communication department

Volume XX Number 7

Vote in STC’s Bylaws Referendum

Administration

By Mary R. Wise, Manager, Bylaws Committee

Over the past eight months, the Bylaws Committee has been rewriting the Society Bylaws. We needed to make the different sections and articles of the Bylaws consistent, streamline the Bylaws so that they have only the necessary information, and—most important—bring the Bylaws into compliance with New York state law.

Members were able to comment on the proposed Bylaws at the STC Forum at the Technical Communication Summit in Minneapolis. Over the past few months, members continued to send specific questions and concerns to the Bylaws Committee. We have taken all your comments into consideration, and we thank all who commented and asked questions.

The current Bylaws, the newest version of the proposed Bylaws, and a rationale document explaining the changes are posted on the STC Web site so that you can familiarize yourself with the proposed new Bylaws. Most of the changes are minor, but the Bylaws Committee would like to draw your attention to the following improvements:

• By bringing STC into compliance with New York state law, the proposed Bylaws eliminate the need for frequent—and costly—interpretation by legal counsel.
• The proposed Bylaws expand the power of the membership to propose amendments to any article of the Bylaws. The proposed Bylaws also protect the membership from the costs in time and money of allowing small groups of members to present frivolous amendments at any time of the year by giving the Board of Directors the discretionary power to determine whether all amendments should be proposed once a year. The overall plan is to present all proposed amendments once a year with the general Society election.

A member referendum on the proposed Bylaws is scheduled to last from September 17 to October 17. Voting instructions will be sent to all members in September. For more information, please contact me.