These lists include only the names of those persons who had accepted appointment at press time. For prior years, consult the May 1984 issue and previous Directory issues of PMLA. Except where noted, all members of committees and commissions are appointed by the Executive Council.

Listed here are the 2000 division and discussion group executive committees and some committees of the American Literature Section (see also the Directory of Useful Addresses). The years after the names of division and discussion group executive committee members are the final years of their terms. Unless otherwise noted, the member whose final year is 2001 serves as the 2000 chair, the member whose final year is 2002 serves as the 2000 secretary and 2001 chair, and the member whose final year is 2003 serves as the 2001 secretary and 2002 chair.

MLA divisions encompass the primary scholarly and professional concerns of the association, with each of the eighty-two divisions representing a major area of membership interest. Since membership in divisions is maintained as part of all members' records for the purpose of sending them special-interest materials, joining a division indicates an active involvement in the field and a desire to promote its scholarly and professional concerns. Membership in one division does not, of course, exclude a member from attending any or all meetings arranged by other divisions at the MLA Annual Convention.

This guide describes the kinds of meetings at the MLA convention and the procedures for organizing them. All correspondence concerning these procedures should be sent to the MLA convention office. The e-mail address for the convention office is [email protected].

Division meetings. The MLA divisions encompass the primary scholarly and professional concerns of the association. Divisions may organize one to three meetings for the convention.

Discussion group meetings. Smaller and more specialized than the divisions, the discussion groups each arrange one meeting for the convention.

This guide describes the policies of MLA divisions and discussion groups—their purpose and function, their structure and formation, and their governance. It also describes MLA policies regarding allied and affiliate organizations. All correspondence concerning these policies should be sent to the MLA convention office. The e-mail address for the convention office is [email protected].

Definition. The MLA divisions encompass the primary scholarly and professional concerns of the association, with each division representing a major area of membership interest. The divisions are not autonomous organizations but are an integral part of the MLA; they have no corporate identity beyond that afforded by the MLA, and they may not use the name of the association for any project or program unless specifically authorized to do so by the MLA Executive Council.

I. Name. The name of this association shall be The Modern Language Association of America.

II. Purpose. The object of the association shall be to promote study, criticism, and research in the more and less commonly taught modern languages and their literatures and to further the common interests of teachers of these subjects.

III. Membership. There shall be four categories of membership: regular members, student members, life members, and honorary members and fellows. The dues structure within each category shall be determined by the Delegate Assembly subject to confirmation by the Executive Council.

The Committee on Amendments to the Constitution received four proposals for amendments this year, one from the Delegate Assembly and three from the Executive Council.

At its December 1999 meeting, the Delegate Assembly approved a motion, submitted on behalf of the Graduate Student Caucus, that called for a constitutional amendment to provide for representation on the Nominating Committee of three groups of MLA members: regular members, graduate student members, and life members. By approving the motion, the assembly formally proposed the amendment contained in the motion. This amendment consists in the addition of a phrase to the penultimate sentence in article 11.A of the constitution.

I. Purpose. The Delegate Assembly was created in 1970 as a successor to the former annual Business Meeting of the Modern Language Association. Within the governance structure of the Modern Language Association, the Delegate Assembly is intended to function as the voice of the membership, the forum at which issues of professional concern are to be debated and policies formulated.

Representation on the Delegate Assembly is designed to provide the MLA with comprehensive perspectives representing the study and teaching of languages and literatures, the conditions under which they are carried out, and the circumstances of the members professing these activities.