Organizational Manual - COO || Wisconsin Library Association

330.4 COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZATION

330.40 AUTHORIZATION: Bylaws, Article VII, Section 2.B.

330.41 MEMBERSHIP: Six members, to include the Vice-President/President-Elect of the Association who will serve a one year term, the WLA Executive Director (ex-officio, non-voting), and, whenever possible, one representative from each division, appointed by the Committee on Appointments, who will each serve a two-year term.

330.42 DUTIES

Reviews language outlining the policies and procedures relating to the organization and structure of the Association.
Prepares and keeps current the Organizational Manual to include WLA Bylaws, bylaws of all WLA units, policies and procedures adopted by the WLA Board, including duties of officers and committees.
Studies and reports with recommendations all proposals for amending the Bylaws.
Ensures that amendments to the Bylaws occur according to established procedures and that they result in internally consistent documents.
Recommends the establishment or discontinuance of units as the needs of the Association may require and shall define the function and field of each such group. (See Bylaws, Article VII, Sections 2.B.)
Sends a copy of all committee minutes and mailings to the WLA Executive Director and WLA President.

330.43 PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING CHANGES TO COO:

To carry out the role COO plays in maintaining the organizational structure of WLA, COO establishes these guidelines for the Board, its committees and the units to follow when they wish to make a change to their structure, their duties or their bylaws.
For the WLA Board: When the Board asks a committee or unit to review its duties and activities, that committee or unit shall report to the Board for review, action and disposition. If the Board approves a change, the Secretary shall send the change to COO for incorporation into the Organization Manual. Prior to its action, the Board may ask COO to review a committee or unit’s report and proposed changes.
For WLA Committees: When a committee of the WLA Board wishes to review or change its duties and activities, the committee shall present its request and rationale to the WLA Board before proceeding. If the Board agrees, then the committee shall follow the above procedure.
For WLA Units (Divisions, Sections and Roundtables): When a unit wishes to change its bylaws, it shall first submit the proposed changes to COO for review and comment. COO will advise the unit on whether the change affects other bylaws of the unit, affects the WLA Bylaws, and whether the bylaws' structure and content is consistent with the unit's purpose. The unit must submit any proposed changes, as approved by COO, to its membership for action. After the changes are approved by the unit's membership, the unit chair will send the approved changes to the Chair of COO for incorporation into the Organization Manual.
For COO: During its review of the Organization Manual, COO may come across policies, duties, or activities that may not be consistent with current practice or with other policies or procedures. COO will bring those items to the attention of the WLA Board or the unit, as appropriate.

330.44 PROCEDURES FOR A NEW UNIT

After a new unit is approved by COO and the WLA Board through the petition process (see Section 175), the WLA office is informed that there is a new unit. The office puts the unit on the membership form and sends them a budget request form for the next year. The following describes the unit’s steps after approval. These procedures may require two or more meetings, but may be accomplished in one if bylaws are drafted beforehand and they are accepted with no substantive changes.

First Organizational Meeting

The organizers should invite those persons interested in the unit to a meeting, for instance at the annual conference or a divisional conference. Invitations should go to those who are listed on the petition as well as a general invitation to the WLA membership. The organizers should work with the conference planners to determine where to meet or whether there is space to meet.

One of the organizers should call the meeting to order and assign a temporary secretary. The one who calls the meeting to order can nominate a chair pro tem and call for nominations from the floor. Each nominee is voted by voice. The one with a majority of the votes becomes the chair pro tem. The secretary records the minutes of this and all subsequent organizational meetings.

The organizers may bring to this meeting draft bylaws, previously reviewed by COO. If this has not been done, the chair pro tem may ask for a motion to appoint a committee to draft bylaws for the unit. COO guidelines for writing the bylaws should be consulted (see Section 330.45) in either case. The committee should submit the draft bylaws to COO for review and revision before submitting the bylaws for adoption to the persons interested in the unit. The committee should be authorized to prepare copies of the draft bylaws to distribute to the persons interested in the unit. The chair pro tem should also allow persons to speak about the goals and activities of the unit to guide the bylaws committee. The assembly or chair pro tem should fix a date, time and place for the next meeting at which the report of the bylaws committee is presented.

