Center for Japanese Studies
School of Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Studies
University of Hawai'i

By-Laws

October 4, 1997
As Amended on May 7, 2004.

I. Preamble

The Center for Japanese Studies strives to promote a deeper understanding of Japan . The Center pursues this goal (1) by supporting and encouraging research and teaching related to Japan at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM), (2) by developing exchange programs and providing information about opportunities for students to study the Japanese language in Japan, (3) by organizing outreach programs, (4) by providing leadership to advance Japanese studies at UHM through committees on Endowment, Student-Exchange, Scholarship, and Publications, (5) by providing opportunities for Japanese studies faculty and students to discuss and share research findings and trends in the field, and (6) by administering the Dr. Soshitsu Sen International Way of Tea Center.

II. Membership

A. Full Members

1. Eligibility: Full membership shall be granted by the Executive Committee to regular (not visiting) UHM faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor and above, and may be granted to others at UHM, such as the Head Japanese Librarian, Japanese collection librarians, and administrators who normally would qualify for full membership if not for their administrative service. Full Members must use their Japanese language for their research, and their research and teaching in Japanese studies must comprise at least 50% of their academic endeavors.

2. Privileges: Only Full Members are allowed to serve on the Executive Committee and are allowed to vote on all motions brought before the membership.

B. Affiliate Members

1. Eligibility & Role: Affiliate membership may be granted by the Executive Committee to:

a) retired scholars and teachers in Japanese studies fields;

b) UHM faculty not in Japanese studies but with special academic interests in Japan;

c) Japanese studies faculty at other University of Hawai ‘i campuses; and

d) Visiting faculty at UHM in Japanese studies.

Affiliate Members have no voting status in the election of the CJS Director or the Executive Committee or in other matters that may come before the members. It is expected that they maintain an active involvement in Japanese studies at the University of Hawai ‘i in order to maintain their memberships.

C. Membership Status

1. Selection of new members: The Executive Committee is responsible for deciding upon all applications for new membership. Candidates for CJS membership shall submit their curriculum vitae to the CJS Director, who will bring the applications before the Executive Committee.

2. Termination of membership:

a) Any member may terminate membership in the Center by submitting a letter of resignation to the CJS Director.

b) The Executive Committee will review the membership to determine ongoing eligibility every five years. Any Full Member who has not continued to teach and conduct research in the field of Japanese studies may have his/her full membership discontinued by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

D. Plenary Meetings of the Members

1. Frequency: At least once each academic year, the Director shall call a meeting of all Full Members. Other meetings may be called by the Director, by the Executive Committee, or by petition of one-third of the Full Members.

2. Content: The Director shall prepare and distribute in advance an agenda including the Executive Committee’s or other members’ requests. At plenary meetings, members shall be given the opportunity to bring up special and common concerns for discussion in accordance with the agenda.

3. Quorum and voting requirements: One half of the Full Members shall constitute a quorum. A majority of those Full Members voting is required to pass any motion. The Director shall vote only in case of a tie. No designation of proxy shall be allowed, but members may cast absentee votes in writing on specific issues identified on the agenda in advance.

III. Organization

A. Director

1. Role: The CJS Director provides leadership, is the official spokesperson for the Center, has executive authority over all routine administrative matters, initiates and oversees grant applications and implementations, orchestrates fundraising campaigns, and strives to achieve the Center’s goals

2. Selection: The Director must be a tenured UHM faculty member who is a Full Member. The Dean of the School of Hawaiian , Asian and Pacific Studies (SHAPS) appoints the Director after receiving a recommendation from the Executive Committee informed by a poll of the Full Members. Polling for the Director shall be conducted in the spring semester of an incumbent Director’s second year.

3. Term: The Director serves on a full-time basis for a term of three years, subject to annual review by the Dean of SHAPS. The Director may serve for no more than three consecutive terms.

4. Absence: The Director shall appoint another Full Member to serve as the Acting Director when traveling off-island from Honolulu . In cases of extended absence, the Dean of SHAPS shall appoint an Interim Director from among the Full Members.

5. Polling Procedures:

a) A member of the Executive Committee, who is not the Director, volunteers to serve as the polling official. He or she asks for nominations for Director from the Full Members and solicits comments from Affiliate Members and graduate students in Japanese studies.

b) The polling official then notifies nominees and ascertains willingness to serve.

c) If there is more than one candidate, there is an open meeting for discussions between the candidates and the CJS Executive Committee and other interested individuals in the university system. If there is only one candidate, a meeting still may be called.

d) The ballots with one or more candidates are sent out to Full Members. There will be space for a write-in vote. It is a secret ballot.

e) The polling official will tabulate the ballots and forward the results to the CJS Executive Committee. The Executive Committee then considers the results of the balloting and other factors, and forwards its recommendation to the Dean of SHAPS, along with the results of the balloting.

B. Executive Committee

1. Composition: The Executive Committee consists of the Director and twelve Full Members who are elected by the full membership and serve for staggered three-year terms. A member may serve for no more than two consecutive terms. An election is held annually to replace members whose term has expired. Temporary replacements and term replacements are selected through the election.

