Making Nominations

[tbakos]

What do you think it means to "make nominations"?

The SoA Bylaws state these as being among the rights of FSAs [Article III, Section 1(b)]:

(b) Fellows. Fellows shall have the same rights as Associates and, in addition, are entitled to vote, hold office, make nominations, and generally exercise the rights of full membership.

The CAS Constitution has very similar language describing the rights of FCASs [Article III, Section 1(a)]:

Fellows shall be eligible to vote, hold office, make nominations, and generally exercise the rights of full membership.

Per Robert's Rules of order a nomination does not require a second and results in the nominated individual's name appearing on the ballot. In fact, per Robert's Rules of order a member is allowed to vote for any eligible candidate whether or not they have been nominated (hence "write in" candidates).

Yet, both the SoA and the CAS have Nominating Committees which appear to do more than simply make recommendations and the CAS has a process for members to petition onto the ballot.

My question:

Is the right of members to "make nominations" as stated in the respective Bylaws an absolute right of FSA or FCAS member, or

Can a nomination of a candidate by an FSA or FCAS be nullified by some action of a Nominating Committee?

What do you think.

[tommie frazier]

fr the CAS, I think not. once nominated with the required signatures, the candidate appears on the ballot.

AFAIK

[limabeanactuary]

Eligibility to make nominations... hmmm.

Anyway, your mention of Robert's Rules made me go to the original and check what it had to say about minutes - it's long, so I spoilered it. I will pull out a quote I bolded outside the spoiler:
http://www.rulesonline.com/rror-10.htm#60

Spoiler:

60. The Minutes. The record of the proceedings of a deliberative assembly is usually called the Minutes, or the Record, or the Journal. The essentials of the record are as follows: (a) the kind of meeting, "regular" (or stated) or "special," or "adjourned regular" or "adjourned special"; (b) name of the assembly; (c) date of meeting and place, when it is not always the same; (d) the fact of the presence of the regular chairman and secretary, or in their absence the names of their substitutes, (e) whether the minutes of the previous meeting were approved, or their reading dispensed with, the dates of the meetings being given when it is customary to occasionally transact business at other than the regular business meetings; (f) all the main motions (except such as were withdrawn) and points of order and appeals, whether sustained or lost, and all other motions that were not lost or withdrawn; (g) and usually the hours of meeting and adjournment, when the meeting is solely for business. Generally the name is recorded of the member who introduced a main motion, but not of the seconder.

In some societies the minutes are signed by the president in addition to the secretary, and when published they should always be signed by both officers. If minutes are not habitually approved at the next meeting, then there should be written at the end of the minutes the word "Approved" and the date of the approval, which should be signed by the secretary. They should be entered in good black ink in a wellbound record-book.1

The Form of the Minutes may be as follows:

At a regular meeting of the M. L. Society, held in their hall, on Thursday evening, March 19, 1914, the president in the chair, and Mr. N acting as secretary, the minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. The Committee on Applications reported the names of Messrs. C and D as applicants for membership, and on motion of Mr. F they were admitted as members. The committee on ............ reported through Mr. G a series of resolutions, which were thoroughly discussed and amended, and finally adopted, as follows:

Resolved, That..................................
...............................................
On motion of Mr. L the society adjourned at 10 P.M.

R....... N.......
Secretary.

In keeping the minutes, much depends upon the kind of meeting, and whether the minutes are to be published. In the meetings of ordinary societies and of boards of managers and trustees, there is no object in reporting the debates; the duty of the secretary, in such cases, is mainly to record what is "done" by the assembly, and not what is said by the members. He should enter the essentials of a record, as previously stated, and when a count has been ordered or where the vote is by ballot, he should enter the number of votes on each side; and when the voting is by yeas and nays he should enter a list of the names of those voting on each side. The proceedings of the committee of the whole. or while acting as if in committee of the whole, should not be entered in the minutes, but the report of the committee should be entered. When a question is considered informally, the proceedings should be kept as usual, as the only informality is in the debate. If a report containing resolutions has been agreed to, the resolutions should be entered in full as finally adopted by the assembly, thus: "The committee on ..... submitted a report with a series of resolutions which, after discussion and amendment, were adopted as follows:" then should be entered the resolutions as adopted. Where the proceedings are published, the method shown further on should be followed. If the report is of great importance the assembly should order it "to be entered on the minutes," in which case the secretary copies it in full upon the record.

