Feature
During the 2006 legislative year, APA's Council of Representatives approved submitting to the APA membership proposed bylaws amendments that would clarify the number of required candidates for board and committee nominations and replace the Membership Committee with a Membership Board and Fellows Committee. Council also voted not to send pro/con statements with the proposed amendments.
The ballot will be sent to the membership with the Apportionment Ballot on Nov. 1. Below are the proposed bylaws amendments; bracketed text is to be deleted and underlined text is to be added.
The first proposed bylaws amendment will clarify the language determining the number of candidates required for board and committee election slates.
BYLAWS ARTICLE XI: Boards and Committees, Section 1
1. The boards and committees of the Association shall consist of the standing boards and committees provided by these Bylaws and such other boards and committees as may be established in accordance with the Association Rules. Members of standing boards and committees, except those serving as ex officio or as otherwise stated in these Bylaws, shall be elected for staggered terms by Council. [The Board of Directors may nominate a single person for not more than one-third of the positions on any standing board or committee, and the Board shall nominate at least two persons for at least two-thirds of the positions.] Nomination of candidates shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors, after receiving recommendations from the relevant boards and committees. At least two persons shall be included on a slate for each vacancy on the board and committee election ballot. Selections of members to committees other than standing committees and those reporting directly to the Board of Directors and Council shall be the responsibility of the board through which the committee reports, with the approval of the Board of Directors. The respective standing boards shall have the responsibility for the supervision and coordination of the committees of the Association whose activities fall within their scope. Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, each standing board and committee shall annually elect its own Chair. Standing boards and committees shall meet not less often than annually at the call of their Chair. They shall report annually in writing to the Board of Directors and Council.
The second proposed bylaws amendment will restructure the Membership Committee into a Membership Board with a separate Fellows Committee created under the Membership Board.
The Council of Representatives will send with the amendment ballot the following statement regarding the proposed amendment to Article XI, Section 2:
"The Council of Representatives asks the membership to approve the reconstitution of the Membership Committee into a Membership Board, with a newly established Fellows Committee reporting to the Membership Board. The newly established Fellows Committee will review nominations for fellows and make recommendations to the Board of Directors through the Membership Board, thereby providing the reconstituted Membership Board the opportunity to focus more attention and resources on the association's membership recruitment, retention and engagements efforts."
BYLAWS ARTICLE XI: Boards and Committees, Section 2
2. [The Membership Committee shall be composed of Fellows of the Association, not fewer than three in number, elected for terms of not less than three years.] The Membership Board shall consist of no fewer than eight Members and one Affiliate of the Association. At least two of the members shall be Fellows of the Association. The remaining members shall be selected to represent the diverse memberships of the Association. Members of the Board shall serve for staggered terms of three years each, except when filling a vacancy on the Board. The [Committee] Board shall have responsibility for the oversight of membership recruitment and retention activities for the Association. The [Committee] Board shall have the authority to elect qualified persons to initial Member or Associate member status. The Membership Board is responsible for establishing and regulating the APA criteria that the Fellows Committee uses to review and to recommend member nominees for election to Fellow status. The [Committee] Board shall [also review nominations for Fellows and shall report their recommendations on each case] receive nominations from the Fellows Committee and shall forward recommendations without alterations or comments to the Board of Directors.
--G. Coad
Garnett Coad is APA's director of elections.
