SSSR Policy and Procedures Handbook
Society for the Scientific Study of Reading — 2024 Edition
Table of Contents
Preface
The purpose of this Handbook is to define policies and procedures of SSSR in order to improve communication, effectiveness, and efficiency. One function of this policy Handbook is to inform the elected and appointed officers of their tasks and responsibilities and how they should proceed in carrying out their responsibilities. A second function of this Handbook is to clarify how decisions are made.
This handbook is divided into nine major areas which relate to: (1) people, elections, and duties, (2) membership, (3) annual conference and other meetings, (4) awards, (5) communications, (6) journal, (7) conflict of interest policy, (8) ethics and code of conduct, and (9) policy on policies.
The Handbook contains explicit statements of policies on important functions of the organization that are consistent with but are not always covered explicitly in the Bylaws. Handbook policies may be changed or exceptions granted by a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors unless the change involves a policy or procedure specified in the Bylaws. The entire policy handbook is to be reviewed on an annual basis by the Past-President.
A. Annual Meeting
A.1.0 Conference Committee
A.1.1 The Conference Committee is co-chaired by the President-Elect and Vice-President. The committee is responsible for planning, organizing, and implementing the Annual Conference. The appointment process for the Conference Committee is informal, based on the following guidelines.
A.1.1.1 Strong local presence and knowledge is essential.
A.1.1.2 Experience in conference planning, organizing, and execution is valued.
A.1.1.3 Past committee members are often recruited.
A.1.2 The Program Committee is co-chaired by the President-Elect (as Program Chair) and the Vice-President (as associate chair). The President-Elect may appoint persons to serve on the Program Committee. The procedure for selecting Program Committee members is at the discretion of the President-Elect. The appointment process is informal, based on the following guidelines.
A.1.2.1 Past members who have served are often recruited.
A.1.2.2 Care is taken to relieve people from excess service and bring in new members.
A.1.2.3 Recruitment is typically done through word of mouth and informal invitation.
A.2.0 Annual Meeting Sites
A.2.1 The selection of conference locations is an informal process guided by the following principles.
A.2.1.1 Finding an interesting place that the Society has not visited before.
A.2.1.2 Presence of a local reading research community that can be supported.
A.2.1.3 Availability of a local organizer or organizers who can strongly support conference planning and execution.
A.2.1.4 Rotation through different continents to ensure that all members can attend within a cycle of 3–5 years.
A.2.2 Dates are typically set for around the second week of July, taking into consideration local context (including holidays and major events) and hotel availability.
A.2.3 It is the responsibility of the Conference Co-Chairs (the Vice-President and President-Elect) to assess appropriate locations and dates and make recommendations to the Board. The Board will then decide on the times and sites for the annual conference. Subsequent negotiation with hotels is the responsibility of the Conference Committee. The President is responsible for signing any final agreements.
A.3.0 Fees and Budget
A.3.1 The Conference Committee Co-Chairs (President-Elect and Vice-President) propose a budget including all expenses for the conference and a structure of conference registration fees to balance the budget. This proposal should be sent for approval to the Board of Directors at least six months prior to the conference. The Treasurer should be consulted prior to the proposal of the budget. After approval by the Board, the fees are published on the website.
A.3.2 Conference registration fees may be refunded up to one month before the conference. After this date, no refunds will be granted under any circumstances. If an individual pays the conference registration fee as a non-member and later wants to pay instead as a member, they are not eligible for a refund of the difference. The website must clearly state the member and non-member fees.
A.4.0 Allocation of Complimentary Registration, Accommodation, and Travel
A.4.1 Those officers to receive complimentary airline tickets and rooms for the annual meeting are, in order of priority: (1) President, (2) President-Elect, (3) Vice-President, (4) Immediate Past-President, (5) Secretary, and (6) Treasurer.
A.4.2 Graduate students who help with registration for at least four hours will be given a year’s membership free and will not have to pay the registration fee for the conference.
A.4.3 No expenses should be provided for any speaker, unless approved by the Board.
A.5.0 Program
A.5.1 The Program Chair, who is the President-Elect, prepares a call for proposals with the advice of the Program Committee. The call for papers is emailed to the membership at least nine months in advance of the annual meeting and published on the SSSR website (www.triplesr.org). A single submission deadline (using the west coast North America time zone) is given for proposals for symposia, spoken papers, and interactive papers (posters).
A.5.2 The conference program will consist of scientific papers presented by any members (including voting members, student members, and emeritus members) and non-members. Each presenter may be the first and presenting author on no more than one paper; authorship other than first author is allowed on other papers. Every submitted proposal will be a structured abstract of no more than 250 words. All proposals will undergo review by the Program Committee. Proposals evaluated as “accept without reservation” will be included on the program unless the number exceeds space limitations. Proposals receiving mixed reviews will be included if there is space. Proposals receiving recommendations of rejection will not be included. Acceptance/rejection emails will be sent via ExOrdo to the corresponding author.
A.5.3 Papers eligible for presentation are those that have not been previously published or proposed or presented at another professional meeting. Priority is given to papers involving the presentation of empirical data relevant to research hypotheses or questions driven by theory, and to studies where the data have been collected and analyzed.
A.5.4 The President is expected to give a Presidential Address during the second annual meeting of their presidency. This special session is scheduled on the afternoon of the second day of the conference at a time when no other meetings may be scheduled. Two special sessions, in addition to the Presidential Address or Award Address, may be arranged at the discretion of the President-Elect (Program Chair).
A.5.5 The accepted proposals are organized by topic and assigned a program slot. Concurrent sessions are utilized to accommodate as many eligible presentations as possible, constrained only by the availability of meeting rooms. Individual presenters are allowed 20 minutes to present and discuss their papers, with a maximum of 15 minutes for the presentation and five minutes for questions and comments.
