Amending By-Laws to require meeting attendance minimums

[Guest Kathleen McNeal]

Can a by-law amendment be made to require certain groups within an organization to meet attendance requirements that are not required of the general membership?  For example  "Any current member of the "XYZ" unit is hereby required to attend a minimum of two meetings per calendar year in order to remain in "XYZ unit.

[Josh Martin]

Can a by-law amendment be made to require certain groups within an organization to meet attendance requirements that are not required of the general membership?

 

Yes.

 

A society can put anything it wants in its bylaws, so long as it does not conflict with an even higher-level rule, such as clearly requisite points in the bylaws of a parent society, or procedural rules in applicable law.

[jstackpo]

Sure, but be careful what you wish for.  (RONR doesn't require attendance for any individual.)

 

Like, how do you define "attendance"?  Does it "count" if the member ...

 

1) Shows up , then leaves (How much time does he have to be in the room?)

 

2)  Sleeps through the meeting.

 

3)  Leaves "early"  --  how early is "too" early.  (Same as #1)

 

4)  Arrives late.  How "late" is too late?

 

5)  Gets a friend to sign him in on the attendance sheet - but isn't there at all.

 

6)  Next meeting swears he was there but just didn't see the sign in sheet.

 

7)  is the person in charge of taking attendance, but he doesn't show up.

 

You get the idea....

 

Also what are the consequences of not showing up at all?  Dis-memberment?  Any appeal process.  Valid excuses?