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April 24, 2007 Subj: Late Additions to BOT Meeting Agenda Refer to: Central Region Letter 02-07 ********* Dear Central Region Alumni:
As I pointed out in my other Newsletters, my duty to communicate with you is made clear by the Alumni Association Bylaws/Operating Manual: “…being a Trustee of the Association involves serious responsibility...Of utmost importance is the responsibility to communicate effectively in explaining to our individual constituencies about issues, initiatives and activities of the Association.”
I received two additional changes to the BOT agenda this morning for vote at the BOT meeting. As with the earlier proposal the vote is to be taken in one step, rather than the two-step process called for by the bylaws.
One late proposal is a Bylaw change which relieves the alumni membership from voting for the Chair and Vice Chair and, instead, puts the selection in the hands of a Selection Committee with ratification by the BOT. No write-in candidates would be allowed. Alumni members would only vote for their respective Region Trustee, and write-in candidates would be allowed for that position.
The second late proposal is a change to the Operating Manual that adds the appointed Chairs of all Standing Committees to the Executive Committee.
I leave tomorrow morning (Wednesday, 4/25) for Annapolis and there is no time left for me to solicit your input on these important proposed changes. (I received about 300 emails from you on the Association email proposal that I sent to you on April 19; your emails ran about 10 to 1 against the proposal based on censorship implied by the third restriction in the proposal).
Based on various other past inputs I received from the majority of you, I intend to oppose any proposal which takes away the right of the membership to vote for its leadership. As it is now, alumni only vote for Chair, Vice Chair, and their respective Region Trustee under current bylaws. It is one of the few rights that members have to exercise oversight on the Alumni Association. The proposal would take away that important right from alumni and vest it in a few. I will also oppose adding appointed positions to the Executive Committee. The Bylaws state the Executive Committee’s function is to act on behalf of the BOT in between BOT meetings. With modern telecommunications and email, the full BOT should be available for all important decisions, as we were recently on a construction budget increase decision for the Ogle Hall rehab project.
I apologize for this untimely Newsletter, but I just received this information myself. Please do not send me email input on the two late proposals described above because I have no way in Annapolis of receiving your input in a timely way. I will return home late Monday, April 30, and will issue my report on the BOT meeting to you within a day or two afterwards. The two late proposals follow verbatim:
“Proposed Bylaws Change
Proposed new Sections
Section 4.5 Nominations. At least fifteen (15) days prior to the second regular meeting of the Board each year, the nominating committee shall present to the Board a list of candidates to fill pending vacancies in the regional trustees. Those nominees who are approved by the Board will thereafter be presented to the regular members for election in their respective regions pursuant to this Article. Nominations may be submitted to the Nominating Committee. In addition, nominations may be submitted to the nominating committee by petition pursuant to procedures established by the Board. Those nominees presented to the Nominating Committee for approval by the Board shall be those nominated, elected and voted upon (including write-ins and petitions) by only members of their respective region.
Section 4.6 Selection of Chair and Vice Chair. A Selection Committee will be appointed to identify a Chair and Vice Chair of the Board. The Selection Committee will present their recommendation to the Board for approval, at least fifteen (15) days prior to the second regular meeting of the Board to fill the vacancy of the departing Chair or Vice Chair.
Section 4.7
“Proposed Change to Operating Manual Section VI D . Proposed (addition underlined)
D. Executive Committee The Executive
Committee consists of the following voting members: Chair, Vice Chair,
President, one class trustee (Chair of the Council of Class Presidents), one
chapter trustee
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