A.5.6 Production of the program document is the responsibility of the President-Elect. The draft program is published on the SSSR website in advance of the annual meeting. Every effort should be made to post the program at least four weeks prior to the meeting date. All individual presentations are listed including affiliation and co-authors.
A.5.7 Participation in the program is limited to those who have paid their registration fees. A registration deadline is published on the website, after which the papers of presenting authors who have not registered will be removed from the program.
A.5.8 Any author who is unable to present a paper listed in the program must contact the Society at [email protected] immediately to determine the appropriate course of action.
A.5.9 Audio visual equipment consisting of a screen, projector, and laptop will be available for use by presenters of spoken papers and symposium papers. Poster boards and materials to adhere posters to boards are supplied by the Society. Any other equipment must be supplied by individual presenters. Audience questions and comments are solicited and encouraged immediately following each presentation. It is the responsibility of the Program Chair to design the program and instruct session chairs so that this goal is accomplished.
A.6.0 Board Meeting
A.6.1 A Board meeting will be held on the first day of the conference (the pre-conference workshop day). Each committee should submit a written report at least one week prior to the meeting. Minutes of Board meetings are taken by the Secretary, who will record information on reports, all motions and associated vote counts, and notes on all policy and procedure changes approved by the Board. Written reports presented on the agenda shall be submitted to the Secretary for inclusion in the minutes.
A.6.2 Minutes of Board Meetings and Business Meetings shall be received by Board members as early as possible but no later than two months after a Board/Business Meeting and approved by vote from the Board within one month of receiving the minutes.
A.6.3 After receiving a copy of the minutes from the Secretary, the Past-President will begin the annual review and update of this Handbook. An updated version of the handbook will be emailed to Board members for approval in September, and later posted on the Society website by the end of the calendar year. All reports and minutes are stored in Basecamp.
A.7.0 Publishers and Advertisers
A.7.1 Publishers shall not be allowed to sponsor events at the conference, but may provide flyers for a small cost, negotiated with the Program Committee.
A.7.2 SSSR will accept advertisements for any of its publications provided they are in keeping with the scholarly and professional nature of the organization. SSSR reserves the right to unilaterally reject, omit, or cancel advertising which is not in keeping with its purposes or which by tone, content, or appearance is not in keeping with the essential scientific, scholarly, and professional nature of the organization. Only ads related to reading research will be considered.
A.8.0 Other Meetings
A.8.1 The Executive Committee meets via Microsoft Teams on the second Thursday of every month. The meeting is chaired by the President. Minutes are taken by the Association Manager and stored in Basecamp.
B. General Matters
B.1.0 People, Elections, and Duties
B.1.1 Elected Officers, Electoral System, and Term of Office. See the SSSR Bylaws and the SSSR Officers section of the website for current elected officers and term details.
B.1.2 Appointed Board Members, Appointment Procedure, and Term of Office. See the SSSR Bylaws and the SSSR Officers section of the website for current appointed board members and appointment procedures.
B.1.3 General Committee Appointment Procedure and Term of Office. The appointment of new members to standing committees shall be announced by the President. The Chair of each committee shall be appointed by the President and shall serve for a term of three years, and may be reappointed in the same position for up to two consecutive terms. Members of committees shall be appointed by the President with the advice of the Board of Directors and shall serve for three years, unless otherwise specified at the time of appointment. Vacancies on committees shall be filled by the President as they arise with advice of the Committee Chairs and Board of Directors. The term of office for new committee members shall begin officially on January 1. Committee meetings are open to all members. Any Committee Chair may request budget monies by specifying the amount needed, the date when it is needed, and its purpose.
B.1.4 Association Manager Duties.
B.1.4.1 Membership. Maintains current membership records and database on the Society website. Collects membership dues and troubleshoots account issues. Analyzes and updates the member database, including editing expiration dates and emailing dues notices. Verifies student and postdoctoral status documentation for membership applications. Collaborates with the Treasurer to review and complete transactions involving membership dues. Deposits checks for membership dues and conference registration fees. Provides membership and financial data to the Treasurer for annual reports and quarterly payroll tax forms. Emails journal distribution data to the publisher and coordinates content updates as needed. Oversees social media platforms and broadcasts relevant Society notifications. Responds to inquiries from members and nonmembers through the Society’s Gmail account and website contact form. Maintains password-protected administrative and member-only webpages.
B.1.4.2 Communications. Administers and maintains Triplesr.org and ExOrdo websites and communication hubs. Updates online Handbook, Bylaws, officer lists, committee pages, and award-winner pages. Prepares and distributes Society announcements and external posts on listservs. Posts approved announcements regarding academic positions, reading-related conferences, and grant competitions. Manages Society elections, including ballot preparation and distribution. Monitors and maintains the SSSR Queries email account. Communicates regularly with standing committees to support Society initiatives. Records minutes for monthly Executive Committee meetings and stores them in Basecamp. Sends acceptance and rejection letters and reviewer evaluations to authors through ExOrdo. Notifies the Society of award recipients and provides award-winner information for posting on the relevant Society webpages after the conference.
