Proposed amendments to be voted on by the Delegates Assembly at the 2007 FRA
Annual Conference
| Original Text |
Revised Text |
Rationale for Change |
| Article II, Section 2.6—To promote mutual
understandings and cooperation among educators in elementary school,
junior high, high school special areas, college, and leadership
positions and with individuals in other organizations having interest in
reading. |
Article II, Section 2.6—To promote mutual
understandings and cooperation among educators in elementary school,
middle school, junior high, high school, special areas, college, and
leadership positions and with individuals in other organizations having
interest in reading. |
Most Districts now have middle school
rather than junior high.
Most high schools have reading programs in addition to those in “special
areas.”
|
| Article IV, Section 1 – Officers. The elected
officers of the Florida Reading Association shall be the President, Vice
President, and Vice President-elect. The Recording Secretary,
Corresponding Secretary, State Director of Membership Development, and
Treasurer shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the
Board of Directors. Any Florida Reading Association member in good
standing, who is also a member of the International Reading Association
and her/his local council, is eligible for election or appointment as an
officer of the Florida Reading Association. |
Article IV, Section 1—Officers. The elected
officers of the Florida Reading Association shall be the President,
President-elect, and Vice President. The Recording Secretary, State
Director of Membership Development, and Treasurer shall be appointed by
the President with the approval of the Board of Directors. These
officers, plus the immediate Past President and the IRA State
Coordinator, shall serve as the Executive Committee. … |
IRA has changed their officers’ titles. FRA
is updating its Bylaws to reflect this change.
The office of Corresponding Secretary is deleted. The duties of the
Corresponding Secretary are handled more efficiently by the appropriate
officers. The immediate Past President sends get-well and condolence
messages. The FRA Newsletter has an editor other than the Corresponding
Secretary.
The added sentence clarifies who serves on the Executive Committee. |
| Article IV, Section 2 – Term of Office. The term
of the Vice President-elect shall be one year. She/he shall then
automatically succeed to the office of Vice President for one year.
She/he shall then automatically succeed to the office of President for
one year. At the expiration of her/his term as President, she/he will
become Past President and shall serve as a member of the Board of
Directors for a period of one year. The President shall appoint the
Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, State Director of
Membership Development, and Treasurer. Selection of State Director of
Membership Development shall follow IRA guidelines of State Director of
Membership Development. |
Article IV, Section 2—Terms of Office. The term
of the Vice President shall be one year. She/he shall then
automatically succeed to the office of President-elect for one
year. She/he shall then automatically succeed to the office of President
for one year. At the expiration of her/his term as President, she/he
will become Past President and shall serve as a member of the Board of
Directors for a period of one year. The President shall appoint the
Recording Secretary, State Director of Membership Development and
Treasurer…. |
The offices of Vice President and Vice
President-elect are changed to President-elect and Vice President,
respectively, to conform to IRA’s officer structure.
The office of Corresponding Secretary is deleted. |
| Article IV, Section 6 – Duties of the Vice President.
The Vice President shall serve as a member of the Board of Directors and
chairperson of the Program Committee. She/he shall assume and perform
the duties of the President in the absence, incapacity, or resignation
of the President. |
Article IV, Section 6—Duties of the
President-elect. The President-elect shall serve as a member of
the Board of Directors and as General Conference Chair…. |
The office of Vice President is changed to President-elect to conform to
IRA’s officer structure.
Conference planning has been restructured. The Program Committee is now
the Conference Committee and has its own chair. The President-elect
serves on the Conference Committee as the General Conference Chair for
the current conference.
|
| Article IV, Section 7 – Duties of the Vice
President-elect. The Vice President-elect shall: (1) serve as a
member of the Board of Directors, (2) serve as vice chairperson of the
Program Committee, (3) serve as Annual Conference chairperson, (4)
circulate proposed bylaws amendments to each member at least thirty (30)
days in advance of the Delegates Assembly at which the amendments are to
be voted on, and (5) fulfill any other duties assigned to her/him by the
Board of Directors. |
Article IV, Section 7 – Duties of the Vice
President. The Vice President shall: (1) serve as a
member of the Board of Directors, (2) serve on the Conference
Committee, (3) serve as General Conference Chair for the
following year’s FRA Annual Conference, and (4) fulfill any other
duties assigned to her/him by the Board of Directors.
|
The office of Vice President-elect is
changed to Vice President to conform to IRA’s officer structure.
