Final Summary of 2023 Potential changes to BTA Constitution

and By-laws
Bulleted List

Proposed changes related to Election Process

1. The ballot will now be provided electronically instead of via mail. Upon request, a
representative or an Executive Board member will provide the member with a
printed copy of the nominating ballot. This is to save on the cost of stamps and
materials related to the election.
2. The outcome of an election would be determined by whomever receives the
largest number of votes instead of needing a 51% majority to win. In current
elections, we rarely have one candidate receive 51% of the vote when we have 3
or more candidates running for a position, which forces a runoff election.

Proposed changes to Membership Chair/Committee

1. Eliminate the position of Membership Chair. The duties of the Membership
Chairperson to be split between the Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer.
This is proposed as an effort to save the cost of the stipend of the Membership
Chair, and also acknowledge that many of the current duties listed are done by
other Executive Board Members and Representatives.
2. Eliminate the Membership Committee. There has not been a Membership
Committee in many years and all of the duties listed are performed by the
Executive Board and Reps at each site.
3. By eliminating the Membership Chair, the Membership Chair would no longer be
a part of the Representative Council, so that language needs to be removed from
the Constitution and By-Laws.

Proposed changes to Meeting Attendance

1. Representative Council members must now provide 24 hours notice if they are
going to miss a Rep Council meeting. If they don’t, they will have $50 deducted
from their stipend (this amount is not new, just the 24 hours notice is new).
2. Executive Board members must provide 24 hours notice if they are going to miss
an Executive Board meeting. If they don’t, they will have $100 deducted from
their stipend amount (this amount and the 24 hours notice is new).
3. Both Executive Board and Representative Council members must attend
meetings in the modality announced for the meeting (i.e. in person or remote).
4. Any exceptions to giving 24 hours notice (for example, an emergency) that
impacts an Executive Board or Representative Council member from attending
 the meeting in the announced modality may be approved by a majority vote of
the Executive Board.

Proposed changes to Webmaster position

1. Eliminate the sentence that states “However, if the Corresponding Secretary
chooses to perform these duties, they shall receive the webmaster stipend”. This
allows any other capable member the ability to be an appointed Webmaster.

Proposed changes to NYSUT Delegates and Alternates language

1. Change the language from “shall” to “may, upon a majority vote of the Executive
Board”. This language is in reference to delegates and alternates attending the
annual NYSUT Representative Assembly. This allows the Executive Board to
determine whether to fund the expenses of the delegates and alternates
attending the Representative Assembly, based on the constraints of the budget.