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Bylaw Changes
Change to Election Notification Requirements
Old bylaw:
Written notice must be given or sent to each voting member, by regular or electronic mail, at least sixty (60) days prior to the set date of the commencement of the election.
New bylaw:
Written notice must be given or sent to each voting member, by regular or electronic mail sent expressly for the purpose, at least forty-five (45) days prior to the set date of the commencement of an election. Candidates must be allowed to register for at least seven (7) days after notices are sent.
For:
This measure is intended to notify members and potential candidates of upcoming elections in a clear and timely manner. It also creates a minimum 7-day registration period for candidates, ensuring that no one can be arbitrarily blocked from running. The current rule allows notice to be sent out as a part of any email 60+ days before the election, which could be used to exclude candidates and is too early to be useful. Finally, a shorter notification deadline makes it easier for NYRA to coordinate elections.
Against:
The current system hasn't presented any problems and some may prefer more notice before elections.
Two Year Terms for Board Members
Old bylaw:
The directors shall be elected by the members at an annual election and shall serve for a term of one year.
New bylaw:
The directors shall be elected by the members at an annual election to serve for a term of two years. Four directors from the 2011 annual election will be randomly chosen to serve for two years and five will serve for one year. In subsequent years, all board members will be elected for a two-year term and the number of seats up for consideration will alternate.
Old bylaw:
Any vacancy on the board may be filled by appointment by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the board of directors, binding until the next annual general election.
New bylaw:
Any vacancy on the board may be filled by appointment by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the board of directors, binding for the duration of the term of the director being replaced.
For:
Two-year terms will provide much-needed stability and institutional memory for NYRA. Directors will have the time to become effective at their jobs while still being accountable to voters. These staggered terms will also safeguard against malicious external influence, preventing an outside group from swooping in and voting NYRA out of existence. The current one-year term seems to come from the hated concept of the school year, out of tradition.
Against:
The current one-year term allows board members to be more responsive and accountable to the membership. Fears about stability are unwarranted as incumbent board members who are active and involved in NYRA have never had any trouble getting reelected. Outside groups taking control of NYRA in a single election is less of a concern than board members being elected and then doing a poor job, or being inactive for two full years, thus denying that seat to someone better. This will reduce the number of seats up for election each year. The two-year term proposal seems to come from a desire to protect incumbents at the expense of new candidates and new ideas.
Paid Staff Not Permitted to Run For Board
New bylaw:
Salaried or contracted National staff cannot be elected or appointed to the Board of Directors during their employment. Stipends would make a candidate ineligible, but reimbursements and benefits would not.
For:
This allows the Board to properly oversee NYRA's growing national office and bring in new Directors. The BOD should remain highly reliant on staff input, but will not be as dependent on it. It is a very common rule for nonprofits. Staff serving on the board could face conflicts of interest between their two roles.
Against:
While this is a common rule in other groups, it is not uncommon for staff to serve on non-profit boards either. Current staff have extensive experience in the field and are valuable to have on the board. The elected board may find it easier to ignore advice from staff.
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