Conference planning has been restructured. The Program Committee is now
the Conference Committee. The Vice President serves on the committee as
General Conference Chair for the following year’s FRA Annual Conference.
Notification of Bylaws changes is deleted because that is now a
responsibility of the Administrative Committee Chair (Past President).
|
| Section 9 – Duties of Corresponding Secretary.
The Corresponding Secretary shall (1) serve as editor of the FRA
Newsletter, (2) handle incoming and outgoing correspondence at the
discretion of the President and carry out directions from general
meetings and/or the Board of Directors regarding needed correspondence
and notices. |
(Section 9 will be deleted and the following Sections
10 through 13 will be renumbered 9 through 12.) |
The FRA Newsletter has an editor other than
the Corresponding Secretary.
The duties of the Corresponding Secretary are handled more efficiently
by the appropriate officers. |
| Article IV, Section 13 – Duties of the IRA State
Coordinator. The IRA State Coordinator shall: (1 maintain accurate
records of chartered councils within Florida, (2) support the Florida
Reading Association, local councils, and special interest councils in
the performance of their duties, (3) promote the organization of
additional councils, (4) maintain continuity and stability in the
Florida Reading Association by arranging a workable system of
communication among all councils in Florida, (5) collect the officer
report forms from the local councils and forward the new officers’
information to IRA headquarters by the date specified, (6) attend
activities for Council Leaders and Delegates Assembly at the
International Reading Association Annual Convention, and (7) attend
regional workshops for council leaders. |
Article IV, Section 12 – Duties of the IRA
State Coordinator. The IRA State Coordinator shall: …(5) monitor
the reporting of the local councils’ officers to IRA headquarters,…. |
The section is
renumbered because a previous section has been deleted.
IRA reports are now done online, and the IRA State Coordinator no longer
collects the forms and forwards them to IRA. |
| Article V, Section 2 – Composition. The Board of Directors
shall consist of (1) the Past President, the President, the Vice
President, the Vice President-elect, the Recording Secretary, the
Corresponding Secretary, the State Director of Membership Development
and the Treasurer; (2) the IRA State Coordinator; (3) the District
Directors; (4) the editor of the Florida Reading Quarterly; (5)
elected representatives from the Florida Reading Association’s special
interest councils; (6) advisors and elected representatives of student
reading councils; and (7) committee chairs and special coordinators
appointed by the President. Voting members are the Executive Committee
and the District Directors. |
Article V, Section 2 – Composition. The Board of Directors
shall consist of (1) the Past President, the President, the
President-elect, the Vice President, the Recording Secretary,
the State Director of Membership Development and the Treasurer; (2) the
IRA State Coordinator; (3) the District Directors; (4) the editors of
The Florida Reading Quarterly, the FRA Newsletter, and the web
site; (5) representatives from the Florida Reading Association’s
special interest councils; (6) advisors and representatives of student
reading councils; and (7) committee chairs and special coordinators
appointed by the President. Voting members are the Executive Committee
and the District Directors. |
The offices of Vice President and Vice President-elect
are changed to President-elect and Vice President, respectively, to
conform to IRA’s officer structure.
The office of Corresponding Secretary is deleted.
The FRA Newsletter editor is a member of the Board of Directors.
The web site editor is a member of the Board of Directors.
In (5) and (6) “elected” is deleted. Special interest councils and
student reading councils may determine their representatives if their
Presidents are unable to serve. |
| Article V, Section 4 – Special Meetings. Special meetings of
the Board of Directors may be called by or at the request of the
President or a simple majority of the members of the Board of Directors.
