ACS COMMENT
Is C&B In Your Future? JAMES C. CARVER, CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS
other words, the bylaws should be worded tee on Constitution & Bylaws (C&B) is how the unit wishes, except that they must tasked with reviewing amendments to the include certain required text. American Chemical Society’s governing As I reported at the ACS Council meetdocuments (Bulletin 5) and to unit bying in Boston, certified bylaws and a status laws. I joined C&B as an associate member report are posted on the ACS website in 2006 and have been a full (www.acs.org/bulletin5) committee member since so that everyone can see 2007. I was honored to be how long it’s been since appointed chair of C&B your local section or diviin 2014. Since 2006, there sion has updated its bylaws. have been a lot of changes Seventy-three local secto the ACS governing docutions and three divisions ments (www.acs.org/bulhave not updated their letin5). C&B has reviewed bylaws since 2000. These and certified a number of and many other local secunit bylaws as requested tions and divisions should by divisions, local sections, be concerned about the and international chemical validity of their elections sciences chapters. In 2015, if they conduct electronic C&B certified 29 bylaws, balloting, which may not be the most certified in any authorized in their bylaws. Your bylaws are year, of which five were cer- the rules and We urge you to contact us tified under an expedited at
[email protected] to learn regulations for process. how easy it is to update how your unit C&B has attempted over your bylaws. Keep in mind conducts its the past several years to that your bylaws are the elections and simplify amending unit byrules and regulations for laws. In 2014, we provided how your unit conducts other business. standardized, preapproved its elections and other bylaws, for which the unit’s business. members must still vote in During the past few accordance with current years, C&B has been honbylaws. C&B can then quickly certify the ing charter bylaws for new local sections bylaws. The committee also developed and international chemical sciences chaptemplates for units that want more flexters. In addition, we have formulated byibility to customize their bylaws, which laws for divisions in probationary status. is limited under the expedited process. We hope to have these bylaws reviewed by Of course, we will still do in-depth bylaw the appropriate committees at the next reviews for those units that want to fully ACS national meeting in San Diego and customize their bylaws or amend their exapproved by council in Philadelphia. isting bylaws. But that process is a lot more work for the units and takes much longer C&B ALSO REVIEWS PETITIONS that for C&B to review. Our goal is to make sure are submitted to propose changes to the the unit bylaws are internally consistent, society’s constitution and bylaws (www. include required text for consistency with acs.org/bulletin5). As necessary, the comBulletin 5, and are consistent with how the mittee suggests revisions, mostly to ensure units wish to conduct their business. In that the petitioners’ language is written in GREMILLION PHOTOGRAPHY
AS MOST OF YOU know, the Commit-
CEN.ACS.ORG
32
JANUARY 11, 2016
a way that meets their intent and that does not cause unintended issues with respect to Bulletin 5. We received one petition by the Nov. 25, 2015, deadline; a petition to extend the unemployed members’ dues waiver will be up for consideration by the ACS Council in San Diego. C&B is a standing committee of the council, which means that only councilors are eligible to serve on it. Although C&B is neutral on issues in petitions, C&B gains firsthand knowledge of proposed changes and works with other ACS committees and members to clarify and improve Bulletin 5. Thus, C&B is a good committee for a new councilor who wishes to learn about the inner workings of the society, as well as for more seasoned councilors who want to put their experience and knowledge of governance to work for the society. ONE MISCONCEPTION about C&B is
that you need to be a lawyer to serve—you don’t. C&B is made up of different types of councilors: those who like to edit, those with good grammar skills, those who see the big picture, and those who have knowledge of the way ACS works. Our committee members function as a team. It helps if you have some knowledge and interest in the society’s governance structure. If you’re a councilor and interested in learning about and helping shape the governance of the society, you should consider joining C&B, which meets on Sunday during ACS national meetings. Others are most welcome to attend the committee’s open meetings, which are typically held Sunday afternoon during ACS national meetings. For more information about C&B and your bylaws, contact us at either bylaws@ acs.org or
[email protected], or call (202) 872-4071. Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.
