2014 -15 Proposed Update AAUW Ohio Board of Directors Policy Book Table of Contents BRANCHES OF AAUW OHIO 1. Relationships 2. Responsibilities OPERATIONS 1. Values and Standards 2. Scheduled Meetings 3. Emergency Action 4. Responsibilities and Functions of Elected Officers 5. Appointments and Resignations 6. Committees 7. Finance Committee 8. Program Development Committee 9. Philanthropy and Fundraising Committee 10. Membership Committee 11. Public Policy Committee 12. State Publications 13. Use of Name and Logo 14. Bylaws and Policy Committee 15. Eligibility for AAUW Ohio Office 16. Nominating Committee 17. Campaigns and Campaign Finance FINANCIAL POLICES AND PROCEDURES 1. General Policies 2. Financial Procedures CONVENTION AND ANNUAL MEETING 1. Annual Meeting Planning, Procedures, General Policies 2. Rules of the Annual Meeting Rules 3. Annual Meeting Voting a. Delegates and Credentialing b. General Voting Procedures c. Tellers d. Credentials Report e. Contested Offices, Ballots and Elections Committee f. Elections Committee Procedures g. Parliamentary procedures RESOLUTIONS 1. General policies 2. Process MEMBER DUES COOPERATING GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS This Policy Book supplements the AAUW Ohio Bylaws and interprets decisions of the board of directors and annual meetings. It is subordinate to the AAUW and state bylaws. It must be read along with the AAUW Ohio Bylaws definitions of “authorized communications equipment” and “written communication.” It shall be distributed to state board members and to the Ohio branches. PURPOSE The Policy Book of AAUW Ohio shall 1. Describe duties and responsibilities of officers, chairs, and members of committees 2. Clarify state/branch relationships to prevent inconsistency 3. Improve administration efficiency BRANCHES OF AAUW OHIO Branches in Ohio have a relationship with AAUW Ohio that encourages them to cooperate on statewide action and requires of them certain responsibilities and duties. I. Relationship A. Contacts Each branch shall provide AAUW Ohio with 1. Contact information for a) Branch officers and standing committee chairs each year no later than July 1 b) Updates and changes of officers and committee chairs in a timely manner 2. Copies of the branch yearbook and newsletters a) The branch yearbook copies should be sent to the AAUW Ohio president, program vice president, and membership vice president. b) The branch newsletters should be sent to the Ohio Public Information Chair and the Orbit editor plus the above-mentioned officers when possible. B. Each branch is urged to maintain a roster of members for local community appointments. C. Visits to a branch by national or state AAUW representatives 1. National AAUW. The AAUW Ohio president shall be consulted before a representative visit is scheduled and shall be advised of the confirmation of the visit so that the state can be represented at the branch meeting. This policy avoids conflicts with state programming and requesting more than Ohio’s allotment of national resources. 2. State a) A branch may request a biennial visit by a member of the state board of directors by either contacting the AAUW Ohio Administrative Coordinator or by contacting the state board member. Auto fuel expenses of this visit, other than those assumed by the branch, shall be paid by the state. It is recommended that a special meeting of the branch board be arranged to discuss programs and concerns with the state visitor. If an additional visit is needed, the party (state or branch) initiating the visit shall pay the expenses. b) The AAUW Ohio Executive Committee may ask a board member to visit any branch. D. Branch members serving on the state board of directors 1. Branch members serving on the state board of directors are selected on the basis of their own ability and do not represent their branches. It is recommended that such persons be invited to attend board meetings of their branch. 2. Branch recommendations of members for state offices will be considered on their own merits by the state Nominating Committee. E. Branches and branch members may submit to the AAUW Ohio Bylaws Chair written resolutions or written proposed amendments to AAUW Ohio Bylaws or Policy. Details and deadlines for resolutions are shown in this Policy Book in the section titled Resolutions. II. F. Sharing of branch newsletters. Branch newsletters may be provided to organizations or individuals, other than AAUW, provided that AAUW objectives are furthered by such action. Specific approval must be obtained from the branch board of directors. G. Sharing of publications shall not violate any policy of AAUW or AAUW Ohio. Responsibilities of Branch Officers and Chairs A. The branch president shall 1. Be the official representative of the branch in the activities of AAUW on all levels 2. Maintain a president’s file containing copies of the most recent Bylaws of the American Association of University Women, Public Policy Program, the AAUW Ohio Bylaws, and the AAUW Ohio Policy Book. The president shall be familiar with their contents. 3. Submit a list of branch delegates to the annual meeting to the designated person by the specified date 4. Be responsible for bringing the branch bylaws and the branch policy sheet into conformity, by the stated deadline, with the bylaws of national AAUW and AAUW Ohio and with other changes mandated by AAUW or legal requirements. A copy should also be sent to the state bylaws chair by the deadline a) Updating the branch bylaws following each AAUW Convention and state Annual meeting b) Preparing a policy sheet (book) after a branch has been organized three (3) years c) Having the branch policy sheet reviewed during the even-numbered fiscal year of the presidential term d) Submitting copies of branch governing documents to national and to the state bylaws chair before the deadline 5. Send to the state president a list of suggested candidates, together with their qualifications, for appointment to various chair positions. B. The Branch Finance Officer shall 1. Send state dues to the state finance officer by the specified date, unless otherwise authorized by the national AAUW Board of Directors. Dues received after the deadline shall be forwarded immediately. 2. File the annual IRS Form 990 by November 15 C. Other Branch Officers and Chairs. Branch officers and committee chairs shall make reports as may be required by a member of the state board of directors or by a special committee chair by a designated date. OPERATIONS I. Board of Directors Values and Standards A. Members of the board of directors shall 1. Have knowledge of the Bylaws of the American Association of University Women, the AAUW Ohio Bylaws and Policy Book, and the publications of AAUW and AAUW Ohio 2. Attend all meetings of the board. They shall notify the president when it is necessary to be absent 3. Attend general meetings of the state and such other meetings as requested by the president 4. Submit all “counterpart” communications to the state president prior to publication. Copies of all correspondence shall be sent to the president. 