The person(s) authorized to call special meetings of the Board of
Directors may arrange the place and time for holding such special
meetings. Written notice of any special meeting shall be mailed to each
member of the Board of Directors at least thirty (30) days prior to the
special meeting. |
Article V, Section 4 – Special Meetings. …Written notice of
any special meeting shall be sent to each member of the Board of
Directors at least thirty (30) days prior to the special meeting. |
Most communications with the Board of Directors are via
e-mail to save postage costs. |
| Article V, Section 7. – Budget. The Board of Directors shall
modify and/or accept the annual budget as prepared by the Executive
Committee. The budget shall then be presented to the Delegates Assembly
for modification and/or acceptance. |
Article V, Section 7. – Budget. The Board of Directors shall
modify and/or accept the annual budget as prepared by the Executive
Committee. The budget shall then be presented to the Delegates Assembly.
|
The fiscal year begins July 1. The Delegates Assembly
does not meet until the FRA Annual Conference. The budget is
modified/accepted at the first Board of Directors meeting of the fiscal
year so that FRA committees can function effectively. |
| Article VI, Section 1 – Composition. The voting members of
the Delegates Assembly shall consist of the Board of Directors and
certified delegates from local, student, and special interest councils.
Each council of ten to fifty (10 – 50) members who have paid dues to the
Florida Reading Association (based on Florida Reading Association
membership as of April 30 prior to the Annual Conference) shall be
entitled to one delegate and an additional delegate for each fifty (50)
additional members who have paid dues to the Florida Reading
Association. One person may represent only one council in the Delegates
Assembly. The membership secretary shall certify how many delegates each
council shall have. A council may name an alternate for each delegate;
an alternate may vote only when the delegate is absent. All members of
the Board of Directors are ex-officio members of the Delegates Assembly.
Members who do not have voting privileges in the Delegates Assembly may
attend Delegates Assembly meetings and have privileges of the floor. |
Article VI, Section 1 – Composition. …One person may
represent only one council in the Delegates Assembly. The State
Director of Membership Development shall certify how many delegates
each council shall have…. |
FRA no longer has a membership secretary. This is a
responsibility of the State Director of Membership Development. |
| Article VII, Section 1 – Mode of Election. The Vice
President-elect shall be elected by mail ballot. |
Article VII, Section 1 – Mode of Election. The Vice
President shall be elected by ballot. |
The office of Vice President-elect is changed to Vice
President to conform to IRA’s officer structure.
“Mail” is taken out to allow for other means of balloting, e.g. online
voting. |
| Article VII, Section 3 – Mailing of Ballots and Reporting.
The ballot, including vitae and photographs (with provisions for
write-in candidates), shall be mailed to each active member of the
Florida Reading Association by February 1. From the time ballots are
postmarked, forty-five (45) days shall be allowed for the return of
ballots; ballots must be received no later than March 17. The
Administrative Committee chairperson shall be responsible for counting
the ballots and immediately certifying the results to the President who
in turn shall notify the nominees. A plurality of votes cast shall
constitute an election. In case of a tie, the election shall be decided
by vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. |
Article VII, Section 3 –Sending of Ballots and Reporting.
The ballot, including vitae and photographs, shall be sent to
each active member of the Florida Reading Association by November 1.
From the time ballots are postmarked, forty-five (45) days shall be
allowed for the return of ballots; ballots must be received no later
than December 15. The Administrative Committee chairperson shall
be responsible for counting the ballots and immediately certifying the
results to the President who in turn shall notify the nominees. A
plurality of votes cast shall constitute an election. In case of a tie,
the election shall be decided by vote of a majority of the Board of
Directors. In the event that there is only one candidate or
co-candidates for Vice President, the Administrative Committee shall
dispense with the balloting procedure. The Administrative Committee
shall present the candidate or co-candidates to the Board of Directors
for confirmation by the voting members of the Board at the first meeting
after the FRA Annual Conference. |
“Mailing” and “mailed” are changed to “sending” and
“sent” to allow for other means of balloting, e.g. online voting.
