What is I-O?

The Executive Committee has recommended that a number of amendments to the Bylaws be adopted to reflect changes in the governance and operations of the Society. Each of these proposed changes is detailed below. For convenience, both old and new language is indicated. Language to be deleted is indicated by strikethrough characters and new language is underlined.

SIOP Bylaws call for an announcement of proposed changes at least two months prior to the actual voting (See Article IX, "Amendments"). Voting on the proposed changes will take place in the Fall of 1998. Mail ballots will be sent to all Society Members. A majority vote of those voting by mail are required to adopt any amendments.

Amendment 1: ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

1. A business meeting of the Society shall may take place in conjunction with the Society’s annual conference as determined by the Executive Committee.

Rationale: Attendance at business meetings has dwindled to such a degree that it has become impractical to meet the requirements for a quorum to conduct business. Nonetheless, it is necessary to retain the possibility of calling a business meeting should the need arise.

Amendment 2: ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES

1. The standing committees of the Society shall consist of the following: Fellowship, Membership, Election, Program, Scientific Affairs, Professional Practice, Education and Training, Newsletter, Continuing Education and Workshop, Committee on Committees, Long Range Planning, State Affairs, Awards, Frontiers Series, Practice Series, and Society Conference, and Historian. In addition, ad hoc committees may be established by vote of the Society Members or by the Executive Committee to perform tasks of a brief or temporary nature.

Rationale: The Executive Committee created the ad-hoc the position of Historian two years ago. The Executive Committee voted to continue this position on April 26, 1998. As with other committees, the Historian Committee will be subject to sunset review every 5 years.

Amendment 3: ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES

The standing committees of the Society shall consist of the following: Fellowship, Membership, Election, Program, Scientific Affairs, Professional Practice, Education and Training, Newsletter, Continuing Education and Workshop, Committee on Committees, Long Range Planning, State Affairs, Awards, Frontiers Series, Practice Series, and Society Conference, and Historian and Foundation. In addition, ad hoc committees may be established by vote of the Society Members or by the Executive Committee to perform tasks of a brief or temporary nature.

Rationale: The Foundation was begun as an ad hoc committee in 1996. Given the funds it manages on a continuing basis, it should now become a standing committee.

(The changes establishing the Historian and the Foundation Committees require a re-ordering of paragraph numbers in the Bylaws. Existing Paragraphs VII.19 and 20 will be renumbered as Paragraphs 21 and 22).

Amendment 4: ARTICLE XI: FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the Society shall end on April June 30.

Rationale: February through May are the busiest times of the financial year for the Society. We receive conference and workshop registration fees from January up through the Conference, and incur most of our Conference expenses during the month prior to the Conference and the two weeks immediately following the Conference. Because the Conference is sometimes held in April and sometimes in May, year-to-year financial comparisons are extremely difficult when the fiscal year ends April 30. Shifting the fiscal year end to June 30 will make year-to-year comparisons more straightforward.