To Voting Members of MCMLA:

There are two minor changes to the MCMLA Bylaws. This PDF file contains the 2010 version of the MCMLA Bylaws with the proposed changes for you to review prior to the Annual Meeting in Kansas City,  October 3 - 5.  Deletions are marked with a strike through and changes/additions are in red text.

Below is a summary of the changes incorporated:

Item 1 brings us in to closer sync with the MLA Bylaws and Item 2 brings us in line with Robert's Rules of Order regarding breaking a tie vote during elections.

1) Replace the current membership class of Distinguished Senior Member with Emeritus Member.

    a.  Delete Article III., Section 2, Item c. Distinguished Senior Members: members presently retired and/or recognized by the Executive Committee, as defined in Article VIII, Section 2, for their outstanding contributions to the Chapter.

    b.  Add new Article III, Section 2, Item c.  Emeritus Members: members shall have been a Regular Member for a minimum of 3 years, shall have requested Emeritus membership,  and shall have retired from active professional work.

2) Bring resolution of a tie vote in to compliance with Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.

    a. Delete Article VI., Section 2, Item d.  refer a tie vote to the Executive Committee which will break the tie.  The Chair shall abstain from voting on tied elections;

    b.  Add new Article VI., Section 2, Item d.  in the event of a tie vote, the election for the office in question will be re-balloted until one candidate receives a majority;

NOTE:  According to Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, in most elections, the threshold is a majority of the votes cast.  If you have only two candidates and the vote is a tie, you must repeat the balloting until one candidate receives a majority.  Regarding our current Bylaw of referring the tie vote to the Executive Committee, with the Chair abstaining, to break the tie, Robert's says that your presiding officer or officers should never cast a tie-breaker in a ballot vote since they have already voted once and letting only them vote twice in the same election is unfair.  The position for which the tie vote occurred, must be re-balloted and all voting members must vote again until one candidate received a majority.

These changes have been approved by the MCMLA Bylaws Committee, the MCMLA Executive Committee and the MLA Bylaws Committee.  A final vote on the Bylaws will take place during the Business Meeting on Friday, October 5, 2012.

As required by the existing Bylaws, this email shall constitute the 30 days notice of the amendments to the Bylaws.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.  I look forward to seeing you all in Kansas City.

Sincerely,

Tom Gensichen

Chair, MCMLA Bylaws Committee