The provision for write-in ballots is deleted as inconsistent with
Bylaws Article VII, Section 2. The Administrative Committee is charged
with interviewing nominees to assure that they meet the criteria for
candidacy.
The deadlines for sending and returning ballots are changed. Since the
FRA Annual Conference is in September, the dates for the Board of
Directors meetings have been changed. The Vice Presidential candidates
are announced at the first Board of Directors meeting of the fiscal
year. Voting in November and December will allow for announcing the
winner at the February Board meeting. The winner then can make contacts
at the IRA Annual Convention to obtain speakers for her/his conference.
No ballots will be sent if there is only one candidate. The candidate or
co-candidates will be confirmed as Vice President or co-Vice Presidents
at the first meeting after the FRA Annual Conference. |
| Article VIII, Section 2 – Nominations. The IRA State
Coordinator shall write a letter to the President of each local council
requesting at least two (2) nominees for election as District Director
of the district in which the local council is located; for districts
with more than one local council, the office of District Director shall
not be held for more than one term by any one council. The position of
District Director must be rotated from council to council throughout the
district; a council not wishing to nominate candidates may decline the
turn. All nominees shall be members of the local council, the Florida
Reading Association, and the International Reading Association. |
Article VIII, Section 2 – Nominations. The IRA State
Coordinator shall communicate in writing with the President of
each local council requesting at least two (2) nominees for election as
District Director…. In the event that there is only one nominee, the
IRA State Coordinator shall dispense with the balloting procedure.
|
Most communications are done via e-mail.
No ballots will be sent if there is only one nominee. |
| Article VIII, Section 3 – Mailing of Ballots and Reporting.
The IRA State Coordinator shall prepare a separate ballot for each
district, listing all local council nominees for that district. A copy
of the appropriate ballot shall be mailed to each Florida Reading
Association member on record as of January 31 in the district. All
ballots shall be returned to the IRA State Coordinator who shall
tabulate the ballots and notify the local council Presidents and the
nominees of the results of the election. The election shall be completed
by April 1. |
Article VIII, Section 3 – Sending of Ballots and
Reporting. …A copy of the appropriate ballot shall be sent to
each Florida Reading Association member on record as of January 31 in
the district…. |
“Mailing” and “mailed” are changed to “sending” and
“sent” to allow for other means of balloting, e.g. online voting. |
| Article IX, Section 1 – Committee Structure. The committees
of the Florida Reading Association shall consist of four (4) standing
project committees and four (4) standing organization committees. There
shall be a carryover of at least one (1) member of any outgoing standing
committee into the membership of the newly-formed standing committee.
Each member of the Board of Directors shall be a member of at least two
(2) committees: one (1) project and one (1) organization. |
Article IX, Section 1 – Committee Structure. The committees
of the Florida Reading Association shall consist of five (5)
standing project committees and four (4) standing organization
committees…. |
The Publicity and Publications Committee has been split
into the Publications Committee and the Publicity Committee, making five
standing project committees. |
| Article IX, Section 3 – Publicity and Publications Committee
(Project). The Publicity and Publications Committee shall assume
responsibility for directing and supervising the publications of the
Florida Reading Association. The editors of the various publications
shall be ex-officio members of the Publicity and Publications Committee.
Implementation of other publications approved by the Board of Directors
may be assigned to ad hoc committees appointed by the Committee. Editors
of publications should maintain liaison with the Publicity and
Publications Committee. Members of the Publicity and Publications
Committee may be delegated responsibility for a close consultative
relationship with ongoing publications of the Florida Reading
Association. |
Article IX, Section 3 – Publications Committee
(Project). The Publications Committee shall assume responsibility
for directing and supervising the publications of the Florida Reading
Association. The editors of the various publications shall be ex-officio
members of the Publications Committee. Implementation of other
publications approved by the Board of Directors may be assigned to ad
hoc committees appointed by the Committee. Editors of publications
should maintain liaison with the Publications Committee. Members
of the Publications Committee may be delegated responsibility for
a close consultative relationship with ongoing publications of the
Florida Reading Association.