5. Transfer to their successors all materials and papers necessary for the position. The incoming officer or chair must receive the files before the summer board meeting unless another date is specified. 6. Complete a Branch Report Form after each visit requested by a branch. The form shall be submitted to the state president and retained in her files. 7. Visit branches to maintain a working relationship that develops leadership skills, communication, and furthers the AAUW mission II. Scheduled AAUW Ohio Meetings. Board meetings for the fiscal year will be scheduled in advance during the preceding May or June. The board of directors shall meet at the call of the president in the summer, fall, winter, and spring-prior to the annual convention. Meetings shall be at such time and place designated by the president and may occur online or by conference call during months of inclement weather. Annual convention dates will be scheduled at least one year in advance. III. Emergency Action. Voting Between Meetings A. The Call. Between meetings of the state board, a written vote of the board may be taken at the request of the president on any question submitted to the board in writing, provided that every member of the board shall have the opportunity to vote upon the question submitted. Further, the written communication shall specify a deadline date by which the ballot counter, usually the secretary, must receive the votes. B. The Vote. If a majority shall vote on any question so submitted, the vote shall be counted and shall have the same effect as if at a board meeting. Within one week of the deadline, the president shall notify the board of the vote count. The result of the vote shall be in the minutes of the next board meeting. IV. Responsibilities and Functions of Elected Officers A. The president shall 1. Be the presiding officer of the Executive Committee, the board of directors, the annual meeting of delegates, and all other meetings sponsored by AAUW Ohio 2. Serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee and the Audit Committee 3. Execute, with the finance officer, all appropriate legal documents and agreements of the state, be the custodian of such papers, and give a copy of each to the finance officer 4. Appoint by the beginning of the fiscal year, with the approval of a majority of the Executive Committee, the standing committee chairs, special committee chairs, the district coordinators, and other individual appointments as are deemed necessary unless the appointment is otherwise specified in the bylaws, as it is for the Nominating Committee. It should be noted here that the bylaws specify appointment of the parliamentarian by this same procedure. 5. 6. 7. 8. Appoint committee members after consultation with the respective committee chair Annually, provide AAUW with designated contacts for administration and finance Be responsible for submitting reports and forms required by AAUW Communicate to each branch a) The number of delegates the branch may certify and send to the state annual meeting b) The deadlines for their reports such as branch officers reports, dues to state, branch activities report, and their list of names of certified branch delegates to the state annual meeting 9. Be responsible for communicating convention and delegate information to college/ university partner members and to members of the state who are not branch members 10. Prepare a biennial report of the work of the board of directors during the president’s term of office and file the report with the minutes of the board of directors 11. Be responsible for arranging an early convention planning meeting with the president/presidents of the host group(s), the convention chair, the convention site liaison, and the state program vice president 12. Perform duties as indicated in the section on Annual Meeting 13. Present a new branch with a gavel at the state annual convention following national AAUW approval of the branch formation 14. Visit a new branch within two years after it has been established 15. Lend the president’s files to the successor president for a period of two years at the end of her term, after which those files will be returned to the past president, who will then select appropriate items, such as minutes, programs, finance reports, and special items for inclusion in the AAUW Ohio archives. The archives are located at the Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio. 16. Implement resolutions as adopted at the Annual Meeting B. The secretary shall provide forms at the annual meeting for motions and shall place them at the microphones. C. The Finance Officer shall 1. Verify and track proper payments of branch dues 2. Be responsible to tally the official count of members of each branch, of C/U representatives, and of state members who are not branch members 3. Calculate and provide notice of the number of voting delegates allowed a) Calculation shall be done according to the AAUW Ohio Bylaws Article XI, Section 4. Voting. b) Actual delegate counts shall be sent by written notice to the president for inclusion in her notices. V. Appointments to the AAUW Ohio Board of Directors and Resignations A. Some appointment processes, such as those for appointment of the Nominating Committee, are specified in the bylaws. Please refer to the AAUW Ohio Bylaws. B. All other board appointments are made by the president as specified herein in the president’s section of Responsibilities and Functions of Elected Officers. C. Terms of Board Appointments 1. Board appointments shall be made and approved by the beginning of the fiscal year following the annual meeting in even numbered years. 2. The committee chair shall take office at the beginning of the fiscal year and serve for a term of two years. 3. In practice, some committees must convene before the beginning of the fiscal year so that a proposed budget may be prepared for adoption at the summer board meeting. 4. VI. Resignations a) The president shall consult with the Executive Committee prior to a recommendation to the board of directors to request the resignation of an elected or appointed officer for just cause. b) If an appointed committee member is unable to fulfill the duties of that office, the committee chair shall request approval of the board of directors to ask for her/his resignation. c) If the board declares that a vacancy exists, the position shall be filled as described in these policies and the chair shall be notified of the replacement decision. Committees. Committees implement the charges and priorities set by the board of directors in accordance with the AAUW Ohio Bylaws and relevant board-established policies. A. Membership and Organization 1. Specific charges of committees are listed in each committee’s policies. 2. Committees shall be chaired by their respective board officers. 3. To facilitate work of the committee, the incoming chair will receive an in-depth briefing by staff and the outgoing chair, as well as access to board mailings, mail and email lists. Committee members shall receive basic information including appropriate policies. Members joining committees at midterm shall receive a briefing by the chair to include links to committee reports, conference call minutes, etc. 4. It is expected that members of a committee shall participate in all meetings of the committee. 