Where the regular meetings are held weekly, monthly, or quarterly, the minutes are read at the opening of each day's meeting, and, after correction. should be approved. Where the meetings are held several days in succession with recesses during the day, the minutes are read at the opening of business each day. If the next meeting of the organization will not be held for a long period, as six months or a year. the minutes that have not been read previously should be read and approved before final adjournment. If this is impracticable, then the executive committee. or a special committee, should be authorized to correct and approve them. In this case the record should be signed as usual, and after the signatures the word "Approved," with the date and the signature of the chairman of the committee authorized to approve them. At the next meeting, six months later, they need not be read, unless it is desired for information as it is too late to correct them intelligently. When the reading of the minutes is dispensed with they can afterwards be taken up at any time when nothing is pending. If not taken up previously, they come before the assembly at the next meeting before the reading of the later minutes. With this exception the motion to dispense with reading the minutes is practically identical with the motion to lay the minutes on the table, being undebatable and requiring only a majority vote. The minutes of a secret meeting, as for the trial of a member, should not be read at a meeting that is open to the public, if the record contains any of the details of the trial that should not be made public.

Minutes to be Published. When the minutes are to be published. in addition to the strict record of what is done, as heretofore described. they should contain a list of the speakers on each side of every question, with an abstract of all addresses, if not the addresses in full, when written copies are furnished. In this case the secretary should have an assistant. With some annual conventions it is desired to publish the proceedings in full. In such cases it is necessary to employ a stenographer as assistant to the secretary. Reports of committees should be printed exactly as submitted, the minutes showing what action was taken by the assembly in regard to them; or, they may be printed with all additions in italics and parts struck out enclosed in brackets in which case a note to that effect should precede the report or resolutions. In this way the reader can see exactly what the committee reported and also exactly what the assembly adopted or endorsed.

____

1. In many organizations it is preferable for the secretary to keep his original pencil notes in a pocket memorandum book which he carries to every meeting, and these original notes, as corrected, are approved and then copied into the permanent records. This plan usually results in neater records, but the original notes should be kept until they are carefully compared with the permanent records. In such case it is better to have the minutes signed by both president and secretary as a guarantee against errors in copying.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So here's what I highlighted:

. He should enter the essentials of a record, as previously stated, and when a count has been ordered or where the vote is by ballot, he should enter the number of votes on each side; and when the voting is by yeas and nays he should enter a list of the names of those voting on each side.

It's off topic, but thought it was interesting.

[cubs1969]

The CAS Bylaws leave the procedures up to the board but it appears, according to this, that the Executive Council has taken on this responsibility.

A complete description of the 2010 CAS Election Process, as approved by the CAS Executive Council in January 2009, is provided for your information.

Note that there is nothing that requires the existence of a nominating committee, presumably the board could choose not to use a nominating committee and simply ask for nominees.

According to this, the board approved the nominating committee on November 15, 2008 and the Executive Council then approved the

• 2010 Procedures and Timeline for the Election of Officers and Directors
• 2010 Procedures and Timeline for the CAS Nominating Committee
• 2010 Nominating Guidelines for PE, VPs and Directors
• 2010 Candidate Information to be included on the Web Site
• 2010 Tellering Procedures

The Board's Novemebr 15, 2008 executive summary doesn't mention anything about the nominating committee or their approving election procedures.

It appears that the Board has abdicated their responsibilities although the procedure would be the same if they did it in accordance with the bylaws.