Section 4 – Publicity Committee (Project). The
Publicity Committee shall assume responsibility for publicizing FRA
activities. The Publicity Committee shall work closely with the
Conference Committee to disseminate information about the FRA Annual
Conference. The Publicity Committee shall work with the
Membership Committee to promote FRA and IRA membership at the FRA Annual
Conference and at other appropriate gatherings. |
The Publicity and Publications Committee has been split
into the Publications Committee and the Publicity Committee, making five
project committees. The information under Section 3 pertains to the
Publications Committee.
A new Section 4 gives a description of the Publicity Committee. Sections
4 through 10 are renumbered as 5 through 11. |
| Article IX, Section 6 – Program Committee (Organization). The
Program Committee shall make plans for the Annual Conference and other
such meetings as may be authorized by the Board of Directors. The Vice
President shall be chairperson of the committee and the Vice
President-elect shall be the vice-chairperson. |
Article IX, Section 7 – Conference Committee
(Organization). The Conference Committee shall make plans for the FRA
Annual Conference. |
The section is renumbered due to splitting the Publicity
and Publications Committee.
Conference planning has been restructured. The Program Committee is now
the Conference Committee and has its own chair. The President-elect
serves on the Conference Committee as the General Conference Chair for
the current conference, and the Vice President serves on the Conference
Committee as the General Conference Chair for the next conference. |
| Article IX, Section 7 – Council Development Committee
(Organization). The Council Development Committee shall be responsible
for stimulating the organization of new councils and for assisting
councils to carry out their duties. District Directors are members of
this committee; other members may be appointed at the discretion of the
Council Development Committee. The IRA State Coordinator shall be the
chairperson of the Council Development Committee. |
Article IX, Section 8 – Council Development
Committee (Organization). The Council Development committee shall be
responsible for stimulating the organization of new councils and for
assisting councils to carry out their duties. District Directors are
members of this committee; other members may be appointed at the
discretion of the President. The IRA State Coordinator shall be
the chairperson of the Council Development Committee. |
The section is renumbered due to splitting the Publicity
and Publications Committee.
The President appoints members of committees, according to Article IX,
Section 10 of the Bylaws. |
| Article IX, Section 10 – Standing Committee Appointments. The
chairperson and members of standing committees shall be appointed
annually by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors,
except as otherwise provided in these bylaws. |
Article IX, Section 11 – Standing Committee Appointments.
The chairperson and members of standing committees shall be appointed
annually by the President with the approval of the Executive
Committee, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws. |
The section is renumbered due to splitting the Publicity
and Publications Committee.
Committee chair appointments and committee member assignments must be in
place prior to the first Board of Directors meeting of the fiscal year.
|
| Article X, Section 2 – Local Councils. A council may be
formed by ten or more members in any locality in which no local council
is operative. This article and section also apply to student councils
formed at colleges and/or universities in Florida. A local council may
secure a charter from the office of the executive director with the
approval of the chairpersons of the Membership and the Council
Development Committees. A local council shall have bylaws that are in
accord with the purposes of the bylaws of the Association. It shall
elect its own officers, determine the amount of and collect its own
dues, and organize its own programs. Each local council in good standing
is entitled to one or more representatives in the IRA Delegates Assembly
as stated in Article XI. Members of a local council may belong to the
state association and/or the IRA. Officers of a local council must
belong to IRA. |
Article X, Section 2 – Local Councils. …A local council may
secure a charter from the IRA executive director with the
approval of the chairpersons of the Membership and the Council
Development Committees. A local council shall have bylaws that are in
accord with the purposes of the bylaws of IRA.... |
Wording is changed for clarity in both places. |
| Article X, Section 3 – Rights and Privileges of Councils.
