SEG Council narrowly defeats governance-reform proposal By Whitney Emerick SEG's Council narrowly defeated a proposal to bring reform of the Society's governance structure to a vote of the general active membership.
Proposed Bylaws changes that would create an 18-member Board of Directors were supported by a majority of Council members during the meeting held Sunday, 17 October during the SEG International Exposition and 80th Annual Meeting in Denver. But the measure failed to gain the two-thirds majority of Council members present that was necessary to forward the matter to a vote of SEG active members. There were 39 votes in favor and 22 opposed. Only 61 of the 103 Council members were present for the meeting. The Council meets once a year at the Annual Meeting.
The proposal was the result of three years of study and development by the SEG Constitution and Bylaws Strategic Governance Review Committee led by Joseph M. Reilly. Issues included the role of the Council under the current SEG Constitution and Bylaws and how it would change under the new proposal. There also was discussion of the legal inconsistency that the SEG Constitution recognizes the Council as SEG's governing body while the Society's articles of incorporation in the state of Oklahoma declare the Executive Committee as the governing body. Under the proposed Bylaws, the Board of Directors, which would include the Executive Committee, would have been recognized universally as the Society's governing body.
The proposed Bylaws called for multiyear terms for Board members, including a Council-elected Council chairman elected for a three-year term. The proposed Bylaws also prescribed multiyear service for Executive Committee members and nine Directors at Large elected to three-year terms by active members worldwide. Under SEG's current governance structure, four of seven members of the Executive Committee serve just one year.
Council representatives from Texas, Colorado, and Louisiana led opposition to the governance-reform proposal.
John Eastwood, incoming Executive Committee Secretary–Treasurer and a supporter of the proposal, said, "I'm still for a strong proposal for governance reform. I'm hopeful the main initiatives, in particular the Board of Directors, will eventually pass."
Mike Graul, incoming Executive Committee First Vice President and Past President of the Geophysical Society of Houston, said he voted no "… to strengthen the Council by putting them in charge of the constitutional changes. I want the Council to have ownership. This was an exercise in democracy."
Dave Nobes, alternate Council member, said, "I thought this was very annoying. I'm very disappointed in the outcome (of the governance vote)." Speaking of his particular section, "We knew we had discussed it (the proposal). It would've allowed the Council to have better direct representation of the Society. That has been sidetracked."
Under new business, the Geophysical Society of Houston through Graul moved to create a Council committee to study governance alternatives and propose changes. After empassioned debate, this motion was tabled following a plea from Sven Treitel, attending and speaking as an SEG member and not a Council representative. "I am extremely concerned with a split within our Society." Treitel said. "We must do everything possible to avoid this incurable sore. I want the motion from Mike Graul to be tabled so everyone can calm down, reflect, and then see where we go next. The last thing we want to happen today is for half of us to be disgruntled with the other half."
The Council easily passed a redistricting measure designed to equalize membership counts within districts while still preserving geographical contiguity and cultural affinity. Membership Committee chairman Michael Burianyk said, "This does not create boundaries, borders or walls."
The Council also adopted a resolution thanking former parliamentarian Shirley Domenico for her 13 years of service.
President Steve Hill presented a brief report about the state of SEG before the passing of the gavel to President-elect Klaas Koster. Click here for event photos Read the 2010 Bylaw Proposal FAQ View Governance Document Comparisons Related Annual Meeting News: | | | |
