Executive Committee

The Intellectual Freedom Round Table is governed by an Executive Committee which shall: provide leadership and oversight for the round table; support and facilitate the work of IFRT committees; conduct all business between membership meetings; carry out the formal decisions of membership; review and approve an annual round table budget; provide reports to membership through round table communication channels; and collaborate with other groups and efforts within the broader Association. (Updated and approved by the IFRT Executive Committee May 2022.)

Per the IFRT Bylaws, the executive committee consists of the chair, chair-elect, past-chair, treasurer, secretary, councilor, four directors-at-large and the chairs of each committee.

Responsibilities

  • Provide oversight and long-term planning for the round table, including: goal-setting, programs, projects, activities, and publications

  • Conduct and review all business between membership meetings

  • Carry out the formal decisions of membership

  • Review and approve an annual round table budget

  • Report activities to membership through round table communication channels

  • Refrain from entering into contracts in the name of the round table (Only ALA staff may enter into contracts)

  • Make recommendations to membership by all round table communication channels

  • Hold board meetings that follow ALA Policy Manual: A.7.4 Regulations and Guidelines: Conferences and Meetings

Reporting

Each member of the board will submit a written summary of activities to the secretary two weeks before each Annual Conferences and Midwinter Meetings. The secretary will share these reports on the agenda of the board meeting held at Annual and Midwinter Meetings.

ALA Board Liaison

The ALA Board Liaison is an Ex officio member of the board, that is a member by right of position, but without a vote.

Communication

All round table communication, including the communication of the IFRT Executive Committee is conducted on ALA Connect. Within the IFRT Community there are twelve groups designed to be a working space and discussion forum for members and volunteers. The committees each have their own space (including the Executive Committee) and there is a larger open community for all member communication and transparent archive of documents and posting of meetings and events: IFRT Members Community (Open). The Executive Committee space serves to facilitate communication within the Intellectual Freedom Round Table officers, the ALA Board Liaison, ALA staff liaisons and round table committee chairs. It is not open to the public. However, if anyone wishes to communicate some information to the IFRT Executive Committee, they may do so by sending the message to ifrt@ala.org and staff liaison will pass along the communication, if appropriate.

Business of the Executive Committee

  • Official business of the IFRT Executive Committee should follow ALA's designated procedures as outlined in ALA Policy Manual: A.7.4 Regulations and Guidelines: Conferences and Meetings.

  • Agendas are provided in advance to communicate upcoming business so everyone can plan to attend and participate.

  • Decisions and action voted on by the committee should be conducted at a virtual or in-person meeting.

          • Approval of official executive committee documents; minutes, agendas, budgets, resolutions

          • Change in executive committee representation outside of annual elections and appointments

  • Decisions and action voted on by the committee can be conducted asynchronously using ALA Connect when actions are time-sensitive, and the members of the body are in agreement.

          • Sanction of IFRT executive committee action; endorsement, expenditures, initiatives, statements

  • Detailed and clear meeting minutes capture the conversation and the decisions and record who attended the meeting and who was absent.

Voting Methods

When the board wants to decide on a matter, it does so by voting. Each voting member (per bylaws) is entitled to one vote to indicate whether they are in favor of or against a motion.

A motion requires 6 steps:

  1. A member makes the motion (members are encouraged to state their name and position when making or seconding a motion)

  2. Another member seconds the motion

  3. The chair states the motion and opens it for discussion

  4. The group debates and may amend the motion

  5. The chair puts the motion (original or amended) to a vote

  6. The chair announces the result (the motion is carried or defeated)

Various voting methods can be used:

  • Voice Vote: a voice vote is the usual, simplest, and quickest method of voting on any motion that does not require more than a majority vote for its adoption. The chair of the committee will state the question, asking first for those in favor of the motion to indicate so verbally ("aye" or "yes"), and then ask those opposed to the motion to indicate so verbally ("nay" or "no"). The chair will then determine the result.

        • A variation of this method is a Rising Vote or a Show of hands, which can be more precise or if the vote requires a count.

  • Ballot: members indicate their vote in writing. This is generally used for very important matters (eg it is commonly used for the election of committee members) and when secrecy or confidentiality is required.

  • General Consent: when a motion is not likely to be opposed, the chair says, "if there is no objection ..." The membership shows agreement by their silence, however if one member says, "I object," the item must be put to a vote.

Voting Procedure for ALA Connect

Decisions and action can be conducted asynchronously using ALA Connect when actions are time-sensitive, well-defined, and the members of the body are in agreement. (e.g. endorsement, initiatives, statements)

  1. The chair or committee member posts a new thread with a written motion on ALA Connect where all members of the committee will be notified. The subject line will include the word "motion" or "action" or "vote". The post will include: a) All the information needed for the members to make an informed decision (a link to the resolution, or full text of the resolution, etc.); b) Include a deadline for when the votes must be received by; c) Include when a confirmation of the vote will be recorded; and d) Include details of eligibility, quorum, and voting threshold (e.g. “There are currently 18 eligible committee members. The vote requires the participation of 9 members.)

  2. Members respond in ALA Connect during a designated time period.

  3. Record of the vote is filed with the board minutes and reconfirmed during the next meeting.

Quorum requirement: For the online vote to be valid, at least 50% of eligible voting executive committee members must participate.

Voting threshold: A three-fourths majority of those voting, provided a quorum has participated, is required for passage of the measure.

Chair's casting vote: if the votes are equal or tied the chair may exercise a second or casting vote to decide on a motion. Although the chair may use the vote to decide either for or against a motion, it is preferable to give it against the motion.

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