For the last year, most of the focus of the Board of Directors has been on updating our by-laws in an attempt to reorganize our Association to better serve its members. This effort is now complete, and the Board has adopted a new set of by-laws that they are asking all members to review. All current SEAoA members will be asked to vote on these revisions in June.
Over the past few months the SEAoA state board has taken careful consideration of membership comments and operational issues to update the SEAoA Bylaws. The proposed new Bylaws are a significant improvement over the existing. I fully endorse these proposed changes. Please take the next 20 days to review these changes, and will you be asked to vote on the changes at the end of the month. Please contact me [twarner@smleng.com] or John Woodson [jwoodson@m3eng.com] with any questions.
Click here to download the old by-laws
Click here to download the new by-laws
Summary of Changes
(Click here to download this summary as a PDF file)
· Format - changed from 2-column periodical format to page width format for clarity.
· Titles - changed "Board of Trustees" to "Board of Directors", changed references from "Chapter" to "Board" or "Association" as applicable.
· Article I: Purpose & Mission - no significant changes.
· Article II: Organization - shortened descriptions with references to other Articles to eliminate redundancies.
· Article III: Membership
o Changed "Association" member status to "Associate"
o Changed Junior member max age from 33 to 35 years of age. Made transition from Junior to Associate/Full automatic upon licensure. After 35, Junior members automatically become Affiliate members.
o Added Student member status
o Added voting rights for Honorary members who were previously Full members
o Added Retired member status; retain voting right if previously Full members, 50% of Full member dues
o Allowed for Associate members to vote on association business
o Only Full members in good standing are entitled to vote on changes to the Bylaws
o Modified endorsement of new members to only one Full member (from 3 members, 2 of them Full members)
· Article IV: Fee & Contributions - clarified "Dues" definition to include any affiliated association dues (i.e. NCSEA, WCSEA)
· Article V: Board of Directors - overhauled entire Board structure as follows:
o President elected annually, at-large
o Each Chapter will elect two Directors to serve on the Board, serving alternating two year terms
o An additional Director to be elected annually, at-large
o Past President serves one year term
o This Board (currently consisting of 2 Chapters, 7 members) will then designate two Directors from the group to serve as Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. This selection is to take place at the first Board meeting of the year.
o No nominations for President from same Chapter as previous year. If no alternative exists, then at-large Director must be chosen from a Chapter not affiliated with that of the sitting President.
o President may be nominated, by vote of the Board, for a succeeding term. If sitting President is re-elected, then Past President position will be filled by an additional Director from a Chapter not affiliated with that of the President.
o Nominations for Directors shall be Full or Associate members
o Elections shall take place prior to the end the Association's fiscal year
· Article VI: Responsibilities of the Board - no significant changes.
· Article VII: Duties of the Board - no significant changes.
· Article VIII: Meetings of the Board
o Required 4 meetings per year (previously only 2)
o Redefined Quorum as 2/3 of Board (previously "majority")
o Redefined Board member alternate, for voting purposes, as a designate with Full or Associate membership status, not currently a member of the Board
o Action of the Board now requires 2/3 of Board (previously "majority")
o Redefined challenge by the members of the Association to a majority vote of the voting members (previously only Full members)
· Article IX: Meetings of Membership - no significant changes.
· Article X: Appointments - no significant changes.
· Article XI: Chapters
o Eliminated requirement for Chapters to prepare individual Bylaws
o Eliminated officer duty requirements for the Chapters by the State except for that of a Treasurer who is responsible for reporting to the Board
o Redefined geographic extents of Chapter
§ Multiple Chapters in Maricopa County possible
§ Requires unanimous Board approval for definition of boundaries
§ No overlapping boundaries
§ Chapters can limit members to only those who reside or conduct business within their boundary
§ Added possibility for Student Chapters at a Board approved Arizona college or university
· Article XII: Fiscal Year - redefined Fiscal Year as July 1 through June 30 (previously June 1 through May 31)
· Article XIII: Limitation of Liability - no significant changes.
· Article XIV: Financial Policy - no significant changes.
· Article XV: Antitrust Policy - no significant changes.
· Article XVI: Amendments
o Voting for amendments shall be done by mail or electronic balloting; notice shall be given by mail and/or email 20 days prior to final vote date (previous votes at annual Association meeting only, mail distribution only)
o Amendments shall be made by 2/3 vote of voting members (previously Full members only)
o Emergency amendments by the Board are subject to subsequent approval by 2/3 vote of the voting members of the Association within 30 days (previously no time limit)