The first meeting is adjourned.

Second Organizational Meeting

Organizers should invite those persons interested in the unit to the meeting. Invitations should go to those who are listed on the petition as well as a general invitation to the WLA membership. The temporary officers continue to serve. The chair pro tem calls the meeting to order. The secretary presents the minutes of the first meeting for approval.

The chair pro tem asks the bylaws committee to report. The bylaws committee chair presents the bylaws to the membership and recommends their adoption. The chair pro tem has the assembly consider each article or section of the bylaws separately for discussion and amendment. When all articles or sections have been discussed and open for amendment, the entire set of bylaws is open for amendment. If no substantive changes have been made, the entire set of bylaws as amended is voted on.

If there are substantive changes, then the chair pro tem should refer the amendments to the bylaws committee and call for a third meeting.

The second meeting is adjourned.

The temporary officers serve until permanent officers are elected according to the unit bylaws. The temporary officers carry out the business of the unit until the permanent officers are elected.

330.45 GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHING OR REVISING BYLAWS OF UNITS:

The Committee on Organization (COO) has established these guidelines as a means for uniform structure in the bylaws of the divisions, sections and roundtables. These guidelines help the unit identify its unique contribution to the Association. COO recommends that new units of the Association use these guidelines when they establish their bylaws. These guidelines are also useful for the unit which plans to revise their bylaws. The following articles should be part of every unit's bylaws. The unit may add additional articles to govern their structure and operation.

STATEMENT OF AUTHORITY: Each unit (division, section or roundtable) is requested to include a statement that indicates how they were established. The statement should include the appropriate reference to the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) Bylaws and include the date the section or roundtable was voted into existence by its membership.

NAME: The article should contain the unit's name and its acronym.

MISSION STATEMENT/STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The unit should state why the group exists, what audience it will serve and how it will meet the needs of its membership.

GOALS: This article is optional. COO recommends the unit provide its membership with its goals as an organization. If this article is placed in the bylaws, then it should reflect the ongoing goals of the unit.

MEMBERSHIP STATEMENT: Membership in a unit is open to all current members of WLA.

AFFILIATIONS STATEMENT: This article is recommended for units that have similar purposes as national or regional organizations. It is also for units that have connections to similar state organizations. The WLA Bylaws govern how a unit may affiliate with other organizations. See also Section 440.8 and Bylaws Article VI, Section 2.

OFFICERS: This article should name the officers of the unit: chair, chair-elect and secretary at a minimum. It should describe the duties of the officers and the number of terms the officer serves, and the length of term. This article should describe how officers are nominated and elected. Include: “Consent of the persons nominated must be obtained before their names appear on the slate.” This section shall also include language specifying how a vacancy in an office will be accommodated.

It is recommended that the secretary's term be two years. The secretary's duties should include sending a copy of the agendas and minutes of the unit's Board and business meetings to the WLA Executive Director.

MEETINGS: It is recommended that units incorporate WLA Bylaws Article VI, Section 5, relating to meeting by telephone or other communication technology.

DISSOLUTION: This article would address how a unit would be dissolved if it is no longer active or viable. Dissolution would be accomplished by a majority vote of the unit's current membership present at the annual business meeting. A unit could also be dissolved by the WLA Board of Directors if the unit is no longer viable within the Association. A unit's viability is evaluated by a WLA policy (440.5) in the Organization Manual, based on Byalws, Article VIII.

330.46 TIMETABLE

January Review COO charge and bylaws

February Send letter to units requesting bylaws changes, and letter to sections asking them if they want to request/renew Board representation.

June 15 Deadline for proposed unit bylaws changes

June Review proposed unit bylaws changes

July Submit any WLA Bylaws changes to Newsletter editor and Website manager

October Submit next year's budget

Oct/Nov Review unit viability report prepared by Vice President/President-Elect and Executive Director

Present any bylaws changes at annual general meeting

Nov Follow-up on unit changes made at annual conference business meetings

Submit final Organization Manual changes to WLA office immediately following annual conference

Dec Make COO presentation at WLA Leadership Day