The SAAL Board continues to make progress on implementing our strategic plan and building connections and partnerships to enhance our community. After large updates to the bylaws last year to align with our new organizational structure, the SAAL board has identified additional updates that will provide consistency in language, recognition of our new strategic foci, objectives, and values, and provide clarification to various processes and roles that were not previously documented. Review of our bylaws will happen annually, and any changes or updates must be approved by a vote of SAAL membership.
The section following this post outlines the changes the board would like to implement beginning on January 1, 2024. We are providing space for public comment and a single vote in agreement or disagreement for the proposed changes. We believe it is in the best interest of our members to voice their opinion in one vote instead of having to submit multiple votes for every change.
This post serves as the opening of a period for public comment regarding the bylaw changes. We are asking for your engagement once again in the form of comments, questions, concerns, or any additional responses you would like to provide about these proposed bylaw changes. The board will make every effort to respond in a timely manner to all comments. We will follow up with a post providing an overview of the comments and responses. The voting period for the changes to the bylaws is November 28th-December 15th.
Your ballot is also your opportunity to express interest in joining one of our committees. Reach out to us at saassessmentleaders@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Action Items:
- Review the proposed bylaw changes and provide any comments
- Vote for or against all bylaw changes with a single vote via your ballot distributed on November 28th
- Sign up for committee participation via your ballot
- Voting closes December 15th
Wishing you all the best as we wrap up another academic semester!
The 2023 SAAL Board
SAAL Bylaws Proposed Changes & Updates
Article 2: Overview
Section 4: Strategic Foci and Objectives
- Proposed change: Replaces Section 4: Goals and Section 5: Strategies and Core Functions
- Rationale: Alignment with public-facing documentation located here: http://studentaffairsassessment.org/mission-and-outcomes
Section 5: Strategic Values
- Proposed change: Replaces Section 6: Principles
- Rationale: Alignment with public-facing documentation located here: http://studentaffairsassessment.org/mission-and-outcomes
Article 3: Membership
Section 2: Member Calendar and Renewal
- Proposed change: Members may join SAAL at any time and can update their information as needed by contacting saassessmentleaders@gmail.com. Members will be removed if their email address becomes inactive, and a periodic review of membership will be conducted at the discretion of the Vice President of Community Development & Engagement in consultation with the SAAL Board.
- Rationale: Transition away from annual renewal process
Article 4: Governance
Section 5: Vacancies and Special Elections
- Proposed change: If any vacancies shall occur in the Board by reason of resignation or otherwise, or if the number of members shall be increased, the current Board shall continue to conduct business. Such vacancies or newly created positions shall be filled through outreach to its members and in uncontested vacancies, appointed directly by the Board. Any contested vacancy may be filled by election of its members during a special election.
- Rationale: Enshrine into bylaws a process for addressing vacancies or newly created positions.
Section 6: Specific Duties
Proposed Change:
Non-voting members
Blog Manager (recruited by Vice President of Community Development & Engagement)
- Recruit and select blog team and guest bloggers.
- Coordinate SAAL blog team by managing content creation and blog calendar using blog calendar and writing templates.
- Coordinate with blog team, guest bloggers, and other contributors to generate blog posts
- Proofread content and ensure it is consistent with values of SAAL, curiosity, equity, community, and responsibility.
- Publish blogs according to calendar and manage comments via SAAL website.
- Commit to and serve a volunteer 1-year term, regardless of professional role changes, or help identify a professional to fulfill the remainder of the term.
Open Course Manager
- Responsible for the oversight, development, implementation, assessment and evaluation of the SAAL Open Course.
- Collaborates with stakeholders and sponsors to ensure the course topics, goals, and objectives are aligned with SAAL members’ needs and those of the profession.
- Works with subject matter experts and course designers to deliver relevant and high quality content.
- Selects and manages the learning management platform to ensure it is user friendly and meets SAAL’s equity goals.
Podcast Manager
- Responsible for the production of the podcast by leading and encouraging SAAL members to share stories via podcast.
- Facilitate content creation using podcast crowdsourcing templates, etc. with hosts and helping brainstorm episode topics.
- Edit audio recordings and upload to podcast hosting site. This may involve adding intros/outros, removing mistakes and enhancing overall sound quality.
- Promote the podcast via the SAAL listserv.
- Monitors podcast’s performance with download numbers, audience location, etc.
- Rationale: Enshrine into bylaws non-voting member roles within the organization
Section 9: Board Meetings
- Proposed change: The Board will meet a minimum of every month . Meetings will take place via video call on the dates and times determined by a majority vote of the Board. The President may call a special meeting at any time by making a written request of the board. The written request should contain an agenda for the special meeting. Board meetings are open only to elected members. Meeting minutes are made available to members of the organization via Google Drive at the end of the month.
- Rationale: Create more frequent communication and account for transition to Google Drive for data storage
Section 11: Voting
- Proposed change: Most of the number of Board members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board, but if less than a majority is present at a meeting, a majority of the Board members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice.
- Rationale: Further clarification for voting processes and procedures
Next Steps for Public Comment:
Use the comment feature below to provide your feedback on the updates
Remember to vote when you receive your email ballot on November 28th!