5. The chairs of committees shall a) Prepare written reports to submit at the annual meeting and to the board at its regular meetings b) Brief the incoming chair and transfer to her/him all materials and papers necessary for the position as stated in these policies 6. When views of a committee and the board conflict, the board of directors has final authority for decision. Committees may recommend action to the board, but the responsibility for the final decision resides entirely with the AAUW Ohio Board of Directors. 7. The president serves as a non-voting, ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee and the Audit Committee. B. Administration 1. Committees meet at least annually, usually by conference call or other electronic means. 2. The agenda for committee meetings is drawn up by the chair based on plans and developments in the area of concern. The agenda should be sent to committee members well in advance of the meeting. VII. Finance Committee A. Membership. The committee shall consist of the finance officer, who shall serve as chair, two additional board members, and two members appointed by the president from the general membership, with suggestions from the finance officer. The president and the administrative coordinator shall serve as ex officio members without vote. B. The committee shall 1. Oversee the financial operation of the state 2. Prepare and present the annual budget to the board of directors for approval at the summer board meeting VIII. Program Development Committee A. Membership. The Program Development Committee shall consist of the program vice president, a member of the Convention Host Branch Committee, convention finance chair, a member of the Convention Site Committee, others needed to carry out the charge of the committee. B. Charge. The Program Development Committee shall 1. Plan, prepare, and implement the program for the annual convention and Equity Day as indicated in the section on Convention and Annual Meeting 2. Review the AAUW Ohio convention file of previous conventions and Equity Days 3. Plan, prepare and implement the program for the Leadership Meeting 4. Coordinate resources and help branches develop AAUW programs C. Administration 1. The state program vice president, as chair of the state Program Development Committee, shall a) Carry chief responsibility for arranging and coordinating all logistic details of any state programmatic elements and the state annual meeting b) Carry final responsibility for the adequacy of the convention meeting room facilities. If the Convention Site Liaison makes such arrangements, the state program vice president must give approval to the floor plans and/or any agreements made with the site facility. 2. The design of the convention program booklet must be approved by the state program vice president and the state president, and shall include a copy of the AAUW Ohio Annual Meeting Rules as written in these policies. IX. Philanthropy and Fundraising Committee shall A. Implement AAUW programs on fellowships, Research and Project Grants, and such others as may be established by AAUW B. Recommend to the board of directors the assignment of fundraising monies C. Submit the financial records of the committee for audit each year no later than June 30. A report of the audit shall be given to the board of directors. D. Alert branches to a list of AAUW fellows in Ohio and suggest to nearby branches ways they might provide welcoming activities or supplies to the fellow E. Serve as custodian of all Philanthropy and Fundraising monies, contributions, and records thereof, including an itemized accounting of all receipts and disbursements F. Promptly convey to the national office all branch AAUW Funds donations (formerly EF, LAF, Research and Project Grants, Eleanor Roosevelt, etc.) received. The monies shall not be deposited to the AAUW Ohio accounts. G. Use the finance officer’s membership count as of February 1 to determine branch per capita contributions X. Membership Committee A. Charge. AAUW Ohio recognizes that membership growth and retention is vital to our financial stability. 1. Each year, the membership committee should develop and carry out a plan for member retention and branch mentoring. Board members who visit, or otherwise mentor branches, should have clear understanding of the plan and should work toward its prescribed outcomes. 2. Every activity should include membership development and marketing that focuses on how the activity or results benefit the targeted audience. AAUW Ohio should use state of the art and financially efficient marketing and communications methods. B. Administration. The Committee shall 1. Assist, at the direction of the president, groups petitioning to organize and those in the process of organizing a new branch; and provide orientation for new branches including preparation of bylaws 2. Work to increase membership in the state by establishing new branches and by suggesting new methods to increase and retain members 3. Assist branch membership chairs with problems of qualification for membership and development of a branch orientation program 4. Evaluate which paid staff skill sets are important for membership growth and retention and recommend findings in writing for board discussion at its mid-term meeting XI. Public Policy Committee A. Charge. The Committee shall 1. Recommend state public policy priorities for adoption by the state board 2. Coordinate implementation of federal and state public policy agenda 3. Communicate federal and state public policy agenda to branches 4. Encourage branch member advocacy 5. Collaborate with the public policy advocate and state lobby corps 6. Produce a state public policy brochure for community and legislators 7. Produce a state legislator voting record in even years B. Administrative structure 1. Membership shall include state public policy chair or co-chairs, state membership vice president, state program vice president, public policy advocate, one representative from each of the five regions. 