ASPET members attending the 2021 ASPET Business Meeting on April 27, 2021 voted on three motions. The electronic vote was conducted by eligible voting ASPET members (regular members, emeritus members, postdoc members, affiliate members, and graduate student) in attendance from 10:00 am – 11:15 am EDT.
All three motions were approved. The proposed amendments to the ASPET Bylaws will move forward to the full membership for vote. Details of the motions are below:
Motion 1: Approve the minutes of the 2019 Business Meeting.
Members at the 2021 business meeting voted to approve the minutes of the 2019 business meeting. Motion is approved.
Motion 2 and Motion 3:
Proposed Amendments to the ASPET Bylaws
As part of the ongoing governance review process initiated by ASPET Council, a comprehensive legal review of the ASPET Bylaws was conducted. This review was necessary to ensure the Society is compliant with both applicable city, state, and federal laws which may have changed over time, as well as current guidelines for governance practices of non-profit organization bylaws.
Two provisions were identified by ASPET legal counsel for immediate revision, both of which are being presented to the ASPET membership by the ASPET President, Dr. Charles France, during the current ASPET Business Meeting. The existing bylaw provisions and the recommended revisions are included below.
All proposed revisions have been reviewed and approved by both ASPET Council and ASPET legal counsel.
Dr. Charles France, ASPET President, provided information about the proposed bylaw changes during his presentation at the business meeting today, April 27, 2021.
Motion 2: Bylaws Revision #1 – Amendment Clause
Current Bylaws:
ARTICLE IX. Amendment of Bylaws
Adoption, alternation, or repeal of bylaws may be moved at any business session of the Society. Upon a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members present, the motion shall be submitted to the membership at large by ballot. Final passage shall require a three fifths majority vote of the members responding within 30 days after submission.
Proposed amendment approved by ASPET Council and ASPET legal counsel:
ARTICLE IX. Amendment of Bylaws
Amendments to the Bylaws may be initiated by a member of Council or by no less than five percent (5%) of the voting membership. The Council must act upon amendments within six months of initiation.
Following approval by Council, proposed amendments will be publicized for thirty (30) days during which active voting members may submit their ballot. The amendment is adopted by a simple majority of votes cast by the voting members.
Members at the 2021 business meeting voted to move the proposed amendment forward to the full ASPET membership. Motion is approved.
Motion 3: Bylaws Revision #2 – Publications Clauses
Current Bylaws:
SECTION 1. Board of Publications Trustees
ITEM 1. Functions. There shall be a Board of Publications Trustees with authority and responsibility delegated by the Council to control and manage, both editorially and financially, the Society's journals and nonserial publications.
SECTION 3. Journal Fund
All publication funds shall be separately accounted for subject to the control of the Board of Publications Trustees. Publication funds may be diverted for other than publication purposes upon affirmative vote of two-thirds of a combined meeting of the Board and Council with a quorum of each present.
Proposed amendment approved by ASPET Council and ASPET legal counsel:
SECTION 1. Publications Committee
ITEM 1. Functions. There shall be a Publications Committee with such authority as delegated to it by the Council to manage the Society's journals and nonserial publications.
Section 3. Journal Fund – DELETED
All references for the Board of Publications will be revised to Publications Committee throughout the Bylaws.
Members at the 2021 business meeting voted to move the proposed amendment forward to the full ASPET membership. Motion is approved.