Report of the Committee on Constitution and Bylaws

Abstract

The Committee on Constitution and Bylaws this year accomplished its work by mail ballot, and I am indebted to the members of the committee for completing its business so expeditiously. They include Drs. Andrea Bates, Robert Carvalho, Stephen Cole, William Spriegel, and Dr. Lester Shapiro (Assembly liaison). As indicated in the report of the Committee of Tellers, the amendments on the 1994 ballot were passed. The change to chapter 3.2 of the Bylaws allows the Member-in-Training Trustee-Elect to vote in the absence of the Member-in-Training Trustee at Board of Trustees meetings; the change to chapter 7. 1 changes the name of the Assembly from “Assembly of District Branches” to “Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association”; and the change to chapter 8.5 establishes an earlier deadline for receipt of petitions for referenda and specifies that signatures on such petitions are valid only for the year in which they are initially submitted. In November 1 993 the Assembly approved an action paper that calls on APA “to recognize in the Constitution of the APA that among the organization’s objectives is the need to represent our membership and its needs along with concerns about the mentally itt and their care.” The suggested amendment was predicated on the idea that our organization’s Constitution represents its most fundamental statement of mission and, as such, should closely define APA’s work. The Board approved the change and referred the matter to the Committee on Constitution and Bylaws. The Committee on Constitution and Bylaws sought advice from legal counsel on the wording so as not to jeopardize our SOl(c)(3) status. The committee then prepared an amendment incorporating this change and reported to the Board at its March 19-20, 1994, meeting. The Board approved the amendment for reading to the membership at the 1 994 annual business session and for inclusion on the 1 995 ballot. The text of the amendment follows. PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ThE ARTICLES OF THE CONSTITUTION