The first three proposed bylaw amendments would fall into the category of “housekeeping” items. The fourth proposed bylaw deserves your careful consideration. It addresses the structure and membership of APsaA's Executive Committee.
APsaA's Executive Committee is currently composed of the four nationally elected officers (president, presidentelect, treasurer; and secretary). Also on the Executive Committee are the chair and secretary of BOPS (the Board on Professional Standards) as non-voting members unless they are voting members of the Executive Council.
The proposed bylaw would add four new voting members to the Executive Committee. These four new members would be elected by the Executive Council, not by the general membership. Proponents of the bylaw would like to see the Executive Council further empowered, because it is the official board of directors.
Opponents to the proposed bylaw argue against it for a variety of reasons. They believe APsaA's Executive Committee works well, that having a smaller body (as it currently exists) helps it to work well, and that it would create a problem with the balance of power to add four councilors, especially since there is no consistent method by which councilors from their local societies are elected to the Executive Council (some are elected, some volunteer, etc.).
It is worth noting that discussion took place during the June Executive Council meeting regarding other models to consider; (which would also require a change in the bylaws). Two possibilities included: (1) having the two BOPS representatives become voting members of the Executive Committee, and adding two voting members from the Executive Council; and (2) limiting the selection of councilors added to the Executive Committee to councilors-at-large, since they are nationally elected.