B.1.4.3 Conference and Program. Configures and maintains the ExOrdo conference hub for submissions, reviews, and program development. Solicits and coordinates the annual pool of abstract reviewers. Tracks submissions, author registrations, and discussant roles through program spreadsheets. Shares submission data with the Program Committee, Conference Chair, and Local Organizing Committee. Posts registration fees, hotel details, venue FAQs, and pre-workshop information on triplesr.org. Manages online and on-site registration for all conference events and social activities. Provides invoices, receipts, and confirmations of attendance or registration to participants. Organizes, develops, sends, and archives certificates of attendance as requested. Develops and communicates the conference timeline with the President-Elect and sends reminders regarding deadlines. Notifies authors of missing submission metadata or registration requirements. Updates presenter instructions and poster details for corresponding authors. Prepares the conference program under the direction of the President-Elect. Answers all queries regarding the annual program from members and stakeholders. Updates ExOrdo, the ExOrdo Mobile App, and the Society website for withdrawals, schedule changes, and other program revisions. Removes presentations from the program when authors fail to register by the published deadline. Designs and maintains the ExOrdo Mobile App and sends time-sensitive notifications to conference participants. Prepares and sends visa invitation letters for international speakers requiring them. Produces conference materials including registration lists, name badges, programs, and signage. Prepares materials for the Board meeting, Society Business Meeting, and awards ceremony. Coordinates activities with exhibitors and the Local Organizing Committee.
B.1.4.4 Awards and Archives. Administers all award applications except the Outstanding Reviewer Award, verifying eligibility and required documentation. Compiles award spreadsheets tracking nominees, nominators, documentation status, and eligibility determinations. Identifies applicants who have applied for more than one award and provides that information to the Awards Committee. Uploads award application materials and eligibility spreadsheets to Basecamp. Notifies all award applicants of outcomes in sufficient time for unsuccessful applicants to register at the early-bird rate. Reviews and selects Travel Award recipients in accordance with the Travel Award procedures. Develops and prepares award certificates for the conference ceremony. Announces award recipients to the Society and sends individual award letters to nominees and recipients. Archives conference programs, registration lists, award materials, and internal processes in Basecamp.
B.1.5 Webmaster Duties.
B.1.5.1 Website Administration. Maintains and updates the SSSR website (triplesr.org), including current and archived conference pages (including registration fee pages). Maintains and updates online Handbook pages, including committee members and award winners. Maintains and updates online Bylaws and other general-interest pages, including posting the annual newsletter. Maintains and updates current journal pages, including coordination with the publisher for actual content. Maintains current member password-protected pages and responds to email inquiries about passwords. Maintains current member application and dues-payment pages. Maintains current limited-access administration pages, including membership-information pages and links to database-maintenance pages. Maintains and updates the web-based conference proposal submission system.
B.1.5.2 Listserv Administration. Maintains the SSSR member listserv, including adding new members and removing expired members. Updates member email addresses in the listserv. Posts occasional emails on behalf of voting members as a service, when authorized. Periodically matches listserv addresses with current membership records from the website. Maintains the SSSR Board listserv, periodically matching addresses with current Board member records. Monitors the Board listserv without responding to messages in order to help identify and resolve potential problems.
B.1.6 Journal Editor-In-Chief and Editorial Advisory Board. At the commencement of their term, the Journal Editor-In-Chief will appoint members of the Journal Editorial Board. The Editor-In-Chief will determine whether these members will serve for the duration of the Editor-In-Chief’s term or any portion thereof. The Editor-In-Chief may solicit recommendations for editorial members from Associate Editors, considering content and methodological expertise and prior record of reviews for the journal. Additional appointments to the Editorial Board, term extensions, and terminations of prior appointments may be later made by the Editor-In-Chief.
B.1.6.1 Editors shall be appointed by the President acting upon advice of the Publications Committee and with approval of the Board. The Journal Editor-In-Chief shall serve a three-year term. The President may choose to extend an editor’s term for an additional one to three years. Vacancy announcements shall be made at least one year before a vacancy occurs. A new editor shall be appointed at least nine months before assuming the editorship.
B.1.6.2 In the event that the Editor-In-Chief wishes to submit a manuscript, the Publications Chair will select a member of the Journal Editorial Board to serve as the action editor, who will be solely and independently responsible for soliciting peer reviews and making all editorial decisions regarding the submitted paper.
B.2.0 Membership
B.2.1 Benefits of Membership. Members of the Society receive reduced conference fees and free online access to the Scientific Studies of Reading journal. Members can receive hard copies of the journal for an additional cost.
B.2.2 Membership Categories. There are four categories of membership: regular, emeritus, student, and voting.
B.2.2.1 Anyone can sign up for regular membership.
B.2.2.2 To apply for emeritus membership, applicants must meet the criteria specified on the Join/Renew webpage.
B.2.2.3 To apply for student membership, applicants must submit proof of student or postdoctoral status using the webform on the Join/Renew webpage. This will then be verified by the Association Manager. Postdoctoral researchers must be within two years of completion of doctoral study.
B.2.2.4 To apply for voting membership, applicants must email a completed application form to [email protected] by the given deadline. The official criteria for voting membership are as follows.
B.2.2.4.1 The applicant must attend the conference and be an author on a paper or poster for at least two years prior to applying.
B.2.2.4.2 The application must include three research articles (published or in press) on reading and its related areas from a peer-reviewed journal with the applicant as the sole author, first author, or co-author. The articles need to be in PDF format. If the applicant is not the sole or first author, a brief summary of the applicant’s contribution must be provided.
B.2.2.4.3 A majority of the Membership Committee must agree that the submitted articles constitute evidence that the applicant understands the principles of science and knows how to apply these principles to reading research.
B.2.2.4.4 A majority of the Board of Directors must vote to approve the application. The Board makes decisions on voting membership once a year, at the annual meeting. Applications must be submitted at least two months before an annual meeting. Applications received after that date will be voted upon at the following annual meeting. All applicants will be informed by email shortly after this decision process has been completed.
B.2.2.5 The title of Honorary Fellow may, on the recommendation of the Board of SSSR, be given to an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to the affairs of the Society over a sustained period. Honorary Fellows have the same rights as active members and may continue to receive the journal SSR. Annual dues are waived.