2. Committee meetings shall take place at state convention, summer leadership program, and by conference call and email. XII. State Publications A. AAUW Ohio shall publish a newsletter, called The Orbit, and make it available to all members. B. AAUW Ohio shall publish an annual yearbook directory containing contact information of all state and branch officers and standing committee chairs and provide it to all AAUW Ohio board members and branch presidents. C. State publications may be provided to organizations or individuals, other than AAUW, provided that AAUW objectives are furthered by such action. Specific approval must be obtained from the board of directors. D. Sharing of publications shall not violate any policy of AAUW. E. Website and Online Communications. Need policies. For background see AAUW Board of Directors Policy Book, 123 XIII. Use of Name and Logo. AAUW Ohio recognizes that reference to membership in AAUW by an individual member, a board member, the board of directors, or in published material shall be interpreted as use of name as referenced in the AAUW Board of Directors Policy Book. A. When members of the board of directors act as an official representative of AAUW Ohio in other organizations, they shall be approved by the board of directors and authorized to file for expense reimbursement. B. When members of the board of directors are invited to membership in other organizations because of their position in AAUW Ohio, it is recommended that they join as individuals at their own expense. XIV. Bylaws and Policy Committee shall A. Review and retain a copy of each branch’s current bylaws B. Bring the state bylaws into conformity with voted action after each AAUW and state convention and with other changes mandated by AAUW or legal requirements C. Receive written proposed amendments to the bylaws from branches, branch members, state members who are not branch members, and members of the board of directors. Such proposals shall be received by the chair of the committee by December 1. D. Submit proposed bylaws amendments for review at the winter board meeting E. Present proposed amendments to the delegates at the annual meeting with a recommendation from the Bylaws Committee for or against adoption F. Acquaint members of the board of directors with information in the national Bylaws of the American Association of University Women and national AAUW Board of Directors Policy Book and the AAUW Ohio Bylaws and AAUW Ohio Policy Book G. Consult with members of the board of directors in developing bylaws and policies H. Respond to questions concerning bylaws and policies I. Act as the Resolutions Committee and follow guidelines in the Resolutions section of this Policy XV. Eligibility for AAUW Ohio Office A. In addition to requirements stated in the AAUW Ohio Bylaws, candidates for the office of president shall have served at least two years on the AAUW Ohio Board of Directors within six years prior to nomination and shall have had elective leadership in a branch. B. Candidates for the office of program vice president shall have served at least two years on the AAUW Ohio Board of Directors within six years prior to nomination and shall have had elective leadership in a branch. XVI. Nominating Committee. All members of the Nominating Committee shall be familiar with operations of AAUW Ohio, the duties of the officers, and the requirements of eligibility for office stated in the bylaws and the policy. A. Activities and Responsibilities of the Committee 1. Review the forms submitted 2. Verify qualifications of candidates and their eligibility for AAUW Ohio office as presented herein in the section Eligibility for AAUW Ohio Office 3. Approve all qualified candidates for state office 4. Attempt to propose multiple candidates for each office 5. Send written notification to all applicants, stating whether or not they have been accepted on the slate. When possible, notification shall be given by electronic written communication on the day of selection 6. Prohibit signs or distribution of campaign items in the annual meeting room 7. Announce the slate of officers to the state board at the winter board meeting 8. The Nominating Committee shall attend the annual meeting, and shall act as the Elections Committee for the meeting according to procedures detailed herein in the section on Annual Meeting Voting B. Activities and Responsibilities of the Nominating Committee Chair 1. Notify the committee members of their responsibilities 2. No later than November 1, send nominating forms and a brief outline of the duties of the officer(s) to be elected at the following annual meeting to each branch president through the president’s mailing, to state board members, and to the Orbit Editor 3. Set a meeting of the committee after the December 15 deadline for submission of forms 4. Announce the slate of candidates to the membership. The Chair shall send information by February 1 to the state president for the president’s mailing and Orbit editor for publication in the Orbit. This announcement shall include the slate of candidates and a brief vita of each nominee. 5. Act as liaison with all candidates, from their nomination through the election 6. Prepare paper ballots for contested offices and a tally sheet for counting votes as detailed in the policy section Annual Meeting Voting 7. Retain ballots of contested elections for one year XVII. Campaigns and Campaign Finance. All nominees proposed by the Nominating Committee, candidates nominated from the floor, and write-in candidates shall be bound by these policies. A. Campaigning 1. Official campaigning shall be conducted only between February 1 and the state annual meeting. 2. Each candidate/nominee shall be limited to two mailings of campaign literature to a given recipient, either by the candidate or on the behalf of the candidate, between February 1 and the state annual meeting. All campaign mailings must bear an indication of the candidate’s approval. 3. Candidates/nominees wishing to purchase mailing lists of any type from the national office of AAUW may do so. The Nominating Committee Chair shall mail a copy of the state yearbook directory to each candidate/nominee. 4. Signs and distribution of campaign items will not be allowed in the annual meeting room. 5. Campaign material is limited to three promotional items. 6. Time shall be provided during the convention program schedule prior to the annual meeting for the introduction of candidates. Each candidate will be allotted two minutes for a campaign speech during this time. B. Campaign Finance 1. Candidates/nominees are limited to a maximum of $400.00 for campaign expenses (personal and/or donated). 2. The state shall not reimburse any candidate/nominee for transportation or other convention expenses, unless that candidate is fulfilling official state duties. 3. One week before the annual meeting, candidates shall present the Nominating Committee Chair with a preliminary report of campaign expenses. 4. Prior to the state board meeting at the annual convention, the Nominating Committee Chair shall report to the Executive Committee whether candidate/nominee preliminary reports of campaign expenses are in order. The Executive Committee shall use its discretion in recommending to the board of directors subsequent action for noncompliance with expense guidelines. 5. A final report will be filed with the Nominating Committee Chair within thirty (30) days after the annual meeting. The form for this report will be provided by the Nominating Committee. FINANCIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES I. General Policies A. Membership growth and retention is vital to our financial stability. 1. Each year, the membership committee should develop and carry out a plan for member retention and branch mentoring. Board members who visit, or otherwise mentor branches, should have a clear understanding of the plan and should work toward its prescribed outcomes. 