Introduction to the Proposed By-Law Changes at the 2012 General Membership Meeting
The Annual Membership Meeting will be held during Conference on Thursday, May 3. Your attendance and participation is vital for the future of IACAC.
At this year’s meeting, we will be addressing a number of amendments to our organization’s by-laws. These proposed changes relate to both a major re-structuring of the Executive Board, as well as minor adjustments to comply with NACAC guidelines.
Re-Structure of the Executive Board
After two years of research, conversations with IACAC and NACAC members, and many diagrams, the Ad Hoc Committee on Board Structure has proposed a revised configuration for IACAC’s leadership. Their goals included improving the effectiveness of organization, as well as creating additional leadership opportunities for members. Their motivations and rationale have been thoroughly discussed in prior newsletter articles.
Below is an organizational chart of what the proposed board structure would look like if passed: Click to enlarge.
The Ad Hoc Committee will be hosting one final Q & A session about this proposal during session C-23, Wednesday afternoon at Conference.
Vote on Re-Structuring
In order to re-structure the Executive Board, an amendment involving changes to 18 by-laws will be presented and voted on at the Membership Meeting. These 18 changes will be voted on as one block, not individually, due to their interdependence. The outcome of this vote will determine how we proceed through the remaining by-law amendments, and how we will vote for executive board candidates.
Changes to Comply with NACAC Principles
Additionally, proposed by-law amendments will be presented and voted on that are designed to bring IACAC into compliance with NACAC guidelines. Most involve minor language modifications that will not affect the way that we conduct business.
The reason for these changes is because as an affiliate of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, we must adhere to their guiding principles, especially in the areas of Membership and the Statement of Principles of Good Practice. To ensure compliance, NACAC reviews the by-laws of its affiliates and makes recommendations for changes from time to time.
The block vote on board re-structuring will affect which by-laws will need to be amended. Therefore we have provided two sets of proposed revisions–those that we will present if the block vote passes, and those we will present in the event the block vote fails. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with both:
Seven by-law amendments will be voted on individually and only if the block amendment vote is passed
Ten by-law amendments will be voted on individually and only if the block amendment vote fails
Each proposed by-law amendment requires a three quarters vote of all voting members in attendance in order to pass (Article XI of the by-laws).
Admittedly, this year’s process will be both complicated and exciting (it may even require a second cup of coffee on Thursday morning). We thank you in advance for your patience and thoughtfulness as we work through this process together on May 3.
Respectfully,
Carin Smith
Lawrence University
IACAC Past President and Credentials Committee Chair