B.2.3 Membership Year. The membership year begins on January 1st every year and extends to December 31st of the same year. Membership status is removed from accounts if membership fees have not been paid by January 31st. Membership for the following year can be purchased from September 1st.
B.2.4 Membership Fees. The membership fees for the coming year are listed on the Join/Renew webpage in the Membership area of the website. Emeritus and student membership fees are lower than regular membership fees. Voting members are required to pay regular membership fees; they cannot pay emeritus or student membership fees.
B.2.5 Elections and Balloting. The Nominations Committee prepares a list of nominations for each position to be filled. Advice and recommendations are sought from the membership and from the Board. The Nominations Committee contacts nominees for acceptance of nomination.
B.2.5.1 Ballots are emailed to voting members. Each nominee’s name, title, and institutional affiliation are listed on the ballot, along with a brief description (maximum 150 words) of research interests and goals for the organization.
B.2.5.2 The Secretary counts ballots in accordance with the Bylaws and informs the President of the results. The President informs the nominees by letter. The Hare system will be used whenever there are more than two members running for one position. The Secretary shall provide an election report at the first Board Meeting following the election, including names of nominees, a tally of votes, and the persons receiving the most votes.
B.2.5.3 No Board member shall approach the membership by mail or other means on issues being presented to the membership for a vote. This does not preclude Board members from responding to inquiries by members.
B.3.0 Communications
B.3.1 Announcements shall be posted on the Society’s website and sent to the Society’s listserv. Both members and non-members can sign up to the listserv: https://lists.triplesr.org/mailman/listinfo/sssr-discussion.
B.3.2 The listserv may be used by members and by organizations approved by the President for the following purposes: announcement of positions in academic settings, announcements of conferences on reading, and mailings for grant competitions. Posts to the listserv are made by sending the message in an email to [email protected].
B.3.3 Members, specific groups of members, and event participants can be emailed via CiviCRM.
B.3.4 Members and non-members can contact the Society either via the Society’s Gmail account ([email protected]) or via the contact form on the website.
B.3.5 Communications regarding submitted abstracts shall be sent to corresponding authors via the ExOrdo communications hub. Notifications to conference participants that need to be sent out during the conference are sent via the ExOrdo mobile app.
B.4.0 Journal
B.4.1 Any contract between SSSR and the publisher of the journal will contain relevant policies and procedures that take precedence over any other stated policy.
B.4.2 Reprints for persons other than the authors of the journal articles will be offered to the following: (1) non-commercial agencies free of charge, and (2) commercial agencies at a fee paid to SSSR (not the authors). All republished material must include a full bibliographic citation and the statement “Reprinted with the permission of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading and (the first author’s name).” Authors do not need to request permission to reprint their own material. No fee is required of not-for-profit publishers. A $50.00 fee is required for commercial publishers for each article, payable to SSSR. Permission is required to reprint any graphic or tabular material and any portion of a passage consisting of 100 words or more. Permission to reprint is granted only for one edition of the new publication; future editions require new permissions.
B.4.3 Authors of articles accepted for the Journal will receive galleys but may correct only typesetting errors without a charge.
B.4.4 The Editor-In-Chief may produce one topical issue per year with guest editors, without special approval from the Board.
B.4.5 The Publications Committee shall promote SSSR publications by (1) promoting the journal Scientific Studies of Reading (SSR), (2) promoting the submission of articles to the journal, and (3) promoting subscriptions to the journal, including libraries. The committee shall ensure that SSSR publications are copyrighted and that the copyrights are maintained.
B.5.0 Conflict of Interest Policy
B.5.1 It is the policy of SSSR to fully disclose any conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest with regard to journal publications and to the leadership of SSSR. This includes the procedures used to review and select manuscripts for publication, review and select papers and posters for presentation at the annual conference, and among the SSSR leadership including the executive board.
B.5.2 Any potential conflicts of interest with regard to the Journal will be reported to the Editor-In-Chief and the Publications Committee. Authors who publish in SSR must report any potential conflicts of interest that might bias their research findings and these will be published with the article.
B.5.3 Potential conflicts with regard to the conference will be reported to the Conference Co-Chairs and chair of the review committee. Disclosure of conflicts of interest among the leadership of SSSR will be reviewed at each Board meeting.
B.5.4 In any case where a conflict of interest might bias a decision, the person with the conflict will remove themselves from the decision-making process.
B.6.0 Ethics and Code of Conduct
B.6.1 The members of SSSR are expected to behave in an ethical manner with respect to the conduct and reporting of research. Members who need more specific guidance regarding ethics should consult the guidelines and standards published by other larger organizations whose members conduct social science research, such as the American Psychological Association.
B.6.2 SSSR is dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and the free expression of ideas and seeks to provide an environment in which diverse participants may learn, network, and enjoy the company of colleagues in an environment of mutual human respect. We recognize a shared responsibility to create and maintain that environment for the benefit of all.
B.6.3 Specifically, SSSR is committed to providing a safe and productive conference and meeting environment that fosters open dialogue and the exchange of scientific ideas, promotes equal opportunities and treatment for all participants, and is free of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. All participants, including attendees, vendors, volunteers, staff and all other stakeholders, will conduct themselves in a professional manner and are expected to treat others with respect and consideration. Creating a supportive environment to enable scientific discourse at SSSR meetings is the responsibility of all participants.
B.6.4 Participants will communicate openly and thoughtfully with others while being considerate of the multitude of views and opinions that are different than their own. SSSR recognizes that there are areas of science that are controversial. The SSSR Annual Conference and other meetings can serve as effective forums to consider and debate science-relevant viewpoints in an orderly, respectful, and fair manner. This includes actively valuing thorough debate that is undertaken in a collegial tone.