2. Every activity should include membership development and marketing that focuses on how the activity or results benefit the targeted audience. AAUW Ohio should use up to date and financially efficient marketing and communications methods. 3. At its mid-term, the board should evaluate its needs and ability to pay for work, with careful attention to determining which skill sets best advance membership growth and financial stability. B. AAUW Ohio must seek sources of income beyond its membership dues such as 1. Project grants, co-sponsors, and collaboration with other groups 2. Advertising in published material such as the convention program and the newsletter C. Before allocating or budgeting funds for an activity, project, or program, the board must have a detailed proposal that includes the outcomes: plans and personnel for marketing, visibility and member recruitment; branch and member participation; budget needs: and outside sources of income. Marketing of projects should target both member retention and education of non-members to tell them how our work benefits them and to move non-members to become members. It is likely that one or two projects during any one year is the maximum number that can be done effectively. Projects should generally be limited to those of greatest interest to our members. Members should be surveyed to determine the area(s) of greatest interest. D. AAUW Ohio will retain an emergency reserve of one year's expenses. Reserves in excess of the emergency reserve should be used for special projects and membership growth and retention. E. Officers authorized to sign AAUW Ohio checks shall be the state finance officer and state president or one additional officer designated by the president. Only one signature shall be required on checks; it shall be that of the state finance officer, unless she/he is unable to sign. F. Members of the board of directors are exempt from registration fees for the annual meeting. II. Financial Procedures A. Dues and Fees 1. Member dues amounts are recorded in a separate Member Dues section of this Policy Book. 2. Submission of Dues a) Each branch shall pay annual state dues for each member and associate member belonging to the branch. Branch members and affiliates whose AAUW Ohio dues are zero shall be marked as members and submitted to the state finance officer to ensure an accurate branch count. Dues are payable to the state finance officer on a designated date and shall be considered in arrears unless forwarded by the branch finance officer by that date. b) In keeping with national AAUW Policy Section 202, “AAUW members who are not members of a Branch and C/U Partner Member representatives have the option to pay state dues to the state finance officer”. They may also become branch members by paying branch and state dues. B. Expense Reimbursements 1. The finance officer shall issue checks only as authorized by the president on approved vouchers. 2. Expense vouchers must be accompanied by receipts and presented within sixty (60) days of their accrual. Any expenses incurred after May 1 must be submitted on or before June 30. 3. Reimbursement of travel costs shall be at the lowest rate of commercial carrier used or at 30¢ per mile by private car. 4. Members of the board of directors may request reimbursement of expenses authorized by the budget or special action of the board for transportation, lodging, meals, and meeting registration incurred in the conduct of state affairs. 5. Budgeted reimbursements shall be paid for the state president who attends the national convention. Any remaining monies in that line item shall be shared equally by all other officers of the board of directors who attend. 6. Committee expenses shall be paid upon approval of the state president for a) Auditing, nominating, resolutions, and other special committees b) Standing committees established by the AAUW Ohio Bylaws c) Attendance of the membership vice president, or a substitute approved by the state president, at planning meetings for new branches C. Memorials approved by the board of directors shall be transferred promptly to AAUW Funds. CONVENTION AND ANNUAL MEETING I. Planning Procedures and General Policies A. Dates, Site Selection 1. The convention meeting may remain centrally located, in which case the president shall appoint a Convention Site Liaison to arrange for a suitable meeting location containing adequate space for special meetings, meals, and housing for those attending and shall work with the Convention Host Committee as needed. 2. The Convention Host Committee of the annual meeting shall rotate among the districts as follows: Central, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. The president shall appoint the Convention Host Committee Chair. B. Activities and responsibilities 1. The AAUW Ohio Board of Directors shall endeavor to offer workshops or other techniques for aiding branch leaders at such times and in such areas as may prove helpful. 2. Programs and activities are planned by the Program Development Committee and approved by the board. C. Host Committee, The Host Committee shall 1. Work in coordination with the Program Development Committee and the Convention Site Liaison, if any, and shall be responsible for arranging adequate space for special meetings, meals and housing for attendees, an adequate number of volunteers, publicity, community outreach, and hospitality 2. Provide tables in a designated area where candidates/nominees may place and distribute materials 3. Take a count of daily attendance 4. Keep an accurate accounting of income and expenses 5. Reporting a) The Host Chair shall remit, within sixty (60) days of the convention close, to the president who presided at the convention (1) The payment of profit and advanced monies, if any (2) The complete written Convention Report, Convention Finance Report and Attendance Form b) The Host Chair shall file copies of all reports in a file for the next Convention Host Chair. D. Finances 1. Meetings should generally be financially sound. Therefore, registration fees must include costs for meals, printing of programs and related materials, outside speakers (their travel and expense of one meal), and any specific equipment charges, e.g. AV equipment, etc. 2. Stated here as a reminder for convention budgeting: in keeping with the General Finance Policies stated herein, members of the AAUW Ohio Board of Directors are exempt from registration fees for the day of the Annual Meeting. 3. The state (not the convention) shall pay board members’ expenses for a) The convention board meeting dinner b) Auto travel at the rate specified herein c) One night’s room expense at one-half double room rate for state board members who attend the Annual Meeting Day 4. The Host Committee may request advanced funds by submitting a voucher to the president for her approval and payment by the finance officer. These monies should be within the budgeted amount and advanced by November 1 prior to convention. 5. The Convention Host shall reimburse the state for any advanced funds and transmit any “excess” funds reported on the final report form as detailed in this Policy, Convention and Annual Meeting Reporting. 