Rules for SPME Entities

Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) has a responsibility to oversee all entities that use its name and assert affiliation with it. SPME chapters, coalitions of chapters, committees, task forces, their officers, and all other individuals associated with them (SPME entities) are subject to SPME’s corporate regulations, bylaws, and policies and must meet the legal requirements of SPME's U.S. non-profit, 501(3)c status. All SPME entities must therefore comply with the following rules:

1. SPME entities must comply with 501(C) Internal Revenue Service Regulations and not use the SPME name, logo, or funds in connection with any political activity, candidate endorsement, advertisement, or demonstration.

2. SPME entities in good standing may use the entity name (e.g., SPME at UCLA, Columbia University SPME) in connection with local/campus activities without prior Board approval but must submit an annual program report to the Board on all events, activities, and publications in which the chapter’s name was used, to remain in good standing.

3. SPME entities must notify the SPME Board and receive its approval prior to using the SPME name (Scholars for Peace in the Middle East or SPME) or the SPME logo in public event sponsorship, co-sponsorship, listing on other organizations’ web sites, letters, or other print or on-line publications.

4. SPME entities based outside the United States must adhere to the codes of their tax status in their countries. SPME entities in the United States may not accept contributions from foreign governments.

5. Consistent with SPME’s mission, all SPME entities must focus their activities on the promotion of academic integrity in scholarship and education about the Middle East.

6. SPME entities must solicit their faculty members twice a year for membership contributions (≥$75 per person per year) to be sent to SPME headquarters. Contributions can be made on-line (www.spme.net ) via PayPal or by mail to:
   SPME
   PO Box 48
   Grantham, PA 17027

7. Every year, SPME will share the components of its mailing list that are relevant to each SPME entity with that entity. Reciprocally, the SPME entities will share their respective mailing lists with SPME.

8. The Board of Directors of SPME (Board) encourages chapters located in geographical proximity to other chapters or sharing common concerns to collaborate by forming entities to be called coalitions. Coalitions may achieve economies of scale in programming and obtain input on local or regional issues from larger numbers of faculty than belong to a single chapter.

• a. The chairs of the participating chapters or their respective designees will represent the chapters in the coalition. The chapter chairs or their designees will select a coalition coordinator who will be responsible for overseeing coalition activities.
• b. Each coalition will designate a representative to join the SPME Board for a one-year term that may be renewable with the consent of the Board.

9. SPME entities may raise funds for their projects and programs either independently or with the aid of SPME officers or professional staff.

• a. SPME entities that raise funds independently and have them administered by SPME will be charged
  5% of those funds.
• b. SPME entities for which SPME professionals, officers, or organizations assisting SPME professionals or
  officers raise funds through contributions or campaigns for designated projects will be charged 25% of those funds.

10. All SPME entities must file an annual financial report by December 31. Reports are to be sent, as email attachments, to Leila Beckwith, Treasurer, SPME (lbeckwit@ucla.edu ). (For the financial report form click here )