B.6.5 Any form of harassment affects not only the persons involved but the conference environment of SSSR overall. Participants will avoid any inappropriate actions or statements based on characteristics such as age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, nationality, ability status, educational background, religious affiliation, or any other group characteristic. In defining harassment, the person or persons’ conduct is severe or pervasive enough that it substantially interferes with an individual’s performance or creates an environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. Critical examination of academic frameworks, beliefs and viewpoints does not, by itself, constitute hostile conduct or harassment.
B.6.6 In particular, sexual harassment, according to the APA, is sexual solicitation, physical advances, or verbal or nonverbal conduct that is sexual in nature, and that either (1) is unwelcome, is offensive, or creates a hostile workplace or educational environment, and the scientist knows or is told this, or (2) is sufficiently severe or intense enough to be abusive to a reasonable person in the context. Harassment can consist of a single intense or severe act or of multiple persistent or pervasive acts.
B.6.7 SSSR will expect all participants of SSSR meetings to follow the guidelines set out in the Code of Conduct. Concerns about any incident should be brought immediately to the President of SSSR, who will consult with the executive committee to determine next steps. SSSR leadership retains the right to take any actions necessary to keep conferences and meetings a welcoming environment for all participants. Membership of the Society and attendance at a Society meeting is a benefit, not a right.
B.7.0 Policy on Policies
B.7.1 Both the Handbook and the Bylaws should be reviewed on an annual basis by the Past-President. The policies and procedures described in the Handbook should be consistent with the policies and procedures set forth by the Bylaws and the Board.
B.7.2 Handbook policies may be changed or exceptions granted by a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors unless the change involves a policy or procedure specified in the Bylaws. When any motion is made with the intent of creating a new policy or procedure or changing existing policy or procedure, it shall be so stated in the motion. There should be a Policy and Procedures description for each standing committee. Changes in that description should be submitted to the Board for approval.
B.7.3 Any changes to the Bylaws are granted following a simple majority omnibus vote of the voting members.
C. Standing Committees
C.1.0 General Committee Policies
C.1.1 The appointment of new members to standing committees shall be announced by the President. The Chair of each committee shall be appointed by the President and shall serve for three years, and may be reappointed for up to two consecutive terms. Members of committees shall be appointed by the President with the advice of the Board of Directors and shall serve for three years, unless otherwise specified. Vacancies shall be filled by the President as they arise. The term of office for new committee members shall begin officially on January 1. Committee meetings are open to all members. When the Nominating Committee goes into executive session, it can request anyone who is not a committee member to leave. Any Committee Chair may request budget monies by specifying the amount needed, the date when it is needed, and its purpose.
C.2.0 Publications Committee
C.2.1 Membership. The President shall appoint a Chair of the Publications Committee for a term of three years. The Chair becomes a Board Member of SSSR. Prior to this appointment as Chair, this person shall have served as a member of the Publications Committee unless all members serving during the past two years refuse this appointment. The Publications Committee will consist of the Chair and three other members appointed by the President, plus SSSR publication editors who will serve on the Committee as non-voting members.
C.2.2 Responsibilities.
C.2.2.1 Ensures that SSSR publications are copyrighted and that the copyrights are maintained.
C.2.2.2 May arrange co-sponsorship of commercial publications with individuals or organizations; the percentage of royalties for SSSR shall be determined by the committee.
C.2.2.3 Promotes SSSR publications, including the journal Scientific Studies of Reading (SSR), submission of articles, and subscriptions.
C.2.2.4 Oversees the quality of content, format, and production of SSSR publications and the schedule of publications.
C.2.2.5 Ensures that archival issues of SSSR publications are stored and maintained.
C.2.2.6 Acts on requests to reprint materials from SSSR publications and ensures that complimentary reprints of articles in the Journal are sent to first authors.
C.2.2.7 Makes final publication decisions regarding advertisements, acting on the advice of the current editors.
C.2.2.8 Solicits, receives, and reviews nominations for new editors of SSSR publications and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors.
C.2.2.9 Collaborates with the Editor to conduct periodic evaluations of SSSR publications.
C.3.0 Membership Committee
C.3.1 The Chair of the Membership Committee is the Past-President, as specified in the Bylaws. The three members of this committee are the three elected members of the Board. The committee is responsible for promoting active and appropriate engagement of members of the Society and for reviewing voting membership applications in accordance with the criteria in Section B.2.2.
C.4.0 Awards Committee
C.4.1 All members of the Awards Committee must be voting members of SSSR, and will normally include the three elected members of the SSSR Board, two members appointed by the President, plus the two most recent recipients of the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award. Each of the three elected members of the SSSR Board is expected to serve on this committee for each of the three years of their term. The Awards Committee meets once per year. The FABBS award winner can be asked to serve on the committee if new members need to be appointed. Active members of the Awards Committee are ineligible to receive the awards for which the committee is responsible.
C.4.2 Each of the three elected members of the SSSR Board is expected to serve on this committee for each of the three years of their term as elected board member. In the event that any committee member is unable to complete their term, the President will appoint a substitute for the remainder of the displaced member’s term.
C.4.3 The Chair of the Awards Committee will be the elected board member with two years to serve, and will be responsible for representing the committee before the SSSR Board.
C.5.0 Selection and Announcement of Award Recipients
C.5.1 Nominations for awards will be solicited through the mail and at the annual meeting of the Society. The purpose of the nomination solicitation is to ensure that the nominee pool is representative of the interests and values of the membership and is not prematurely or inadvertently narrowed by the Awards Committee.
