On March 2, 2022, IASSIST President San Cannon announced that the Administrative Committee has endorsed a revision of the IASSIST constitution and has recommended that it be ratified by the general membership after a constitutionally required two-month notice period. To that end, a vote of ratification will be open to the IASSIST membership in early May 2022. Once ratified, the constitution will go into effect after the June Business Meeting.
The path leading up to the final proposed language was a long one and involved substantial review and input from various members of the Administrative Committee, IASSIST officers, committee chairs, and other interested IASSIST members. The IASSIST Constitutional Review Committee worked for months on proposed revisions; the final product reflects a wide and inclusive range of modifications—some provided operational clarity while others acknowledged the changing nature of communication in today’s world and the need for regional flexibility in some areas of our membership.
The AC-endorsed constitutional language language can be found on the IASSIST website
Why did the administrative committee decide to amend the IASSIST constitution?
The last revisions to the Constitution were made over 10 years ago, and it was time to refresh and revise this essential governing document. Among the goals were: To update the description of the objectives of the organization, to incorporate electronic voting and remote meeting participation, to update the duties of the officers, to clarify and make consistent the quorum and voting rules for business operations and elections, to add a new section in the by-laws about IASSIST Regional Chapters, and to make an overall cleanup of language and consistency.
The following is a summary of the substantive amendments, article by article, to have on hand as you read through the proposed revision of the constitution. As stated above, this review period is from March 2 until early May 2022.
Article 3 Objectives (revised)
- Article 6 Finances
- 6.4 Defined “member in good standing” which is used instead of “paid up member”
- 6.5 Membership fees will be set by the Administrative Committee (was the General Assembly)
- Article 7.3 Administrative Committee
- 7.3.3 Added Past Treasurer to Administrative Committee as non-voting member for one year.
- 7.3.5 Added Guidelines for when a Member at Large or Regional Secretary moves from one region to another (new)
- Article 8 Meetings
- 8.3 Notice given of Business Meeting no less than two months prior to scheduled meeting (was three months)
- Removed Article 8.4 from previous constitution: A quorum is not required to hold the annual Business Meeting since all votes that require a quorum will be held electronically to enable members-only voting and quorum verification.
- Article 10 Amendments
- 10.1 Clarified how the constitution shall be amended. Note that a quorum is to be defined as 25% of the membership, changed from 40 members. Quorum defined in new Article 12.7.
- Note 3/17/2022
- The administrative committee has approved changes to the details of how the constitution shall be amended. The sequence has been clarified whereby there shall be a two month notice to the membership of proposed amendments followed by the annual business meeting. Within 30 days of the business meeting there shall be a vote by members in good standing to ratify the revised constitution. Following the vote to ratify, the constitution shall go into immediate effect.
- Article 11 Dissolution
- 11.2 All property and funds of IASSIST will be transferred to an organization chosen by the Administrative Committee. Removed transfer to UNESCO.
- Article 12 By-laws
- Regional chapter duties have been added to officers’ descriptions (new)
- 12.1 Amendments to the By-laws
- By-laws may be amended by electronic ballot following one-month notice.
- 12.2 Elected Officials
- 12.2.2 Duties of the Immediate Past President (new)
- 12.2.4 Duties of the Regional Secretaries
- 12.2.4 (ix) serve as part of leadership of Regional Chapter if there is one
- 12.2.5 Duties of Members at Large
- 12.2.5 (viii) support the activities of the Regional Chapter, if there is one
- 12.2.7 Duties of the Treasurer
- 12.2.7 (viii) steward Regional Chapter funds, etc. (new)
- 12.2.7 (ix) confirm a quorum as required for voting.
- 12.3.1 Duties of the Regional Treasurer
- 12.3.1 (iv) assist the Treasurer with Regional Chapter funds, etc. (new)
- 12.7 Quorum (New Article)
- Definition of quorum has been changed to 25% of participating members (previously was 40 members)
- 12.8 Voting Rules (New Article)
- Definition of types of voting
- 12.9.2 (ii)
- Vote for Regional Secretary requires a quorum from the region. If a region is active but does not have a quorum during the vote for regional secretary, a second ballot will be distributed. If there is no quorum for the second vote, the Executive Committee will make an appointment (new)
- 12.9.2 (iii)
- Voting in elections have been and will continue to be done with simple majority and plurality. If there is a tie after a second ballot, Executive Committee will make an appointment.
- 12.10 Regional Chapters
- New section
Note: Other edits have been made in numbering and in the standardization of text.