In accordance with these requirements, the Board of Directors has authorized me to circulate publicly the attached proposals, soliciting comments and suggestions with a view to potential adoption of the proposals (subject to member feedback, at the earliest) at the February 19, 2009 Association Business Meeting at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Orlando.
In summary, the proposed Constitution and Bylaws changes seek to further the following aims:
- Set forth the Association’s purposes more comprehensively than those relative to accreditation;
- Constitutionally establish the Association and Commission on Accreditation (COA) much more explicitly and practically as distinct entities;
- Make more explicit and comprehensive the COA’s “separate and independent” authority to promulgate accreditation Standards and policies as well as to develop and administer its budget (revenues and expenses);
- Provide for the Commission to oversee nominations for Commission vacancies, further establishing its functional autonomy;
- Establish a “standing” professional executive role (Director, Commission on Accreditation) relative to the Commission on Accreditation; this executive would be the final professional staff resort (rather than, as is currently the case, the Association’s executive director) in such matters as substantive change submissions, Standards interpretation, appeals, etc.
- Clarify that ABHE membership is institutional, rather than individual, strengthening our assertion that we should not be classified as a “professional membership association” (i.e., as the American Medical Association or the American Bar Association, for example, which have both individual and institutional members) and subject to some of the USDE regulations pertaining to that classification;
- Provide for longer and successive terms of service for Board and COA members in order to foster greater continuity and excellence in our work;
- Enlarge the Commission from 12 to 15 members in order to, (a) accommodate an additional “practitioner” member; (b) meet the demands of an increasingly heavy workload; and (c) foster greater continuity;
- Provide for the Board (rather than the annual ballot) to designate its own officers from among board members elected by member institution delegates;
- Clarify that the board is a governing board rather than an associational executive administration, as many of the statements and titles in the current documents imply;
- Change to more conventional Board officers (chair, vice-chair, etc.) and chief executive officer (i.e., President) terminology;
- Provide for existing standing committees or other committees and task forces, but ensure that they are more nimble, flexible, and self-perpetuating than is provided for by the current Bylaws;
- Permit future editorial changes to be made to the Constitution and Bylaws on an “act & inform” basis.
As you will observe, these changes are rather sweeping. The Board commends these documents to you only after substantial reflection and discussion involving the Commission on Accreditation and professional staff. We would appreciate your thoughtful review and feedback by December 12, 2008 in order that we may assimilate and evaluate feedback relative to potential adoption in February.
>> View Existing ABHE Constitution
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