Governance Discussion -- Amendment #1

Shawn Kenney just sent me the five amendments that he has proposed for the ABM agenda. I'll post them one at a time sans comment over the next several days. (I'll make my comments separate from the main posts.) Feel free to post your comments here. Discussion on these is also occurring (or, at least, being prompted) on M-Pol and m-grapevine.

--Jared
http://boxmasterscorner.blogspot.com



Petition 1: Amendment Summary
Remove the role of second vice chair. Modifications to responsibilities of the hearings committee will need to be made to reflect this change.

---

Affected Bylaws
Article III, Item 3
(3) The elective officers of the society shall be as follows: Chairman, First Vice-Chairman, Second Vice- Chairman, the Regional Vice-Chairmen, Secretary and Treasurer.

Article III, Item 11
(a) In the case of vacancy in the office of Chairman or First Vice-Chairman, the officer(s) next in line shall move up and the successor shall serve in the office of Second Vice-Chairman.

Article IV
(2) The duties of the First Vice-Chairman shall be to assist in the discharge of the Chairman's duties and to act as substitute during the Chairman's absence or inability to serve.

(3) The duties of the Second Vice-Chairman shall be to assist in the discharge of the Chairman's duties and to act as substitute during the First Vice-Chairman's absence or inability to serve.

Article IX, Item 5, Section a

(5) A member may be suspended from specific activities, offices, positions or functions, for a specified time, or suspended from membership for a specified time, or expelled from membership, for acts inimical to the society. No member shall be suspended or expelled from American Mensa, Ltd. except following a fair and impartial hearing by the Hearings Committee at which hearing the member shall have the right to present his/her case. A decision by the Hearings Committee to suspend or expel a member from American Mensa, Ltd., shall require the concurrence of the American Mensa Committee.

(a) The Hearings Committee shall be composed of the three most recent Past Chairmen, provided that each is a dues-paid member of American Mensa, Ltd., and not involved in the matter(s) in controversy. In the event that one or more of the three most recent Past Chairmen be unavailable -- or incapacitated, in the judgment of the remainder of the Hearings Committee, following a challenge by any of the parties  involved -- vacancies, using the same criteria, shall be filled, in order, from the three most recent First Vice-Chairmen who are not currently serving on the American Mensa Committee; and following them, from the three most recent Second Vice-Chairmen not currently serving on the American Mensa Committee; and following them, from the three most recent Secretaries not serving on the American Mensa Committee. The Hearings Committee shall be chaired by the least recent Past Chairman serving on it, or, if none is available, the least recent First Vice-Chairman, or, if none is available, the least recent Second Vice-Chairman, or, if none is available, the least recent Secretary.

---

Revised Bylaws
Article III
The elective officers of the society shall be as follows: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, the Regional Vice-Chairmen, Secretary and Treasurer.

Article III, Item 11
(a) In the case of vacancy in the office of Chairman, the officer(s) next in line shall move up and the successor shall serve in the office of Vice-Chairman.

Article IV
(2) The duties of the Vice-Chairman shall be to assist in the discharge of the Chairman's duties and to act as substitute during the Chairman's absence or inability to serve.  In the situation where the Vice Chairman is absent or unable to serve, or is unable to assume the roles of the Chairman in their absence, their duties will be assumed by the senior most elected director of the AMC based on uninterrupted time served on the AMC.

(3) This item will be stricken from the bylaws.  Item numbers will be adjusted to accommodate the remaining items for this Article.

Article IX
(5) A member may be suspended from specific activities, offices, positions or functions, for a specified time, or suspended from membership for a specified time, or expelled from membership, for acts inimical to the society. No member shall be suspended or expelled from American Mensa, Ltd. except following a fair and impartial hearing by the Hearings Committee at which hearing the member shall have the right to present his/her case. A decision by the Hearings Committee to suspend or expel a member from American Mensa, Ltd., shall require the concurrence of the American Mensa Committee.

(a) The Hearings Committee shall be composed of the three most recent Past Chairmen, provided that each is a dues-paid member of American Mensa, Ltd., and not involved in the matter(s) in controversy. In the event that one or more of the three most recent Past Chairmen be unavailable -- or incapacitated, in the judgment of the remainder of the Hearings Committee, following a challenge by any of the parties involved -- vacancies, using the same criteria, shall be filled, in order, from the three most recent Vice-Chairmen who are not currently serving on the American Mensa Committee; and following them, from the three most recent Secretaries not serving on the American Mensa Committee. The Hearings Committee shall be chaired by the least recent Past Chairman serving on it, or, if none is available, the least recent Vice-Chairman, or, if none is available, the least recent Secretary.

Pro-Position Statement on Proposed Amendment
The role of Second Vice-Chairman is an unnecessary position that can be filled by existing roles on the AMC.