Administrative Powers of the Ex. Bd. During Interim of National Convention

[Guest NatashaYahnee]

Our sorority bylaws provide for our national executive board to be the supreme authority of the sorority during the interim of the grand boule (i.e., national convention). We meet as a body every 2 years on the even year, making this year a boule year.

During the natl ex. bd. meeting in Jan. 2012, the board (which is politically stacked via appointments by the national president) voted to adopt a member expulsion policy. In a nutshell, the new policy is the national president has sole authority to expel members, without due process, for any reason that does not have to be disclosed to the member(s) affected by the discipline, and members must (at their own expense) present themselves on a moment's notice at our headquarters in DC to defend themselves after the discipline has been handed down.

The policy has not been published to the members, has not been written into the bylaws, nor brought to the body for consideration. However the national president has begun to implement the policy.

Without getting into all the ratchetness that is going on in the organization (and it's A LOT), the main question we have is (1) can the natl ex. bd. adopt an expulsion policy that affects the members without the consent and vote of the body; (2) what actions can the body take in July to undo this mess; (3) how can the body reinstate members and chapters disciplined under this policy as well as those arbitrarily disciplined prior to the policy being voted on in Jan.?

Thanks for answering.

[Gary c Tesser]

O Natasha. Our first quarrel.

[Gary c Tesser]

OK. I'll reply to Ms Yahnee's questions as numbered; lettered comments.

(a) Please examine your bylaws minutely.

(1) If the executive board has "supreme authority" at any time, it would be hard to argue that the board cannot establish whatever policies it chooses to. Any argument to the contrary means interpreting the bylaws, which only the organization can do authoritatively.

(2) PLEASE see Official Interpretations 12 and 13, right away. (They should answer Ms Yahnee's second question. Do they, Ms Yahnee?)

(3a) Any members that were expelled properly, in accordance with the rules, cannot be reinstated, as far as Robert's Rules is concerned (unless the bylaws themselves provide for reinstating). They must re-join as if brand-new members (RONR, 11th Ed., p. 308).

(3b) Whoa. Natasha! What's this about pre-policy? What was the official policy at that time??

BTW, Natasha, thank you for "ratchedness." I hadn't heard of it before.

[Guest Edgar]

BTW, Natasha, thank you for "ratchedness." I hadn't heard of it before.

Though you have, perhaps, heard of wretchedness?

[Gary c Tesser]

...

With horror, I at first supposed that this sorority member was simply misspelling "wretchedness," but checked Urban Dictionary out of caution. Which is not to deny that "ratchedness" might simply be a deliberate trendy re-spelling; but can we ever know? Urban Dictionary notoriously does not provide scholarly etymologies. Perhaps a field of interest for young scholarly Natasha Yahee. I'd be glad to put in a word for her to AHD, they'll listen to me since I'm such a regular purchaser off our used-dictionary salesman.

[Gary c Tesser]

I'm sorry I typo'ed your name, Natasha! Please come back!