officer suspended, membership standing

[Guest amanda higgins]

at a board meeting, a club officer was censured and removed from a conference call meeting because he was out of order.  At the time, he had the floor but was not well received by the club president and a couple officers. The president removed her from the meeting after raising a point of order to refrain multiple times.

Question- did the president have the right to remove him from the meeting completely without a vote from the entire board?

Once removed, the president proceed to censure him for being out of order

Finally, the president made a motion to suspend him for 30 days. He was a officer of the club.  A vote of the board was taken. results were 3 to 2 in favor with one director absent. I feel this is excessive and extreme.

Question- could the president censure the accused without a vote of the board?

                 Is the suspension for 30 days from the club legal and/or excessive? 

Now that this officer is suspended and not in good standing with the club

Question- How does this affect her membership?

                 At the end of 30 days, are full membership privileges restores?

                 How does this affect him returning to his  elected position on the board?

                 Does this affect his status as a member in good standing affect the future membership? Is he no longer considered a member in good standing after the 30 days?

 

Was all of this legal and binding?

If not, what is the recourse, if any.

 

[Josh Martin]

Question- did the president have the right to remove him from the meeting completely without a vote from the entire board?

 

No.

 

Question- could the president censure the accused without a vote of the board?

 

Well, as an individual, I suppose so. But not in the name of the board. Censure means to express extreme disapproval. So he can express his own extreme disapproval, but without a vote from the board, the board does not (officially) agree with him.

 

Is the suspension for 30 days from the club legal and/or excessive? 

 

Check your rules to see whether the board has the authority to discipline officers or members. Under RONR, that authority rests with the membership. Whether it's excessive is an opinion.

 

Now that this officer is suspended and not in good standing with the club

 

I'm not sure that's been established yet.

 

Question- How does this affect her membership?

                 At the end of 30 days, are full membership privileges restores?

                 How does this affect him returning to his  elected position on the board?

                 Does this affect his status as a member in good standing affect the future membership? Is he no longer considered a member in good standing after the 30 days?

 

Assuming the board had the authority to suspend him, he has none of the rights of a member of the society for 30 days. Unless your bylaws provide otherwise, he's completely back to normal after 30 days.

 

There's no need for him to "return" to his elected position on the board, because he never left it.

 

Was all of this legal and binding?

If not, what is the recourse, if any.

 

You'll have to see whether your board has the authority in the bylaws to suspend members. If not, raise a Point of Order at the next meeting, followed by an Appeal if necessary.