If you are an annual USAT Member, you will receive a ballot shortly asking for your vote on certain bylaw changes. Some of these are as a result of requirements of Congress and the USOPC. Some are not. While many of the changes are beneficial, I encourage you to consider a few sections that will dramatically affect the nature of USAT and your participation as a member:
As a director, I am told that I have a duty to support resolutions passed by the board whether I agree with them or not, however, I believe I have a responsibility to ensure that you are clear on what you are voting for, along with the possible down-side to voting in favor. All I ask is that you seriously consider the above prior to voting. If the proposal is defeated, you will be asked later in the year, to vote on those changes that are required by the USOPC and other sections that would be beneficial, yet preserve the nature of USAT and your membership. But however you feel, please vote!
- 1. The composition of the board with your approval will reduce the number of directors who are elected by you from 6 to 4. There is no compelling rationale for this in my opinion. USAT has always been a membership organization and this change will alter that. Our members are our backbone and pay the bills in the form of their dues, race sanctioning fees, etc. It seems that they should have more than a 1/3 representation on the board.
- 2. The 4 directors elected by you, our members, will no longer be elected on a regional basis, but nationally based upon candidates placed on the ballot by the Nominating and Governance Committee. While directors do not “represent” the interest of their region as opposed to the interest of USAT as a whole, you would likely be far more familiar with candidates who come from your region. And while board members have a duty to act in the best interest of USAT as a whole, we bring a “regional” voice in terms of how members feel in different parts of our Country.
- 3. Perhaps one of the most important changes: You will no longer, as members, have a right to vote on any bylaws change. Over the past six years, your right to vote on changes has been limited to just a few sections of the bylaws that effect your membership. You will no longer have that right. So, as example, if a board in future years decides not to have any general directors at all (eliminating the four that would exist should these changes be approved), you would have no say in that.
As a director, I am told that I have a duty to support resolutions passed by the board whether I agree with them or not, however, I believe I have a responsibility to ensure that you are clear on what you are voting for, along with the possible down-side to voting in favor. All I ask is that you seriously consider the above prior to voting. If the proposal is defeated, you will be asked later in the year, to vote on those changes that are required by the USOPC and other sections that would be beneficial, yet preserve the nature of USAT and your membership. But however you feel, please vote!