The MAA By-Laws have been revised and voted into effect at our 2006 Annual Meeting

Did you know that the previous version of the MAA by-laws was last updated in 1970? Many years have gone by since then and times have changed. Because we were determined that the by-laws reflect the current needs and desires of the MAA, the board worked hard revising the “MAA Constitution and By-Laws.” Before we started on this, we asked an attorney from the Supreme Lodge who works in this area for the Moose to review the current document and give us feedback on what should be changed. He was very helpful and gave us a good place to start.

This is a summary of the changes so that you can see the direction the by-laws have taken. These new by-laws were accepted by the alumni-at-large at our annual meeting in October.

Summary

The Constitution

It was determined that an organization with our function does not need to have a constitution. In reviewing the constitution and by-laws as they currently exist, it was determined that there was a significant amount of duplication between the two documents. It was determined that we would eliminate the Constitution and make sure that all points in the constitution were covered in the by-laws.

Reorganization

The by-laws were reformatted into an outline format and organized in a logical flow for easier reading.

Dues structure and Compensation for the Secretary

The dues structure and Secretary’s compensation were removed from the body of the by-laws and added as amendments to the by-laws to simplify the process of making changes as needed.

Moose membership

The requirement for all members of the Board of Directors to maintain membership in a Moose lodge was eliminated for both appointed and elected directors. Executive Committee members still have this requirement.

Dissolution of the Association

The process for the dissolution of the association in the case that it becomes necessary was outlined. This is standard for most organization by-laws.

MAA Charters

The text allowing the creation of charter groups of the MAA was eliminated. Any current charters may remain, but no new ones will be created. This was done because it was determined that there is no tangible benefit returned to the Association from the existence of these charters. Other reasons for this change are stated in the new by-laws.

Distribution of power

It was determined that the power of the office of the President was too broad and did not provide sufficient checks and balances. Some of the duties, such as the control of the Nominating Committee, were distributed to other members of the Executive Committee.

While there are other minor changes, these are the biggest ones. Take the time to read the new by-laws, which are available here on the official MAA website, and by request through the MAA Office. Please remember that this document is a living, breathing document that will change as the association’s needs change -- it needs to be dynamic for the association to succeed. If you have any specific questions, please contact me at susan.speulda@gmail.com and I will get answers for you as soon as possible.

Sue Swanson Speulda, ‘73