Introduction

2.1 Section Council Chair

2.2 Section Council Representatives

2.3 Section Council Representatives-Elect

2.4 Proxy Vote

2.5 Second Meeting Voting Requirement

  The Section Council of the Medical Library Association is one of two councils serving in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors of the Association. The Section Council promotes interchange between Sections, and together with its counterpart, the Chapter Council, promotes interchange between Sections and Chapters.

The Section Council receives recommendations from individual Sections and considers them either for approval or disapproval. Approved recommendations are forwarded to the Board of Directors; those not approved are referred back to the originating Section.

The Section Council provides an opportunity for Sections to participate more directly in the governance of the Association through representation of their interests at the Board level. The Council also enables Sections to better define their role and function within the Association through participation in a coordinated, unified representative body.

2.1 Section Council Chair

Members of the Section Council elect one member to serve as Section Council Chair. The Section Council Chair is an ex officio voting member of the Board of Directors and participates in planning and policy-making activities at this level. The Chair also serves as Board liaison to Sections, and in this capacity communicates Section concerns and recommendations to the Board. Likewise, relevant action by the Board is reported to the Council as soon as possible after Board meetings. As Board liaison, the Section Council Chair serves as the link between the Sections and the Board, and as liaison to the Headquarters' staff.

2.2 Section Council Representatives

The Representative from each Section must be a voting member of the Association, selected in accordance with the bylaws of the Section. Representatives to the Section Council are elected for a three-year term. Appendix 21 provides the rotation schedule for Section elections of Representatives and Representatives-Elect.

Responsibilities of Section Council Representative include:

• Attend all Council meetings and represent his/her Section on the Council and in the conduct of Council business.

• Implement Council decisions, monitor section compliance standards, gather information as requested, inform membership of issues under discussion by the Council, and solicit comments and suggestions.

• Serve on at least one standing or ad hoc committee, but not on more than two committees at the same time.

• Serve, if appointed, as chair of a committee, but not of more than one committee at the same time.

• Submit, if chair of a committee, an annual report by the assigned date to the Council Chair, and the Executive Director's office.

• Ensure the selection of an MLA Nominating Committee nominee from his/her Section, and submit a biographical form to the Council's Elections Committee.

• Keep Section Council Representative-Elect and Section Chair informed of all significant business and events.

2.3 Section Council Representatives-Elect

The Section Council Representative-Elect is selected in the same manner, at the same time, and for the same time period as the Representative, and replaces the Representative should the Representative be elected Section Council Chair or become unable to complete the term of office.

Responsibilities of Section Council Representatives-Elect include:

• Attend, if possible, all Council meetings.

• Take his/her seat at the Council whenever the Representative is unable to attend a meeting. When sitting on the Council in place of the Representative, the Representative-Elect has the same rights and privileges as the Representative, including voting.

• Assume the role of the Representative should he/she be elected Section Council Chair or become unable to complete the term of office.

• To participate in standing or ad hoc committees if desired.

2.4 Proxy Vote

When a Section Council Representative is unable to attend the meeting, the Representative-Elect, if one has been elected, may serve as the Section’s official representative to Section Council.

When neither the Representative or Representative-Elect are able to attend the Section Council’s meeting a Section may appoint an officer as the proxy who will represent the Section’s interests during discussions and may vote on Council issues. The proxy may also present motions to the Council on behalf of the Section.

Appointment of a proxy must comply with the following guidelines:

1. The proxy is appointed by the Section Chair.

2. The proxy must be a current member and officer of the Section.

3. The Section Council Chair is notified by the Section Chair of the proxy’s name, address, and other contact information. Notification may be fax or letter. If e-mail is used, confirmation must be followed by fax or letter.

4. Notification will be accepted by the Council Chair up to the official starting time of each Section Council meeting.

5. The proxy must be willing to become familiar with all motions and issues being considered by Council before the Annual meeting and discuss them with the appropriate Section officers.

6. The proxy should review information in the Council’s procedures manual describing the responsibilities of Representatives and the process for handling Council business.

7. The proxy should be prepared to attend both Council , unless the official representative or representative-elect is able to attend one of the meetings. Discussion of items being voted on will take place at the first business meeting and voting will occur at the second meeting.

8. The elected Representative should share all Council mailings and files with the proxy before the annual meeting and update the proxy on special areas of concern to the section.

Proxies must be Section officers; other section members may attend the Council meetings but may not officially represent the Section at the Council or vote on Council issues.

2.5 Second Meeting Voting Requirement

Motions, reports and other business items are usually submitted to Council for consideration and discussion at the first Council meeting. Voting takes place at the second meeting. Therefore, Representatives and appointed proxies should be present at both meetings in order to vote on motions.

If the Representative is unable to attend both meetings, the Section may still have a vote if the following occurs:

1. The Representative-Elect attends one or both meetings and meets with the Representative at the annual meeting for updates on issues and pending motions.

2. The proxy, who is a Section officer, meets with the Representative or Representative-Elect at the annual meeting for updates on issues and pending motions.

Chair's Manual Table of Contents

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Last updated on: March 21, 2001.