The name of the organization is ‘Historians of Eighteenth-Century Art and Architecture’ (HECAA).

The purpose of the association is to facilitate communication and collaboration among scholars of eighteenth-century art to expand and promote knowledge of all aspects of the period’s visual culture through research, conference presentations, and publication. The association encourages and supports graduate students in the visual culture of the long eighteenth century. HECAA is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

A. Membership is open to any individual interested in the purpose of the society, regardless of academic affiliation or discipline. Members in good standing with voting rights are those who have paid current dues by March 1.

B. Dues are $30 per annum with a discounted student rate of $10 per annum. These rates may be changed by vote of the membership at the Annual Meeting.

C. All session chairs and speakers in HECAA affiliated conference sessions must be members in good standing.

The society will maintain affiliation with the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies on such terms as both determine to be mutually acceptable.

A. The society will maintain affiliation with the College Art Association on such terms as both determine to be mutually acceptable.

B. The society will maintain affiliation with the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies on such terms as both determine to be mutually acceptable.

C. The society will maintain affiliation with the online newsletter Enfilade on such terms as both determine to be mutually acceptable.

D. The society will maintain affiliation with Journal18 on such terms as both determine to be mutually acceptable.

E. Affiliations may be added or removed if proposed to the membership and approved by a two-thirds majority of those voting.

The society has a President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, with terms beginning on June 1. Terms of office are for three years, and officers may not serve two consecutive terms in the same position. Officers are elected by vote of a majority of members in good standing through on-line elections held between January 1 and February 28. Terms will be staggered: year 1, Vice-President and Secretary elected; year 2, President and Treasurer elected. All nominations, including self-nominations are made directly to the HECAA Secretary.

1. President – presides at meetings, makes committee appointments, and serves as primary spokesperson and HECAA representative to other associations and the public.

2. Vice President – assists the President, presides at meetings in the absence of the President, may be assigned other duties as needed. If for any reason the President vacates the position, the Vice President will serve as President until the next cycle of elections.

3. Secretary – records and maintains minutes of meetings, bylaws and other documents, receives nominations, keeps track of membership in partnership with the Treasurer, tallies votes.

4. Treasurer – receives dues, maintains HECAA funds, reports on finances and budget to membership at Annual Meeting.

The Executive Board consists of the four officers and three at-large members. One at-large member must be a graduate student at the time of election. At-large members of the Executive Board serve two-year terms and are elected by majority vote of HECAA members in good standing through on-line elections held between January 1 and February 28. All nominations, including self-nominations, should be made directly to the HECAA Secretary.

The Executive Board provides counsel and assistance to the officers, especially to the President, approves committee appointments, annual awards, and other duties specified in the bylaws. The Executive Board serves as a nominating committee by soliciting nominations, including self-nominations, from the membership for officer positions, Executive Board, and committees, striving to ensure nominees for officers and committees represent the diversity of the membership and disciplines within the association.

1. Dora Wiebenson Prize Committee The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, appoints three HECAA members to three-year staggered terms. A new member is appointed each year to replace the member leaving the committee. The committee reviews submissions and awards this annual prize for an outstanding graduate student paper presented during the previous calendar year at a scholarly conference or as a sponsored lecture. The Treasurer proposes the amount of the prize each year based on available funds in the treasury and approved by the Executive Board. The prize is named for Dora Wiebenson, Professor Emerita, University of Virginia School of Architecture.

2. Mary Vidal Memorial Fund Committee The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, appoints three HECAA members to three-year staggered terms. A new member is appointed each year to replace the member leaving the committee. HECAA members who are graduate students or have completed the Ph.D. within the past three years are eligible to apply for modest subventions to defray costs associated with research travel, conferences in which the recipients are presenting, or reproduction permission fees for a publication. The Treasurer proposes the amount to be awarded each year based on available funds in the treasury and approved by the Executive Board. This fund is named in memory of Professor Mary Vidal.

3. Panel Selection Committee for HECAA Affiliate Association Conference Sessions The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, appoints three members to serve three-year staggered terms on the Panel Selection Committee. The committee solicits proposals and volunteers from the membership and selects topic and conference session chairs annually for our affiliate sessions at conferences.

Our affiliate conference sessions currently include: two sessions at the College Art Association (CAA), both the HECAA session and the ASECS session that is delegated to us with the stipulation that it reflect the interdisciplinary goals of ASECS; one session at American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (ASECS) that is by tradition the HECAA Anne Schroder New Scholars session; and one or more panels at British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (BSECS).

4. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, may appoint ad hoc committees for particular tasks or projects.

An annual meeting of the society will be held each year in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies. At the annual meeting members hear reports from officers and discuss old and new business. Additional meetings may be held with the approval of a majority of the membership.

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of members in good standing at the annual meeting of the society or by a two-thirds majority of those members voting in an online vote. Should the society dissolve, remaining funds will go to the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies.

This version of HECAA’s constitution was in effect from March 2019 to June 2024; a previous version was ratified in 2018; the most recent version is available here