C.5.2 Recommended recipients will be selected from the nominee pool through deliberation by the Awards Committee and submitted to the SSSR Board for approval. After approval by the Board, each recommended recipient will be contacted so that their willingness to accept the award, given full understanding of the award’s terms and conditions, can be ascertained. Announcement of an award is contingent on both approval by the SSSR Board and an indication of acceptance by the recommended recipient.
C.5.3 Prior membership in the Society is not a requirement for award recipients. However, any awardee who is not a member will automatically be entered on the membership roll and will receive dues notices beginning in the third year thereafter.
C.5.4 The Awards Committee is responsible for the design of the nominations forms and for ensuring that they are received by the SSSR office in time for proper dissemination.
C.6.0 Financial Advisory Committee
C.6.1 Advisory Role. The committee shall provide nonbinding advice to the Board of Directors and oversight of the financial well-being of SSSR, including emergency funds, savings, and investments.
C.6.2 Composition and Membership. The committee shall consist of three voting members, including the Treasurer as Chair, possible non-voting professional financial advisor(s), and the second and third voting members. The advisor(s) shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors.
C.6.3 Financial Recommendations. The committee shall make recommendations regarding short- and long-term financial matters, including oversight of investments, to the Board of Directors, which will make final decisions.
C.6.4 Administrative Support. Administrative staff support may be secured to assist with committee duties.
D. Awards
D.1.0 Selection and Announcement
D.1.1 The Society has eight awards: Taylor & Francis Award, Early Career Outstanding Paper Award, Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award, Rebecca L. Sandak Award, Carol Connor Mid-Career Award, Travel Award, Outstanding Reviewer Award, and FABBS Early Career Impact Award.
D.1.2 Each individual is allowed to receive no more than one award per year.
D.1.3 The Carol Connor Mid-Career Award, Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award, Rebecca L. Sandak Award, and Taylor & Francis Award are all reviewed by the Awards Committee. The Outstanding Reviewer Award is reviewed by the Editor-In-Chief of Scientific Studies of Reading. The Early Career Outstanding Paper Award is reviewed by the Editor-In-Chief and Associate Editors of Scientific Studies of Reading. The Travel Award is reviewed by the Association Manager.
D.1.4 For each award other than the Outstanding Reviewer Award, the Association Manager compiles a spreadsheet containing: applicant/nominee name and email address, nominator names and email addresses (if applicable), confirmation that all required documentation has been submitted, and confirmation that the applicant/nominee meets the eligibility criteria. Any who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be taken forward for review. The Association Manager highlights any applicants who have applied for more than one award, and then uploads the spreadsheets and all application materials to Basecamp.
D.1.5 For awards reviewed by the Awards Committee, each member independently evaluates and ranks the applications; the highest-ranking application is given a score of 1. The Chair of the Awards Committee then averages the rankings and the applicant/nominee with the highest-ranking application is the winner.
D.1.6 For all awards, applicants/nominees/nominators should be notified of the outcome by email with sufficient time for unsuccessful applicants/nominees to register for the conference at the early-bird rate.
D.1.7 Award recipients are announced and given certificates at an awards ceremony at the conference. After the conference, names of award winners should be posted on the SSSR website on the webpage relevant to the award.
D.2.0 Taylor & Francis Award
D.2.1 The Taylor & Francis Award is given to promising young investigators who are attending the upcoming conference to present any type of paper. Four awards are given each year.
D.2.2 Applicants may either be students in PhD programmes or those who already have PhDs. Preference is given to those attending the SSSR conference for the first time, those currently in PhD programmes, those who have recently received their PhDs, and those with documented financial need. Applicants are not required to be members of the Society.
D.2.3 Applicants must self-nominate by emailing the following documents to [email protected] by the given deadline: a completed application form, a CV, and a 1-page letter of support (single spaced, 1-inch margins, 11-point font) from someone who can speak to their suitability for the award.
D.2.4 The award package provides free registration to the conference and social event for either the upcoming conference or the following year’s conference, as well as one year’s free membership for the following year.
D.3.0 Early Career Outstanding Paper Award
D.3.1 The Early Career Outstanding Paper Award is intended to recognize an outstanding paper published in Scientific Studies of Reading by a scholar who has earned their doctorate within the past seven years. One award is given every other year.
D.3.2 Graduate students who do not yet have a PhD are not eligible. For the award to be announced in July of a given year, the PhD should have been received after January 1st seven years prior to the year of application and before June 1st of the year of application. Considerations are given for medical or parental leave, if requested. The paper must be published online or in print before the application deadline. Applicants are not required to be members of the Society and do not need to have submitted an abstract for the upcoming conference.
D.3.3 Applicants self-nominate by emailing a completed application form to [email protected] by the given deadline. Outside letters of support are not needed.
D.3.4 The award is given for the best paper as determined by the Editor-In-Chief and Associate Editors of Scientific Studies of Reading. If an applicant’s paper is not chosen, they can submit a new application for the same paper in the next round (providing they still meet the eligibility criteria). Applications are not automatically carried over; they need to be resubmitted.
D.3.5 The award package provides free registration to the conference and social event for either the upcoming conference or the following year’s conference, as well as one year’s free membership for the following year.
D.4.0 Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award
D.4.1 The Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award recognizes empirical, theoretical, or scholarly work or collections of works that have served significantly to further the scientific understanding of reading, its processes, its acquisition, or its instruction. One award is given every other year.
D.4.2 Self-nominations are not accepted. Both nominees and nominators must be voting members of the Society. They do not need to have submitted an abstract for the upcoming conference.
D.4.3 Nominators must provide a 500-word rationale summarizing the nominee’s distinctive and sustained contribution to the science of reading and its applications, the nominee’s CV, and the nominee’s top ten citations. The 500-word rationale must be signed by at least two nominators. All application materials must be emailed to [email protected] by the given deadline.
