2017 Bylaws Changes Recommended by the Alumnae Association Board

The Association board recommends the following changes to the association bylaws:

Changing Roles for the President and Executive Director

Over the past few years, it has become more evident that the association needs an executive director serving as the chief executive officer (CEO), overseeing operations of the organization, representing the association with the membership, across the Mount Holyoke campus and with the college officers. The board recommends that the executive director be the CEO, rather than the Chief Operating Officer (COO). We have also deleted language that indicates an option to hire an executive director to lead the association.

What has also become more apparent, is that having the association president, a volunteer position for an association member who does not usually live in western Massachusetts, as the CEO does not effectively serve the association and our membership. Accordingly, the board recommends that the president be the Chair of the association board of directors and continue to serve as a strategic support and advisor to the executive director in her leadership of the association.

New Board Position: President-Elect

In an effort to facilitate the onboarding of the association’s president, the board recommends creating the position of president-elect. The newly created role of president-elect will serve in a transition year the year prior to becoming association president. The board’s intent in creating this new board position is to invest more time for the incoming president to be fully acclimated to the demands of position before beginning her three-year term. Similarly, this onboarding year supports our volunteers, association staff, and leadership at the college, to become acquainted with the new president. The board recommends the creation of a president-elect position on the association’s board of directors.

External Achievement Awards Committee

Currently, the liaison between the association board of directors and the chair of the External Achievement Awards Committee (EAAC) is the chair of the Volunteer Stewardship Committee (VSC). The VSC focuses entirely on processes related to recruiting, managing, and recognizing volunteer engagement which is not directly related to the work of the EAAC. The board recommends that the liaison be the vice-president of the board.

Clubs Committee

The by-laws define the responsibility of the clubs committee as a resource for geographic clubs. Increasingly – and deliberately – as part of the association’s current strategic priorities, the association is serving as a resource to shared interest groups who would be served more effectively with similar guidance, tools, and resources. The board recommends that the committee also serve as a resource to shared interest groups.

Suggested Bylaw Amendments

I. Amendments to President and President Elect

Article III

OFFICERS

CURRENT LANGUAGE:

Section 1. Designation. The officers shall be a president, vice president, clerk, and treasurer.

Section 2. Selection. The officers shall be elected during the Annual Meeting to serve for terms of three (3) years or until their successors are elected.

  1. Rotation. The president shall be elected in one year, the vice president shall be elected in the following year, and the clerk and treasurer shall be elected in the third year. . .

Section 3. Duties.

  1. President. The president shall be the chief executive officer of the Association; shall, subject to the control of the Board, supervise the affairs of the Association; shall serve on the Board of Trustees of the College, as provided in the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of Mount Holyoke College; shall designate a mentor for the newly elected alumnae trustee; and shall perform such other duties as may be designated by the Board. The president shall serve as an ex officio member with a vote on all standing and special committees except the Nominating Committee; the president shall not serve on the Nominating Committee. The incoming president shall be nominated and approved by the Board in a timely manner so that she can participate in Board activities and attend Board meetings prior to her formal term.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE:

Section 1. Designation. The officers shall be a president, president-elect, vice president, clerk, and treasurer.

Section 2. Selection. The president-elect shall be elected during the Annual Meeting for a term of one year beginning with adjournment of the annual meeting during which she is elected. The president-elect becomes the president upon the adjournment of the next annual meeting to serve a term of three (3) years or until her successor is elected. The vice president, clerk, and treasurer shall be elected during the Annual Meeting to serve for terms of three (3) years or until their successors are elected.

  1. Rotation. The president-elect and treasurer shall be elected in one year and the vice president and clerk shall be elected in the following year…

Section 3. Duties.

  1. President. The president shall be the Chair of the Board of Directors; shall, subject to the control of the Board, advise the affairs of the Association; shall serve on the Board of Trustees of the College, as provided in the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of Mount Holyoke College; shall designate a mentor for the newly elected alumnae trustee; and shall perform such other duties as may be designated by the Board. The president shall serve as an ex officio member with a vote on all standing and special committees except the Nominating Committee; the president shall not serve on the Nominating Committee.
  2. President-Elect. The president-elect shall be a non-voting officer of the Board of Directors. The president-elect shall be nominated and approved by the Board in a timely manner and shall serve in that role for a year prior to serving her three (3) year term as President. The president-elect may perform the duties of the President of the Alumnae Association when the President is unavailable or at the discretion of the President.

Article IV

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CURRENT LANGUAGE:

Section 2. Membership.