6. If a convention makes a profit, the host branch(es) shall (jointly) receive an amount not to exceed ten percent (10%) of that profit. II. Annual Meeting Rules. The Convention Program Book shall contain a copy of the following Annual Meeting Rules A. Delegates shall be recognized by delegate badge and may be seated in a special, assigned area. Only delegates who have received their credentials prior to the meeting are voting delegates. B. Officers and other members of the AAUW Ohio Board of Directors are requested to sit in their assigned places. C. Voting delegates who address the meeting shall identify themselves by name, branch and delegate status. D. Delegates who wish to speak must go to a floor microphone to be recognized. E. The voting delegate who makes a motion shall be given the first opportunity to speak to the motion, followed by the voting delegate who seconds the motion. Thereafter, alternating pro and con speakers shall be recognized in the order in which they have arrived at the microphone. F. No voting delegate may speak to an item a second time until all others who wish to speak have done so. A voting delegate may speak no more than twice nor longer than two minutes on the same question. G. Motions must be presented in writing to the presiding officer prior to their presentation to the delegates. Motions must be in duplicate and signed by the maker and the seconder. Motion forms shall be provided by the secretary and will be available at the microphone(s). H. No voting delegate shall have more than one vote. I. No delegate shall enter or leave the room during a vote. J. Nominations from the floor shall require the written consent of the nominee. K. Voting for contested office shall require a written ballot. Voting on issues other than contested office shall be by show of hands. If the presiding officer or any voting delegate questions the result, there shall be a standing counted vote. L. Floor proposed resolutions require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting delegates to permit presentation. A three-fourths (3/4) vote of the voting delegates is necessary for adoption. The AAUW Ohio Bylaws/Resolutions Committee must be notified in advance of the intent to present a resolution. M. Verification of the credentials report shall be done as follows: Tellers will verify the number of voting delegates of the branches, and the delegates voting in the capacity of board member, past president or college/university representative. The tellers will verify the number to the Secretary. III. Annual Meeting Voting A. Eligibility, Delegates and Credentialing 1. An individual, designated by the state president, shall be responsible for certifying all voting delegates and for reporting the number of delegates representing each district at the state annual meeting. 2. All voting delegates shall be properly certified (credentialed) prior to being admitted to the annual meeting. 3. Delegates who attend the annual meeting without credentials already on file with the designated person and substitute delegates, must bring credentials signed by the branch president, and shall present them to the designated person before being admitted to the annual meeting as voting delegates. 4. Special Voting Delegates a) Dual members may serve as state annual meeting delegates or alternates only from the branch in which all required dues are paid. b) Branch Satellite members are counted as members of the established branch for delegate representation at state annual meeting and may be certified only as a delegate of the branch. c) College/University partners may certify delegates as provided in the bylaws. B. General Voting Procedures 1. Delegates shall be recognized by delegate badge and may be seated in a special, assigned area. 2. Only delegates who have received their credential from the designated person prior to the annual meeting are voting delegates. 3. Election tellers perform counts and distribute ballots on the voting floor as described in this Policy. 4. The Elections Committee tallies paper ballots outside the voting floor. C. Procedures for Delegate Seating, Tellers, and the Credentials Report 1. Delegate Seating. The president and the Elections Committee shall decide whether to seat delegates in a special assigned area or not. a) If voting delegates are seated in assigned areas (1) Only voting delegates may be seated in the voting delegate areas. (2) Assigned areas for voting delegates shall be districts, state past presidents, state board members, College/University Representatives, and state members who are not branch members. (3) Non-voting attendees shall be seated in a separate assigned area. b) If voting delegates are not assigned to sit in a special area (1) The Elections Committee Chair shall assign each teller an area of the floor. (2) Each voting delegate must by properly identified to the teller at each count. (3) Each teller shall count only in the area assigned. 2. Tellers a) Each District Coordinator shall serve as a teller for all persons seated in one assigned area. If additional tellers are needed, branch presidents will be designated as tellers. b) Tellers are responsible for counting all persons seated in their assigned area and for counting votes taken by show of hands or by standing. c) Tellers will distribute and collect ballots from only properly identified delegates in their assigned area. (1) Ballots shall be counted as they are distributed and shall not exceed the number represented in the credentials report. (2) Each voting delegate will receive one ballot. (3) At the close of voting, members of the Elections Committee shall collect the ballots from the Tellers. 3. Credentials Report a) The individual responsible for credentialing shall deliver the credentials report to the president at the start of the annual meeting. b) Verification of the credentials report shall be done as follows (1) Election tellers shall be responsible for counting the delegates in their assigned area and reporting to the secretary (2) The state president shall count and acknowledge the number voting as state past president, state board member, and College/University Representative (3) The sum of all delegates shall be equal to, or less than, the credentials total (4) The secretary shall report verification of the Credentials Report D. Contested Offices, Ballots, and Elections Committee 1. Voting for contested offices shall be by paper ballot prepared by the Elections Committee. The Elections Committee shall prepare printed ballots prior to the annual meeting, listing each candidate nominated and providing space for floor nominations. 2. Each candidate shall be allowed to have a representative present to witness tabulation. Witnesses shall not touch the ballots. 