The governance model proposal was the topic of the new business portion of ASSE's House of Delegates meeting. The proposal, which has been under development for several years, will change the organization's board structure. One goal of the proposal is take the board's focus off of component structures and put it squarely onto the membership and the profession. In addition, the organization is seeking to give every member a greater voice in Society strategy and direction, and speed decision making.
Before a vote was taken, the floor was opened to delegates to share their thoughts and opinions. Delegates discussed a variety of issues, including the need to ensure that members are truly represented on the board, the role of a public director and the influence of chapters. Other discussion points included the implementation plan; the need for continual review of the model when implemented to ensure that it continues to meet the Society's needs; and the effect of the change board costs.
The delegates were then asked to vote on the proposal via a paper ballot. The proposal passed 166 to 31, meaning the House of Delegates approved the ASSE bylaws with the governance change. The vote also authorizes the ASSE Board of Directors to implement the changes.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers