Removing an officer and advisor from a club

[Darlene]

Hello All, I need your help. I feel confident of my interpretation of constitution and bylaws, but never seen anything so vague, i think I know how I would move forward but would love the advice and expertise.  Thank you for reading this all the way through!

A club which I belong to in a foreign country has a women's club which has the local women and foreign (American) women.  Each year a new president is elected and it flip flops.  One year Local and next foreign.  The other roles have 2 each - VP, sec, tres and various committee chairs and 6 advisors.

The local foreign women believe the code of conduct has been violated (and I believe it has) and would like to dismiss the American VP and advisor.  Here is the language for code of conducted they feel has been violated:

*The member shall conduct themselves in a manner conducive to the good of the organization and treat all other club members with courtesy and respect in a professional and cooperative manner at all times.  Any member's behavior deemed unprofessional by the President, VP and/or board members during any club function shall result in the member's removal from said function and possible dismissal from the club.  

*Members shall not engage in bullying or harassment of another member in any way including verbal, physical, email, voicemail, memos.  Or in any other way or speak to act in any way contrary to the aims, bylaws and code of conduct of this club.

 

Election - 

Term of office is for one year for President and VP.

Special Meeting - 

Special meeting may be called at the discretion of the President, or by a majority vote of the board.

Vacancies:

Should a member of the board, with the exception of the President, resign permanently, depart the country or otherwise prevented from performing her duties, the president will appoint another member to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term of office.  

 

I appreciate all advice.  I have given all the information that could apply that is in the governing docs, and there isn't much.

Edited May 22, 2023 at 09:05 AM by Darlene
not finished typing.

[Dan Honemann]

Has your club adopted Robert's Rules of Order as its parliamentary authority?

[puzzling]

What do your bylaws say (if any) on the terms of office?

And what do the bylaws say about disciplinary procedure?

[Gary Novosielski]

On 5/22/2023 at 5:02 AM, Darlene said:

Any member's behavior deemed unprofessional by the President, VP and/or board members during any club function shall result in the member's removal from said function and possible dismissal from the club.  

Well, you're right that this is preposterously vague.   The and/or renders this unintelligible.

It is either the case that any one of 

• The president; or,
• the VP; or, 
• any board member,

can deem the behavioral unprofessional or it is the case that all of

• The president; and,
• the VP; and,
• all of the board members

are required.  It can't be both.

I also don't know how to interpret that this shall result in possible dismissal.  They shall definitely be dismissed maybe?  Was the person in question removed from the function at which the alleged violation occurred? 

 

[Atul Kapur]

On 5/22/2023 at 5:02 AM, Darlene said:

Any member's behavior deemed unprofessional by the President, VP and/or board members

 

On 5/22/2023 at 9:56 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

The and/or renders this unintelligible

I read it as saying the president or the vp or the board members or any combination of the same. 

[Darlene]

so they were unprofessional in a board meeting and the VP was bullying another board meeting through text messages.  The president would like to remove the VP, quickly!

[Darlene]

On 5/22/2023 at 6:33 PM, Dan Honemann said:

Has your club adopted Robert's Rules of Order as its parliamentary authority?

It has.

[Darlene]

On 5/22/2023 at 6:40 PM, puzzling said:

What do your bylaws say (if any) on the terms of office?

And what do the bylaws say about disciplinary procedure?

no disciplinary procedure.  

exact wording -  The term of office of the president and VP shall be for one year.  

 

in another area -  Should a member of the board, with the exception of the President, resign permanently, depart the country or otherwise be prevented from performing her duties, the president will appoint another to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term of office.  

[Atul Kapur]

On 5/23/2023 at 7:36 AM, Darlene said:

so they were unprofessional in a board meeting and the VP was bullying another board meeting through text messages.  The president would like to remove the VP, quickly!

You have not provided any language about what happens when there is a perceived or alleged violation of your Code of Conduct. It appears that you will need to follow any processes within or, if there is nothing there, that you will need to follow the disciplinary process detailed in Chapter XX of RONR.