Dear ARLIS/NA members,
The Executive Board has been examining the election procedure to determine
how the Society might better encourage its members to make the commitment
to serve on the Board. We have discovered that our election procedure is
unusual for societies of our size and nature.
Quoting Robert’s Rules of Order “The bylaws should not tie the hands of the
committee to find more than one person to fill each slot. The committee
should be instructed to find the best candidate for each office.”
Our current practice has had the effect of wasting talent, and discouraging
members from running for office. I quote from the 1999 Annual Report
submitted by Ann Abid “While the committee was eventually successful in
identifying 2 members to run for each office, a great many members were
contacted without success as the slate was compiled. The committee would
like to alert the Society to the need to encourage leadership in the
Society as a goal of membership.” From the 2000 Annual Report submitted by
Marilyn Berger “The committee did eventually name 2 strong candidates for
each position, but many potentials were contacted. Attracting leadership to
the Society remains a problem…”
The current Nominating Committee, chaired by Sherman Clarke, informed the
ARLIS/NA Executive Board at the Mid-year Board meeting that it could not
fulfill its charge (Bylaws C-26.a) to nominate a slate of candidates, two
for each office to be filled.
Therefore, in accordance with ARLIS/NA Bylaws Article XVI Parliamentary
Procedure, which dictates that Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) in the
latest edition, shall govern the Society in all cases to which it can
apply, the ARLIS/NA Executive Board following Robert’s Rules Chapter 8, has
authorized the Nominating Committee “to find the best candidate for each
office.”
Thus, I am informing the membership that this year there will be a slate of
one candidate per office and Sherman Clarke, Nominating Committee Chair
will accept nominations “from the floor” via ARLIS-L, telephone voice-mail,
fax or US Mail after the slate has been presented. “Floor” nominations may
be entered by petition of ten members eligible to vote and shall be filed
with the Nominating Committee.
Following this, if there are any “floor” nominations, headquarters will
prepare a ballot, which will be mailed to all current members for voting.
Results will be tabulated and announced on ARLIS-L and in UPDATE.
If there are no “floor” nominations, the slate of single candidates put
forth by the Nominating Committee will be considered as approved by the
membership and will be elevated to their respective offices at the ARLIS/NA
Annual Business Meeting in St. Louis.
I am appointing Vice-President Daniel Starr to chair a Presidential Task
Force to investigate the issue of nominations, elections and revision of
our Bylaws to bring them into line with Robert’s Rules of Order before next
year’s election.
Additionally, I want to thank Sherman Clarke and his committee, Tom Young,
Natalia Lonchyna and Janine Henri for their service.
I would like to say that this approach should not be seen as a failure of
this nominating committee in any way. A slate of two candidates for each
position makes it harder for the society to have a diverse board, since you
can’t balance the need for diversity with the fact that the most popular
candidate wins. I think the way we resolve this, if it produces a model for
choosing future slates, will show that this committee has the courage to
recognize a long-standing problem and present a solution that benefits the
society and all future nominating committees.
Feel free to call or email Sherman Clarke, Daniel Starr or me with any
questions or concerns.
Ted Goodman, President
ARLIS/NA
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