Constitution Cleanup
Report on CURA Constitution Clean-Up, Updates, and Proposed Changes
Prepared by: Matt Waddell, Swede Burak, Jamie Bell, Peter Somerwil
Summary
The CURA Constitution Committee was given the general task of updating the Constitution document and bringing it in line with our current policies, understandings, and practices. Since the last update there have been significant changes surrounding the issue of proposals (which are now meant to go to committees,), the creation and maintenance of standing committees, how often CURA meets as a group, and the timeliness with which reports and other information are disseminated.
The Constitution Committee identified multiple issues with the current document of varying levels of both severity and controversiality, and therefore recommends that they be considered as a series of motions. All motions are outlined below. The motion itself is presented in italics, and is then, in most cases, given an underlined title for ease of reference. Finally, all of the edits to the Constitution document that the motion covers have been listed.
Items that require updating for the accuracy or function of the document are identified as ‘Housekeeping’ and can hopefully be presented and agreed upon as one motion. Updates that the committee felt would not be particularly controversial, but were more substantial than ‘Housekeeping,’ were similarly grouped at ‘Non-Controversial.’ Lastly there are updates that the committee feels represent our current practice, but might require significant discussion. These have been presented as individual motions. The first of these would accept the updated definitions and rules regarding the Committees, both Standing and Provisional. In response to the discussion point raised at the Jan. 24th meeting about whether the terms defining the Committees should be included in the Constitution or attached as an appendix, two motions are proposed. Following these two, the final motions to be considered have to do with the frequency of our meetings and the permissibility of teleconferencing.
All of the motions proposed below were presented to CURA at our Extraordinary General Meeting on Jan 24th, 2018 for due consideration. They are now submitted to be discussed and then voted upon at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for Nov 5th 2018. Anybody wishing to propose friendly amendments to this report or the Constitutional changes proposed should contact:
Matt Waddell: matthew_waddell@sympatico.ca
Swede Burak: swedeburak@gmail.com
Jamie Bell: coachjamie.bell@gmail.com
Peter Somerwil: psomerwil@brocku.ca
Motions
“That the following ‘Housekeeping’ changes be made to the Constitution.’
Housekeeping
- Updated page header dates to 2018
- Spelling/grammatical corrections: 6.1.1, 6.4.1, 7.2.1, 8.2, 9.4.1.7, 9.6.5.1
- Rule 9.4.1.2 explains that voting for Director positions is done by secret ballot
- Rule 9.6.4.1.1 explains that minutes from meeting should be circulated within 14 calendar days
- Section 12.0 ‘Order of Business’ was updated to include the mandatory committee reports
“That the following changes be made to the Constitution.’
Non-Controversial
- Section 8.0 has been re-titled to reflect that it includes both Membership and Voting rules
- Rule 8.4 has been written to reflect that most voting motions (at the discretion of the Board of Directors) should pass through the committee process before being presented to a vote at a CURA general meeting.
“That the following definitions and rules for the Committees, both Standing and Provisional, be accepted.”
Defining the Committee System
- The structure, function, responsibilities, and renewal of the standing committees (Playing Regulations, Eligibility, Nominating, and Constitutional) is covered in sections 11.1 and 11.2. All of these updates reflect language and understandings already agreed upon as part of the previous ‘Subcommittee Terms of Reference’ document.
- The structure, function, responsibilities, and renewal of provisional committees (Appeals, as well as committees struck for specific motions or issues that do not follow under the purview of an already existent standing committee) are outlined in 11.3. All of these updates reflect language and understandings already agreed upon as part of the previous ‘Subcommittee Terms of Reference’ document.
- TWO VERSIONS OF CONSTITUTION: ONE WITH TERMS INSIDE AND THE OTHER WITH TERMS AS AN APPENDIX
“That the aforementioned definitions and rules for the Committees be entered into the Constitution document proper.”
OR
“That the aforementioned definitions and rules for the Committees be attached to the Constitution document as an appendix.”
“That CURA hold biannual general meetings.”
Biannual General Meetings
For many consecutive years CURA has voted to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting at the RCA Coaches Conference. The Constitution Committee recommends that we update the Constitution to recognize that we now meet on a biannual basis.
- All mentions of annual general meeting have been updated to read ‘biannual general meeting.’
- The timing of these biannual meetings is explained in 10.1.1.
“That attending CURA Meetings through the use of teleconferencing or other voice/video-based communication technologies be permitted, and that a delegate attending through the means of these technologies both counts towards quorum and can vote.”
Teleconferencing
Rules 8.3.2, 8.3.2.1, and 8.3.2.2 have been written to allow members to attend meetings through the use of communications technologies. They may exercise their right to vote through these technologies and count towards quorum.