About CAA
Amendments to the CAA By-Laws
A Letter from the CAA President
December 4, 2009
To the Members:
This year, the annual ballot sent to all members marks an historic opportunity to effect significant change within our association. Not only do we have an excellent slate of candidates to be considered as members of the CAA Board of Directors, but we also have the possibility to enact measures that enhance the board structure, which may help the organization expand its abilities to serve members’ interests.
Specifically, in this year’s proxy, you are asked to consider approving an amendment to CAA’s By-laws that will allow for the addition of up to a total of three Appointed Directors (in addition to the membership’s annual election of four directors for four-year terms). The board has been considering this change for several years. We have presented the pros and cons to the membership at two open forums at our Annual Conference and have written about the issue in our newsletter. After weighing all the considerations, in May of this year, the board endorsed the change. We believe this measure will help the board in significant ways to further CAA’s mission.
As you review the proposed By-laws changes, please note the following:
- Article V references the new class of Appointed Directors. These will be professionals well versed and active in the arts and arts-related fields but who have expertise not always found in our membership. Expertise may include, for example, communications specialists, digital-publishing professionals, nonprofit fundraisers, or other areas identified by the board as a need. Note that, at any one time, the board may have no more than three Appointed Directors. Article V also references the terms and the term limit for any Appointed Directors
- Article VI proposes that the Treasurer, currently an officer of CAA and an ex officio board member, be given a vote on the board. Such a change will allow us to engage a person in this position more actively in the financial stewardship of the organization and make her or him an equal member of the board
- Article VII describes the procedures for nominating and appointing Appointed Directors. It leaves unchanged our current practice of electing officers of the organization (with the exception of the Treasurer) from among the Elected Directors, who are themselves elected directly by the membership
- Article VIII establishes the new committee that is necessary to nominate the Appointed Directors
I and the other members of the board are recommending these changes to the association’s By-laws because we believe that the addition of a small number of Appointed Directors will strengthen the board and enhance its effectiveness in serving the members’ interests. Of course, you—the members—are the only ones empowered to adopt the changes. I encourage you to engage actively in the shaping of CAA by casting your vote on the proposed changes to the By-laws, as well as to elect new board members.
For more information, see the FAQ guide as well as further information on the website and in the forthcoming January newsletter.
Sincerely,
Paul B. Jaskot
President, College Art Association
