GSW: Constitution Change Required for Membership Change
Dear GSW Council (I am hopeful that our Council list is updated and now includes new Council Members George Helz, Yasmina Martos, and Program Committee Chair Mong-Han Huang),
At the last Council Meeting of 2020, we seemed in agreement that we want the GSW Membership process to evolve.
Council expressed interest in two things:
(1) Allow gift membership. This would allow the Society to give the gift of membership to speakers and for Individuals to give the gift of membership to whomever they so desire.
(2) Make membership a “1-step process.” This would make becoming a GSW member as easy as becoming a member of AGU or MSA. We would scrap the 3 signatures and take payment along with the membership information.
Change #2 requires a change to the GSW Constitution and Bylaws – specifically Bylaw I. Relevant Bylaws are copied below.
I think we can execute change #1 without a change to the Constitution and that we only need to change the Google Form for membership. Membership Chair Erik Hankin and Nick Geboy “own” this Google form. If any Councilor or Officer would, or could, comment on my determination, please do. Otherwise I will formally ask Erik to make the necessary changes to the form.
If we want to initiate Change #2, I believe the first step is for three of us to submit, in writing, to Council Secretary Pat Carr, wording to amend our Constitution. If any Councilor would, or could, comment on my determination, please do. If any Councilor or Officer would like to comment on whether we should prioritize this during 2021, or would like to volunteer to participate as one of the three in this effort (along with me), please do so.
Liz
Bylaw I—Members
All members shall be entitled to vote, attend any meeting of the Society, take part in and contribute to the proceedings, hold office and serve on standing committees.
All members shall be approved by any three members of Council. Applications for membership shall: (1) be signed by three members of the Society; (2) contain a written statement of the applicant's interest in the earth sciences; (3) be accompanied by the first year’s dues; and (4) contain the applicant’s professional affiliation, although lack of professional affiliation will not be used to make membership decisions. The Membership Committee will ascertain that applications are in order, will obtain the necessary approval from the Council, and will notify new members of their election. Names of new members shall be announced to the Society at the next regular meeting.
Notice of resignation of membership shall be given in writing to the Secretary of the Council.
Bylaw VIII—Membership Committee [1976]
There shall be a standing Membership Committee, the Chair of which shall be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Council. The Membership Committee shall consider membership policies of the Society, make recommendations to the Council, and assist in their implementation. The Chair of the Membership Committee, or a representative named by the Chair, shall attend Council Meetings in a non‑voting capacity.
Bylaw XIII—Amendments
Any proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Council by at least three members. It shall be announced to the Society at a regular meeting, and shall be put to a vote of the Society at the next regular meeting following this announcement. If approved by a majority of the members present, the amendment shall become immediately effective, unless otherwise ordered by the amendment.
Dear Council:
I believe Liz was quoting from the so-called Grey Book (a handbook for society officers outlining policies and procedures, which does not have any status as an official governing document for the society). I am afraid the Grey Book has not been updated to reflect that the Bylaws were already amended in 2015 to remove the requirement for three signatures on a membership application.
Our current bylaws (as last revised in 2015) are posted on our website: http://www.gswweb.org/GSW%20Bylaws%20Revised%20as%20of%209-9-15.pdf. The relevant bylaw is Article VI, section 1.
Thus, I believe that no Bylaw change is required to implement Change #2 - all we need is coordination between the membership committee and the MSA office to update our forms and dues payment processes for new members.
I agree that no Bylaw change is required to implement Change #1.
--Carl-Henry
On Mon, Feb 1, 2021, at 11:33 PM, Cottrell, Elizabeth wrote:
Dear GSW Council (I am hopeful that our Council list is updated and now includes new Council Members George Helz, Yasmina Martos, and Program Committee Chair Mong-Han Huang),
At the last Council Meeting of 2020, we seemed in agreement that we want the GSW Membership process to evolve.
Council expressed interest in two things:
(1) Allow gift membership. This would allow the Society to give the gift of membership to speakers and for Individuals to give the gift of membership to whomever they so desire.
(2) Make membership a “1-step process.” This would make becoming a GSW member as easy as becoming a member of AGU or MSA. We would scrap the 3 signatures and take payment along with the membership information.
Change #2 requires a change to the GSW Constitution and Bylaws – specifically Bylaw I. Relevant Bylaws are copied below.
I think we can execute change #1 without a change to the Constitution and that we only need to change the Google Form for membership. Membership Chair Erik Hankin and Nick Geboy “own” this Google form. If any Councilor or Officer would, or could, comment on my determination, please do. Otherwise I will formally ask Erik to make the necessary changes to the form.
If we want to initiate Change #2, I believe the first step is for three of us to submit, in writing, to Council Secretary Pat Carr, wording to amend our Constitution. If any Councilor would, or could, comment on my determination, please do. If any Councilor or Officer would like to comment on whether we should prioritize this during 2021, or would like to volunteer to participate as one of the three in this effort (along with me), please do so.
Liz
Bylaw I—Members
All members shall be entitled to vote, attend any meeting of the Society, take part in and contribute to the proceedings, hold office and serve on standing committees.
_All members shall be approved by any three members of Council_. Applications for membership shall: (1) be signed by three members of the Society; (2) contain a written statement of the applicant's interest in the earth sciences; (3) be accompanied by the first year’s dues; and (4) contain the applicant’s professional affiliation, although lack of professional affiliation will not be used to make membership decisions. The Membership Committee will ascertain that applications are in order, will obtain the necessary approval from the Council, and will notify new members of their election. Names of new members shall be announced to the Society at the next regular meeting.
