In accordance with the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) bylaws, Article IX, Section 4, we the undersigned paid voting members of the SAA petition the Board of Directors to hold a referendum vote by electronic ballot sent to all members.

We formally petition the Board of Directors for a referendum vote on the adoption into the bylaws of the following policy, derived from a policy adopted on April 16th, 2019, by the American Anthropological Association:

"Individuals who are currently sanctioned for assault or harassment by an adjudicating institution (e.g., a university, court, or other recognized adjudicating body) will be barred from taking part in SAA events, including annual meetings. Appeals may be requested in the case of advance registration; on-site registration for such individuals will not be permitted. If a current member is sanctioned for sexual misconduct, their membership may be terminated, subject to the procedures defined in the SAA bylaws, Article IV, Section 13 - Termination of Membership."

This petition for a referendum is a direct response to the events that transpired at the 2019 annual meeting. Further information on those events is provided below.