Proposed Bylaws 7.08.08

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Proposed Bylaws 7.08.08

• American Association of University Women, Inc.
• Presentation CO AAUW 9/13/08

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Three overarching goals

• 1. Streamline the Bylaws.
• 2. Make them more flexible.
• 3. Provide a structure that will promote
  members and potential members connection to
  AAUW as a national organization with multiple
  ways to participate. This will also address our
  ever-aging demographics and the need to appeal to
  multiple generations who may have different
  reasons for joining AAUW and different
  expectations.

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1. Streamline

• Created fewer standing committees, only those
  required or necessary
• Reduced verbiage in the Purpose article
• Deleted cumbersome delegate system
• Deleted Conference of State Presidents and
  Initiative and Referendum articles (these can go
  in policies)

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Streamline, cont

• Simplified articles on states and branches
• Deleted designated regions, although various
  geographic areas or combinations of states are
  options as a means to facilitate mission-based
  programming. On balance, regions as they exist
  now do not greatly facilitate the mission,
  especially with increasing connections through
  technology. Nearly all regions expend major
  efforts by the regional directors and leaders on
  a regional conference that typically is attended
  by only a small number of members. It is planned
  that in the future there will be field staff or
  trained volunteers to work with the grassroots.

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2. Flexibility

• Anyone who supports the mission may be a member
• Only individual or institutional membership is
  addressed specific types of individual
  membership such as paid life or student
  membership can be created by the Board and
  addressed in policies and working rules
• States are free to have a state structure or no
  state structure
• Members may form interstate structures if desired

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Flexibility, cont

• Branches are free to choose their branch
  structure with no required positions other than
  an administrative and a financial contact
• The AAUW Board may appoint task forces and
  committees as desired and needed
• Non-AAUW members may be appointed to committees
  for expertise provided the majority of the
  committee are AAUW members
• Every member has a vote

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3. Connection to and participation in AAUW

• Members will pay dues directly to AAUW nationally
  
• AAUW may create informal geographic, issue, or
  interest groups or networks that would exist
  nationally as additional ways for members to
  participate in AAUW.
• Virtual, online branches without geographic
  boundaries may be formed
• Members may attend the Annual Meeting as well as
  Convention, which gives them an additional
  opportunity to participate nationally
• One member/one vote on all noticed business will
  enhance participation on the national level

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Article IV. Membership and Dues.

• Membership If a person supports education and
  equity for women and girls, she or he should be
  allowed to join us. People participate in an
  organization when they are committed to its
  mission and cause.
• We shouldnt deny membership to those who seek us
  out because they wish to work for womens
  education and equity, but they lack a required
  degree.
• Membership in AAUW may even motivate them to
  obtain a degree or inspire members to mentor them
  in obtaining a degree.
• Additionally, too often leaders are put in the
  position of having to defend inequitable
  membership criteria for an organization committed
  to equity.

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Dues

• Members will pay national dues directly to AAUW,
  preferably online, and additionally elect to be
  branch and/or state members by paying those dues
  at the same time.
• We have been assured staff will be able to
  implement this system by July 1, 2009.
• The amount of national dues for individual
  members will be determined by a 2/3 vote of the
  Board of Directors, but members must be notified
  60 days in advance to provide the opportunity for
  feedback.
• These Bylaws would allow the Board to set
  different dues for segments of members as desired
  (life members, students, graduate students,
  seniors, e-members, etc.).

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Article VII. Board of Directors

• This article covers essentially the same
  responsibilities as the current AAUW and
  Foundation Bylaws.
• One addition is oversee a unified program
  focus.
• This is an important, obvious responsibility at
  present, but we also felt including this would
  insure that the current functions of the
  Membership, Program Development, Public Policy,
  and International Affairs committees would not be
  lost and the Board would be taking
  responsibility for them.
• We recognize there will be concern that these are
  no longer listed as standing committees. However,
  not only is the Board given responsibility in
  these Bylaws for these areas but it is also given
  the authority to create committees or task forces
  that meet current or specific needs of the
  organization.

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Article X. States

• Whether there is a state structure or not, or a
  structure among states, will be determined by the
  members of the respective areas.
• But all states will be free to make that choice,
  as well as to combine with another state if they
  wish. The only requirement is that such
  structures further AAUWs mission and program and
  that they provide AAUW with an administrative
  contact.
• No specific positions will be required. If a
  state has no structure, the AAUW Board will
  appoint a liaison in consultation with the
  branches in that state.
• If there is a state or interstate structure, all
  branches within that structure will be
  automatically affiliated.

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Article XI. Branches

• Branches will continue to be created by the
  official approval of AAUW, and they will need
  basic bylaws.
• But they may create whatever leadership structure
  suits their needs, provided there is an
  administrative and a financial contact. There
  will be no other required positions.
• There will be no minimum number required to be a
  branch if a branch maintains its viability with
  a very small membership, thats fine.
• This article also provides for online branches
  that exist without geographical boundaries.

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Article XV. Meetings of the Membership

• Article XV. Meetings of the Membership.
• One major change from the current AAUW Bylaws is
  the requirement by DC corporate law of an Annual
  Meeting. All members of AAUW must be notified of
  the Annual Meeting and given the opportunity to
  attend.
• The Annual Meeting can be a simple meeting,
  probably held in conjunction with a Board
  meeting, at which written reports of the
  organization are received, plus any other
  business the Board wishes to bring to the
  membership.
• Or it can be a meeting with an extensive agenda
  and program, like our current Convention.
• The proposed Bylaws retain the possibility of a
  Convention, but not as a requirement. We assume
  that if there is a Convention, the Annual Meeting
  will occur in conjunction.

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A Special Meeting

• of the membership may be called if there is AAUW
  business to be considered and voted on that
  cannot wait for the Annual Meeting or Convention.
  
• Members may attend the Special Meeting, Annual
  Meeting, or Convention in person or may vote
  electronically or by mail on the noticed business.

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Voting

• Every member is eligible to vote on noticed
  business, either in person or by mail or
  electronically, at a membership meeting.
• However, under DC and PA Code, a mail ballot
  cannot be sent to members without a meeting
  unless the vote is unanimous i.e., all members
  must vote and all must vote affirmatively for a
  motion to be adopted. Needless to say, this is
  impossible for an organization the size of AAUW.
• The only way for members to vote is to call a
  meeting (Annual Meeting, Convention, or Special
  Meeting). Once the meeting has been noticed to
  the members along with the business items
  (elections, Bylaws amendments, resolutions,
  and/or Public Policy Program), then members may
  vote in person or by ballot. Note that DC Code
  allows a member to vote by mail, electronically,
  telephonically, or by telegram.

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Voting, cont

• For the purpose of a quorum, all those who attend
  in person or vote by mail, electronically, or by
  other approved means are considered to be
  present. DC Code says the quorum is 10 of those
  eligible to vote unless stated otherwise in the
  Bylaws. We have chosen 5 as a more reasonable
  number.
• This article also includes the requirement
  adopted by the 2007 Convention delegates of a
  process by which member input is sought prior to
  the final vote. This should allow for proposed
  business to be discussed and possible changes
  incorporated before the final version goes out
  for a vote. As per the 2007 vote, the Board must
  adopt that process by a two-thirds vote and make
  it available to the membership.

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