Local and state councils may have members who are not members of IRA;
however, these nonmembers shall be encouraged to become members of the
Association. Nonmembers shall have none of the privileges of Association
members. Officers, board members, and representatives of all councils to
the IRA Delegates Assembly must be members of IRA. |
Article X, Section 3 – Rights and Privileges of Councils.
Local and state councils may have members who are not members of IRA;
however, these nonmembers shall be encouraged to become members of the
IRA. Nonmembers shall have none of the privileges of IRA
members. Officers, board members, and representatives of all councils to
the IRA Delegates Assembly must be members of IRA. |
Wording is changed for clarity in both places. |
| Article X, Section 5 – Special Interest Councils. A special
interest council may be formed by ten or more individual members of the
association who represent: (1) a group particularly interested in some
aspect of reading; (2) particular academic professional groups such as
clinicians, college professors, etc. A special interest council may
secure a charter from the office of the executive director with the
approval of the chairpersons of the Membership and Council Development
Committees. Each special interest council in good standing is entitled
to one representative in the Delegates Assembly as stated in Article VI,
Section 1. Each special interest council shall elect its own officers
and board members, who shall be individual members of the Association,
and shall determine the amount of and collect its own dues. |
Article X, Section 5 – Special Interest Councils. …A special
interest council may secure a charter from the IRA executive
director with the approval of the chairpersons of the Membership and
Council Development Committees. …Each special interest council shall
elect its own officers and board members, who shall be individual
members of the IRA, and shall determine the amount of and collect
its own dues. |
Wording is changed for clarity in both places. |
ARTICLE XI – Representation of the Florida Reading Association at
the International Reading Association Delegates Assembly.
Each state council of the Association shall be entitled to one delegate,
provided the delegate has paid dues for the current year to the
Association. One person may represent only one council in the Delegates
Assembly. A council may send an alternate for each delegate; an
alternate may vote only when the delegate is absent. Members who do not
have voting privileges in the Delegates Assembly may attend Delegates
Assembly meetings and have privileges of the floor. |
ARTICLE XI – Representation of the Florida Reading Association at
the International Reading Association Delegates Assembly.
Each state council of the IRA shall be entitled to one delegate,
provided the delegate has paid dues for the current year to the IRA.
… |
Wording is changed for clarity in both places. |
| Article XIII, Section 2 – Procedures for Amending. Amendments
may be adopted by: (1) the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the
voting members present at a Delegates Assembly, after presentation at
the previous meeting and/or provided that the proposed amendment has
been mailed to each voting member at least thirty (30) days in advance
of the meeting of the Delegates Assembly; or (2) mail ballot to all
active members of the Florida Reading Association. If mail ballot is
used, only the ballots returned to the chairperson of the Administrative
Committee within thirty (30) days after the date ballots were mailed to
the members shall be counted. An amendment shall be declared adopted
after it has been approved by two-thirds (2/3) of those members voting
who have returned their ballots within the prescribed time, provided the
ballots are returned by at least twenty-five (25) percent of the voting
members. |
Article XIII, Section 2 – Procedures for Amending. Amendments
may be adopted by: (1) the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the
voting members present at a Delegates Assembly, after presentation at
the previous meeting and/or provided that the proposed amendment has
been sent to each voting member at least thirty (30) days in
advance of the meeting of the Delegates Assembly; or (2) ballot sent
to all active members of the Florida Reading Association. If ballot
is used, only the ballots returned to the chairperson of the
Administrative Committee within thirty (30) days after the date ballots
were sent to the members shall be counted. An amendment shall be
declared adopted after it has been approved by two-thirds (2/3) of those
members voting who have returned their ballots within the prescribed
time, provided the ballots are returned by at least twenty-five (25)
percent of the voting members. |
“Mail” and “mailed” are changed to “send”
and “sent” to allow for other means of balloting, e.g. online voting. |
