Another Worrisome Bylaws Change.

[debbeidel4alumnicouncil]

Article II. Section 1. a. of the PSAA Amended and Restated Bylaws discusses the composition of Alumni Council and ends with the following sentence: “At any time, the Executive Board may, by majority vote of the Executive Board, increase or decrease the number of Council members provided, however, any such decrease shall not eliminate any Council member then in office and all Council Members whose term of office is not otherwise expiring on such date shall be permitted to serve the balance of his/her unexpired term.”

I voiced my opposition to this bylaws addition at the recent Alumni Council meeting – this is not a case of me fearing that I will lose my seat.

My worry is that the Executive Board (with very few elected members currently serving on that board) will decide that they no longer need the 30 generally elected Council members. I worry that we, as alumni association members, will lose our independent voice in the association affairs. After all, with two lawsuits, the Alumni Council Election has become very contentious and it is highly unlikely that the people soon to be elected will simply fall in line with the current leadership. I worry that, pending the outcome of this election, the 30 elected seats will immediately become expendable.

Given the disdain that this leadership has shown for the alumni, such as exclusion from association meetings, I fear that in a few weeks we will be witnesses to history – the final election of representatives to Council who were elected by the Alumni Association general membership. I also wonder if leadership anticipates losing the lawsuits and will use this bylaws change to immediately decrease the number of Council seats and cancel the 2015 election rather than risk dealing with 10 new Council members who will not toe the line?

 

[psu00]

Article II. Section 1. a. of the PSAA Amended and Restated Bylaws discusses the composition of Alumni Council and ends with the following sentence: “At any time, the Executive Board may, by majority vote of the Executive Board, increase or decrease the number of Council members provided, however, any such decrease shall not eliminate any Council member then in office and all Council Members whose term of office is not otherwise expiring on such date shall be permitted to serve the balance of his/her unexpired term.”

I voiced my opposition to this bylaws addition at the recent Alumni Council meeting – this is not a case of me fearing that I will lose my seat.

My worry is that the Executive Board (with very few elected members currently serving on that board) will decide that they no longer need the 30 generally elected Council members. I worry that we, as alumni association members, will lose our independent voice in the association affairs. After all, with two lawsuits, the Alumni Council Election has become very contentious and it is highly unlikely that the people soon to be elected will simply fall in line with the current leadership. I worry that, pending the outcome of this election, the 30 elected seats will immediately become expendable.

Given the disdain that this leadership has shown for the alumni, such as exclusion from association meetings, I fear that in a few weeks we will be witnesses to history – the final election of representatives to Council who were elected by the Alumni Association general membership. I also wonder if leadership anticipates losing the lawsuits and will use this bylaws change to immediately decrease the number of Council seats and cancel the 2015 election rather than risk dealing with 10 new Council members who will not toe the line?

You're right on the money. This is a way to eliminate opposition voices. I can absolutely see the Council exec committee vote to remove elected seats and thereby try to get out of the current lawsuits.

 

[fairgambit]

Article II. Section 1. a. of the PSAA Amended and Restated Bylaws discusses the composition of Alumni Council and ends with the following sentence: “At any time, the Executive Board may, by majority vote of the Executive Board, increase or decrease the number of Council members provided, however, any such decrease shall not eliminate any Council member then in office and all Council Members whose term of office is not otherwise expiring on such date shall be permitted to serve the balance of his/her unexpired term.”

I voiced my opposition to this bylaws addition at the recent Alumni Council meeting – this is not a case of me fearing that I will lose my seat.

My worry is that the Executive Board (with very few elected members currently serving on that board) will decide that they no longer need the 30 generally elected Council members. I worry that we, as alumni association members, will lose our independent voice in the association affairs. After all, with two lawsuits, the Alumni Council Election has become very contentious and it is highly unlikely that the people soon to be elected will simply fall in line with the current leadership. I worry that, pending the outcome of this election, the 30 elected seats will immediately become expendable.

Given the disdain that this leadership has shown for the alumni, such as exclusion from association meetings, I fear that in a few weeks we will be witnesses to history – the final election of representatives to Council who were elected by the Alumni Association general membership. I also wonder if leadership anticipates losing the lawsuits and will use this bylaws change to immediately decrease the number of Council seats and cancel the 2015 election rather than risk dealing with 10 new Council members who will not toe the line?

If this were to happen, it would likely be the final straw for me. My Penn State ties are hanging by a thread. It would not take much for me to walk away from this University forever and never look back. I will always have the memories, and friendships, of days gone by, but Penn State continues to evolve into a place I barely recognize and no longer care about.

 

[PSU73]

If this were to happen, it would likely be the final straw for me. My Penn State ties are hanging by a thread. It would not take much for me to walk away from this University forever and never look back. I will always have the memories, and friendships, of days gone by, but Penn State continues to evolve into a place I no longer care about.

Whether we get it turned around or not remains to be seen; however, speaking solely to the Administration, except for the present people fighting for Penn State alumni on the BOT and AA, those who otherwise represent Penn State do not represent me and therefore as it is today, this is not my Penn State. I strongly believe that good will win over the evil that infests our University's administration today. There clearly is something very evil, very dirty that is being hidden.

Deb - please keep up your good fight. It is really needed, and greatly appreciated.

 

[kgilbert78]

Article II. Section 1. a. of the PSAA Amended and Restated Bylaws discusses the composition of Alumni Council and ends with the following sentence: “At any time, the Executive Board may, by majority vote of the Executive Board, increase or decrease the number of Council members provided, however, any such decrease shall not eliminate any Council member then in office and all Council Members whose term of office is not otherwise expiring on such date shall be permitted to serve the balance of his/her unexpired term.”

I voiced my opposition to this bylaws addition at the recent Alumni Council meeting – this is not a case of me fearing that I will lose my seat.

My worry is that the Executive Board (with very few elected members currently serving on that board) will decide that they no longer need the 30 generally elected Council members. I worry that we, as alumni association members, will lose our independent voice in the association affairs. After all, with two lawsuits, the Alumni Council Election has become very contentious and it is highly unlikely that the people soon to be elected will simply fall in line with the current leadership. I worry that, pending the outcome of this election, the 30 elected seats will immediately become expendable.

Given the disdain that this leadership has shown for the alumni, such as exclusion from association meetings, I fear that in a few weeks we will be witnesses to history – the final election of representatives to Council who were elected by the Alumni Association general membership. I also wonder if leadership anticipates losing the lawsuits and will use this bylaws change to immediately decrease the number of Council seats and cancel the 2015 election rather than risk dealing with 10 new Council members who will not toe the line?

I think you've nailed it.

 

[lionlurker]

Very clearly, it's important to the power brokers that they maintain control, and make sure whatever it is that they are hiding, stays hidden.

The question I always ask is, why are so many people willing to do what the criminals want, in order to keep this secret hidden? Surely, all of these people are not involved in whatever this is. Are they just blind followers, without integrity and without cortical grey matter? It's baffling.

Personally, I think people like Roger Williams and his ilk are all spineless drones who just do what they are told, without thinking much about anything. Williams was getting paid to sell his soul. It's the rest of them I don't get, the ones who themselves have nothing to gain by going along with the Surma and Peetz crowd. If they are PSU alums, then their educations were not money well-spent.