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Greetings!
Over the past few months, I have highlighted several necessary and suggested Constitution and Bylaws amendments that support the proposed governance change separating certification functions from membership activities and discussed transitioning to a single set of bylaws.
This month, I will focus on proposed updates and additions to the Board of Regents and Officers sections of the bylaws. These revisions aim to improve clarity, strengthen governance practices, and ensure that the bylaws remain focused on essential structure and authority while operational details are managed through board-approved policy.
Updating the process for filling board vacancies
The current ACVS Constitution and Bylaws require a special election to fill any mid-term regent vacancy. A proposed amendment would replace special elections with board appointments to fill mid-term regent vacancies. Under this process, the Nominating Committee would solicit candidates, conduct a structured review, and recommend an appointee to the board. This approach reduces administrative burden, avoids delays, and ensures vacancies are filled with well-qualified candidates through a fair and consistent process. Appointments would apply only for the remainder of the unexpired term, maintaining member control over full elected terms.
The proposed language also provides a structured process for filling vacancies in officer roles, including automatic succession to chair and president and appointments for president-elect and treasurer roles based on recommendations from the Nominating Committee. These amendments ensure continuity and minimize disruption.
Removing the 10- and 13-year membership requirements
A proposed revision would remove the current 10-year membership requirement for regent eligibility and the 13-year requirement for officer eligibility. While the current requirements are intended to ensure sufficient experience, the threshold is arbitrary and may exclude strong candidates, especially as the role of the Board of Regents evolves with the separation of certification functions and membership activities.
Streamlining election procedures
A proposed amendment would move the detailed election procedures currently in the Constitution and Bylaws to a board-approved policy. The core governance structure will remain: the Nominating Committee proposes a slate of candidates, the board approves the slate, and members elect the president-elect and regents at a special meeting. Moving procedural details to a policy document allows for more efficient updates as best practices change.
We added an article, Strengthening the Board of Regents and Officers sections of the bylaws, to the ACVS website that provides further detail on these and additional proposed amendments, including adding clear processes for resignation and removal of regents and officers, clarifying regent and officer compensation and reimbursement, and formally establishing the role of the chief executive officer.
I will continue to share recommendations for proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws as we move through this process. We appreciate your engagement as we work to strengthen and modernize the College’s governance framework. Diplomates will have the opportunity to review all proposed amendments and provide feedback.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at aseery@acvs.org, (301) 916-0200 x106, or in the new Governance Updates and Questions discussion group in ACVS Connect.
Best regards,
Adam Seery, CAE
Membership Director
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