3. Elections Committee Composition a) The Nominating Committee shall be the Elections Committee for the annual meeting. b) The District Coordinators shall substitute for any Nominating Committee member unable to attend the annual meeting, so that all five districts are represented on the Committee. c) Elections Committee Procedures. At the close of voting on the contested offices, the Elections Committee shall convene in a designated area outside of the convention room to tally the ballots. The total number of ballots shall be counted and shall not exceed the number of ballots distributed. d) Tally sheets shall list all candidates for each position. e) Counting Procedures (1) Election Committee members shall work in groups of two. (2) Each ballot shall be tallied twice by different pairs. (3) The tally sheet shall be signed by the counters and witnesses. f) Election totals shall be promptly submitted to the parliamentarian. g) Tally sheets and ballots shall be sealed and properly stored for a period of one year in the care of the Nominating Committee Chair. E. Floor Procedures for Voting for Elected Offices 1. The state president calls first for the vote for uncontested offices. 2. The parliamentarian shall determine if a majority vote has been reached. 3. The state president shall announce the results of the election. 4. In the event that there are three or more nominees for any office or position and no nominee receives a majority of the votes on the initial ballot, the second ballot shall be limited to the two nominees who have received the highest number of votes. RESOLUTIONS A resolution is a formal, written motion proposing that AAUW Ohio take action or express an opinion on a matter of importance. I. General policies on resolutions A. Resolutions may be initiated by branches, branch members, members of the state who are not branch members, members of the state board of directors, or the Resolutions Committee. B. The branch need not approve a member-proposed resolution. C. Resolutions shall be voted upon at the annual meeting. D. The president assigns a person, group, or branch to implement each adopted resolution unless the resolution states the assignment. Branches have the responsibility to implement their current resolutions at local levels as directed by the state president. E. All resolutions shall be implemented within three (3) years. If an extension is required, the request for extension must be brought before the annual meeting. F. Adopted resolutions will be printed in the yearbook and other state communications for the coming year and throughout their implementation periods. G. Resolutions on subjects which have a limited period of time and are restrictive of action or have been subsequently considered in Public Policy Principles and/or bylaws shall be removed from state publication by directions of the board of directors after recommendation from the Resolutions Committee. II. Process for proposed resolutions A. Resolutions received by the Bylaws and Resolutions Chair will be numbered consecutively in the order they are received, indicating the year as well, i.e., 07-R 1, 07-R 2, etc. B. The Committee on Resolutions shall report to members of the state one month prior to the annual meeting and shall publish both accepted and rejected proposed resolutions. C. Resolutions proposed in advance 1. Resolutions and substantiation shall be sent, in the proper form, to the Resolutions Committee Chair by December 1. 2. The Resolutions Committee shall recommend to the board of directors at their winter board meeting the acceptance or rejection of advance proposed resolutions. 3. Accepted proposed resolutions a) Shall be presented at the annual meeting by the Resolutions Committee b) Require a majority vote of delegates for adoption 4. Rejected proposed resolutions a) The branch and/or member that proposed the rejected resolution(s) may propose may propose the resolution(s) from the floor. b) The Committee on Resolutions must be advised of intent to present resolutions. c) A copy of the resolution must be given to the secretary prior to the request for permission to present the proposed resolution. d) Wording of the resolution must be exactly as it was published by the Resolutions Committee. e) A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates shall be required to permit the presentation. f) A three-fourths (3/4) vote of delegates shall be required for adoption. D. Floor proposed resolutions 1. Shall address subjects which have arisen since December 1 2. The Resolutions Committee shall be notified of the intent to propose a floor resolution. 3. Must be accompanied by substantiation as required for advanced proposed resolutions, and must be available to delegates prior to the beginning of the annual meeting. The branch or member proposing the resolution is responsible for the reproduction costs. 4. 5. 6. A copy of the floor resolution must be given to the secretary prior to the request for permission to present the resolution. A two/thirds (2/3) vote of delegates shall be required to permit the presentation. A three-fourths (3/4) vote of delegates shall be required for adoption. MEMBER DUES Current AAUW Ohio dues are shown in the following chart. Some member categories enjoy free membership in AAUW Ohio; however, those member names must be sent to the finance officer and certified to be active and properly of the category. Membership Category Annual Branch Member Associate Member Paid Life Member Honorary (50-year) Member Dual who lives in Ohio AAUW Dues $49.00 $15.00 $00.00 $00.00 $00.00 Ohio Dues $11.00 $11.00 $11.00 $0.00 $0.00 Dual who lives outside Ohio $00.00 $11.00 Student Affiliate Give a Grad a Gift College/ University Representative.+ National Member joining AAUW Ohio (T) Branch member from another state, transferring to Ohio (T) Satellites $17.00 $00.00 $00.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $00.00 $11.00 $00.00 $00.00 Member Entitled to Be a Convention Delegate or Hold Office Yes No, generally only branch secretary Yes Yes Delegate only from primary branch (in which all three dues are paid) May be delegate and hold office, see Bylaws, membership section No Yes See AAUW Ohio Bylaws, Membership and Dues, Partner section May be delegate and hold office, see Bylaws, membership section Yes Members of satellite branches or affiliate satellites pay dues, according to their AAUW membership category. * Dual Members who live in Ohio pay AAUW, state and branch dues in one branch and only branch dues in any other branch they join. They are included in the membership count from the branch where Ohio dues are paid, or in the case of a 50-year honorary member, the one branch she/he designates as primary. They may hold office in any branch in which they are a member. + Each college/university member institution is entitled to a representative appointed by the college/university president. The representative must be a member or a person eligible for membership; her or his national AAUW dues are waived. The representative may become a state member or a branch member upon payment of dues. COOPERATING GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS I. AAUW Ohio may join together with other groups and organizations for the purpose of furthering AAUW’s mission and its public policy program. II. With full knowledge of the reason, scope, relationships, and financial involvement, the board may approve an arrangement ranging from an informal alliance to a more formal coalition. Because