ARTICLE V.-Elections and Filling of Vacancies
Procedures for nominations and elections shall be established by a majority vote of the Directors present and voting at a meeting of the Board of Directors. These procedures shall be provided to the membership annually at the beginning of the election process. A majority of the votes cast by Fellows shall be necessary for the election of the President-Elect. For the election of Directors, the four candidates with the highest number of votes cast shall be elected, subject to a requirement that one-third of the valid ballots cast for Director shall be necessary for the election of a Director.

The Board of Directors may fill vacancies in the term of any Officer or member of the Board. Any Officer so appointed shall serve until the next annual meeting. Any member of the Board so appointed shall serve, subject to ratification by the Fellows at the next meeting of the Society, until the expiration of the term of office of the Board member being replaced.

The Board of Directors may fill openings on the Board of Directors caused by a change in the number of Directors. These openings may be filled by appointment or by election by the Fellows, at the Board’s discretion.

[Mary Frances]

The Board delegated the operational part of the process to the Executive Council. That's hardly the same as abdicating. Other things the Board has delegated include admitting new members. That's why you get your ACAS in February rather than having to wait for the March Board meeting. CAS operating procedures are very clear. Board (elected) sets policy. Executive Council (appointed) carries out the Board-set policies.

[cubs1969]

Originally Posted by Mary Frances

The Board delegated the operational part of the process to the Executive Council. That's hardly the same as abdicating. Other things the Board has delegated include admitting new members. That's why you get your ACAS in February rather than having to wait for the March Board meeting. CAS operating procedures are very clear. Board (elected) sets policy. Executive Council (appointed) carries out the Board-set policies.

If CAS operating procedures are very clear, can you provide a link to them? The CAS Policy Manual is restricted to Board members.

The Executive Council is not appointed. The President and President-Elect are elected by the members. The Vice-Presidents are elected by the Board. Now it may be that, historically, candidates for those offices have run unopposed so it looks like they've been appointed but they are elected.

Boards cannot delegate a duty something that is explicitly required of them by the Constitution.

Originally Posted by CAS Constitution

a) Associateship

Any applicant shall be enrolled as an Associate upon notification by the Casualty Actuarial Society provided that:

(i) the applicant successfully completes the examinations prescribed by the Board of Directors for Associateship and complies with any further requirements the Board may prescribe; and

(ii) the applicant is approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

While the administrative details can be left to staff, every Board meeting should have a vote to admit new members. Otherwise they aren't admitted in accordance with the constitution.

[Jon Evans]

Originally Posted by cubs1969

If CAS operating procedures are very clear, can you provide a link to them? The CAS Policy Manual is restricted to Board members.
....

Yes. Actually I find it disturbing how much governance material is restricted to Board members. Notice all the sections with an asterisk at the top of this link:

http://www.casact.org/about/governance/bod/

Board Briefings *
Board Meeting Materials *
CAS Policy Manual *
Risk Management Committee 2008 Progress Report *

[tbakos]

Originally Posted by Jon Evans

Yes. Actually I find it disturbing how much governance material is restricted to Board members. Notice all the sections with an asterisk at the top of this link:

http://www.casact.org/about/governance/bod/

Board Briefings *
Board Meeting Materials *
CAS Policy Manual *
Risk Management Committee 2008 Progress Report *

When I click on an asterisked item I get sent to the following page. Can anyone request a New Visitor Registration, is it limited only to CAS memebrs, or only to CAS Board memebrs?
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[limabeanactuary]

And here I was, saying that CAS had better transparency than the SOA.

Hmmm.

Well, it's probably still a little better.

[bdschobel]

The SOA Bylaws specifically give Fellows the right "to nominate." Those words must have some real-world meaning. They aren't merely ink (or pixels) on a page.

My right to nominate cannot be taken away by the Board, or the Nominating Committee. The voters can reject the people whom I nominate, but no other group can intercede.

Bruce