D.4.4 The recipient is required to give a plenary talk at the conference one year after the conference in which the award is announced. The award package provides free registration to the conference and social event, four nights in the conference hotel, and one year’s free membership for the year the plenary talk is given.
D.5.0 Rebecca L. Sandak Award
D.5.1 The Rebecca L. Sandak Award is intended to recognize a gifted young reading researcher who shows outstanding promise and dedication to the field. One award is given every year.
D.5.2 Applications can include self-nominations and nominations from others. Applicants/nominees must be doctoral students, postdocs, faculty, lecturers, or research scientists who have received their PhD within the last five years (no earlier than July of the fifth calendar year prior to the year of application/nomination). Considerations are given for medical or parental leave, if requested. Applicants must attend the upcoming conference to present any type of paper. Applicants are not required to be members of the Society.
D.5.3 Applicants or nominators should email the following documents to [email protected] by the given deadline: a 1-page nomination letter (single spaced, 1-inch margins, 11-point font) summarizing the applicant’s research and making the case for the nominee’s promise and dedication to the field, and the nominee’s CV.
D.5.4 The award package provides free registration to the conference and social event for either the upcoming conference or the following year’s conference, as well as one year’s free membership for the following year.
D.6.0 Carol Connor Mid-Career Award
D.6.1 The Carol Connor Mid-Career Award is intended to recognize a mid-career researcher in the field of scientific studies of reading who is currently active in research and has a distinguished research record over a substantial period. Other factors considered include breadth of research achievement and contribution to the advancement of the science of reading. One award is given each year.
D.6.2 Nominees must have gained their PhD 10–20 years prior to nomination (taking into account career breaks for caring responsibilities, medical leave, part-time employment, etc.). Both nominees and nominators must be voting members of SSSR.
D.6.3 Nominators should email the following documents to [email protected] by the given deadline: the nominee’s CV and a nomination letter (no longer than two pages) explaining how the nominee meets the criteria, with specific examples.
D.6.4 The recipient is required to give a plenary talk at the conference one year after the conference in which the award is announced. The award package provides free registration to the conference and social event for either the upcoming conference or the following year’s conference, as well as one year’s free membership for the following year.
D.7.0 Travel Award
D.7.1 The Travel Awards are given to individuals from countries with emerging or developing economies who attend and present at the SSSR conference. Four awards are given each year.
D.7.2 Applicants must be both a citizen and a resident of a country listed as low or middle income on the list provided on the Travel Award webpage (derived from the World Bank classification system). If the applicant pool allows, two awards should be given to researchers who have a PhD and two to researchers who do not have a PhD. Applicants must attend the upcoming conference to present any type of paper. They are not required to be members of the Society.
D.7.3 Applicants must self-nominate by emailing the following documents to [email protected] by the given deadline: a completed application form, a CV, and a 1-page letter of support (single spaced, 1-inch margins, 11-point font) from someone who can speak to their suitability for this award.
D.7.4 Applications are reviewed by the Association Manager. Where the number of eligible applications exceeds the allotted number of awards, the applications should be ranked by average score awarded to the conference submission and the top allotted number awarded. In instances where several awards tie, up to 2 additional awards can be given. Where this process does not ensure a score distinction, the Awards Committee Chair, in consultation with the President, should decide allocations by considering factors such as career stage and previous conference attendance.
D.7.5 The award package provides free registration to the conference and social event, four nights in the conference hotel, and one year’s free membership for the following year.
D.8.0 Outstanding Reviewer Award
D.8.1 The Outstanding Reviewer Award recognizes the invaluable contribution of volunteer reviewers who have provided quality, exemplary, thoughtful, and timely reviews of manuscripts submitted to Scientific Studies of Reading. Two awards are given each year.
D.8.2 All SSR reviewers are eligible and are automatically considered for this award by the Journal’s Editor-In-Chief. The selection process is through nominations by the Editor-In-Chief and Associate Editors, taking into account the quality and quantity of reviews. From 2025, winners of the award receive one year’s free membership.
D.9.0 FABBS Early Career Impact Award
D.9.1 The FABBS Early Career Impact Award is presented to early career scientists of FABBS (Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences) member societies during the first 10 years post-PhD and recognizes scientists who have made major contributions to the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior.
D.9.2 Nominees must have completed their PhD within the past 10 years and must have paid their SSSR membership fees for the current year.
D.9.3 Applicants can nominate or self-nominate by emailing the nominee’s CV to [email protected] and completing the application form by the given deadline. The Chair of the Awards Committee then ranks the applications to determine SSSR’s winner, and then works with the winner to complete the FABBS submission form. Award winners receive an SSSR certificate at the following year’s conference.
E. Award Winners
E.1.0 Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award
The Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award recognizes empirical, theoretical, or scholarly work or collections of works that have served significantly to further the scientific understanding of reading, its processes, its acquisition, or its instruction. The award was instituted in 2000 and is given every other year.
2024 Catherine (Cammie) McBride
2022 Postponed
2020 Mark Seidenberg
2018 Charles Hulme
2016 Joanna P. Williams
2014 Rebecca Treiman
2012 Richard Wagner and Joseph Torgesen
2010 Maggie Snowling
2008 Hollis Scarborough
2006 Richard K. Olson
2004 Charles A. Perfetti
2002 Linnea Ehri
2000 Keith Stanovich and Peter Bryant
E.2.0 Distinguished Fellow Award (Discontinued)
1999 Richard Venezky
1998 Al Liberman, Don Shankweiler, and Isabel Liberman
1996 John Carroll, George McConkie, and Keith Rayner
E.3.0 Honorary Fellow
2012 Frank Vellutino
2011 Pieter Reitsma
E.4.0 Outstanding Scientific Contributions (Legacy)
1999 Peter Bryant
1997 Alvin Liberman, Isabelle Liberman, and Donald Shankweiler
1995 Keith Rayner and George McConkie
E.5.0 Citation for Excellence
2004 Ron Carver
E.6.0 Rebecca L. Sandak Young Investigator Award
The Rebecca L. Sandak Young Investigator Award was established in 2008 to honour the memory of Rebecca Sandak. The award recognizes a gifted young researcher who shows outstanding promise and dedication to the field. The award is given every year.
