PRSA COLORADO DELEGATES TO VOTE ON THREE BYLAW AMENDMENTS AT LEADERSHIP ASSEMBLY

As many PRSA Colorado members gear up to attend the PRSA 2016 International Conference Oct. 23-25 in Indianapolis, our chapter’s Assembly Delegates will gather on Saturday, Oct. 22 for Leadership Assembly. Each year at Leadership Assembly, delegates from PRSA chapters nationwide come together to formally vote on key issues facing PRSA and its members.

The role of the Colorado Chapter Assembly Delegates is to represent the chapter membership and its collective views when voting. This year, Assembly Delegates will vote on three proposed bylaw amendments to update PRSA’s governance process.

Over the last year, the PRSA Board of Directors reviewed and researched best practices of other similar nonprofit organizations and associations to find out what governance changes the organization can make to become more nimble, allowing leadership to focus on its primary goal of better serving PRSA members nationwide. Through this research, the Board of Directors unanimously recommended the following three changes to the PRSA bylaws, which will be proposed and voted on at Leadership Assembly:

•          Bylaw Amendment 1601 – Enable Remote Voting at the Leadership Assembly and Remote Meetings

This amendment will clarify wording in the current PRSA bylaws to make it possible for leadership to hold a virtual meeting if it’s impractical to meet face-to-face because of a natural disaster or act of God. This change will allow delegates to discuss items outside of Leadership Assembly, and potentially vote on items remotely to allow for more strategic discussions in person.

Colorado Delegates to vote YES

•          Bylaw Amendment 1602 – Allow the Board of Directors to Nominate Officers

This amendment will change the way PRSA interviews officers and officer candidates to help create the best leadership team possible. This change proposes that starting in 2017, the Board of Directors will interview candidates and recommend the slate of candidates for the offices of chair-elect, treasurer, and secretary to Leadership Assembly for their consideration and approval. The Nominating Committee will continue to recruit and present candidates for the District director and at-large director positions.

Colorado Delegates to vote YES

•          Bylaw Amendment 1603 – Allow the Board of Directors to Amend Bylaws

This amendment would give the Board of Directors the power to revise bylaws with a two-thirds vote, enabling staff and delegates to focus on issues facing the industry and the overall strategic direction of PRSA and the Board to focus on governance and “housekeeping” issues. Currently, all bylaw amendments must be voted on at Leadership Assembly. With the change, if Assembly believes the Board of Directors overstepped its bounds with any bylaw changes, they can overturn an amendment with a two-thirds vote, which preserves the checks and balances that are so important to any membership organization.

Colorado Delegates to vote YES

Depending on the proposed voting items, the Colorado Chapter’s Assembly Delegates conduct a variety of activities to collect the views, interests, and opinions of the Colorado Chapter’s membership, including board discussion and membership surveys. If you have a specific question about any of the proposed bylaws or would like to express your view, please contact us at [email protected].

Follow the hashtag #COPRSAICON to get all the latest news and information from Colorado Chapter members attending the 2016 Leadership Assembly and PRSA International Conference. If you are attending, follow the hashtag for special events and exclusive meetups for Colorado Chapter members.

Colorado Chapter Assembly Delegates

Elizabeth Jumel, APR

Elisabeth Monaghan, APR

Diane Mulligan, APR

Renee Robinson, APR

Stacey Sepp, APR

Nicole Yost, Chapter President