…. c. Incoming President. If requested by the president, the incoming president will attend Board meetings and Board activities as a non-voting participant prior to her election.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE:

<delete> c. Incoming President. If requested by the president, the incoming president will attend Board meetings and Board activities as a non-voting participant prior to her election.

Article V

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

CURRENT LANGUAGE:

Section 2. Composition. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the president, vice president, treasurer, clerk, and at least one (1) but not more than three (3) additional members of the Board. The president shall appoint the additional members for an annual term, subject to being re-appointed, and shall report the appointments to the Board. A member of the Executive Committee shall not serve on the Executive Committee beyond the conclusion of her term of service on the Board. The executive director shall be a nonvoting ex officio member of the Executive Committee.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE:

Section 2. Composition. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the president, vice president, treasurer, clerk, and at least one (1) but not more than three (3) additional members of the Board. In her transition year, the president elect shall be a member of the Executive Committee. The president shall appoint the additional members for an annual term, subject to being re-appointed, and shall report the appointments to the Board. A member of the Executive Committee shall not serve on the Executive Committee beyond the conclusion of her term of service on the Board. The executive director shall be a nonvoting ex officio member of the Executive Committee.

 

II. Amendments to Committees

Article VI

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

CURRENT LANGUAGE:

…Section 6. Responsibilities and Composition of Standing Committees.

  1. 1. Volunteer Stewardship Committee…
  2. b. Composition. The Volunteer Stewardship Committee shall include the chair and not fewer than three (3) nor more than five (5) members elected by the Association Membership. The chair of the Volunteer Stewardship Committee shall serve on the Board and shall be the liaison between the External Achievement Awards Committee chair and the Internal Achievement Awards Committee chair and the Board.
  1. External Achievement Awards Committee…
  2. Composition. The External Achievement Awards Committee shall include the chair and not fewer than three (3) nor more than five (5) members elected by the Association Membership. The chair of the Volunteer Stewardship Committee shall be the liaison between the External Achievement Awards Committee chair and the Board…

PROPOSED LANGUAGE:

…Section 6. Responsibilities and Composition of Standing Committees.

  1. 1. Volunteer Stewardship Committee…
  2. b. Composition. The Volunteer Stewardship Committee shall include the chair and not fewer than three (3) nor more than five (5) members elected by the Association Membership. The chair of the Volunteer Stewardship Committee shall serve on the Board and shall be the liaison between the Internal Achievement Awards Committee chair and the Board.
  3. External Achievement Awards Committee…
  4. Composition. The External Achievement Awards Committee shall include the chair and not fewer than three (3) nor more than five (5) members elected by the Association Membership. The vice president shall be the liaison between the External Achievement Awards Committee chair and the Board…

Section 6. Responsibilities and Composition of Standing Committees.

CURRENT LANGUAGE:

  1. Clubs Committee.
  2. a. Responsibilities. The Clubs Committee shall be a resource for alumnae who have organized or who wish to organize into a club or informal group based upon their geographic location and shall encourage, motivate, and coordinate with such clubs.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE:

  1. Clubs Committee.
  2. a. Responsibilities. The Clubs Committee shall be a resource for alumnae who have organized or who wish to organize into a club based upon their geographic location and or shared interests and shall encourage, motivate, and coordinate with them.

 

III. Amendments to Executive Director

Article X

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CURRENT LANGUAGE:

Section 2. Responsibilities. The executive director, if one is hired, shall be the chief operating officer of the Association and shall report to the Board. The executive director or the executive director’s designee shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member on the Board and on each committee of the Association except the Nominating Committee, on which the executive director shall have no designee, and shall serve on committees of the College and on the Board of Trustees as requested by representatives of the College and/or recommended by the Board or the president. The executive director shall keep the Association Board informed concerning Association business and activities within the office of the Association and concerning developments on campus as they relate to the Association. The executive director may request advice and counsel and may request that the Board establish such special committees as necessary and appropriate to accomplish the work of the Association and the executive director.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE:

Section 2. Responsibilities. The executive director shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and shall report to the Board. The executive director or the executive director’s designee shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member on the Board and on each committee of the Association except the Nominating Committee, on which the executive director shall have no designee, and shall serve on committees of the College and on the Board of Trustees as requested by representatives of the College and/or recommended by the Board or the president. The executive director shall keep the Association Board informed concerning Association business and activities within the office of the Association and concerning developments on campus as they relate to the Association. The executive director may request advice and counsel and may request that the Board establish such special committees as necessary and appropriate to accomplish the work of the Association and the executive director.

 

See the 2017 Slate of Nominees for Alumnae Association Board and Committee Positions.

April 11, 2017