PCLI passes bylaws changes

A recent set of changes to the Press Club of Long Island’s bylaws, proposed by the board, passed a club-wide vote recently, 13-2.

The main change is how officers are elected. Previously, officers were elected by the full membership at the annual meeting at the June awards dinner. After careful consideration, the board proposed that the bylaws be amended so that the board selects the officers, after the full membership continues to elect individuals to the board.

The rationale is that board members are in a position to know who is interested, qualified and best suited to be an officer.

Changes to Articles III, IV, V and VI of the PCLI bylaws were passed in the club-wide vote.

The changes to Article IV and Article VI make the Board of Directors responsible for electing the officers of the board — president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.

In addition, changes to the preamble and to Article III removed redundant text.

Finally, a proposed change to Article V allows for the removal of officers and directors who fail to attend three consecutive board meetings.

The preamble and the affected articles are below.

Deletions are marked with a strikethrough. Additions are in bold. Our bylaws can be read pcli.org/bylaws/.

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Preamble
The purpose of the organization is to:

Promote and recognize ethical journalism practices.

Advance, develop and formally recognize higher standards of journalism.

Encourage social and intellectual exchange among Long Island journalists.

Raise public awareness of the profession.

Promote the development of future journalists from the ranks of high school and college students.

We hereby establish these bylaws of the Press Club of Long Island, a chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, herein referred to as SPJ.

Article III
Board of Directors

Section I. The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of PCLI, responsible for PCLI’s bylaws, policy and managing club business and funds.

Section II. The Board shall consist of officers and other directors. The officers shall be the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and the immediate past president. The number of directors will be set by the Board, but must be an odd number. Each officer and director shall have one vote.

Section III. The Board shall meet a minimum of 10 times a year.

Section IV. A quorum of the Board is a simple majority of members of the board. Votes cannot be conducted without a quorum.

Article IV
Nomination, Election and Installment of Directors and Officers
Section I. All officers shall be elected for one-year terms by an annual vote of members the directors. All directors shall be elected for two-year terms by an annual vote of members with half the board seats up for election each year. The method of the election shall be determined by the board and shall be publicized to all members before the nomination period.

Section II. Nominations of candidates for director positions must be submitted in writing to the secretary beginning two months before the election in June. Nominations close two weeks before the election. The names of all nominees shall be publicized by PCLI at the close of the nomination period.

Section III. Directors shall assume office at the first Board of Directors meeting following the election. Officers shall be elected by the directors at that meeting.

Article IV

Officers’ Duties
Section I. The president shall:

Chair all meetings of PCLI and of the board.

Nominate replacements for officers and directors who resign. The nominees must be approved by a majority of the full board.

Remove, with the approval of the board, officers or directors who are absent from five board meetings within 12 months or from three consecutive board meetings, or found to have engaged in what the board determines to be improper conduct.

Establish committees and appoint chairpersons of such committees.

Act as club spokesperson or designate a club spokesperson.

Section II. The vice president shall:

Assume the responsibilities of PCLI president when the president is unable to do so.

Section III. The secretary shall:

Record board meeting minutes.

Be responsible for maintaining and updating PCLI membership roster.

Section IV. The treasurer shall:

Be responsible for the proper accounting and expenditure of club funds.

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ARTICLE SIX SHALL BE DELETED.

Article VI
Nomination, Election and Installment of Officers
Section I. Nomination of candidates for officer and director positions must be submitted in writing to the secretary beginning two months before the election in June. Nominations close two weeks before the election.

The board will present a slate of nominees, but any member can run for office or be nominated by another member.

The names of all nominees shall be publicized by PCLI at the close of the nomination period.

Section II. Election results shall be announced and new officers installed at the annual meeting.