2. Ex-Officio Members

a) A representative, elected by the UHM Japanese language instructors (Rank I-2 employees serving .75 FTE or more), serves on the Executive Committee. This representative may serve for no more than two consecutive three-year terms. An election is held to replace the representative whose term has expired.

b) When the Head Japanese Librarian is not already elected to the Executive Commitee, the Head Japanese Librarian will serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

c) In the final year of an incumbent Director’s term, when the incoming Director is not already a member of the Executive Commitee, the incoming Director serves ex-officio on the Executive Committee.

3. Responsibilities: The Executive Committee represents Japanese studies faculty members, advises the Center Director, and meets at least once a month during the academic year to discuss general concerns regarding the Center and Japanese studies at UHM. The Executive Committee is responsible for developing balanced academic offerings related to Japan and for suggesting additional programs to enhance Japanese studies at UHM. It recommends new courses and curriculum changes, evaluates instructional and research staff and resources, determines membership status, reviews requests for assistance from visiting scholars, organizes the polling for the Center Director, and periodically reviews and proposes amendments to the By-Laws. To accomplish specific goals, the Executive Committee may establish subcommittees or appoint other committees ad hoc.

4. Notification: Minutes shall be recorded and distributed to the Full Members and Japanese-language instructors.

5. Quorum and voting requirements: A majority of the committee’s voting members shall constitute a quorum. A majority of those members present and voting is required to pass any motions. The Director shall vote only in case of a tie. No designation of proxy shall be allowed, but members may cast absentee votes in writing on specific items identified and notified to Executive Committee members in advance.

C. Endowment Committee

1. Composition: The members are six Full Members and an outside community member who have been appointed by the Executive Committee. The outside member, who has full voting rights and does not have a term restriction, must have a Japan studies background. During the selection process, the Executive Committee strives to maintain proportionate discipline/subject area representation. Members are appointed to staggered terms of three years and may serve no longer than two consecutive terms. Temporary replacements and term replacements shall be selected by the Executive Committee. The Director serves on this committee ex-officio.

2. Responsibilities: The Endowment Committee recommends general policies for individual and group research conducted under the auspices of the Center. It meets at least twice a year to screen, evaluate, and make recommendations on the funding proposals for projects sponsored by the Japan Endowment. The Endowment Committee selects its own Chair.

3. Notification: The Chair of the Endowment Committee notifies applicants about the results of funding competitions and reports the Committee’s decisions to the Executive Committee.

D. Scholarship Committee

1. Composition: The Director and the Chair of the Endowment Committee serve on this committee. The Director chooses additional members of the committee to ensure a balance of disciplines, keeping in mind that membership should be rotated among the Full Members.

2. Responsibilities: Every spring the committee meets to review scholarship applications and make recommendations.

3. Notification: The SHAPS Fellowship Adviser handles the notifications regarding the Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships. The Center Director writes the notifications for the other scholarships.

E. The Dr. Soshitsu Sen International Way of Tea Center

1. Purpose: The Way of Tea Center has an international focus and serves to assist the Center for Japanese Studies in fulfilling its mission. Specifically, the Way of Tea Center educates students and helps to perpetuate tea culture while fostering a deeper awareness of Japanese culture and international understanding. It aids in coordinating existing and new resources and activities related to the practice of tea, such as: the use of Jaku’an; Midorikai Fellowships; and the Way of Tea Practicum course.

F. Standing Committees

1. Composition: The Director appoints Full Members to standing committees. Any Full Member may request to serve on a particular committee; however, if there are too many requests for a particular one, the Director may ask individuals to serve on other committees. As much as possible, members will be rotated among the various committees. The Director may, in consultation with the Executive Committee, ask someone who is not a Full Member to serve, in either a voting or non-voting status, on a committee because of that person’s particular expertise.

2. Responsibilities: Each committee promotes excellence in the area of its concern and supports the efforts of the Director and other committees to the same end. Every year (July 1) the chair of each committee submits a short report to the Director.

a) The Student Exchange Committee is responsible for evaluating new exchange proposals and for the evaluation of the student exchange applications. It also reviews current student exchange programs and negotiates renewals.

b) The Publications Committee sets standards governing Center publications; seeks out and encourages the submission of scholarly work that meets these standards; and supervises the evaluation, editorial policy, and publication of books.

c) The Admissions Committee screens and recommends applicants for the Asian Studies Graduate Program with a Japan concentration, and for the Certificate in Japanese Studies.

d) The Way of Tea Center Committee is responsible for oversight of the Way of Tea Center’s operations and activities.

G. Ex-Officio Status . Wherever these By-Laws provide for ex-officio participation on a committee, that position will be non-voting unless otherwise expressly noted.

IV. Ratification and Amendment

These By-Laws shall be effective upon a vote of Full Members at a plenary meeting, and upon approval by the Dean of SHAPS.

Within a month after ratification of the By-Laws, each committee shall elect a chair.

The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of Full Members attending and voting at a plenary meeting. Proposed amendments to the By-Laws must be notified in writing to the full membership at least two weeks prior to a plenary meeting.

Dates of Amendments: September 24, 1999
November 2, 2001
January 31, 2003
May 7, 2004

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