as well, but it should be noted that they are protected by state and federal employment laws, including laws against harassment and discrimination. Guests, including guest speakers, will be encouraged to hold themselves accountable to these standards by means of a brief summary of this document, supplied to them in their registration packets.[/fn]
The procedure is intentionally flexible, allowing considerable scope for discretionary exercise of its provisions in response to morally relevant differences in particular cases, such as the gravity of the alleged misconduct and whether or not it was intentional. The overarching goal is to reestablish a respectful and just environment for inquiry and discourse at SCE meetings. Where possible, the procedure should aim at achieving reconciliation on fair terms. In some cases, the duty to maintain the values and commitments of the SCE may require the application of sanctions (e.g., suspension or expulsion). Any intervention should aim at supporting and strengthening the SCE's efforts to safeguard respect for difference, personal integrity and intellectual integrity.
2. The Professional Conduct Committee is the sole body authorized to interpret and apply the grievance procedure; evaluate complaints brought under it; and make recommendations to the Board of Directors in response to such complaints.
Members of the PCC are appointed by the President for staggered three-year terms, to ensure continuity of experience on the Committee. Since respect for intellectual integrity requires vigilance, sensitivity and courage to identify and remedy infractions, the members of the PCC should be chosen for their practical wisdom. They should be seasoned members of the SCE, who possess sound and sober judgment, as well as tact, discretion, and skill with people. In aggregate, they should represent the SCE community in all its diversity. If possible, the SCE should look into sending them to a relevant training program.
The PCC will review cases arising out of the formally constituted activities of the SCE if it deems the procedure of peer investigation and judgment to be an appropriate forum to address the alleged misconduct, and if it deems the SCE's resources to be adequate to yield a fair judgment. The PCC will not accept complaints it deems capricious or principally vindictive, nor will it attempt to obviate or preempt civil or legal proceedings, nor will it, except in unusual circumstances, pursue a case while the dispute is pending in another forum. Review of a complaint by the PCC should not be regarded as substitute for legal action.
3. The Grievance Procedure is designed for use during or soon after a formally constituted event of the SCE, normally the annual meeting. The swift passage of such events imposes limitations on the PCC’s ability to obtain information, provide due process, protect confidentiality, and resolve the case with effective mediation or retributive justice, as the case warrants.
A member should bring a grievance directly to the chair of the PCC, who ensures that all inquiries and complaints are properly undertaken and concluded. If any member of the PCC is named in the complaint, he or she will be replaced for that case by Presidential appointment. No person who has been accused in a complaint will participate in the investigation or resolution of the complaint.
When a grievance is brought to the chair of the PCC, the chair shall promptly assign a member of the PCC to handle the case as its representative.
In some situations, the PCC representative may find that an informal conversation with the complainant and the respondent members suffices to determine what happened and then to resolve a hurtful misunderstanding or repair an unintentional offense through mediation. If the mediation is successful, no written record shall be generated. The PCC member shall orally inform the chair of the PCC of the successful resolution of the incident.
For example, under Respect for Difference, if a member of the SCE uses a derogatory racial term in a conversation at the hotel bar, but doesn’t realize the term is offensive, the PCC member may explain its offensiveness and a sincere apology may be all that is required. Under Respect for Personal Integrity, a request for some form of sexual intimacy that was honestly but mistakenly believed to be welcome might be settled with a sincere apology. Under Respect for Intellectual Integrity, using material from the writings of another member without proper citation, but unintentionally and in a minor way, might be resolved with a sincere apology and a correction in the next issue of the JSCE.
A more formal procedure will be required if mediation fails or if the PCC representative judges that the offense was deliberate and/or serious enough to require more attention. The PCC representative shall ask the complainant whether he or she wishes to proceed further, and shall respect the complainant’s wishes in this regard.
For example, if a derogatory term was applied maliciously (a serious violation of respect for difference), or if sexual favors were requested in exchange for preferment or professional help (a serious violation of personal integrity), or if a citation was deliberately omitted (a serious violation of intellectual integrity)
If the complainant chooses to proceed, the PCC representative should inform the PCC chair, who should promptly convene the committee, by telephone if need be, to evaluate the complaint. By majority vote, the PCC may decide either to accept the complaint for full review or to decline to consider it. This decision should be based upon:
If the PCC decides to decline consideration of the complaint, the PCC representative will explain the decision to the complainant, and the respondent if aware of the complaint. No written record will be kept of the complaint or the PCC’s decision not to consider the case.
If the PCC decides to pursue the complaint, it will ask the PCC representative promptly and impartially to solicit 1) a written statement from the complainant. The statement will be furnished to the respondent, with a request for 2) a written response. The PCC representative also will solicit additional relevant evidence. The solicitation of comments from witnesses needs to be done delicately and with circumspection. The PCC representative will write 3) an investigatory report detailing additional evidence in the case.
(Note: The PCC will protect the privacy of both the complainant and the respondent in every way possible during the process of the complaint and thereafter. However, all parties should realize that the confidentiality of the SCE proceeding is not protected against legally mandated disclosure if it falls within the scope of a subsequent lawsuit.)
The PCC will then meet in person or by conference call to consider the case, including the statements by the complainant and the respondent, and the investigatory report by the PCC representative.
4. After the Grievance procedure.
The decisions rendered by the PCC are final, and may not be appealed by the complainant, respondent or a third party to the Board or to the entire membership. The only exception is a PCC recommendation for suspending, restricting or terminating membership as set forth in 3)c above, which may be appealed to the Board. However, further action by the PCC may be needed if the PCC learns, after investigating a complaint, that the grievance procedure has been misused:
a. If a complainant knowingly made a false complaint or knowingly provided false information regarding a complaint. The SCE prohibits the use of false testimony, and the PCC or the Board may take disciplinary action.
b. If retaliation is taken against any member, or against an employee of SCE filing a complaint against a member, or against the person accused. The SCE prohibits such retaliation, and the PCC or the Board may take additional disciplinary action.
c. If the confidences of the complainant, the respondent, or other parties directly involved are abused by the members of the PCC or the Board. The SCE prohibits disclosure of confidential material unless required by law or to protect the safety of a party or a third person. Violations of confidence may warrant additional sanctions by the PCC or the Board. Whether or not these misuses of the grievance procedure exacerbate the original complaint, they are themselves violations of respect for personal and intellectual integrity, and so are subject to the same disciplinary standards.
5. Report to the Board
The PCC chair is the official liaison to the Board, President, and Executive Director and must report every inquiry and formal complaint. The PCC Chair shall prepare a written annual report to the Board, describing the cases it has dealt during the previous year in the following way:
6. Report to the Membership
The PCC Chair shall prepare a short oral report, to be given at the annual meeting, summarizing the annual report to the Board, but identifying cases, resolved or declined, only according to the kind of violation involved (regarding disrespect for difference, personal integrity, or intellectual integrity).
The Women's Caucus of the Society of Christian Ethics has responded to the changes in the shape and demography of the academy in light of the increasing number of women scholars by commissioning the two documents available below. The membership endorsed the "Enabling a Family-Friendly Institution" document during the business meeting at the 2009 annual meeting.