2025 Ye Shen and Marianne Rice
2024 Ashley Edwards and Rebecca Marks
2023 Signy Wegener
2022 Alida Hudson
2021 Mercedes Spencer and Annie Yixun Li
2020 Marc Goodrich and Elizabeth Stevens
2019 Florina Erbeli
2018 Jamie Quinn
2017 Laura Steacy
2016 Maaike Vandermosten
2015 Elsje van Bergen and Elizabeth Tighe
2014 Suzanne Adlof and Sara Hart
2013 Fabienne Chetail
2012 Elizabeth Norton
2011 Yaacov Petscher and Jennifer Gilbert
2010 Eva Marinus
2009 Rebecca Betjemann
2008 Shelley Xiuli Tong
E.7.0 SSSR Taylor & Francis Award
The SSSR Taylor & Francis Award is given to promising young investigators attending the SSSR conference to present any type of paper. Four awards are given each year.
2025 Katie Hoferek; Brianna Paquette; Andrew Chang; Ying Xu
2024 Ana Paula Alves Vieira; Deran Kong; Meng-Hsun (Hunter) Lee; Seohyeon Choi
2023 Joseph Hin Yan Lam; Elvira Jéldrez; Irene Post; Leah Zimmermann
2021 Bowen Wang; Nosheen Gul; Tiffany Peltier; Marianne Rice
2020 Lauren Blockmans; Louisa Boagarts; Anna Erhorn; Sally Larsen
2019 Badriah Basma; Silke Vanparys; Zhihong Xu; Rouzana Komesidou
E.8.0 Carol Connor Mid-Career Award
The Carol Connor Mid-Career Award was established in 2022 to honour the memory of Carol Connor. The award recognizes a mid-career researcher in the field of scientific studies of reading who is currently active in research and has a distinguished research record over a substantial period. One award is given each year.
2025 Hélène Deacon
2024 Elsje van Bergen
2023 Shayne Piasta
E.9.0 FABBS Early Career Impact Award
The FABBS Early Career Impact Award is presented to early career scientists of FABBS (Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences) member societies within the first ten years post-PhD and recognizes scientists who have made major contributions to the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior.
2025 Elizabeth Tighe
2022 Elsje van Bergen
2019 Sara Hart
F. Meeting Sites
Below is the complete list of SSSR Annual Meeting sites. For archived programmes, conference dates, and additional details, see the Past Conferences page on the SSSR website.
F.1 2026 Thirty-Third Annual Meeting — Rotterdam, The Netherlands
F.2 2025 Thirty-Second Annual Meeting — Calgary, Canada
F.3 2024 Thirty-First Annual Meeting — Copenhagen, Denmark
F.4 2023 Thirtieth Annual Meeting — Port Douglas, Australia
F.5 2022 Twenty-Ninth Annual Meeting — Newport Beach, CA, USA
F.6 2021 Twenty-Eighth Annual Meeting — Virtual
F.7 2020 Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting (Cancelled)
F.8 2019 Twenty-Sixth Annual Meeting — Toronto, Canada
F.9 2018 Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting — Brighton, United Kingdom
F.10 2017 Twenty-Fourth Annual Meeting — Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
F.11 2016 Twenty-Third Annual Meeting — Porto, Portugal
F.12 2015 Twenty-Second Annual Meeting — The Big Island, HI, USA
F.13 2014 Twenty-First Annual Meeting — Santa Fe, NM, USA
F.14 2013 Twentieth Annual Meeting — Hong Kong, China
F.15 2012 Nineteenth Annual Meeting — Montreal, Canada
F.16 2011 Eighteenth Annual Meeting — St. Pete Beach, FL, USA
F.17 2010 Seventeenth Annual Meeting — Berlin, Germany
F.18 2009 Sixteenth Annual Meeting — Boston, MA, USA
F.19 2008 Fifteenth Annual Meeting — Asheville, NC, USA
F.20 2007 Fourteenth Annual Meeting — Prague, Czech Republic
F.21 2006 Thirteenth Annual Meeting — Vancouver, Canada
F.22 2005 Twelfth Annual Meeting — Toronto, Canada
F.23 2004 Eleventh Annual Meeting — Amsterdam, The Netherlands
F.24 2003 Tenth Annual Meeting — Boulder, CO, USA
F.25 2002 Ninth Annual Meeting — Chicago, IL, USA
F.26 2001 Eighth Annual Meeting — Boulder, CO, USA
F.27 2000 Seventh Annual Meeting — Stockholm, Sweden
F.28 1999 Sixth Annual Meeting — Montreal, Quebec, Canada
F.29 1998 Fifth Annual Meeting — San Diego, CA, USA
F.30 1997 Fourth Annual Meeting — Chicago, IL, USA
F.31 1996 Third Annual Meeting — New York, NY, USA
F.32 1995 Second Annual Meeting — San Francisco, CA, USA
F.33 1994 First Annual Meeting — New Orleans, LA, USA
© 2026 Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (SSSR). All rights reserved.
This handbook is reviewed and updated annually by the Past-President.