The following Bylaws Revisions are being proposed to the ILGP membership at our upcoming convention on Saturday, February 29, 2020 in Chicago, IL. In addition to some housekeeping or formatting edits, the intended purpose of these bylaws revisions is to change the structure of the ILGP administrative bodies to empower the Coordinating Committee as the primary decision making body of the ILGP between membership meeting. These changes also impact the make up and duties of the Executive Committee.
A summary and pdf of proposed Bylaws changes can be found below.
Proposed deletions are stricken through; proposed additions are in green.
Here is a summary of the changes:
Eliminated all the references to dates of amendment scattered throughout the current bylaws, which seemed to needlessly clutter the document, and put all the dates of amendment up at the front of the document. Otherwise, all of the proposed changes occur in Articles 2 through 6.
Article 2: Added some language on the duties of “Coordinators” but removed the cumbersome requirement that Coordinators have to re-apply to remain Coordinators every year. Instead, it was made it easier to remove a Coordinator for lack of participation. Make the Co-Chairs responsible for maintaining a roster of approved Coordinators.
Article 3: A few minor changes to simplify the process to establish a Chapter.
Article 4: Simplified some of the language on Membership Meetings and transferred responsibility for organizing them to the CC. Added a provision and a link, that, for the first time, actually gives some definition and guidance for use of the consensus process.
Article 5: Added language making clear that the CC is the primary decision-making body between Membership Meetings. Described a procedure for its initial convening and deciding when to meet. Added a specific process for e-mail/online decision-making in between meetings, in keeping with the commitment made by the membership a year ago that we were going to really use Base Camp, but with the flexibility to use a different method if for some reason we decide to change. Added a five-member quorum requirement.
Article 6: In keeping with the expanded role of the CC, we have a diminished role for Exec, reduced now to a five-member committee, though still elected by the membership. Greatly simplified the qualifications for Exec to six months as a Coordinator (which effectively means at least 9 months as a Member), and added a provision that Exec members must also be active members of the CC. Added some minor convening functions to the Co-Chairs. Added some clarifying language to the duties of Treasurer, including a provision that the Treasurer must help keep track of the payment of dues and communicate same to the Membership Steward. Removed references to a Fiscal Policy, replacing it with broader language to simply follow appropriations decisions of the CC or the Membership. Eliminated section 6.-R., which seems unnecessary now that we have a Membership Steward.