the word, “partner” has legal meanings and obligations, AAUW Ohio will follow the national policy on partnering and avoiding legal binding and will not enter into partner relationships of any kind, either formal or informal. (For further clarification, see AAUW Board Policy that follows.) III. AAUW Ohio will follow policies adopted by the national AAUW Board of Directors Policy Book, February 2014 Revision, substituting AAUW Ohio for AAUW where appropriate. The national policy states: “COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Adopted by the AAUW Board of Directors, February 1988; revised October 1992, February 2007, July 2009, July 2011, June 2013 This policy is to be read in conjunction with Fundraising Policy 402 and the Guidelines for Fundraising. I. AAUW recognizes the value of joining together with other organizations, both nonprofit and otherwise, to raise awareness of issues and/or achieve common objectives. Such efforts can often assist AAUW to further our mission, make more effective and efficient use of our resources, and increase our visibility and impact II. All activities, structures, and implementing documents must protect both the reputation and the assets of AAUW. A. Commonly used terminology in this regard includes a variety of terms, such as “coalition,” “alliance,” and “collaboration,” which have somewhat different but undefined connotations. (For convenience, “collaboration” is used herein to encompass all such arrangements.) Subject to the exception for “partnering,” “partner,” and “partnership” noted immediately below, AAUW will not generally be concerned about the label that is chosen. B. Although it is common for nonprofit organizations to be described as “partnering” with other organizations, this verbal formulation is unfortunate. Any use of the term “partner,” or variations of the term, whether as a verb, a noun, or an adjective, imply that a “general partnership” has been created. The law provides that general partnerships can be created orally, casually, and without the parties involved realizing the implication of their actions. This is dangerous because, even without authorization, every general partner can bind the partnership with respect to third parties, and every partner is liable for all of the debts, actions, and liabilities of the partnership. Accordingly, absent unusual circumstances, AAUW will not describe itself or allow itself to be described as partnering, being a partner, or being in a partnership or partnering relationship, and no AAUW branch, state, multistate, or other AAUW-affiliated entity shall have the right, power, or authority to create a partnership involving AAUW (i.e., the national organization). Indeed, in many cases it will be appropriate to expressly record that all parties recognize that no partnership exists. Analogous terms (e.g., “joint venture”) will be treated analogously. AAUW recommends that all AAUW affiliated entities recognize that that the same risks pertain to their own use of “partnering” terminology and therefore recommends avoidance of its use. III. When working with other organizations, AAUW will retain the control of the use of the names “American Association of University Women,” “AAUW,” and all associated logos and other AAUW intellectual property. IV. Depending upon the circumstances and goals, collaborations can and will vary greatly with respect to the length of the relationship, the type of support provided, the leadership structure, and the appropriate level of formality and documentation, particularly with respect to financial matters. Some collaboration with non-AAUW organizations may require AAUW Board of Directors approval, though typically decisions about the need for and advisability of such collaboration will be made by staff. V. Most commonly, such collaboration includes the mutual encouragement of actions or programs of social benefit and/or mutual support of advocacy positions; and, therefore, such collaboration typically does not involve actual direct or indirect investment by AAUW. In some cases, however, AAUW’s collaboration may involve direct or indirect financial or in-kind resource investment. Such direct support may include sharing of administrative costs and/or a commitment to participate in the ongoing financial support of the common objective. It is essential that any financial or in-kind investment by AAUW in any collaboration must specifically (i) further the AAUW mission; (ii) involve AAUW active participation; and (iii) be fully described by written and signed agreement of the parties, with clearly stipulated parameters for expenditures and participation timeframes. A. Indirect support may include staff or volunteer time, use of space, technical expertise, or use of AAUW resources; typically, the terms of such activities should be articulated in writing by an agreement among the parties. B. Any investment by AAUW and/or AAUW-affiliated entities, whether indirect or direct, financial, or in-kind, may be made only for politically nonpartisan activities and with politically nonpartisan collaborators. VI. As a charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, AAUW is subject to complex laws that (i) prohibit political activities relating to elections and (ii) restrict lobbying activities relating to legislation. Because the actions of AAUW’s collaborations will be regarded by the Internal Revenue Service as the actions of AAUW itself, AAUW will always ensure that its collaborations do not cause a violation of the rules governing its tax status. VII. AAUW-affiliated entities may collaborate with organizations in a manner that clearly advances AAUW’s mission and purpose. In all cases, each AAUW-affiliated entity must (i) follow its own established policies and procedures, (ii) comply with all applicable laws, including tax laws, and (iii) avoid creating or allowing confusion between itself and the AAUW national organization. If there is a question regarding whether a proposed collaboration is appropriate, AAUW-affiliated entities should contact [email protected] (800.326.2289) for proper referral. VIII. AAUW encourages all AAUW-affiliated entities to support women and girls on issues in their local communities, states, and regional areas that directly relate to AAUW’s mission of advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Participation in collaborations at these levels may help to generate local enthusiasm and visibility, to promote AAUW, and to recruit members. In all cases, however, each AAUW-affiliated entity should never state or imply that it is acting on behalf of AAUW or any other AAUW-affiliated entity in any way that might legally obligate AAUW or any other AAUW-affiliated entity with respect to any collaboration, duty, or action. Moreover, as discussed above, each AAUW-affiliated entity should be careful to protect itself by not entering into partnerships, either intentionally or unintentionally.” Bylaws and Policy Committee: Nancy Stellhorn, Chair JoAnn Benseler Marilyn Kornowski Mary Ellen Pratt Jane Wilson Updated May 1, 2015
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