Notice of resignation of membership shall be given in writing to the Secretary of the Council.
Bylaw VIII—Membership Committee [1976]
There shall be a standing Membership Committee, the Chair of which shall be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Council. The Membership Committee shall consider membership policies of the Society, make recommendations to the Council, and assist in their implementation. The Chair of the Membership Committee, or a representative named by the Chair, shall attend Council Meetings in a non‑voting capacity.
Bylaw XIII—Amendments
Any proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Council by at least three members. It shall be announced to the Society at a regular meeting, and shall be put to a vote of the Society at the next regular meeting following this announcement. If approved by a majority of the members present, the amendment shall become immediately effective, unless otherwise ordered by the amendment.
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Dear Carl-Henry,
Thank you! Indeed, the “Constitution and Bylaws” are included in the Grey Book as Appendix 10 -- just as I quoted them. I will make it my job, as President, to update the Gray Book. If it is so out of date, it serves little purpose!
I will continue to try to get these changes enacted then.
Liz
From: Carl-Henry Geschwind geschwind@fastmail.com
Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 12:05 AM
To: Elizabeth Cottrell cottrelle@si.edu, GSW Council gsw-councilplus-l@minlists.org
Subject: Re: [Gsw-councilplus-l] GSW: Constitution Change Required for Membership Change
External Email - Exercise Caution
Dear Council:
I believe Liz was quoting from the so-called Grey Book (a handbook for society officers outlining policies and procedures, which does not have any status as an official governing document for the society). I am afraid the Grey Book has not been updated to reflect that the Bylaws were already amended in 2015 to remove the requirement for three signatures on a membership application.
Our current bylaws (as last revised in 2015) are posted on our website: http://www.gswweb.org/GSW%20Bylaws%20Revised%20as%20of%209-9-15.pdfhttps://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gswweb.org%2FGSW%2520Bylaws%2520Revised%2520as%2520of%25209-9-15.pdf&data=04%7C01%7Ccottrelle%40si.edu%7C05d339b68f7c4ed29dab08d8c738399e%7C989b5e2a14e44efe93b78cdd5fc5d11c%7C0%7C0%7C637478391596194099%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=7lTZibqflaNgdnR8HJpr9vr2pnDmpgdqXigCkVJYYDs%3D&reserved=0. The relevant bylaw is Article VI, section 1.
Thus, I believe that no Bylaw change is required to implement Change #2 - all we need is coordination between the membership committee and the MSA office to update our forms and dues payment processes for new members.
I agree that no Bylaw change is required to implement Change #1.
--Carl-Henry
On Mon, Feb 1, 2021, at 11:33 PM, Cottrell, Elizabeth wrote:
Dear GSW Council (I am hopeful that our Council list is updated and now includes new Council Members George Helz, Yasmina Martos, and Program Committee Chair Mong-Han Huang),
At the last Council Meeting of 2020, we seemed in agreement that we want the GSW Membership process to evolve.
Council expressed interest in two things:
(1) Allow gift membership. This would allow the Society to give the gift of membership to speakers and for Individuals to give the gift of membership to whomever they so desire.
(2) Make membership a “1-step process.” This would make becoming a GSW member as easy as becoming a member of AGU or MSA. We would scrap the 3 signatures and take payment along with the membership information.
Change #2 requires a change to the GSW Constitution and Bylaws – specifically Bylaw I. Relevant Bylaws are copied below.
I think we can execute change #1 without a change to the Constitution and that we only need to change the Google Form for membership. Membership Chair Erik Hankin and Nick Geboy “own” this Google form. If any Councilor or Officer would, or could, comment on my determination, please do. Otherwise I will formally ask Erik to make the necessary changes to the form.
If we want to initiate Change #2, I believe the first step is for three of us to submit, in writing, to Council Secretary Pat Carr, wording to amend our Constitution. If any Councilor would, or could, comment on my determination, please do. If any Councilor or Officer would like to comment on whether we should prioritize this during 2021, or would like to volunteer to participate as one of the three in this effort (along with me), please do so.
Liz
Bylaw I—Members
All members shall be entitled to vote, attend any meeting of the Society, take part in and contribute to the proceedings, hold office and serve on standing committees.
All members shall be approved by any three members of Council. Applications for membership shall: (1) be signed by three members of the Society; (2) contain a written statement of the applicant's interest in the earth sciences; (3) be accompanied by the first year’s dues; and (4) contain the applicant’s professional affiliation, although lack of professional affiliation will not be used to make membership decisions. The Membership Committee will ascertain that applications are in order, will obtain the necessary approval from the Council, and will notify new members of their election. Names of new members shall be announced to the Society at the next regular meeting.
Notice of resignation of membership shall be given in writing to the Secretary of the Council.
Bylaw VIII—Membership Committee [1976]
There shall be a standing Membership Committee, the Chair of which shall be appointed by the President, with the approval of the Council. The Membership Committee shall consider membership policies of the Society, make recommendations to the Council, and assist in their implementation. The Chair of the Membership Committee, or a representative named by the Chair, shall attend Council Meetings in a non‑voting capacity.
Bylaw XIII—Amendments
Any proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Council by at least three members. It shall be announced to the Society at a regular meeting, and shall be put to a vote of the Society at the next regular meeting following this announcement. If approved by a majority of the members present, the amendment shall become immediately effective, unless otherwise ordered by the amendment.
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To unsubscribe send an email to gsw-councilplus-l-leave@minlists.orgmailto:gsw-councilplus-l-leave@minlists.org
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