Illinois Family Support
Enforcement Association
The following is a summary of the changes being proposed by amendment to IFSEA's By-Laws:
Article III: Purposes. The seven existing purposes are largely rewritten and condensed to five. The Board believed many of the purposes were somewhat repetitive or contained some mandates that were beyond the ability of our association. The new language focuses our purposes to promoting administration of family support programs and enforcement of state laws, providing information to the child support world and the general public, producing a newsletter and maintaining a web site, participate in the development of family support public policy, and to develop and promote relationships with other support programs and organizations.
Article IV: Membership. The only proposed change is to correct the name of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
Article VI: Board of Directors. A significant change is proposed for this article. The overall number of Directors would be reduced from 26 to 21, beginning with the elections in 2009. This change is largely a result of the Board’s recommendation to change the length of Directors’ terms from two years to three years (to be discussed later). In order to keep the terms staggered and to keep the existing ratio of Directors between Region One and Regions Two and Three, the number of elected Directors would have to change. Currently about 15% of our total membership sits on the Board, which is a large percentage and can at times contribute to inefficiencies. About 12% of the membership will still sit on the Board even with a reduction to 21 Directors. A slightly smaller board will also hopefully operate more efficiently and respond to emerging issues faster and more effectively.
Article VII: Election of Directors. Two significant changes are proposed for this article. The terms of Directors would change from two years to three years and the Directors would only be able to serve two successive three-year terms. After that they would be ineligible for re-election for anther three years. While recognizing the value of the contribution and service of individual Directors, the Board wants to encourage a regular change in the overall makeup of the Board by bringing in new Directors on a consistent basis. To accomplish the change in number and structure of terms, all existing terms would terminate in 2009 and a new Board would be elected. To keep terms staggered, one-third would be elected for one year and one-third would be elected for two years initially and then for three years thereafter.
Article VIII: Officers. Several changes are proposed for this article. In order to prevent any conflict the president might have in advancing IFSEA’s position on a particular issue, language is added to clarify that the president may communicate the position or delegate that responsibility to another officer. No officer or member is required to communicate a position that is in conflict with that person’s primary organizational affiliation.
Two officers would be added to the existing group of officers, a Technology Officer and the Immediate Past President. The Technology Officer would chair the new Newsletter and Website Committee and have responsibility to produce the newsletter and to create and/or maintain the website. This position moves responsibility for the newsletter from the Secretary. The Board believes that the newsletter and overhaul of the website is so important to IFSEA’s future and mission that creation of a new officer with responsibility over those areas is necessary to help ensure effective implementation. The idea behind having the immediate past president remain as an officer is to help smooth the transition process and to keep the knowledge and experience of that individual more readily accessible to the existing Board and other officers.
Another proposed change is to clarify the dates of the terms of office. Currently the by-laws state that officers’ terms begin one month following the first meeting of Directors held at the conference. We have not been abiding by that in practice, instead we have had the new officers take over their positions immediately following their election. The proposal would set the actual terms to begin December 1 and end the following November 30. This allows for a more orderly transition and to resolve any possible legal concerns about officers acting without authority. Finally, this article would be clarified to indicate that any member may be elected an officer.
Article IX: Committees. Two changes are proposed for this article. Although the officers have unofficially met as an executive committee for some time, one proposed change is to create a new standing Executive Committee to formalize that role and to add the Immediate Past President as a non-voting member. Finally, the Publications Committee would be renamed the Newsletter and Website Committee, with the added responsibility to maintain a website, and would now be chaired by the Technology Officer as indicated above.