Going Forward is drawing attention to selected AMC agenda items and their possible ramifications. (The full agenda may be found at the American Mensa web site in the member resources section.)
Items in italics are verbatim from the AMC September 2003 Agenda; commentary is in ordinary type.
7. Moved Communications Services Committee and Membership Committee: That AML release member contact information for the purpose of campaigning only to AML members who are candidates for AML office.
This policy will be reviewed as MIL provides more guidance on releasing member contact information to international members.
EXPLANATION: AML is faced with the need for its own policy on member contact information to serve until consistent guidelines for all of Mensa are determined by MIL. Our most prudent course is to release no information.
Commentary: This motion's content could result in choking off any inter-member contact that is not officially mediated. Such exclusion could be considered contrary to the Mensa Constitution. The motion contains no definition of "candidates." A Nominating Committee candidate could have a decided edge in campaigning over a petition candidate whose petition had not yet been certified. Finally, regardless of the merits of any motion moved by committee or subcommittee, is it a wise practice to allow committees or subcommittees to make/second motions instead of individual officers publicly standing behind their recommendations?
8. Moved KUYPER, seconded SEIGLER, that the Community Services Committee be changed from a Standing Advisory Committee to a Standing Action Committee.
EXPLANATION: This is being done to allow all awards, prizes and/or grants presented under the auspices of the Community Services Committee be a committee decision with the committee consisting of not less than three AMC members. The current Community Services Committee already has more than three members.
Commentary: Is this strengthening the notion of Mensa as a service club?
10. Moved COONTZ, seconded VASILIAUSKAS to amend ASIE 2003-012 as follows:
[Full outline of handbook development process omitted]
EXPLANATION: These corrections are to clarify the intent of ASIE 2003-012. Changes are as follows:
II. Change AMC approval to "AMC Chair approval".
II A. Add "or appointees"
Commentary: Does the Chairman need more authority over appointments? Would this make certain committees an extension of the Chairman's point of view? Does this motion promote the AMC's abdication of its appointment re- sponsibilities?
Commentary on Motions 16 and 17: These are presented as "housekeeping" to fix inconsistencies with bylaws passed in 2003.
16. EXPLANATION: This proposed amendment is in line with the amendments that were passed in 2003. One of the 2003 amendments changed bylaws section VI(4) to require candidate petitions to be submitted no later than February 1st. Section VI(6), however, requires that the Election Committee verify petitions between March 1st and 10th. This proposed amendment resolves the discrepancy.
17. EXPLANATION: This proposed amendment is in line with the amendments that were passed in 2003. One of the 2003 amendments changed the date on which the call for petition candidates goes out from the January 1 preceding an election to December 1. The date on which the names of the candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee, though, remained at January 1. This proposed amendment changes the date of publication of the names of the nominated candidates to December 1 to match the call for petition candidates.
Commentary: These inconsistencies got past the entire Bylaws Committee during the last referendum, casting doubt on the attention to detail paid to items before they are presented to the membership for referendum. Should we be amending the bylaws so often that we add to the potential for irregularities and discrepancies, or should our bylaws be a more stable document?
There is still time to give your AMC members your input. Their contact information may be found in any Mensa Bulletin. The more people who participate in Mensa, the truer its Round Table will be.
