Procedures for Business Meetings, Nominations, and Elections

 

Adopted 12/4/2004

 

The Halsey Hall Chapter conducts two types of business meetings: meetings of the board of directors, which occur every other month, and the full membership meeting at the semi-annual chapter meetings.  (A note regarding minutes: the minutes that are distributed and approved at full membership meetings should be those from the previous membership meeting, not the previous board of directors meeting; likewise, the minutes distributed and approved at the board of directors meeting should be from the last board meeting, not the last membership meeting.)

 

It is up to the president to make sure a meeting time is set, to solicit reports and agenda items from officers and committee chairs, and to distribute the final agenda, including reports on the consent agendas to board members. 

 

The consent agenda will consist of reports from officers and committee chairs.  These will be typed up and distributed in advance to board members for the board meetings.  For the full membership meetings, enough copies of the consent agenda (as well as the overall agenda) should be made to allow each person in attendance to have a copy.  The consent agenda allows routine items to be discussed without the time-consuming nature of calling on each officer/committee chair and asking for an oral report.  However, particular items of a consent agenda may be discussed at the request of a member.  Some functions, such as the planning of chapter meetings, should be discussed beyond their inclusion in the consent agenda.

 

Board of Director Meetings

It has been the practice of the chapter since its inception in 1985 for the board of directors to meet every other month.  Typically, the meetings have been on the first weekend of the even-numbered months.  Each board can develop its own procedures for the exact times and dates of their meetings. 

 

The first board meeting following the spring chapter meeting will include the current board (of outgoing and holdover directors) and the incoming board (of incoming and holdover directors).  This meeting should be held prior to July 1, which is the date that new directors and officers assume their positions.  Since this transitional meeting is held prior to July 1, only the current board may vote and perform business.  The exception to this is the election of officers from the incoming board (See below under Election of Officers.)  Although the incoming board cannot transact any other official business beyond the election of officers, it may want to use the opportunity of this meeting to begin planning for the coming year and establish objectives and goals.  The board may also want to set a date for the fall chapter meeting at this time.

 

At the board meetings prior to the fall and spring chapter meetings (usually in October and April), enough time should be planned to thoroughly discuss the upcoming chapter meeting.

 

At the final board meeting before the end of the calendar year (usually in December), the appointments of publication editors and webmaster should be made.  The current holders of these positions can be reappointed, but a positive action must be taken to reappoint the existing editors/webmaster or to appoint new editors/webmaster.

 

Other chapter members are welcome to attend board meetings, but only members of the current board of directors may vote.

 

Membership Meetings

Meetings of the full membership are held in conjunction with the spring and fall chapter meetings.  These may be held during lunch or scheduled for another time of the day.  As with the board meetings, the president should solicit reports from all officers and committee heads and provide these in the form of a consent agenda to all in attendance.

 

Nomination of Directors

Before the end of each calendar year, the president shall appoint a chapter member to chair the nominating committee.  The immediate past president is a prime candidate for this position, although the chair can be any member of the chapter.

 

The nominating committee chair is encouraged to appoint one or two others to the committee and to discuss, with other committee members and/or the board of directors, possible candidates for the board.  Early in the new calendar year, a call shall be issued to all chapter members that the nominating committee is seeking candidates to serve a two-year term on the board of directors.  Interested members will be invited to contact the nominating committee to indicate an interest in running for the board.  The nominating committee may also take the initiative in contacting members to see if they are interested in running.

 

While the committee should make sure that all candidates are members in good standing in SABR (which can be ascertained from the SABR web site or the SABR office), the committee will do no screening beyond that.  It will pass on all names of interested and eligible candidates to the chapter for the election at the spring chapter business meeting.  There is no minimum nor maximum number of candidates that the nominating committee will put forward to the chapter.   

 

Election of Directors

Under new business at the spring chapter business meeting, the election of directors will take place.  Four directors will be elected to two-year terms at meetings in odd-numbered years and three directors elected to two-year terms at meetings in even-numbered years.  The president should announce which directors will be leaving the board.  The report of the nominating committee will then place into nomination the names of candidates that have indicated their interest to the committee and/or that have been recruited by the committee.

 

Regardless of the number of nominees put forward by the nominating committee, additional nominations will be open from the floor.  The president should make sure ample opportunity is given for further nominations and should not allow nominations to close until asking “Are there any further nominations?” three times.  If the number of nominees is the same as the number of vacancies for board positions, the president should ask for a motion to accept the slate of candidates and then call for a vote.  If there are more nominees than vacancies, an election should be held by paper ballot.  Each candidate should be given the opportunity to give a brief statement.  Voters can vote for up to three candidates in even-numbered years (where there are three vacancies) and up to four candidates in odd-numbered years (where there are four vacancies).  If there is a tie for the final board position, a separate election should be held between the candidates who are tied.

 

If any additional openings develop as a result of a board member resigning, this should be filled in a separate election.  The person with the most votes in this election will serve the remainder of the term of the person resigning.

 

Election of Officers

At the first board meeting following the election of directors at the spring chapter meeting, the incoming and holdover directors will elect, from among themselves, a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.  The president of the current board will administer the elections, but only members of the incoming board are allowed to vote in these elections.  The new vice president will appoint committee chairs (and will serve as an ex-officio member of the committees) and should attempt to make these assignments before July 1. 

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