Amendment to the Bylaws

The 2003 ballot includes a proposal to amend several sections of the Bylaws to reduce the size of the Board by two positions and to add the Immediate past president to the Executive Committee. The changes were recommended by the Long Range Budget and Planning Task Force to reduce the cost of Board meetings and enable the Board to function more efficiently. The Board of Trustees approved the proposal; the Committee on Bylaws supports the changes and wrote the appropriate amendments. The Board urges you to vote in favor of the amendment on the ballot.

The text below outlines the proposal and a timeline of its implementation. Approval of a majority of at least 33 1/3% of the eligible voting members is required for adoption.

The Board of Trustees proposes that the Bylaws be amended in order to

(a) Reduce the size of the Board of Trustees by two, by (1) combining the offices of secretary and treasurer into a new position of secretary-treasurer, and (2) eliminating one vice-president position.

(b) Add the immediate past president to the Executive Committee.

Implementation: To accommodate present officer terms and elections in progress, if adopted, the changes would be implemented in several stages, with complete implementation by the 2005 annual meeting. The stages would be as follows:

(1) 2003: The immediate past president would be added to the Executive Committee upon passage of the amendment.

(2) 2004: Elimination of one vice president, effective as of 2004 annual meeting. (Corresponding elimination of nomination and election of vice president in September 2003 and 2004, respectively.)

(3) 2005: Elimination of position of secretary and change in treasurer’s title to secretary-treasurer, effective as of 2005 annual meeting. (Corresponding elimination of nomination and election of the secretary in 2004 and 2005, respectively.)