7.1 Schedule

The Section Council traditionally meets at the beginning of the annual MLA meeting, with the meeting usually lasting eight hours.

7.2 Agenda

The Chair shares a preliminary agenda with Council representatives prior to meetings to obtain additional items and recommendations for the final agenda, which is distributed before the annual meeting. Items which often appear on the agenda include approval of minutes, Chair's report, committee reports, petitions, motions, resolutions, and elections.

7.3 Procedures

Council meetings are conducted according to rules in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised where they are applicable and consistent with MLA Bylaws and any special rules of order adopted by MLA. Excerpts from Robert's appear in Appendix 22. A parliamentarian may be appointed by the Chair from Council membership, and the Chair may consult with the MLA parliamentarian for clarification on voting and procedural matters and on special rules of MLA.

7.4 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.

7.5 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.

7.6 Disputes

To resolve disputes which may arise among Sections, the Council Chair shall request a position statement on the matter from the officers of the Sections concerned to be delivered within six months of the date of the request. The Chair will then appoint an ad hoc committee of three members of the Section Council who represent non-affected and disinterested Sections to prepare a recommendation for resolution of the dispute. This recommendation is to be delivered at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Council, where it will be discussed and voted upon.

Procedure Manual Table of Contents

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Last updated on: January 28, 2007.