Proposed Constitution and By-law changes - Legislative Update

The text below contains the descriptions and rationales for the four proposed Constitution and By-law changes that will be considered at this year's National Convention in New Orleans. The full text of the proposed changes is on the ROA Web site at (ADD URL).

Proposed Amendment

No. 1 (2003)

Presented by the National Executive Committee of 2000-2001, too late for consideration in 2001.

Re-affirmed by the National Executive Committee of 2001-2002, failed at 2002 National Convention.

Presented a second time by the National Executive Committee of 2002-2003.

Summary

Amends ARTICLE A-7, NATIONAL OFFICERS, Sections 1,2,3 and 4; and ARTICLE A9, NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, Section 1. (NOTE: These are amendments to the Constitution and therefore require a three-fourths vote to pass.)

It also amends Revised By-laws ARTICLE B-3, DUTIES OF OFFICERS, Section 1, and inserts new Section 2 (others will be renumbered accordingly).

These amendments create the office of president-elect. They also specify the duties of such office and provide for the election of a president at any convention following which the president-elect is known to be unable or unwilling to succeed to the presidency.

If this amendment is adopted, the first president-elect would be elected at the 2005 National Convention.

Notes

(1.) The cost would be the average cost of an attendee at an ExCom, which is approximately $758, times the usual three ExCom meetings, for a total of approximately $2,274.

(2.) In 2004 the National Convention will elect the president from the Air Force section; in 2005 the president from the Army section AND the president-elect from the Naval Services section; in 2006 the president-elect from Air Force section; in 2007 the president-elect from the Army section, etc.

(3.) Our C&B being silent on the subject of one person holding two offices, thus we turn to Roberts Rules as authorized in Article B 11 for the answer: There is no prohibition against holding multiple offices in Roberts Rules.

Rationale

This will provide an incoming president with a one-year time frame to develop an agenda and identify individuals for appointment. It allows the president-elect to be involved in the budget process for the following year. It also ensures that the incoming president shall have attended ExCom meetings for at least one year, thus enhancing knowledge of the pending duties of the presidency and the current status and issues of ROA. president's death, inability to serve, resignation or absence

Proposed Amendment No. 2 (2003)

Formerly Proposed Amendment No. 6 (2002), moved for one year further testing at 2002 National Convention.

Presented by the Membership Committee, endorsed by the National Executive Committee

Summary

Amends ARTICLE A-3, MEMBERSHIP. (NOTE: This is an amendment to the Constitution and therefore requires a three-fourths vote to pass.). It also amends ARTICLE B-1, SECTION 1.

These two amendments create a class of Life Membership called Electronic Membership, which is based on electronic communications.

It also amends ARTICLE B-8 by creating an Electronic Membership Trust Fund with only earnings funding the program.

NOTE: The dues will be addressed at the National Convention in accordance with ARTICLE A-11.

Rationale

Despite many initiatives to increase membership over the past decade, the decline in membership continued except for the past 12 months. As a result of efforts of a strong leadership and team concepts with departments, a small increase in membership has occurred over the past 12 months. This recent increase may not keep pace with the losses in the next five to 10 years, due to member deaths alone. The program initiated by the National Junior Officer Committee was started as a test in fall of 2001. The test was extended by the Convention in 2002, and will be evaluated and the results available in time for the National Convention in June 2003.

The rationale for the Electronic Membership program is based on the fact that the current Reserve officer operates in an electronic-based world and is disenchanted or even offended by organizations and businesses not capable of operating in that environment. Reserve officers expect organizations and businesses to automatically and electronically handle financial affairs and other business transactions seamlessly. Recruiting and retention rates of drilling Reservists indicate that they have not seen "value" in ROA. Less than one-half of one percent of current members attend either a national, department or chapter meeting. Previous membership initiatives have shown that Reserve officers will join ROA when the cost of membership is lowered. And finally, the cost of maintaining a member is directly related to the printed material sent to the member, whether or not the member is a Life Member.

NOTE: The electronic member has complete access to the ROA Web site, which now has an electronic version of The Officer and members-only sections. Electronic members will be assigned as members-at-large. Departments will be provided lists of electronic members with home addresses in their department, upon request. Electronic members may convert their memberships if they decide they would like to hold office, serve on a committee or vote. Money paid for an electronic membership would count toward conversion to a full life membership as provided in policies. Electronic members can elect to subscribe to the print version of The Officer magazine for the advertised cost. The dues for the current trial electronic membership are $100, the full amount of which must be paid within a year. No part of these dues will be rebated to a department.

Proposed Amendment No. 3 (2003)

Presented by the Department of California and endorsed on 29 September 2002. Opposed by National Executive Committee, 15 December 2002.

Summary

Amends ARTICLE B-5, Section 9, of the National By-laws to require a three-fourths affirmative vote of the National Executive Committee to authorize any increase to the total adopted annual budget. Also prohibits any officer or employee of the association from ordering the expenditure of or spending money in excess of the total adopted annual budget without prior approval from the National Executive Committee.

Rationale

A majority of the National Executive Committee tends to support money-spending initiatives proposed by the national president, even if such initiatives exceed the adopted annual budget. Members of the National Executive Committee tend to believe that their role is to support the national president, as well as any initiatives proposed by the national president. In their enthusiasm to support the national president, members of the National Executive Committee tend to overlook that they also have a fiduciary responsibility to limit expenditures to those authorized by the adopted annual budget and to protect the assets of the Reserve Officers Association.

Proposed Amendment No. 4 (2003)

Presented by COL John Hauschild, and opposed by the National Executive Committee, 8 March 2003.

Summary

Amends ARTICLE A-4, ORGANIZATION, Section 3 (a) and (b), and ARTICLE A-7, NATIONAL OFFICERS Sections 1 and 2. (NOTE: These are amendments to the Constitution and therefore require a three-fourths vote to pass.)

It also amends ARTICLE B-10, STANDING COMMITTEES, Section 5 (b) and (c)(l).

These amendments provide for the election at the National Convention of the CIOR vice president and CIOR assistant secretary general for the United States, to hold office for three years. It also deletes the mandatory appointment of a junior officer to the CIOR executive committee.

Rationale

The U.S. delegation to the CIOR executive committee has been at a significant disadvantage owing to the fact that the CIOR vice president of the United States, as chief of the U.S. delegation to CIOR, serves in that position for only one year while the chiefs of the delegations of every other nation represented on the CIOR executive committee serve for a minimum of three years. This detracts from the United States' influence on CIOR and reduces the likelihood that the national officers of the CIOR commissions and committees will be appointed from the U.S. delegation.

Service as a past national president of the association does not, in itself, qualify one for service as a member of the CIOR executive committee. On the contrary, the primary qualification for such service is experience as a member of the CIOR delegation as a member on a commission. In short, the chief of the U.S. delegation of CIOR should be someone with substantial CIOR experience.

The deletion of the mandatory appointment of a junior officer to the U.S. executive committee delegation is due to the change in the CIOR constitution that no longer requires the fifth member to be a junior officer. This change allows the CIOR vice president as much latitude as possible in making appointments.

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