Communications and Reports
5.1 Communications
The Section Council Chair communicates with the Council members and Section Chairs through regular mailings, e-mail, and/or fax messages and postings on the Section Council website. The Section Council electronic mailing list is used to distribute updates, to discuss issues among Council members, and to call for votes. A similar electronic mail list is maintained for Section Chairs and SIG Convenors, so that updates and notices can be distributed to them.
E-mail provides an effective method for distributing and discussing business items with Section officers and members. Items for action will be noted in the subject line of the e-mail. A specified time is allowed for on-line discussion followed by a date for votes to be returned to the Section Council Chair.
For a vote to be valid, it must be returned by the Section Council representative via return e-mail to the Section Council Chair. The electronic motions considered and voted on by Section Council are noted as information items at the next Section Council meeting so that they may be included in the official record. MLA has developed guidelines governing e-mail and voting.
5.2 Minutes of Council Meetings
The Recorder takes official minutes of Council meetings to ensure an accurate record of the meeting. The Recorder will provide an electronic copy of motions and reports made at meetings for inclusion in the minutes. A copy of the motion form can be found here. The Recorder will distribute a draft copy of the minutes following the meeting to solicit corrections by the Council members. The Recorder first sends the draft copy to the Section Council Chair, who then sends it out to the Council members.
5.3 Committee Objectives and Reports
Committee Chairs submit both their lists of objectives and reports on committee activities and accomplishments to the Council Chair in accordance with the Council’s timetable for required activities. The objectives are collated by the Council Chair and distributed to members. Two committee reports are required, one before the Chair writes the midyear Council report for the MLA Board and one before the Council annual report for MLA Headquarters.
5.4 Midyear and Annual Reports to MLA
Section Chairs are required to submit an interim or midyear report of activities and status of objectives to MLA Headquarters with a copy to the Section Council (usually in November or December). Also required from Sections is an annual report which is due by the deadline established by Headquarters (usually March or April) so it can be included in the MLA Annual Report, which is distributed to the MLA membership. See report format and guidelines. The Council Chair prepares the interim and annual reports incorporating the reports submitted by committee chairs.
5.5 MLA Directory Information
MLA Headquarters gathers current section officer information for the purpose of updating Section information on MLAnet. All information should be verified by the Chair of the Section Chair Elections Committee. The Chair of the Section Council Elections Committee compiles the information into a spreadsheet which is forwarded to the Executive Director, the Director, Financial and Administrative Services and the Coordinator, Membership Services at MLA Headquarters by the stated deadline with an informational copy to the Section Council Chair.
5.6 Centralized Dues Information
The centralized dues collection service offered to Sections allows MLA Headquarters to collect Section dues at the same time as MLA dues. Sections receive the following from Headquarters:
- A semi-annual payment for dues collected, plus interest but minus the cost-recovery administrative fee per member charged by Headquarters.
- A semi-annual remittance report listing renewing members and amounts paid.
- A non-renewal report listing members who have not renewed. In accordance with MLA Bylaws, unpaid members remain active until March 31, after which they are suspended if dues are still not paid. Shortly after that, Sections receive a list of suspended Section members.
- As many mailing lists and labels as requested using the request form found on MLAnet.
Sections in turn must do the following:
- Complete the initial letter of intent (see Centralized Dues Information and Calendar)
- Maintain the same fiscal year (January-December) as the Association and have the fiscal year included in its bylaws.
- Submit current Section information as requested by Headquarters each year for inclusion in the annual renewal notice.
- Allow Headquarters to retain a cost-recovery administrative fee out of the Section’s dues.
See the timetable of activities and an information sheet on centralized dues.